It's great to get feedback from other riders. I've mostly ridden some raced road bikes for quite a while. I've usually had pretty nice bikes. Due to recent financial shuffling I'm looking into a bike that is nice but still reasonably priced. I'll race on it(not big on crits), club rides and the like. I weigh #150 and like climbing. I've been thinking about the following bikes: Trek 2300, Felt F35, Jamis Eclipse, and possibly the Allez Comp. Any other ideas? Any experience out there with these bikes?
Thanks.

It's great to get feedback from other riders. I've mostly ridden some raced road bikes for quite a while. I've usually had pretty nice bikes. Due to recent financial shuffling I'm looking into a bike that is nice but still reasonably priced. I'll race on it(not big on crits), club rides and the like. I weigh #150 and like climbing. I've been thinking about the following bikes: Trek 2300, Felt F35, Jamis Eclipse, and possibly the Allez Comp. Any other ideas? Any experience out there with these bikes?
Thanks.

I've been really happy with my Trek 2300. I have last year's model, without the carbon stays. It's not a sexy choice, and you'll get ribbed for riding a "lance bike," but it is a very good choice for your price range. You should be able to get it for around $2,000 or less. I paid $1,650 for mine.

I don't have any experience with the others, although Felt seems to offer alot of bang for the buck.

It's great to get feedback from other riders. I've mostly ridden some raced road bikes for quite a while. I've usually had pretty nice bikes. Due to recent financial shuffling I'm looking into a bike that is nice but still reasonably priced. I'll race on it(not big on crits), club rides and the like. I weigh #150 and like climbing. I've been thinking about the following bikes: Trek 2300, Felt F35, Jamis Eclipse, and possibly the Allez Comp. Any other ideas? Any experience out there with these bikes?
Thanks.
I have seen the Giant TCR composite w/ Ultegra in Performance bikes for about $1,900. I have this frame and it is really nice. Great climbing bike w/ good road shock absorbtion. Good review here:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2004/reviews/giant_tcr_composite_1
The difference between the TCR composite models is the components. The frames are the same. The reviews from this site showed all but 2 or 3 of the almost 50 as five stars. It is a great bike!

Thanks for the replies. I looked at the new 2004 2300 from Trek and was really impressed. Nice and light. The red looked better in person than I thought it would. I'm planning to get back to the shop and test riding it.
I don't really want a Lance bike for the reasons mentioned and the price is still a bit high.
I probably would be serious about the Giant but I don't want to get it from the local shop. I see a lot at races but the local dealer is a pain.
Anyone ridden the Felts? Is it just another Taiwanese aluminum bike?
Maybe there's a fairy land where I could get a Jelly Belly team Orca for $2000.00. :D

I assume you've been to Felt's website, but if not check it out. Jim Felt worked for Easton, and I believe originally started frame building for himself for triathlon competition.

I was very close to buying the full Ultegra Felt (don't remember the model #) when I came across a great deal on the Trek 2300. Normally the Felt is about $500 cheaper, but I found a shop willing to match the price. At that point, my main decision factor - as boring and utilitarian as it sounds - was the warranty. Trek's lifetime warranty vs. 3 years for Felt.

I only had a very short test ride on the Felt, but it "felt" (sorry :)) pretty solid and similar in ride to the Trek. I don't know if there are enough Felts out there yet to really know how well they hold up.

If the Felt fits you, it would probably be a good choice. As I said before, alot of bang for the buck assuming the frame is durable. Also, if the "lance bike" factor is important to you, be aware that some segments of the cycling community don't seem think too much more highly of Felts because of the historical "tri-geek" association - at least in my area. I say ride what suits you, but to each his own.

Actually I'd rather NOT look like Lance. I think the only similarity between the 2300 and the Lance bikes are that they are made by the same company. I haven't been able to ride a Felt as the local shop only had a lower end bike in my size. The shop mentioned that the Felt geometry is a little bit different and only works for some people. Did you notice anything unusually about how they fit/size? I noticed they seem really low and have a short head tube. That may mean more spacers than normal under the stem. The three year warranty actually is a bummer. I mean three years! Aluminum frames seem cheap and three years on warranty is ok for a racer that sells a bike every season but seems weak to me. I'm liking the idea of the 2300 even though the color isn't my first pick.

Actually I'd rather NOT look like Lance. I think the only similarity between the 2300 and the Lance bikes are that they are made by the same company.

I didn't think you want to look like Lance. I was trying to say that the Felt doesn't have any more "cool factor" than a Trek, so if you are at all concerned with getting ribbed for a lance bike you should know that you might get ribbed for a tri-geek bike if you go Felt. Again, none of that really mattered to me (hence I bought the Trek), and I agree that the 2300 is a far cry from the OCLV stuff. Besides, with my riding style nobody is gonna mistake me for Lance regardless of what bike I'm on.

I didn't study the geometry enough or get enough of a test ride to really answer your question about the Felt design. However, I seem to remember that the Felt geometry is actually more similar to Trek's than other frames *because* they are designed to keep you low and stretched out (i.e. short head tube and long top tube.) Geometry experts will roast me on that layman's explanation, but bottom line is that Trek fits differently than most brands as well, so be sure it works for you. Same for the Felt. Strictly from the standpoint of fit, the lower end Felt at your lbs may serve the pupose of determining whether Felt geometry will work for you. It is very possible that the geometry is the same as the model you're considering (assuming it's still in Felt's road line.) If you know what model it is you can check out on Felt's website to see if the geometry is in fact the same.

Sounds to me that you're leaning toward the 2300 anyway. If it helps, I'll say it again - I've been really happy with my 2300. It is stiff, quick, light and suprisingly comfortable. As far as being a cool choice - just beat enought people when you race on it and that should be plenty cool enough. :)

I rode a traditional steel frame (Reynolds 853) for the past 5 years and thought aluminum was way too harsh. That was until I rode the Allez Comp. I picked up a 58cm in December and have about 1000miles on it. Awesome climber and great overall ride. It can be a little sketchy on downhills over 45mph. This may just be the wheelset and my weight, 195lbs. The carbon Pave seatpost is a dream and the Ultegra kit with Specialized bits is very reliable. The overall bike weight with Speedplay Zeros is right at 19lbs.

What size bike are you looking for?

FYI -I have two others that are brand new in size 58cm. 04 Allez Comp-Columbus Foco with full Ultegra for $1350 and a 03 Allez Pro-full Dura Ace- $1950.

Anyone ridden the Felts? Is it just another Taiwanese aluminum bike?
Maybe there's a fairy land where I could get a Jelly Belly team Orca for $2000.00. :D

I remember when Felt was a custom or limited production US bike. Obviously we know the ins and outs of going overseas, but....

Anyway, I have a 2003 Jelly Belly Lobular Carbon, and I'm thinkin' your 04 Orca is gonna be kinda hard to find for 2,000, but I know you know that too.

Felts are really nice bikes and still a good bang for your buck. Somebody likes them because thay are riding then in this years TDF. They make more road models then tri.

I rode a traditional steel frame (Reynolds 853) for the past 5 years and thought aluminum was way too harsh. That was until I rode the Allez Comp. I picked up a 58cm in December and have about 1000miles on it. Awesome climber and great overall ride. It can be a little sketchy on downhills over 45mph. This may just be the wheelset and my weight, 195lbs. The carbon Pave seatpost is a dream and the Ultegra kit with Specialized bits is very reliable. The overall bike weight with Speedplay Zeros is right at 19lbs.

What size bike are you looking for?

FYI -I have two others that are brand new in size 58cm. 04 Allez Comp-Columbus Foco with full Ultegra for $1350 and a 03 Allez Pro-full Dura Ace- $1950.

I think I need a bike with a 56 or 56.5 TT. The Specialized bikes seem to be a really good deal. The Allez Comp is advertised as almost $400.00 less than the Trek 2300. Do you know the top tube on your 58 cm bikes?
Any other clues for the sketchiness on descents? I'm not old yet and love hanging it out on descents. I'm not heavy but I descent ok and drop some people that are more hesitant to see 50+ MHP on descents. How do you like the Foco bike?

Took a nice three hour mountain bike ride on Antelope island today. The descent on fast switchbacks was awesome. There is a road race out there every spring, I plan to hit it next year.

Tnsquared, thanks for the info on the 2300, I think I'm liking that one a lot.

Shokhead, I didn't know Felt would be in the TDF this year. I heard they were sponsoring a pro squad but I didn't know what division. Also the TDF selection process seems to be a mystery, leaving out former Giro & TDF winners as well as world champions. It seems that whatever team Felt could afford to sponsor would be a long shot for TDF selection. It cost Giant a cool $1mil + bikes to land T-Mobile. The wild card slots always seem to be 'nabbed' by French teams.

So bikewriter, how do you like the Orbea? Those bikes just look so sweet to me. Isn't the lobular the one designed to 'reduce vibration'? How does it ride compared to other aluminums in you opinion?

Took a nice three hour mountain bike ride on Antelope island today. The descent on fast switchbacks was awesome. There is a road race out there every spring, I plan to hit it next year.

Tnsquared, thanks for the info on the 2300, I think I'm liking that one a lot.

Shokhead, I didn't know Felt would be in the TDF this year. I heard they were sponsoring a pro squad but I didn't know what division. Also the TDF selection process seems to be a mystery, leaving out former Giro & TDF winners as well as world champions. It seems that whatever team Felt could afford to sponsor would be a long shot for TDF selection. It cost Giant a cool $1mil + bikes to land T-Mobile. The wild card slots always seem to be 'nabbed' by French teams.

So bikewriter, how do you like the Orbea? Those bikes just look so sweet to me. Isn't the lobular the one designed to 'reduce vibration'? How does it ride compared to other aluminums in you opinion?
USPRO champion McCormack and other Saturn castaways in TDF with Colavita Olive Oil on Felts. Minor or Major?

USPRO champion McCormack and other Saturn castaways in TDF with Colavita Olive Oil on Felts. Minor or Major?

So will they mostly be domestic like Saturn or are they vieing for European campaigns?

then go to ebay. I have bought all my bikes (road and mtn) from ebay (via auction or subsequently by emailing sellers about their other bikes). All were perfect and awesome. All were dura ace or chorus equipped. The only one that cost me $2300 was a colnago c40. Also I boughtin dead of winter--fewer bidders (but i was in san diego--no need for tights)
anyway, I'd have to actually measure my TT, as I can ride a 54 to 56 by playing with stems (and my main thing was base miles for ironman training).
I say that because I recently moved from san diego to DC, have a 6 month old, and won't be riding like i used to. I plan to keep my tri bike (kestrel, also from ebay).
Let me know if you'd be interested as i am selling all but one this spring on ebay:
coppi ksc (dura ace)
moser tk2 (chorus)
litespeed liege (tim deboom training bike) dura ace
colnago titanio (not the bi-tube) (record).
I can send pics and measurements.
jim

I would strongly recommend checking out Fuji's offerings in the $2000 range. I have a 2003 Fuji Roubaix ($2000 CDN - probly something like 1600-1700 US) which has been perfect for me. Have read nothing but good reviews about Fuji stuff and according to their website they're been ridden to more US victories than any other brand. Their component selection is really nice. Roubaix has full 105 w/ some Ultegra for 2004 I think, Ritchey wheelset, bars, stem. Carbon fork.

I would strongly recommend checking out Fuji's offerings in the $2000 range. I have a 2003 Fuji Roubaix ($2000 CDN - probly something like 1600-1700 US) which has been perfect for me. Have read nothing but good reviews about Fuji stuff and according to their website they're been ridden to more US victories than any other brand. Their component selection is really nice. Roubaix has full 105 w/ some Ultegra for 2004 I think, Ritchey wheelset, bars, stem. Carbon fork.
Thats a little high. I have the 03 Marseille for $1099.

have an eclipse, its a good bike but not as fast up hills as my new al/c bike. steel seems to last longer then al/c. im 215 6-3 and now ride a van dessel. colavita bola used this frame last year, unlike felt it i think offers a life time replacement. check out the site. good luck. http://www.vandesselsports.com/b_campitello.shtml

Thats a little high. I have the 03 Marseille for $1099.


Could simply be due to living in Canada. All bike stuff here that comes from the US has a much higher retail than in the States :mad:. I notice the opposite effect for Canadian companies like Louis Garneau and Sugoi. I can get some of their stuff cheaper from the LBS than big online sites like Nashbar.

Just so we're not comparing apples to oranges too... I'm assuming yours was new (as mine was).

Check out the cannondale r2000-

I am pretty sure it comes with full ultegra and the CAAD7 optimo frame and the 04 Ksyriums SL2s. that's about all you need to race until you opt for the zipps and record, but that all comes later AFTER The team sponsorship....

Could simply be due to living in Canada. All bike stuff here that comes from the US has a much higher retail than in the States :mad:. I notice the opposite effect for Canadian companies like Louis Garneau and Sugoi. I can get some of their stuff cheaper from the LBS than big online sites like Nashbar.

Just so we're not comparing apples to oranges too... I'm assuming yours was new (as mine was).
Yep,brand new performance.

Check out the cannondale r2000-

I am pretty sure it comes with full ultegra and the CAAD7 optimo frame and the 04 Ksyriums SL2s. that's about all you need to race until you opt for the zipps and record, but that all comes later AFTER The team sponsorship....


Yes, but wouldn't the six thirteen be nice.

I would strongly recommend checking out Fuji's offerings in the $2000 range. I have a 2003 Fuji Roubaix ($2000 CDN - probly something like 1600-1700 US) which has been perfect for me. Have read nothing but good reviews about Fuji stuff and according to their website they're been ridden to more US victories than any other brand. Their component selection is really nice. Roubaix has full 105 w/ some Ultegra for 2004 I think, Ritchey wheelset, bars, stem. Carbon fork.


A local shop is a dealer but doesn't stock much. The Team SL on the websit looks cool.
Good riding.

Just got a Felt F30 that comes with DA shifters/derailleurs, Ultegra brakes, Ksyrium Elite wheels, FSA Carbon cranks, carbon handlebars for $1920 (on sale from $2400). I'm recovering from knee surgery, so I haven't really been able to take it out other thank *easy* spins on flats (I can only use platform pedals for a while) but couldn't pass up the deal.