Info on new "comfort" road bikes

The Trek Pilot this fall has a rubber compound added to parts of the carbon
fiber frame to soak up road buzz. Klein and Trek have/will have a road bike
with an elastomer on the rear stem to soak up vibration and small bumps.
Other brands are doing the same thing. These bikes seem to run from $1500
to $4000. What do we know about these? How effective are they or will they
be. Chip seal has taken some of the fun of riding out of my life and
reducing the constant buzz would be a good thing. I don't want to spend
$2000 plus only to be disappointed,however.
Alan Acock

On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 11:54:12 -0500, Alan Acock
wrote:

The Trek Pilot this fall has a rubber compound added to parts of the carbon
fiber frame to soak up road buzz. Klein and Trek have/will have a road bike
with an elastomer on the rear stem to soak up vibration and small bumps.
Other brands are doing the same thing. These bikes seem to run from $1500
to $4000. What do we know about these? How effective are they or will they
be. Chip seal has taken some of the fun of riding out of my life and
reducing the constant buzz would be a good thing. I don't want to spend
$2000 plus only to be disappointed,however.
Alan Acock

Try some 28mm tires? Hmmm... $60 and maybe 1/2 pound more versus $2000
and maybe 1/4 pound less.

'Effective' depends on which side of the cash register you are
standing

On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 11:54:12 -0500, Alan Acock
wrote:

The Trek Pilot this fall has a rubber compound added to parts of the carbon
fiber frame to soak up road buzz. Klein and Trek have/will have a road bike
with an elastomer on the rear stem to soak up vibration and small bumps.
Other brands are doing the same thing. These bikes seem to run from $1500
to $4000. What do we know about these? How effective are they or will they
be. Chip seal has taken some of the fun of riding out of my life and
reducing the constant buzz would be a good thing. I don't want to spend
$2000 plus only to be disappointed,however.
Alan Acock

Try some 28mm tires? Hmmm... $60 and maybe 1/2 pound more versus $2000
and maybe 1/4 pound less.

'Effective' depends on which side of the cash register you are
standing

FWIW, I just bought an '04 Specialized Roubaix 3 weeks ago. It ha
inserts in the carbon forks, seat stays and seat post. Mos
comfortable bike I tested. I tried a Trek 2200, Felt F-60 (my secon
favorite!), a Cannondale (can't remember what it was), and a Giant OC
something... Also checked out the Specialized Sequoia and Allez. Ban
for the buck (and the ride!), the Roubaix was noticably smoother. I di
these test rides in the same warehouse parking lot. It has man
black-top cracks that have been patched. So there are stretches wher
it'll really rattle your teeth at speed. And to be brutally honest
the Trek had the "roughest" ride of them all, and for some reaso
they've gone with a longer stem than any of the other bikes. Made m
feel like I was reaching too far. I knew I could get a shorter stem
but for that price, a perfect fit is what I expect.

The Felt F-60 was a very nice ride, and had a better groupset, but i
was just too "aggressive" a stance for me. I couldn't see myself i
that aggressive a seating position for very long

Cannondale was nice, but way more than I wanted to spend, and I thin
most of that was paying for the name and the best paint job of th
bunch

Giant, Sequoia and Allez, were all gread bikes too. But as I trie
each one, I just had a sort-of "ho hum" nice bike thought. Same fo
the Trek. Now the Roubaix and the Felt....... after the first coupl
of pedals, I'm grinning ear to ear. Those bikes just wanted to "tak
off".... not sure how else to explain it

So far I've put almost 200 miles on the Roubaix and I'm still grinning
Oh, and I got it for less than the other non-Specialized bikes too!
Now if I really had the jack, I would have considered the Roubaix Elit
(all ultegra group) or the Comp. As it is, I'm extremely happy with m
decision

IMHO, you should try the Roubaix, for comparison if nothing else.
actually started out determined I was gonna get a Trek or a Felt. An
kept coming back to the Roubaix because I couldn't believe I actuall
liked the ride better


Alan Acock Wrote:
The Trek Pilot this fall has a rubber compound added to parts of th
carbo
fiber frame to soak up road buzz. Klein and Trek have/will have a roa
bik
with an elastomer on the rear stem to soak up vibration and smal
bumps
Other brands are doing the same thing. These bikes seem to run fro
$150
to $4000. What do we know about these? How effective are they or wil
the
be. Chip seal has taken some of the fun of riding out of my life an
reducing the constant buzz would be a good thing. I don't want to spen
$2000 plus only to be disappointed,however
Alan Acoc

--
PixelPusher

FWIW, I just bought an '04 Specialized Roubaix 3 weeks ago. It ha
inserts in the carbon forks, seat stays and seat post. Mos
comfortable bike I tested. I tried a Trek 2200, Felt F-60 (my secon
favorite!), a Cannondale (can't remember what it was), and a Giant OC
something... Also checked out the Specialized Sequoia and Allez. Ban
for the buck (and the ride!), the Roubaix was noticably smoother. I di
these test rides in the same warehouse parking lot. It has man
black-top cracks that have been patched. So there are stretches wher
it'll really rattle your teeth at speed. And to be brutally honest
the Trek had the "roughest" ride of them all, and for some reaso
they've gone with a longer stem than any of the other bikes. Made m
feel like I was reaching too far. I knew I could get a shorter stem
but for that price, a perfect fit is what I expect.

The Felt F-60 was a very nice ride, and had a better groupset, but i
was just too "aggressive" a stance for me. I couldn't see myself i
that aggressive a seating position for very long

Cannondale was nice, but way more than I wanted to spend, and I thin
most of that was paying for the name and the best paint job of th
bunch

Giant, Sequoia and Allez, were all gread bikes too. But as I trie
each one, I just had a sort-of "ho hum" nice bike thought. Same fo
the Trek. Now the Roubaix and the Felt....... after the first coupl
of pedals, I'm grinning ear to ear. Those bikes just wanted to "tak
off".... not sure how else to explain it

So far I've put almost 200 miles on the Roubaix and I'm still grinning
Oh, and I got it for less than the other non-Specialized bikes too!
Now if I really had the jack, I would have considered the Roubaix Elit
(all ultegra group) or the Comp. As it is, I'm extremely happy with m
decision

IMHO, you should try the Roubaix, for comparison if nothing else.
actually started out determined I was gonna get a Trek or a Felt. An
kept coming back to the Roubaix because I couldn't believe I actuall
liked the ride better


Alan Acock Wrote:
The Trek Pilot this fall has a rubber compound added to parts of th
carbo
fiber frame to soak up road buzz. Klein and Trek have/will have a roa
bik
with an elastomer on the rear stem to soak up vibration and smal
bumps
Other brands are doing the same thing. These bikes seem to run fro
$150
to $4000. What do we know about these? How effective are they or wil
the
be. Chip seal has taken some of the fun of riding out of my life an
reducing the constant buzz would be a good thing. I don't want to spen
$2000 plus only to be disappointed,however
Alan Acoc

--
PixelPusher

In article ,
says...
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 11:54:12 -0500, Alan Acock
wrote:

The Trek Pilot this fall has a rubber compound added to parts of the carbon
fiber frame to soak up road buzz.

Interesting idea. I wonder if using some sort of rubber or rubber and
air cushioning between the bike and the road might work even better.

It'll never catch on.

;-)

Rick

In article ,
says...
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 11:54:12 -0500, Alan Acock
wrote:

The Trek Pilot this fall has a rubber compound added to parts of the carbon
fiber frame to soak up road buzz.

Interesting idea. I wonder if using some sort of rubber or rubber and
air cushioning between the bike and the road might work even better.

It'll never catch on.

;-)

Rick

On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 11:54:12 -0500, Alan Acock
wrote:

The Trek Pilot this fall has a rubber compound added to parts of the carbon
fiber frame to soak up road buzz.

Interesting idea. I wonder if using some sort of rubber or rubber and
air cushioning between the bike and the road might work even better.

Just a thought...

JT

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On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 11:54:12 -0500, Alan Acock
wrote:

The Trek Pilot this fall has a rubber compound added to parts of the carbon
fiber frame to soak up road buzz.

Interesting idea. I wonder if using some sort of rubber or rubber and
air cushioning between the bike and the road might work even better.

Just a thought...

JT

****************************
Remove "remove" to reply
Visit http://www.jt10000.com
****************************

On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 18:50:56 GMT, Java Man
wrote:

In article ,
says...
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 11:54:12 -0500, Alan Acock
wrote:

The Trek Pilot this fall has a rubber compound added to parts of the carbon
fiber frame to soak up road buzz.

Interesting idea. I wonder if using some sort of rubber or rubber and
air cushioning between the bike and the road might work even better.

It'll never catch on.

;-)

Rick

Maybe if they used carbon? That's a cutting edge material.