Porkponey

If you already know what an expensive bike is, please fast forward to the underlined text and read my questions.

A good friend of mine let me borrow a fuji sl1 team. It's kitted out with dura-ace parts and some fuzion f1 wheels. Even with the wheels and heavy tires, it's at 15.9lbs on my scale. It's geared 39/53 with an 11-21 cassette.

I normally ride a $600 allez double with shimano 2300 components. It weighs 23lbs on the same scale.

I figured I'd give my immediate impression of a bike that's literally 10 times more expensive than mine, and then ask a few questions.

Does the bike feel lighter under my feet? No. It accelerates like my allez does UNTIL I really stomp on it, at which point, the allez feels mushy and springy compared to the sl1. It's stiff, but you can't tell until you open it up. Inputs from my upper body, ie. pulling up on the bars, makes a noticeable difference here, where it feels like the allez just wants to wander around when I pull on it. This points straighter.

Does older high end carbon really smooth the ride out? Yes. The difference is surprising. I can do comfortable 50's on my allez with little to no fatigue, and the sl1 makes the allez feel like it's made of iron. The road buzz is gone. Smaller bumps are soaked up much better. The allez has pro3race's on it at 100psi. This has some hardcase hutchinson at 125psi and steel feels smoother for days.

How does it climb? It doesn't. I live in florida. Wat is climb?

How does it handle? The head tube is at a steeper angle, but the offset on the fork is the same. I think the wheelbase is longer, unless I read the wrong figures. In a straight line, the wheelbase feels longer. As soon as you input the slightest directional change, the bike responds. The allez wanders more at speed, and does not respond with anywhere near the enthusiasm.

The position is more aggressive. This is where I ask some questions.

The stack height on this bike is over 10mm shorter. The stem is 30mm longer but the reach is 3mm shorter. The bike has a setback seat post on it which puts me too far behind the cranks, however, the reach to the bars feels fantastic. I don't feel stretched here, so why in the world does my allez feel so long?

Looking at the geometry, the fuji is approximately 3mm shorter in the top tube, and in the reach measurement. The bars are very slightly more shallow on the fuji, but the stem is a lot longer. Add the shorter head tube and lack of a 1.25" tall cane creek top cap cone crap, and the position becomes much more aggressive. BUT, It feels better. Not better lower or better faster, but better more comfortable. I don't understand.

The cranks feel HUGE at 172.5mm. I have extremely short legs. At 5'7 I can sit back to back with a few of my 6'1"+ buddies and sit as tall as they do. I want to go to a much shorter crankset. Maybe a 167.5. I like to spin between 90-100rpm and right now it feels like I'm doing lunges with the pedals. I feel like a cartoon. I want to tighten that up. Is 167.5 too short for a 5'7" fellow with very short legs? (measured inseem is less than 28 if I recall correctly.)

Lastly, and this is the clincher; I have an opportunity to purchase this bike if I can sell a few guns and make the fit work. To me it seems right. My allez is too tall in the headtube. With my short legs I can only get about .5" of drop to the hoods. The length is ok, but the position is not as aggressive as I want to be. This has a 15mm shorter headtube, 15mm shorter top cap, and just slightly shorter reach overall. It seems like with a straight seatpost and shorter cranks, I would be golden. If I lose more weight and want to get lower, I can always go to a 17deg stem. I can get the frameset and group for maybe a little less than an entry level trek. If I can buy it without the crank and seatpost and saddle I may be able to swing it. What say ye? Buy the bike?

tuxbailey

go for it. you only live once.

Busta Quad

If you have to sell your guns, you can't afford the bike.

hyhuu

It sounds like the Allez is a size bigger than the Fuji. Everything you asked sounds more like size and fitting issue and less of a expensive/cheap bike issue.

aztimm

How much does the bike cost?

Have you ridden a Tarmac and compared? From what I gather it is the same geometry as the Allez, but with carbon.
Personally, I'd try out a few bikes, put some miles on them, before settling on 1.

Elvo

How much? You can get an SL1 new for $1300

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/fuji/fuji_sl1.htm

You can even get an altamira for $1400:

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...551_1120835_-1___

Porkponey

I've got plenty of guns. I'd just sell one or two of the ones I can't remember I have.

Porkponey

Is there no difference between any of the sl1 frames? This is a team toyota united frame with a DA group.

https://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech/...rke_fuji_sl108

It's this bike without the wheels, and newer ultegra cranks. I'm not trying to be disrespectful, I don't know anything about fuji's, so maybe they're the same frame.

vermilionx

the sl1 team is better than the new sl1s. i have the '11 sl1 pro with ultegra and it's c-4 carbon.

i believe the older sl1 team uses c-7 carbon and the fork is also better and lighter.


the '12 altamira 3.0 is also c-4 carbon but the design is an improvement over the sl1 with the oversized down tube and chain stays and thin top tube and seat stays.