i live in melbourne, australia and am going to buy a bike to get around the city and just for fun. i want a fast road bike and have done a little research, but im a bit stuck. i havnt looked everywhere, but there are two bikes im considering at the moment. the first and cheaper of the two at $800AUD is a khs aero...something. it was new at least five years ago and was just brought out of the attic. it has new sora levers and shimano 105 24 speed everyting else. it has what seem to be house built wheels, velocity semi sealed...somethings with stainless steel spokes. the frame and fork are easton aluminum. the second is the new giant ORC3 at $1000AUD. i dont know for sure, but dont think that the components or wheels are quite as good. it has a better frame and a carbon fork and 3 gears in front instead of 2 on the khs.
i dont know if i want the better components or the better frame fork. can anyone help me out? thanks for your time.

without knowing the terrain you will ride, how much, etc. Study the site. Many discussions of similar issues have been had.

1. Get what is right for where & how you ride. Lots of steep hills, consider a triple.
2. Understand Bike FIT.
3. Try before you buy.
4. At the lower end of pricing, practical and durable is far more important than the appearance of high end (e.g. aero wheels).

Good luck

ok, i dont think ill be doing to many hills so that third gear isnt a big deal. i was just hoping to get a direct comparison of the frames, groupsets and wheels. is it worth the extra $100 (i found a ocr3 for $900AUD) to get a better frame and lesser groupset or would it be a good deal to go for the cheaper frame with the 105 components. it will get a lot of riding and so the carbon fork might be nice to have, but does it outweigh the better groupset on the cheaper bike?
just peoples opinions are fine. what would you do?

The most noticable difference between Sora and the other groups is in the way the shifters function, but both have Sora shifters. Beyond that the differences are relatively minor matters of weight, precision and durability. 105 is better, but Sora is probably fine.

2 gears are the front are lighter than three and (IMO) also a plus in the performance dept.

The AL fork is a big minus in my book.

Almost too close to call. Which has the nicer paint scheme?

Based on the information available, I would consider the KHS and replace AL fork.

thanks for that. so you think the KHS frame is as good or nearly as good as the giant? how much would an ok carbon fork cost? the giant definitely has a nicer paint scheme, but i can always paint the KHS. i want a matte black bike anyway, niether is perfect.
what about i abandon the whole idea and just build one with parts bought on ebay? is that a viable option?

anyones opinion is appreciated

I don't know much about either, other than that both are made by legit companies that sell a lot of bikes. You could look through the Review section here for better feed back. My sense is that they are both middle-of-the-road frames that will probably do you fine, assuming that they are in good condition.

You can find new off-brand CF forks on-line for under $100 (US). I bought a lower end Easton with a steel steerer for about that with a coupon posted here. Nashbar, Performance etc. are good places to look (assuming that shipping from the US is a viable option).

I personally prefer to build bikes part by part. FWIW, I also prefer a steel single speed for getting around the city (and almost all other types of riding) for its simplicity and durability. Plus, you can spend the money you would otherwise spend on a multi-speed drivetrain on better wheels or other gear. But multi-speed bikes are fine too if that is your preferance.

i might end up just building one. ive never riden a fixed gear, i think it scares me a bit. are they much trouble to get up hills or from a dead start? how fit do you have to be to get around on one? i think itd be cool to have one. i dont know. i think im more confused now than when i started, lol. its a good thing i dont have any money now and have to wait a while and can think about it.

thanks for you help, im not confused because of you guys, just me being obsesive.

You can set up a fixed gear with a ratio that is easy enough to start, cruise around on and climb with. You don't need to be super fit, and you will soon adapt. 42:17 is my personal favorite ratio.

My only advice is not to be tempted to go without both front and rear brakes. You can get away with it, but it doesn't add up in my personal risk/reward assesment.