Originally Posted by
Dimago123
maybe I was rounding up in my head. But it was like $2300 for TCR and $3200 for the specialized
I should say, that lower end TCR comes with rim brakes and the trek and specialized carbon models are disc only. In Chicago where I live there is very little elevation. Very flat. And I don’t ride in the rain. So why pay more for a heavier disc tech? And hydraulic needs occasional bleeding. Ugh
I’m just thinking out loud before committing. I hope more options are available soon around here and I can ride a couple different bikes to see how they actually feel
That's a fairly significant omission and takes the comparison well out of the apples-to-apples range. Personally, I wouldn't have bought a rim brake bike five years ago, and certainty wouldn't now. I also find hydro to be less maintenance, on the balance, but it is a different set of tools and skills.
If you're comfortable with rim brakes and don't anticipate wanting tires larger than 28mm, go for it.