# Time bikes



## jsmst32 (Sep 29, 2004)

Who out there is riding Time bikes? How do they handle/ride? My LBS has a VXRS ulteam and I'm in the market for a lightweight carbon. How do they compare to other bikes in this price range?


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I ride a Time Edge Translink. I have about 1100 miles on it so far and I absolutely love it. The ride isn't as cush as some of the other frames I tested (like the Look 461) but it's still at least as compliant as my old 80's Italian steel racer. It's fun watching the fork flex and absorb bumps. Handling is near ideal. It's easy to ride hands-off, but it's not afraid to cut a corner, either. I'm about a mile and a half per hour faster around familiar corners than I was with my previous bike, a Colnago. Workmanship isn't quite as fine as my Colnago's, but it's still quite excellent. I can get the bottom bracket to wag a little bit when I'm sitting down and powering in a too-big gear, but the sway is nothing drastic and it certainly doesn't slow me down any. 

All in all, I can't comment about the Ulteam, but the bike I bought is a real thoroughbred. Hope this helps.


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## jsmst32 (Sep 29, 2004)

Thanks for insight. Just curious...what Colnago are you riding? I'm trying to decide between the Extreme-C and the Ulteam. If you were going to buy another bike, would it be a colnago or a time?


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

My previous bike was an all-aluminum Colnago Dream. I used it for six years, and I loved every second of it. It was in fine condition, too. It was sheer wanderlust that prompted me to buy something new.

During the process of buying the Edge Translink, I rode a Colnago C-50, a Time VXR and a Time VXRS. The C-50 was definitely the luxury liner of the bunch. Like riding on a cloud....though a very fast one. Its handling was far more deliberate than the quick-reflexed Times, but many folks think this is a good thing, not a bad thing. In contrast to the VXR and VXRS (between which I couldn't discern an iota of difference), my Edge is gentler riding, slower handling and not as stiff in the bb. The Colnago, however, was far gentler and slower handling still.

As for the reason I ultimately (or is that ul-team-ly) went for the Edge Translink was cost. I'm just not the kind of guy who can drop $4500+ on a bicycle frame and sleep at night. There are other toys I lust after! Even if cost weren't a factor, I probably would've gone for the Edge, at least given the choices mentioned above. In an odd way, it's a perfect compromise between the C-50 and the more upscale Times. To my eyes, it's also the best looking of the bunch.


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## acid_rider (Nov 23, 2004)

*very interesting!*



Mapei Roida said:


> My previous bike was an all-aluminum Colnago Dream. I used it for six years, and I loved every second of it. It was in fine condition, too. It was sheer wanderlust that prompted me to buy something new.
> 
> During the process of buying the Edge Translink, I rode a Colnago C-50, a Time VXR and a Time VXRS. The C-50 was definitely the luxury liner of the bunch. Like riding on a cloud....though a very fast one. Its handling was far more deliberate than the quick-reflexed Times, but many folks think this is a good thing, not a bad thing. In contrast to the VXR and VXRS (between which I couldn't discern an iota of difference), my Edge is gentler riding, slower handling and not as stiff in the bb. The Colnago, however, was far gentler and slower handling still.
> 
> As for the reason I ultimately (or is that ul-team-ly) went for the Edge Translink was cost. I'm just not the kind of guy who can drop $4500+ on a bicycle frame and sleep at night. There are other toys I lust after! Even if cost weren't a factor, I probably would've gone for the Edge, at least given the choices mentioned above. In an odd way, it's a perfect compromise between the C-50 and the more upscale Times. To my eyes, it's also the best looking of the bunch.


greetings

so C-50 was the most cushy-comfortable? I recall you also tested a Look (555? 565?). If so how does the Look 555/565 compare to C-50 in cushy-comfort and handling? In my geography (Australia) Time is as expensive or more so than even C-50 and Look is cheaper than either. But if C-50 is significantly more cushy-comfortable than Look 555then I may be prepared to pay a bit more.

thanks


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

Acid.

My memory is fading when it comes to comparing the Look (a 585) to a C-50, but I can definitely say the Look was the quicker handling. As for comfort, I gotta tip my hat to the C-50, though I don't remember if it was truly the proverbial Whole World of Difference compared to the French bike. In any case, Colnagos do handle very deliberately. Mr. Colnago apparently likes it this way, and I'm not going to argue with him.


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