# Help Me Choose which Bike



## DrJordon (Mar 23, 2009)

Please help me decide!

This will be my commuting rainy weather ride. It's between a BMC Road Racer or a Motobecane LeChamp Titanium. Both will have SRAM Rival. All Insights welcome!

Thanks in Advance


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## Cyclist69 (Apr 15, 2011)

Nether have any amenities to accommodate fenders so as a rainy weather ride…I don’t know, I guess it’s race blades. The BMC Carbon fiber frame is a nice one using some new design techniques and is lighter however, titanium offers a soother ride and TI in general seems to last longer…so I read. 

I’m sure the Motobecane, cost less money for what you’re offered in a new bike.


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## DrJordon (Mar 23, 2009)

You guys make excellent points. Heres the story. I had a trek hybrid which was good but a little small for me. l also have a Cervelo RS which I love but don't feel comfortable riding it to work every day. You can't really lock it outside in NYC. My commute is short at about 6 miles each way but somedays I would love to be able to peel off and knock off some fast miles before heading home. I want a Alu/Ti framed ride for sturdyness so I won't have to worry about babying it. BikesDirect has 2 Ti bikes to chose from I could work with either I suspect. Neither is perfect for what I want. However one is more relaxed then the other. SL01 is the 2010 model. By the way I'm 6'4 235 now but in heavy slim down mode. The winter was long & cold. As for aggressive positioning I figured a steep angled stem could help with that is need be.

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...heat_rival.htm
http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...elite_x_ti.htm


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## QDog (Jun 30, 2010)

Not sure these bikes are going to be much safer locked outside either, if that's your worry.

The century elite is a little more relaxed geo and probably easier to put racks/fenders on. 

I park inside my office, so I don't worry about the getting stolen thing so much. If was, I'd probably get an older beater roadbike.


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## chas0039 (Jun 26, 2007)

I have a BD Ti bike I built up from a frame. I have a lot of different bikes and the Ti is a very decent bike for the money. It has a little more relaxed geometry and is very smooth to ride. As for measurement, you need to determine what your top tube length is and start there. I went with the 59cm frame and it is tall (I am 6'2" with a short 32 inseam , but you should have no trouble with it unless all your height is above the waist. The main thing you will want at that weight is a set of sturdy wheels with as many spokes as you can get. A number of wheels I have seen have upper weight limits of 180lbs and they come with 24 spokes.


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## Cyclist69 (Apr 15, 2011)

That Elite Ti looks like it would fit your needs wonderfully. I’m sure it’s fast, maybe not as fast as the other bike, the “Le Champion” but, it looks to be a better way to go as a commuter bike. I like the fact the bike comes with rack mounts and the ability of running wider tires…40mm. It also looks like you can run full fenders if you wanted too...going by the photo and noticing a fender eyelet on the fork.

The “Le Champion” is a sport orientated road machine with a better overall build.

The Century Elite frame is a more accommodating as for the geometry…it’s more relaxed. It’s also nice having the ability of having a rear Rack, Panniers, wide tires and real fenders…if you wanted too.


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