eyeheartny

I'm attempting to decide between two Domane models, the SL 6 Disc with those nice Vision carbon wheels and upgrading the shifters/derailleurs/small parts to Di2, or the SLR 7 Disc with the new adjustable ISOSpeed decoupler in the rear (and Di2, of course). They aren't super far apart in price after the parts upgrade cost + shop time for the parts swap, but the stock wheels on the SLR 7 are very, very basic and not at all close to the level of those Vision Metron wheels that come on the SL 6.

I could budget a new set of wheels even after paying more for the SLR 7, but not anything in the higher-end carbon part of the market-- would be likely a HED Ardennes SL for a balance of price/performance. The SL 6 has the older, non-adjustable rear ISOSpeed and the new front ISOSpeed decoupler. The SLR 7 has the adjustable rear and the same front decoupler. The core difference is the adjustability of the rear vs the wheelset.

Any thoughts on which route to go? My size is hard to find (62cm) so I can't ride these two bikes back to back...pretty frustrating to be ready to throw down this much cash and not be able to ride the right size bike. But anyway, would appreciate any thoughts, opinions, etc, especially from anyone who's ridden the new SLR vs the "older" SL w/front decoupler.

ckindt

If I could spend your money, I'd go with the SLR 7 because it has the full-featured frame and upgrade the wheels later. I'd regret not getting the SLR frame.


... coming from a guy with a meager domane 4.3 (also an adult-sized 62cm) with bonty affinity comp wheels.

eyeheartny

Appreciate the thoughts. I'm leaning in that direction. What do you think about the HED Ardennes Plus SL as a non-carbon wheel upgrade option? They're pretty light (around 1500g), wide, tubeless-ready if I want to go down that road.

I know I'm talking about throwing down some serious cash for that bike (and I do feel a little self-conscious about it), but I'm "celebrating" reaching one-year cancer-free (I'm 34, had a super rare soft-tissue tumor), recovering from a pretty heavy-duty orthopedic repair to my shoulder in June, and have some money to spend because my two remaining immediate family members died between March and July of this year. Is it nice to be able to afford a really nice bike? Sure. But it's been a rough go and this is one way I can treat myself.

ckindt

Dang, sorry to hear about your recent challenges. Good to hear you're making it through alright.

There's no reason to feel self-conscious. If you enjoy it, go for it.

I'm not a wheel person, so I can't offer a credible opinion on wheel upgrades.
I ride my 'good' wheels, the affinity comps, on the road, gravel and hard-packed dirt. At 225lbs, I'm not that nimble or graceful on them and they're holding up fine with 28c MP4Ev2s.

My 'trainer' wheels, the stock TLRs are ok too, but I really only use the rear on my trainer with the junk OE R1.

eyeheartny

Thanks, appreciate it. Still very much on the fence about which bike to get.

black_box 

Do you have any thoughts about getting a power meter later? That could go into the future wheelset upgrade on the slr7.

eyeheartny

I've thought about it but may be interested in one of the pedal-based systems. Were you thinking of the PowerTap or one of the other hub-based ones?

Munk69

If it were me and I had the cash, I would get the SLR and the wheels you want. My thinking here is then you are done and not worrying about upgrades any longer and just enjoy riding the bike.


Also, I have the P1 Powertap pedals and they are awesome. Just be prepared when you run your first FTP test.. Mine was a little depressing. Glad I know the number, but thought it would be higher.


I am sorry to hear about losing your family members


Hope this helps!

mephisto2k2

I also own the PowerTap P1 pedals and am very happy with them.

I would also get the SLR7 and upgrade the wheels. Possibly wait a while longer for the wheel upgrade, saving more dough in the process and then get the higher-end wheel upgrade. You only live once.

eyeheartny

Thanks-- I'm leaning toward the SLR 7. I'm not even sure what wheels I would want if I were going to thrown down serious cash for some. The Zipp 303s are great and well-reviewed by everyone, but I care more about feel than looks, and I'm not totally convinced that they'll make a huge difference in feel between good alloy rims with nice tires. I'm well aware of the science behind aero wheels being more important than light wheels, but aero benefits may not be applicable in my case just yet. As I'm recovering from surgery my speed is a bit slower than where true aero benefits kick in, I think. The issue with just getting some HED Ardennes Plus wheels with some nice wide tires is that those are about $1200, and that's 57% of the cost of some Zipps...I would feel a bit like I'm throwing that money away if I'm going to upgrade in a few months to a year at most.

Yeah-- the big question is what higher-end wheels to get. At around $2k, disc-compatible, tubeless-ready (if I go down that road, would like to have the option), what would you buy?

wthensler 

Sorry to hear if your health woes, I send you my best wishes. As far as bikes, I have a 2012 Domane 6.2 with the Ultegra Di2. It is a sweet ride. It makes me want to ride, and isn't that the whole point?

However I recently rode the SLR 7 (perhaps foolishly) and it is a markedly better bike. The adjustable rear is incredible, and the front absorber is for real. I'm completely sold on the Di2, by the way. It's buttery smooth and more fun than a barrel of monkeys��.

You've been through a lot, you deserve a great bike, especially if it's your passion.

I agree about the wheels, but you could wait for a sale, then make your move....

mephisto2k2

Right, I love the Di2 on my bike too and would not go back.

I'm still riding with stock wheels on my Roubaix Expert and haven't researched wheels but getting a wheelset that is tubeless ready is probably the smart choice.

FeltF2Tarmac

I would go with the better frame, wheels can come later and I would think at that level the wheelset shouldn't be to bad.

eyeheartny

Thanks-- I'm going to go with the SLR 7. If I don't upgrade the wheels right away it's only about $500 difference, which is a small amount for having a top of the line frame.

What are your thoughts on a wheelset? I'm considering the HED Ardennes SL Plus (either handbuilt with some really nice hubs or just a stock set) but am totally unsure of what is the right way to spend my $$ on wheels. I've never ridden on a carbon wheelset. Part of me is tempted to just get the Zipp 303s, since the HED set is still $1200 (about 50% of the cost of the Zipps) and Zipp has a tubeless-compatible set coming out soon, but $2300 is still a considerable amount of money. Any thoughts?

nycphotography

I don't think you've mentioned your height, weight and what kind of riding you do (fast groups, solo, climbing, etc)

Every wheelset is a compromise, so it's almost impossible to pick one without considering those variables.

jmess

I have two sets of HED Ardennes SL Plus disc. I got the first set from an online HED dealer last year for $800. The other set I bought last month via a LBS closeout sale for $600. So if you watch the online sales you can get them for under $1K. I have been happy with both sets and have been running clincher tires.

eyeheartny

Fair point. I'm 6'2", weighed in the other day at 202lbs after 5 months of recovery post-surgery and expect to be back down to 190-195lbs before terribly long once I get cleared to lift weights. I've weighed as much as a muscular 210lbs and as little as a very-lean-for-my height/muscle-mass 185lbs. I mention the muscle mass not to sound like a jerk but to contextualize the height/weight a bit more and

Riding is largely solo or 2-up riding, some fast group rides but would like to do more, rides include some healthy climbs of varying lengths (I'm in San Diego and it's hilly here) but I'm not seeking out epic climbs (maybe in the future).

Munk69

With Disc you do not have to worry about the braking surface so I would lean toward the 303's. Weight difference between the 2 will be minimal and you would gain areo benefit. Plus overall coolness factor.