# Specialized S-Works M4 road bike opinion?



## Reborn_Empowered (Oct 17, 2006)

Hi Everyone
I'm new here and been fiddling with cycling for some time now. haven't ridden for a few years though and have been looking for some new wheels. i found a road bike (see subject line) and i can have it 600 dollars but the thing i don't like are the components. It has campy stratos f & r derailleurs, brakes, and crankset. Brake/shifters are Campy Daytona. Bike is from 2001 and the person says it was worth at 2500 back in the day. comes with look pedals. 52cm frame. is this bike worth it or should i look elsewhere? i'm looking for a middle of the road bike. not an entry level. thank you


----------



## JayTee (Feb 3, 2004)

That's a slightly inflated estimate on the original value, but $600 is in the ballpark for current value if all is in excellent shape.

That being said, the S-Works M4 is a VERY stiff aggressive short wheelbased bike that IMO is not suited for most recreational riders, especially if you want to ride a lot of distance... supported tours, centuries, etc. If you think you may want to race, or are just looking at 20-30 mile training rides at tempo, perhaps you'd be fine, but this is not a bike I really ever recommend to most folks.


----------



## Reborn_Empowered (Oct 17, 2006)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBUAA:US:11&Item=160036023704
that's the link to the bike i'm talking about. looks nice. even includes the look pedals too. i wouldn't do centuries but lesser jaunts. i'm a racer type and would do mostly short runs throughout the week. any idea on the weight of this bike? i'm 5'6" and 125 pounds. what does shortwheel base mean? i take it most people would rather have a forgiving bike that absorbs some bumps? thanks for the info.


----------



## JayTee (Feb 3, 2004)

Somethings amiss with those specs... can't be a Shimano 105 front derailleur on a bike with otherwise all-Campy stuff. I'm also puzzled when it is only an 8 speed rear... wasn't Campy 9-speed by 2001? So, those little things that don't make sense can be red flags. 

Also, why is this bike available to you now since it appears it sold at an old eBay auction 10 days ago? 

As for the short wheel base, it is basically that they shorten the rear chain stays and snug the rear wheel up under the seatpost (you can see it well in the photos). What that means is that you are riding largely over the rear wheel on an aero aluminum frame and will feel every bump. If you are racing crits or wanting to maximize climbing speed, etc. this geometry will feel snappy and efficient, so maybe I'm projecting my own biases, but my days of being beaten up by my bike are over.


----------



## baylor (Oct 1, 2003)

My recollection, if it matters to the OP, is that this frameset can't handle a triple but I can't remember why. 

PS -- Daytona/Centaur was indeed 9 speed in 2001, and the M4 was never $2500, and it was not originally spec'd with Daytona, so I think there's a lot to be learned about this bike before buying. It could be fine, but you want to know.


----------



## jeffc7 (Oct 23, 2006)

I just sold my bike with the same frame although with Team Festina paint. I will second the opinion that it is not a bike made to do centuries. If you do shorter routes at high tempo, it is a great bike. The reason I sold it is becasue it was starting to beat me up. After 30-40 miles, my shoulders would ache. And you DO feel every bump in the road! Super stiff, but it accelerates fast and climbs with ease. Mine was full dura ace with other upgrades and I sold it for $1200, was asking $1500. I built the bike from the frame up so it was about $5000. It was in excellent shape, looked almost brand new. The sad part of the story is that the guy who bought it crashed it after 7 miles of his innagural ride. Real bummer.

Here is a link to the bike I sold.
www.vistaadvisory.com/roadbike


----------

