Price Paid:  $0.00 at LBS

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Mile Hill

Bike Setup:
Ultegra groupo from original bike (it almost felt sacreligious to put on such a nice frame), Shimano RS-10 wheels (training) Zipp 808's (racing).

Summary:
My 2008 SLC-SL is a warranty replacement for my 2007 Carbon Soloist. I loved my original bike, but it developed a crack in the chainstay. So far the SLC-SL lives up to the hype of being stiffer and lighter. I weigh 190lbs and find that it climbs and decends even better than the Carbon Soloist. It is rock solid at high speed and corners like a demon. It also rides slightly smoother with less road buzz. It is at home for crit and road racing, but also is a great daily ride. Best carbon bike out there -hands down!!

Strengths:
stiff frame, smooth ride, climbs like a goat, decends like demon.

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
Trek Madone, Lapierre, Pinnarello

Price Paid:  $3800.00 at Ebay

Favorite Ride:
Cervelo Soloist Carbon 08

Bike Setup:
Stock except DA cassette, (very worthwhile addition) Planet Bike Carbon Cage 22g (I weigh'd it),lifetime guarantee.

Summary:
The Soloist is Light (17lb), Comfortable, Fast (added 2mph to my ride),and a joy to ride, better than steel and much more responsive out of the saddle. The build quality is flawless and the Dura-Ace is first rate as are the Easton Circuit Wheels. The standard Italia Gelflo saddle is comfortable.
My Aero Seatpost and Saddle creaked (very common) due to not being round it does have horizontal movement at bottom which I solved by wrapping with 3M Packing tape first vertically along entire length then Horizontally at bottom and top tightening the fit. Then injecting oil with syringe at saddle rail entry points. The Tacx carbon grease didn't help.
Everything needs readjustment after a few hundred, pick up the Park The Big Blue repair guide.

Weaknesses:
Seat post and saddle creak

Price Paid:  $2900.00 at TCR Hampton, Austral

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Crits, hills

Bike Setup:
Dura-ace throughout- group, cranks, brakes etc
Wheels: Race= zip 404, Training= ksyrium SL's
Bar, stem: FSA carbon
Tyres: Continetal GP4000
BB & Hub Bearings: ceramic

Summary:
I bought Frame and build up bike----
Absolutely AMAZING. Stiff, aero and light- what more can you ask for in a race bike. When using zipps 404 for racing the bike is great through corners, accerlates well. With Ksyrium SL's on long distance bike is comfortable, climbs well.

Strengths:
Aero, wieght and stiffness

Weaknesses:
Cables rattle in frame (they run inside the frame)
Don't like the CSC logo (it can be removed without damaging finish)
Decals- would prefer higher gloss paint job in this price range

Similar Products Used:
Look 595
Giant t800 frame (team bike)

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Fit Werx

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Sea side ride on the coast of NH

Bike Setup:
Dura Ace drivetrain/all around, Bontrager XXX lite carbon wheelset, Zipp Carbon Stem and bars, Look KEO carbon pedals

Summary:
SLC-SL is the finest bike that I have ever riden. It is really fast...you step on the pedals and it really flies...you do not waste a single watt since the shared space on the BB is huge! It is stiff, it climbs like a mountain goat, it is comfortable, it feels like it glides over the road. Just really, really fun to ride.

Strengths:
Stiff, fast, comfortable, fast, climbs well, fast, decends well. And it is really fast.

Weaknesses:
Can't say...nothing I can think of...although the wallet is still healing!

Similar Products Used:
TREK 5200 Carbon, Cannondale.

Price Paid:  $4000.00 at Karbowiak, Hattingen

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
hilly, long climbs

Bike Setup:
Mavic Ksyrium Equipe whhels
Selle Italia SLR XP
Deda Electa+Forza
SRAM 2 x 10 (Rival Group)

Summary:
I've ridden it only twice because of the cold weather here in germany at the time. It rolls fleuntly and i was surprised, how fast it accelerates to a high speed. I ride a 58 frame and feel very comfortable in sittung up right with my hands on the handle bars. The stiff and light frame allows me to proceed faster yet with more ease uphill than I'm used to with my cannondale. It's a really fast bike especially in headwinds because of its true aero frame. When i ride it in race position with my hands down on the handle bars i can preserve the high speed fairly well. I wonder how it works in time trialing. It's definitly a superb bike for climbing hills or even mountain passes -and that's why i chose the soloist carbon instead a p3 TT machine.

Strengths:
looks great,stiff frame, responds good to acceleration, high tech bike.

Weaknesses:
Does not have a durable layer of painting. I leanend it gently against a stone pillar and at once a small particle of the lacquer/paint chipped off the frame! That should not happen with a frame of that price! That's why i only rate it with 4 overall points instead of 5!
Strong Sidewinds are caught up in the lower aero tube and can wipe you of the tracks.

Similar Products Used:
Cannondale RS 1000si