Christian Kuun

Thanks for the input so far...keep it coming. BTW, I am okay with the MTB stuff and am a very soscial MTBiker. They just wont let me do the Ironman on my MTB...?!?!?! Hence me doing a roadbike search. I will also not be using it much after the Ironman and thats why I want entry level.

I NEED HELP PLEASE!!!! I am a complete twit and newbie with road bikes but It is amazingly difficult to find an objective opinion. Evey bike shop I have walked into has tried to "smous" me the bike they have in stock or the one they can get. Walk into the next bike shop and the oke tells you how bad the other brand is and how great his is. I am looking for an entry level Road Bike. I am 1.91m tall and have a 92cm inseam (websites reckon 61-63cm sizes) and have been told the following about the following bikes- Is there any truth in it? BTW, all new. Told by the same salesman (agent for both) Merida 901 (R6500) is way better specced than the Trek 1.2 (R7500) but is still all SORA although in any size. I can get a Schwinn Fastback (59cm Toptube) with full Tiagra (R6000) and it is, according to Mr Salesman, better frame and wheels than the Merida and Trek. Then told by another salesman he would never put a big guy on a Fastback as it has a weak, small and cramped frame. There is also a Trek 1.5, size 58cm, for (R6500) and the salesman reckons with a longer stem it will be perfect. Also can get 2007 and 2008 Felt Z90, with mostly Sora but Tiagra RD, in any size for R5500 but was told it is old technology. Also a Specialized Allez Sport, with Sora all over and Tiagra RD, for R7000 and one salesman said he dont touch Giant or Specialized. Other options were Scott S60 or 50, Silverback RS2 and a few odd others I know a person would ideally ride them all before chosing but honestly, (a.) I have no idea how it should be and (b.) dealers dont carry stock in big sizes and will only order for me when I want it. PLEASE, ANY HELP would be kind.

I saw the frame for sale, but now that the bike has been torn apart on the forum I am not so sure anymore.... Thats why I am looking for more detail.

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread but I would just like to know why you all say it is poor quality and what the effect/implication would be of a poorer quality frame? I was told that it is an open mold from the Bianchi factory (but then again just compare the engines in Chinese vehicles that are made from Toyota molds) and was a great bike?!?! Do your opinions go for the carbon frames as well as the alloy frames? I am asking as I was pretty keen on the bike and planning on buying one.

I am obviously quite new to the game and well, quite frankly never been upfront in a race as to find myself in that situation and have any first hand experience with this "unwritten rule", and therefore I am posing this as more of a question than a statement...... WHY? If Dayron Robles fell over a hurdle, in the olympics, the rest wouldnt wait for him? If Michael Schumacher had gearbox problems, in the GP, they wouldnt wait for him. If Steven Muzingi's shoe-sole came off, in the Comrades, they wouldnt wait for him? Coincidently, This morning I watched a MTB race where Karien van Jaarsvelds chain broke- nobody waited for her? Is that not what a race is about- a combination of man and machine? Even the commentators (whom, I am sure, have huge experience in the cycling game) didnt agree on this "unwritten rule" which makes me think that it is obviously not a rule that is entirely accepted and aggressively adhered to. Help me out please? And dont shoot....