Thinking about a new bike

Well, it is about the time of year where the weather turns wet and dreary and thoughts turn to what you can do to upgrade your current ride. We have been a little spoiled with a mild winter and the opportunity to ride outside for much of it.

I am not looking forward to hours on the trainer when it gets wet. Instead I start thinking about bikes, and what I would like to have or dream of having. Of course I have looked at the Pinarello Prince, but can’t justify the price and don’t really want to shift to Campagnolo. Not because of any dislike for Campy, it’s that I have too large an investment in tools to want to change or add Campy specific tools to the mix. Besides that, Pinarello and Shimano just don’t seem to go together well, it just doesn’t roll off the tongue.

I thought about the Colnago Master X-Light especially in the PR07 red or PR08 silver/blue paint schemes. Alas two things prevent me from this purchase, the Campagnolo thing again and the last time I owned a steel bike was over 15 years ago. I don’t think I want to go back to steel, no matter how "real" steel is.

So what about Trek? Nothing in Trek’s new line impresses me. I am just not a big fan, enough said.

Specialized has the Tarmac and the Roubaix. These are distinct possibilities, provided I can work out the sizing differences. It appears that the only difference between these two frames is the head tube height, the result is a slight difference in reach and a slightly more upright riding position.

I am especially fond of the Cannondale Super Six but I am waiting to see what the 2009 line-up will bring. More carbon choices and some economies of scale now that they are owned by Dorel. Besides that the Super Six frames all have the BB30 style bottom bracket, and although there is an adapter to use the standard BB, I have heard rumors that it is not the most robust solution. Changing out the bottom headset bearing to something bigger than 1.125" seems like a solution to a problem that just doesn’t exist.

I could go with something like the Fuji SL-1 but Fuji uses some of the same suppliers as the Pedal Force and I believe it is the same frame as the Pedal Force RS that I already have two of.

Regardless of what I do, there is one thing for sure. It will have the new SRAM Red group on it. I have wanted to try something from SRAM since their introduction of Rival and Force. I know that SRAM has a huge following in the mountain bike market, and now a small but growing share in road components. I have the group set on order and will report on it as soon as it arrives.