What would you do?

[aicabsolut]

I have a dilemma. Help me choose an option.

My old frame is sitting at Calfee waiting for instructions to go ahead with repairs or not based on their final cost quote.

Old frame:


6r Az1 carbon (comp level). 2006 model Roubaix.

Damage:
(attached below)

Plus broken fork (not pictured).

Repair costs quoted: $700 for frame (up $200 from the original estimate, because at first I didn't know about the seat tube crack). Plus purchasing a new Roubaix fork: $100-150. Total repair approx $850 just for the frame. I also need a new seatpost. And the shop who stripped most of the parts didn't return the top screw for my headset (I have an extra cap, but I kind of need that screw...).


My shop thinks this is too much to dump into this frame. The entire bike cost me less than $2k. I still have all the old parts, most of which are on my new frame: 2008 Roubaix S-works SL (10r Az1 carbon). I bought the frame on a pretty good deal in March when the downtube fracture occurred, because Specialized didn't have any frames available for crash replacement, and they didn't know when they would get them in (if ever for 2008s). The only bonuses about crash replacement is newness, improved design, and they come with their own headsets and seatposts .

Original plan: I would just pay Calfee $500 to fix the frame (including shipping), get a warranty fork (what Specialized originally told me), and by then I'd be set to upgrade the S-works components and rebuild the old frame.

With the new price of repair, we revisited the crash replacement options with Specialized. The news is that with their crash replacement pricing plus a good discount from my sponsor shop, I could get either a 2009 Roubaix Pro SL frame (9r IS carbon with the new head tube and fork/steerer design) or a 2009 Tarmac Pro SL frame (10r IS carbon) for about $1200 (MSRP $1900).


Here's what I'm wrestling with:
1) Stick with Calfee. Getting the crash replacement means that's $500 I could put towards a build into buying another frame. However, putting $800+ into the 2006 frame seems like a waste of money. My S-works is a much nicer ride, and I would be using the old bike for some training (I'd have different gearing), bad weather days, and any time I'd need a backup bike. Nevermind. I decided to get the frame back. So, look at the next options.

2) Getting an 2009 Roubaix that is really damn close to my S-works. The carbon is supposed to be a bit lighter and stiffer, but it's still not SL2 carbon. The new head tube design is supposed to help make it more responsive despite the long wheelbase. It would make a much nicer climbing rig if I build it that way than the old frame, but do I need to spend $1200 on virtually the same bike I have?

3) Getting the 2009 Tarmac. Fit is my main concern, but I have raced for 2 seasons since I first made the choice of Roubaix over Tarmac. (That's why I bought the S-works Roubaix--I needed something at the time that I could build on Thursday and do a road race on Saturday with no problems). I sat on another Tarmac today (2007), which has the "team" geometry (130mm HT). I'd get the new geometry, with a 145mm HT, 73*. The Roubaix HT is 165mm, 72*. I use .5-1cm of spacers, but my stem is set to level (the stem says +8*). I know there are a few ways to make the Tarmac fit. I could probably get a bit lower and be comfortable. I don't want to make the bike too twitchy raising the stem and whatnot, because the bike will feel more responsive than I'm used to anyway. Then I think, well, if it's the more aggressive bike, shouldn't it be the race bike? Then my head explodes about what gears and components to put where. Again, it is spending $1200 on pretty much the same quality of bike that I already have.

4) None of the Above.I could scrap the idea of having bike #2 entirely, but whenever I do upgrade the S-works' components, I will have some parts. I am going to go talk to the shop manager today about what kind of upgrade packages we could do (we will have a team order night at cost+5% where I would buy parts). Maybe I should look into TT frames instead. Of course, I have been temporarily bikeless for one reason or another in the past, so having a backup bike to ride is a really nice option.

2) and 3) are good deals for sure, but which price is *worth it*??

For those of you who judge on aesthetics, these are the paint schemes I'd pick:

Tarmac: (gloss white with black)


Roubaix: (carbon with white)