WANT TO HELP ME SELECT THE RIGHT NEW ROAD BIKE?

Juan Vergara

Once Of The dangers of taper week is "you have time to think" ...... and while "thinking" I'm using ToC 2016 as my excuse to purchase a new disk break road bike. The fact is I know NOTHING about road bikes (stiffer? lighter? aero? etc.) and just know I want a "nice to ride" mean machine with the purpose of making my OS training on non TT bike most enjoyable.
Any tips??? Must haves: Di2, Disk brakes, power meter.

Al Truscott

Two months ago, I bought a Specialzed Tarmac Di2 ProDisc with an eye towards TOC. Since then, I've ridden it extensively up and down the big mountains where I live. Think: 1000-1600 meter climbs. No complaints, feel much more confident. PM ...The disc means you can't switch wheel with another bike if you have a hub PM. And the proprietary cranks means crank based systems are a little problematic. PowerTap pedals might be a good choice.

Paul Hough

There are a lot of advantages for disc brakes but my requirement for the new bike I ended up getting last month was NO disc brakes. Very few top end road bikes have them; they are almost exclusively found on endurance bikes...i.e., relaxed geometry, so make sure that's what you want. Also, there are no established industry standards so you can be sure that whatever you get will probably be non-standard in a few years. And disc brakes tremendously reduce the available wheel selection. Instead of specifying what the bike must have, why don't you start identifying how you want to use the bike so you can determine what is best for YOU.

Andres Duarte

Hi Juan, I am also in the process of buying a road bike, the house CFO authorized the expense for the Miami Gran Fondo, so I really need to take advantage of this window  . Regarding some of the comments, I have done a few test and the difference of a disk brake is noticeable. It really gave me extra confidence in riding in groups and descending a little more aggressively.

Also researched geometry. Taking the Specialized line, the Endurance line (Roubaix) has a geometry that is far away from a TT bike, the Tarmac sits more in the middle.. not as conformable as an Endurance but closer to a TT and the mechanics of your pedaling. How stiff you need a bike, depends on how explosive you need it too be. I don't see my self having to defend a Nairo Quintana sudden attack, so I prefer less stiff and a little better comfort. The amount of energy you lose with a top bike is really nothing for what I read.

So far for me the Tarmac is winning, with the double extra points that Al choose it as well. I went to do the fitting and I am exactly in the middle, either a 54 or 56. For what I read in this case smaller may be the better choice.



Juan, Al, good luck in KONA!!



http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/tarmac/tarmac-pro-disc-race-udi2

scott dinhofer

@Juan - nice job in Kona! Looking forward to seeing you at TOC.

I've been riding a Tarmac for 5 years now. Great bike, can's say enough about it. I am not sure about the stiffness factor, I always thought the Tarmac was THE competition bike of the Spczd line. (It's what Cav rides, right?) That said, there are various stiffness frames, the Sworks that Cav rode being a bit stiffer than the standard layup. Mine has the shock absorber insert in the seat post (same stuff they use on the forks and seatstays of the Roubaix) I am not sure if that is in the seat post of the Di2 versions... al?



The issue on power is what to get. I have been riding two PT based wheels, i tended to leave the carbon on my tri bike all the time because switching brake pads is a bit of a pain, so I am spending the $ on the P1 Pedals which seem like the way to go on dealing with power on multiple bikes.



If i were doing it again, and i am considering it, I'd get the Tarmac Disc w Di2... given that I have Sram Red, i may upgrade the bike to Etap and ride that for a few years before getting the disc machine.

Paul Hough

I wouldn't touch Di2 since it is prone to quirky failures ... just ask Heather Wurtele. Etap has leap frogged Di2 technologically. If reliability holds out I will consider an upgrade to that.

scott dinhofer

@Paul - somewhat surprised at the commentary(from you!). With an N of many tens of thousands of units out there, Di2 is quite "proven" both in strengths & weaknesses. Etap (which I am excited to potentially swap onto my road bike) is completely new & yet to be proven...
the jury is definitely still out. My guess is it is a good product that will also have some quirky failures, it's the nature of complicated systems.

Please trust that I have no love for shimano as they do nothing to support the older 10spd Di2, but the system has a lot more rides/ miles/ successes/ failures than what etap has at this point.

Paul Hough

@ Scott - for all the great reviews on Di2, I simply read too often about failures at major races. And there are Pros in the TDF who will not use it for the same reason. ETap is much more advanced but that doesn't mean I would jump on it yet. I need to see how it works out in real life...hence my comment above regarding reliability. I want something with a failure rate similar to mechanical. Basically mechanical shifting ... does ... NOT ... fail. The rare instances of a cable snap in mech usually happens when the system has not had regular service and the occasional replacement of cables and housing. Properly serviced, you can always shift. I'm still sitting on the sidelines for electronic and don't feel disadvantaged at all.