New road bike - 2021 riddle :)

Equipment
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Hi guys,

I know it is a bit soon, but I would like to share ideas and thougths about my new future “first” road bike…

I am currently on a unique Frankenstein bike, old classic titanium frame that broke in the rear chain stay and I got it rebuilt into a mix of carbon rear triangle + new (sigh) alu-carbon forks to get disc brakes. It is an amazing frame, very comfy, that got a bit stiffer with better brakes…
But, I miss my previous setup of this bike - which was a fixie and I would like to retro-grade it to that form
And also as I am on a full mechanical Campagnolo (including TRP brakes), I would like to make an upgrade…

So, what do I expect from my future road machine?

  • Certainly Di2 and I don´t want to compromise on that, once I tried it I just want it :slight_smile:.
  • I already have decent carbon tubeless wheels on DT hubs, so I can get a basic model and keep them for my rollers sessions
  • Otherwise on the components side, I am open-minded…

My riding character:
I am old (39), weak (only like 3,5 W/kg but right now even a bit lower), fat (75kg…ok, more muscle type, but still heavy for what I like) and unflexy (yeah, I do yoga when I can) apparently never born for cycling (everything hurts :smiley:) but I just love it. And even if my body type is far from a mountain goat, I just love punishing myself on climbs, the longer and more horrible, better for my suffering :slight_smile:
I love the most long and difficult marathons like Oetztaler (238km and 5500m)…

What I expect from my bike

  • comfort! I like long and difficult rides and we have a crazy mix of surfaces where do I live, with often quite a horrible tarmac full of cracks, potholes… so compliance is a big thing for me and not only - a friendly nature of the bike, I don´t want to be kicked out of the road under braking on the wave-form asphalt before a hard turn…
  • handling - I like riding quickly downhill, tucked on the top tube and I love the closed switch-backs too :slight_smile: so a balance is important for me
  • responsiveness - I am not looking for a Greipel´s machine, nor an ultralight climbing special, but who wouldn´t like a light-footed action when I ride what I ride?
  • aero - yeah, we all know it, there is nothing more important this year :crazy_face: and sure I would like to be quicker on the flats (should I mention also my dream of trying to do a full IM in 2022 and I certainly can´t get a TT bike, so it shall be on my future bike + aero bars - yeah I know it´s not the best, but hopefully I could reverse the seat post to get a better position? And certainly I don´t want to compromise my choise because of one crazy-maybe-event)

Sure, as it is often the case, I started to be tempted by a bike I saw under my friend in his LBS - Trek Madone… crazy speed just by looking at it :slight_smile: But this time, my decision will be only cold fact driven, heart choises are in the past (yes I look at you Campagnolo :smiley:) And after reading reviews, and indipendent test in tunnel - well, it is heavy, even not the best in aero (in it´s segment) and definitely not cheap. Emonda 2021? No thanks, only the top one is really light, otherwise harsh, not extra light and expensive…
And yes, I forgot to mention my budget… I have a psychological barrier at 100 000 CZK which is around 3 700€ now / 4 100$… so I can´t get a top frame from likes of Trek… and on Di2 even less…

So another contenders looks like… yeah, I don´t like Specialized particulary, but SL7 looks to tick all the boxes - already a very fast in aero in the allrounders field only got better and apparently a superb ride… only with my budget I can forget Di2 certainly and even so I would get over…

Giant TCR Advanced Pro 0 Disc looks seriously nice, but I have no idea how it is gonna be in reality in the indipendent wind tunnel tests (everybody claims super speed, but…) and how comfy is it… I think I could get it a bit cheaper, so maybe it could fit into my budget with Di2…

Certainly Canyon and it´s Ultimate… I know, everybody screams old, needs upgrade, but I am not about hype, just pure best bang for my bucks… and Ultimate is aero decent (not great, but not a parachute), quite comfortable, lively… superb value for money… dowsides are that it´s hard to test and hard to find it on stock…

What else I am omitting in your thoughts? Should I look elsewhere too in the likes of Orbea, Bianchi Oltre? Or something else?

Or even completely change my mindset and start to look around for just a frame and try to find the complete Ultegra Di2 somewhere in the sale, use my wheels and just finish it off with a cocpit?

Thanks in advance, this is gonna be a big decision for me, hopefully for many years and I really want to get it right :slight_smile:
P.S. I am not in a particular hurry, if it should wait till autumn or even winter if I could find better deals, than be it…

2 Likes
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Hi
Cycling Plus just done there best 2020 bikes (May 2020 issue 365), all seem to fit the budget. The Cannondale supersix evo carbon disc ultegra. Was good areo and comfortable. It was not Di2, not sure if you can spec that. It Does look good and is what i am considering. The next choice Giant defy advance pro 2 again not Di2

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I do enjoy my '20 Madone SL. It is a little heavier at 17.8 pounds (size 52) compared to the 16.5 pound '17 Supersix (size 50) I had previously. That’s about the best she’ll get unless I get Lightweight bicycle wheels, every other part is pretty light. I really only notice a difference when climbing but even so it’s not like I’m thinking “this bike is a tank”. I think it’s a lot more compliant with the Isospeed compared to the Supersix, even as I have it set on the stiff side. Picks up speed and holds it better than the Supersix until the road tilts up a bit.

I really did consider the Canyon Aeroad SLX but as you stated getting my size wasn’t happening quickly. The Ultimate SLX was a consideration but I wanted a more aerodynamic bike this time versus a climbing bike. I also decided to support my local bike shop after talking to one of their racers/mechanics about different choices.

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I’d wait until the SL7 comes out at the end of the month and then buy an SL6 with Di2. Maybe even used here as I assume there will be a LOT of specialized folks lining up to ditch their SL6s for the new shiny. Sorry to burst your bubble, but the full on SL7 with integration will start at $7500 USD.

They other option would probably be the long awaited Canyon Aeroad.

If you’re looking at doing an IM in the future - be careful with the current crop of aerobikes with aerobats - there is usually only 1 option for aerobars for these guys and if they don’t work for you, then you’re a little out of luck, or you have to buy a new cockpit to replace them.

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Safe to assume you’re talking about a Tarmac SL7 here? I mentioned a Madone SL in my response and that’s all my comparison is about to a Supersix because @Beaumont mentioned a Madone and Emonda. Perhaps you didn’t mean to quote me at all.

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Have you considered buying the ideal frame for you (with mechanical and cheap wheels) and then upgrading it to Di2 yourself? You’d get some resale off the mechanical groupset as well helping to ease the cost. But that way you can concentrate on buying the right frame instead of trying to find the perfect bike with the perfect groupset at the perfect price.

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Hi,

yes, you are right, Supersix definitely looks great, apparently offers plenty of copliance, superb handling… really another serious contender, at the other hand, I struggle a bit to find some independent aero tests, when there is one including Cannondale, it´s always Systemsix :cry: Supersix really looks aero, but I would like to see some head-to-head numbers (other than Cannon´s own claims)…
Besides, from what I saw, it seems good to size a bit down the frame with Supersix to get even more comfort from the seatpost, I would like to know if 54 and 120 stem would be good fit for me with my 180cm :thinking:

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Good move to support your local shop! Yeah, I totaly get your point and Madone certainly would be a perfect partner for my rides in the rolling terrain around my town, I have no doubts about it… at the other hand, precisely as you mention, it starts to loose momentum until the roud tilts up a bit. And as it is my main playground, I think I will try to find a better mix of allrounder rather than a pure aero bike… but thanks for your experience!

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I was eyeballing a SuperSix Evo, but the BB30A problems put me off, which it still has.

Now, I am looking into either the Specialized Tarmac SL7 or the upcoming Orbea Orca Mi20 OMX LTD. I would certainly go for a test ride on an Orca, they get raving reviews and they are on par or a bit more expensive compared to Specialized, but not by much.

Then there is BMC, Scott, Trek, Bianchi, Cervelo, Pinarello (if you have the money), Colnago and more boutique brands. But those are not my brands personally (except Pinarello, but who has the money!).

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BB30a… yes, you only read complainers. But on the other hand, when I was researching BB30a myself, nowhere have I come across a post like “BB30a has been rock solid for me”. Not once.

There is a reason that the industry is slowly backpedalling from press fit (although very slowly).

My LBS is a Canondale dealer… the new SuperSix still has BB30a. WHY?

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Very good point Donlee, thanks… SL7 could definitely bring some interesting options on SL6! It´s aero capabilities was already sligthly better than Canyon´s Ultimate, so not that bad at all and I think there is an option to get eventualy the new aero cocpit (or am I naive?) to make another upgrade…
You are right that the full package will be certainly insanely expensive, I would like to know what would be realistic to expect as a frameset price… but certainly a madness :smiley:

Aeroad Aeroad… I´am really curious what it will bring, like everyone I suppose, we´ll have to wait until they solve…whatever is about to be solved there. The “old” Aeroad wouldn´t be a perfect choise for me, visibily a bit too much “racey” with it´s lack of compliance and really stretched position. Maybe this is going to be changed with the new one? Canyon was always one of the leaders in trends, today´s new race machines seems to bring exactly that - aero, but shorter reach and added compliance… could be really interesting…

Aerobars - oh yeah, this is not going to be easy, I know… I was telling myself that I could start to practise with https://www.controltechbikes.com/products/item/383.html clip ons on the stem like this one… certainly not an ideal position for a long IM, but far better than simple “breakaway position” that hurts me :slight_smile: Redshift https://redshiftsports.com/dual-position-seatpost could help with opening the hip angle, but I think all the bikes I consider does not have a round seat post, so :cry: I have no idea if someone could eventualy make a custom build shim to put this round seatpost into the Dshape of a Supersix or Ultimate… no idea :slight_smile:

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Yeah…I never understood BB30 and others…good old fashioned threaded was simple, troublefree and better rolling…
So I would say https://praxiscycles.com/product/shimano-bb30-pf30-68mm-road/ and you are happy with Supersix no?

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Oh man it seems you were right, I live in a small country and already 2 guys selling their Tarmac SL6 Disc on Ultegra Di2 for less than 4 000 USD :slight_smile: I will certainly wait a little bit more…

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FWIW, 3.5 w/kg is hardly “weak”. A damn respectable ratio, IMO…with a good position and equipment, you’ll be surprised by how fast you can go.

I’m not gonna recommend a specific bike…plenty of optins out there and it is pretty hard to buy a “bad” bike these days. I would just say

don’t let the above be a hard & fast rule. Having a bike that you dig 9be it color, frame styling, spec choice, whatever) can be very motivating. having a bike that is only about the numbers, but in the end is a different color, group or wheelset than what you “wanted” leads to dissatisfaction in the long-run. Leave some room in your decision for what you heart says.

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Don’t worry about components, just get the one you like the look of and you’ll enjoy riding it more.

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checkout decathlon’s new 2021 Van Rysel bikes.

super value for money.

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Dude - we need to ride together! I’m older, larger, slower and love to suffer. Sadly I’m in NJ though

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In all seriousness - I’m in the same boat - new bike planned for March. Same requirements as yours - I’m looking at Giant, Trek and Cannondale because that what the LBS’s near me stock.

Canyon annoy me - they are just such great deals and most others can’t compete - but I feast to continue to support local.

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Same here. I’ll support my LBS because they are good guys and happy to give advice. They can’t match online prices but will usually cut me a deal. I’d feel a bit of a d1ck turning up there with a Canyon, much as they look great vfm.

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You could have just said Triathlete :grinning: :grinning: :grinning: