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Old 07-28-15, 04:09 AM
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Campag4life
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Originally Posted by bigcicero
Okay, so I went to another LBS today and test rode an Emonda SL5. I thought I might enjoy it due to the H2 fit. Wow was it not for me. You might remember that my goal was a better fit than my Caad and something a little smoother, but still racy. I figured the Emonda would be racy, and it was. In fact, the Emonda was light, stiff, very nimble, and fun to ride -- but it was incredibly harsh, definitely too harsh for me. It felt like my Caad, and in fact I would take my Caad over it simply because I somehow feel like the Caad is cooler. I think the Emonda fills an interesting niche: if someone is looking for a very, very stiff, nimble, light race bike BUT in the H2 fit, then this is their bike. But don't be misled by the H2 fit: this is not an endurance bike but a hardcore race bike.

On another note, I'm puzzled by Trek's product positioning. They blew away most of the Madone series - a highly competent, well-liked, multi-versed bike - with the Emonda, which is positioned as a lightweight climbing bike. The Emonda didn't strike me as a particularly aerodynamic bike, having huge tube construction, but of course I'm not a CFD engineer, and the math seems to indicate that an aero-oriented bike has advantages over a lightweight bike until the grade turns into a 5-8% grade. So that leaves Trek with a super-endurance bike (Domane), a climbing race bike, and a well-rounded but high-end expensive race bike (the remaining Madone). Pretty interesting.

Regarding my next steps: I think I'm going to ride a couple more bikes, including a Roubaix just for kicks. And I wish I could find a La Pierre but I can't find any in NYC! I suspect, however, that I'll end up with the Cervelo. More to come!
My personal opinion is you are wrong about the Emonda. Virtually every review on the web says the Emonda has superior ride quality and it does. So something was afoul in your test...wheelset?...tires pumped up much higher than the other bikes.

The deal with the bikes you are testing is, they are all fantastic. Not a bad apple in the barrel. But they are slightly different in character. What is clouding your judgement? The fit and set up of each. Your comments about fit of each don't really apply. Any of the bikes you mention can be fit the same as the other with the correct choice of frame size and stem config. You may have to run a say a 140mm stem slammed to the steerer on a Synapse or H2 Emonda to get it to fit like a Tarmac. Even your fit target maybe off for what is your best fit. All of this...incliding wheelset colors your perception of each bike. You mention a Roubaix for example. Most amateurs can get a Roubaix to fit like a Tarmac by sizing down and with a -17 deg stem of longer length. Done all the time and then you still have the frame angles of an endurance versus a full race bike but with the same fit.

So there are many misconceptions and why a choice of bike should largely be based upon what is written about it over time....not a single review but a series of reviews. Each bike has an individual character and therefore a reputation.

The one bike you didn't mention is the Cervelo S series. Perhaps the best aero bike on the market...if you like to ride fast and you mention you like to get your back flat. It is debated which bike is better overall...the Cervelo R series versus the S. Cervelo basically grafted a R series rear triangle on the back of their new S series and the ride quality for an aero bike is unequaled really. The Cervelo S2 or S3 have fantastic ride quality and are very fast bikes above 20mph when aerodynamics kick in if you spend a lot of time at say 22 mph which most don't unless they race.

Good luck
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