I checked out a few other models - including the Cervelo P3 carbon - that and the KAlibur were my top two and I do favor carbon over the aluminum. I will be at an expo this weekend and will get a wider sampling.

Regarding fit, I am aware that is most important and am aware that the framesets, etc. I am looking at will all be able to fit me - I'm pretty average - exactly average. I will use a fitter though I've never seen them charge what you are saying they would.

Thanks for the help.

I will check them out. I was planning to shop at SBR in downtown because I am a little loathe to buy from a place through the mail.

Learn are you in the NJ / NY Area??

SBR is a great shop. I have been there a number of times.
Lots of gear and knowledgeble people there.

I don't know how there bike fitting is.

If you are out in NJ I got my Cervelo P2 SL at a place in Far Hills called the Sports People.
The guy has been fitting tri specific bikes for a number of years

If you are local to the NY/NJ area and want to train let me know.

Welcome

Actually, I'm not in that area but a coach I like to visit is in that area and I have family up there and two of my favorite restaurants are in the neighborhood. I like them because they sold me my wetsuit and I was satisfied with their level of knowledge. I also like the wide diversity of parts they had and they also came well recommended.

the reason Lance doesn't or didn't use Campy was that his bike was already super light. Campy's advantage over Shimano is it's weight. With Campy Lance's bike would not have passed the weight limit for the tour or any of the other races for that matter, it would have been too light.

Is there some kind of board rule about thread hijaking?

Triguy88 - I did a pretty large survey among riders. For quality and lightness, campy wins among those who have tried both. I read a lot of testimonials. And weight is.. well, weight.

And because Lance uses/doesn't use something doesn't make or break something for me. Regarding the weight limit, was he even really that sensitive to weight? I recall he was unaware of how much Nike could reduce the weight of his outfit. What Campy much lighter back then?

And why aren't we all riding Treks? I don't know of any Trek riders who are expected to win the IM C. When was the last time a Trek rider did? Staddler uses a Kalibur. Ried uses a specialized (I think?) Or does Trek have an agreement with Shimano, and Lance gets PAID to ride Trek - maybe that's why.

Anyway, I'm not looking for recommendations - although I do welcome suggestions on wheels, stem, sadle, tires, bars and possibly frame. But what I really want is maybe some articles comparing components to help me at least narrow stuff down.

Tim DeBoom has ridden a Trek for a number of years.
Campy is nice and maybe lighter but Shimano make a solid dependable product and is cheaper, though a little bit heavier.

It is all personal preference

what about new age groups one with campy one with shimano ?

glbrum,

At the risk of being accused of being part of the hijacking of this thread, I agree. Lance could ride an ill-fitting 10 speed and we'd still be eating his dust. Not that I have the money (or the inclination, if I did), but what's the difference in a bike's speed whether its equipped with Campy Record, Dura Ace, or my Shimano 105? Virtually nothing, would be my guess. The Campy groupo is a Big Mac lighter than mine? If weight is a concern, I'm sure I could lose a couple more pounds. Come to think of it, that's on my agenda.

I doubt if the original poster has learned much here. Then again, I never did understand the question.

thehitman

beads stop hitting on hitman ;-)

As for the question, I haven't seen many articles about comparisons. However, people on here have experienced comparisons and might be willing to share their experiences with you. Since you know what component group you are interested in, sounds like no help needed there. Perhaps if you update a bit about your experience with biking, as well as your goals with this bike we could be of more help with the other components -- what is good for one thing or person won't always be the best for another. For example, I looked at a number of saddles recently, but one of my main reasons I ended up with the one I did was for comfort for the distances I ride, and the particular saddle is made for women. I don't know if that type would work for you since I don't know if you are targeting sprints and speed or IMs and longer training, or if you are male or female.

Oh, and as far as thread hijacking, don't take it personally. Sometimes something said will spark interest and questions. It can be a good thing and lead to great discussions!

chris: how did that red thong thing work for you?

I'm thinking of trying it out at my next winter adventure race... ;)

Back on Topic...

It is mostly personal preference. Many of the manufacturers make comparable products at all price ranges. Some people have better experiences with certain products than others. Some like Zipps, some HED, etc. For the most part one has to make the decision for him/her self taking into consideration other's experience/opinion, price, fit, goals, etc. I ride and prefer Campy.

Trek, Kuota, Cervelo all make good bikes, Cervelo has a new P2C for 2006 that will replace the P3SL. It's cheaper than the P3 Carbon and looks pretty sweet. Most companies stock their bikes with Shimano, so if you want campy you may need to buy the bike piecemeal and have someone build it. That'll be more expensive but gives you more flexibility.

Again on stems, saddles, aerobars, it's mostly personal preference and cost. you can go from $50 clipons to $700 carbon aerobars. Best thing to do is go to a local shop that you can build a relationship with, see what they have in stock, if they'll custom build a bike for you, and then get fitted. Fitting is the most critical aspect, especially if you're going to throw down a significant sum of money. You may get fitted and find Cervelo or Kuota are not ideal for you because of the their geometry. Or you may need a different headset to accomodate your fit. A good shop should be able to point you towards what frames would work better for your body type and measurements. That's where I'd start.