# Carbon Fiber frames make me confused!! HELP!!



## Wicked2006 (Jul 9, 2005)

Hi guy's and gal's! First of all I'm in the market for a new carbon frame or complete carbon bike. What do I do? I've seen so many and can't make up my mind. Here are my stats.

I'm 5'10 weigh in at 180 lbs. I love to ride and want to be comfortable during long rides or even short rides. I don't race anymore and ride for personal gain. I do want a bike that has a race feel. And that's affordable.

What do you wonderful people suggest? Thanks again.


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## Sharknose (Aug 9, 2010)

Plenty of choices at every level of performance you could want, from $1000 to $10K+
Decide what's most important to you in a bike and visit your LBS (or two or three) to see what they have that meets your needs and is within your budget. Most every manufacturer these days has "performance-comfort" or ("relaxed geometry") oriented models in their lineup. Find a shop that does good fittings and see what bikes match *your* geometry. 

Do you want the latest & newest or would you be fine with a 2009 or 2008 model in stock? 
If Treks/Specialized/Cannondale are popular in your area, do you want to "go with the flow" or do you want something more unique? It's often easier to get deals on a brand stocked by multiple dealers in your area. An unusual or boutique brand may mean a smaller selection of sizes, models and colors. Warranty service might be harder for a unique brand. 

Think about where you would be willing to make tradeoffs to meet your budget. Do you want a complete group of components from one manufacturer, or is it okay that your crankset might be from a different company than your brakes?

Everything on the bike can be upgraded/replaced later, at a cost, and you can always sell your bike and buy again.

Are you willing to purchase online or do you want customer service from a local dealer? Some brands don't allow online sales, 

Good "comfortable" carbon bikes to look at in a range of prices include Cannondale Synapse, Trek Madone 3 & 4 series, Specialized Roubaix and the Felt Z series bikes. Fit, more than bike geometry, will determine how comfortable you are on a bike. A bike with aggressive, twitchy geometry for sprint criteriums can be more comfortable than an ill-fitting "comfort" or "endurance" bike. 

Expect to pay around $1500-$2000 for entry-level carbon bikes (though cheaper deals can sometimes be found online). The sky's the limit after that. 

Good luck and let us know how your search turns out.


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## Wicked2006 (Jul 9, 2005)

Actually I'm looking at BMC, Ridley and Motobecane USA. Thanks for the insight!!


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## brandtw (May 27, 2010)

if you are willing to go with a start up company you owe it to your wallet to try Neuvation. I got my FC100 SRAM Force in late June and really like it. a lot more bike for the money...


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## Wicked2006 (Jul 9, 2005)

To be honest I did look at those to. Very nice bikes. Is the FC100 carbon? How's the wheelset on that bike?


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