Help! Carbon bike choices for me?

[ilima]

I need a slack STA to feel balanced...

Yep, for me it's about balance. I owned a tri bike with a steep seat tube angle and short top tube (sold it to fund my current ride, a Merlin). To me a steep STA = too much weight on my hands. That didn't matter when I was riding in the tri position, but it was horrible to ride when not in the aero position.

One 'test' I use is whether I can ride no handed. I can't do it on a bike with a steep STA; my weight falls forward. It's much more comfortable when my weight is on my bum.

[LBTC]

Today we stopped in a BS in a nearby city and found an XS 2005 Argon Krypton (full CF) 105 groupo with American Classic CR 420 wheels.....for $2K. Since the wheels new would be around $900, it seems like a good deal. I didn't want Grandma to wait while I test drove it, so I don't know how exactly she *feels*, but she looks very sexy, and standing over her, she seems like a good size for me. Two potential downsides: she's got a 9 speed cassette, not 10; and she's blue. All of my bikes are black. hmmmmmmm

Any thoughts on Argon bikes?

H&B
~T~

[Southside Sally]

I ride a Blue Competition Cycles RC4. It is a unisex bike, but the XS size has the same top tube length as the Ruby 48 that everyone your size seems to be recommending, plus it is a compact geometry, so the standover shouldn't be an issue at all. You might want to try one out. I absolutely adore mine... It rides amazingly and is sooooo beautiful and distinctive. It's full carbon tubes with aluminum lugs. Frameset is 3.5 pounds. It is an awesome bike. I had mine put together with a 105 groupset except I did get the Ultegra short-reach levers. I bought the frameset on Ebay and put on the components that I knew I wanted. That way was much less expensive than a brand new factory-spec'd bike.

Check out http://www.rideblue.com/rc4.html and also http://www.rideblue.jp/product/rc4.html

That second site is in Japanese, but it has better pictures and geometry charts.

Blues are hard to find, but worth a long drive if necessary to try one out.

I, too, have a Blue, and I absolutely adore her! Light, fast, responsive. I got mine on eBay, too!

[tulip]

All nice bikes referenced here.

Any reason you are not looking at going custom? My Luna Eclipse is fantastic. It's steel (Columbus Ultrafoco) with carbon fork and seat stays , very light, extremely comfortable (like riding a cloud). Nothing like having a bike that no one else has, not to mention one that is made just for you.

[Natasha]

I have a Trek WSD 5200 from a few years ago. It has a carbon frame with ultegra components. My inseam is 28" and ended up with the 47 and it fits well. All the bike shop guys recommended the 50, but it always felt too big. The 650 wheels should not be an issue. They will have more rolling resistance, but less wind drag. Many tri bikes have 650 wheels and triathletes like to go fast.