Road frame Search -- Not this again!!!

My deal with myself last year. If I met my weight loss and cycling goals for 2008, I get to buy a new road bike. I thought about a Ti frame, or custom steel. I decided on CF. I'd like something really light. That is all fine and dandy, except that few high-end carbon fiber frames come in Jolly Green Giant size. That SUCKS!

Frames that I won't be getting this year. Anything made by Cervello, Isaac, Kuota, Eddy Merckx, the Ibis Silk, Trek Madone 6.9 and Specialized Tarmac SL are all too short in the top tube. The Cannondale Super6 HiMod might be good, but doesn't really jazz me. I don't really know why. The geometry and close, but not perfect.

First on the list is the Ridley Helium. It is insanely light and EXACTLY the right proportions. I'd really like a bike that I can ride anywhere, but weight is a big issue for me. I'd like something that minimizes weight without being whippy. I rode a Helium that was one size too small and it felt great and scary light. For 2008 I went from a 21 pound bike to a 17 pound bike. It took me two weeks to get used to it. Going from a 17 pound bike to a 15 pound bike will likely have a similar adjustment. The color is perfect. It is black/carbon with really subdued graphics. The other cool thing is that my local bike shop JUST started selling Ridleys. Thanks The Bike Lane.

Ridley Noah is also in the ballpark. Sizing is the same. Weight is a little heavier. But DAMN is it aero. The colors are also not near as nice as the Helium. Red, Blue or Green are dandy, but not to my taste. Helium still wins.

The DeRosa King3 is quite possibly the best bike I've ever seen. I've always liked the ride of a classic Italian road bike. You don't get more classic or Italian than DeRosa. The flat black is stunning. It is imposibly light. It is perfect. The owner of a shop I worked in as a kid used to love to tell me that the only bike for me was a classic Italian road frame. He sold DeRosas and Colnagos. I drooled over them for years. The only problem is the price. DAMN is that frame expensive. At $5500 for frame/fork, it is about $2000 over my price range. This is, by far, the closest I've been to owning a dream bike. I don't really need 2 kidneys, do I? There are two local shops that sell the DeRosa.

The Felt F1SL makes me want to sing "God Bless America". The fit is right on par with the Ridleys and the DeRosa. The basic black and white colors are great. The ride is great. It is a good balance between power transfer, light weight and all-day comfort. It is a hair heavier than the others by virtue of the seat post setup. A few hundred grams is the difference. That shouldn't matter to me... I should be big enough to know that I should just eat a little less, drink a little less, work a little harder and lose the extra weight. I'm not going to completely discount it.... it isn't perfect though. There are quite a few Felt dealers in the area. They are some really good shops that I like.

Can I spend $3000 on a Giant? I remember working in a shop that sold Giant Iguana mountain bikes. I loved it when people would call and ask if I had a green giant iguana. Can I spend tons of money on a TCR Advanced SL? Size is perfect. Geometry is perfect. Graphics and look are Perfect. It is the only one of these bikes that I've actually ridden in my size and it was brilliant. I may be too much of a snob to spend that much on a Giant. The Giant is available locally... though the local shop isn't my first choice for a place to shop.

Last but not least is the bike that doesn't fit my original description, but must be added for texture. The Moots Compact Custom. It is similar in weight to the Ridley Noah... about 100 grams heavier. That makes it a hair heavier than the Felt also. It is beautiful. Has a great ride. It also will likely be the last road bike that I'll ever have to buy. What it lacks in super sexy carbon fiber goodness, it more than makes up for in its amazing ride and durability. It the second most expensive bike on the list at around $4000 (including custom geometry and fork). I've always loved Moots frames. I looked at Seven and IF and they're both great bikes... but they don't jazz me like the Moots. I can't explain why. The Moots would come from my friends at Speedgoat. I know they're not a local shop, but the owners are good friends and that makes them almost local for me.

Honorable mentions: Calfee Design Dragonfly, Cannondale SuperSix HiMod, KirkLee custom, Colnago C50, and a few others.

Now I need to see how things play out. I might be able to scrimp and save and go easy on things and get the DeRosa. I could go easy on the wheels and put that money into the frame.

I have until the end of February to decide. That is when I really need to make a choice in order to be riding the bike in a reasonable amount of time.

Did I miss anything? I think I covered all of the bases with my search.

Thanks for reading.

Pete