OK since half of us here are into cycling....

[Archaea]

Saddle time is important.

I have an ultra thin Selle Italia, which most people say looks uncomfortable and really wasn't uncomfortable during my 138 mile ride.

OTH, my tri bike has a cushinoned nose due to its geometry.

After a while, you hardly notice it.

[creekster]

and like it for that bike, but I would not want to tour on it.

[fusnik11]

just be riding mostly to stay in shape....running is taking its toll on me because im fat. plus i want an excuse to don some tight shorts.

[MikeWaters]

I second the notion that good cycling shorts are VERY VERY important. I did the 20$ thing for 2 years, and when I finally bought good shorts (after getting saddle sores--dont' ask) it was NIGHT and DAY.

I'm on a KHS Flite 500 which is basically a big heavy steel bike with mostly shimano sora. The generic crank got bent, so my bottom bracket and crank are 105 (whee!). My wheels are kysirums.

I'm looking to upgrade to a new bike this fall or next spring.

I'm good at finding bike deals, so I guess I will have to let you all in on my secret "cheap mormon" strategies.

[il Padrino Ute]

That's me to a "T". "Why spend more, when you can spend less?" is my motto.

I've decided today that I'll give myself a nice Christmas present in the form of a good road bike. I'll keep in touch about it over the next few months in order to become well informed. Also, if any off you have any links to some good websites to read about the various frames, wheels, etc. that would be appreciated. I suppose I could google the info, but I'm not sure what to look for as far as quality is concerned.

[Archaea]

Four major materials: steel, aluminum, carbon or titanium. The last two are the most expensive and the best and most comfortable.

Componetry is next most important, two main makers, Shimano and Campagnola, but Shimano is a better buy.

Next are wheels and pedals.

I'll gladly inform you about anything you want to know.

[non sequitur]

Buy they now have bikes with motors on them. Seriously, you get where you're going in half the time, your butt doesn't get sore, and you hardly break a sweat. My bike has a big-ass gel seat that I can sit on for 200 miles without losing any sensation. And the best thing is that it requires virtually no physical exertion. My philosphy is: Why sit on a lawn chair when you can sit on a barcalounger?

[MikeWaters]

I used to have a motorcycle. I almost bought another one last fall, but you would not believe the guilt trip my wife put on me saying things like "you have a two month old son, is this a good idea" and crap like that. Man, wives!

[creekster]

While I respect Arch's opinion, and he is obviously a serioous athlete, I beg to differ that Titanium and carbon are necessarily the best frame materials.

Not all titanium frames are created equal. It iwll depend a lot on the alloy and if you are very heavy they tend to be very whippy. Before I bought my touring frame I tried a titanium frame and did not care for it at all as it had far too much frame flex for me. This frame was an airborne touring frame and I suspect that a Litespeed, for example, would be stiffer. Nonetheless, not all titanium frames are created equal so caveat emptor.

As to carbon frames, they are very stiff and yet quite comfrtable. There is some question as to their durability. Moreover their failure mode is rather dramatic (they crack) when comapred to aluminum, steel or titanium, which tend to bend. They cannot be repaired. They are great frames, but I have never felt the weight savings was enough to justify the cost. I certainly wouldn't turn one down, and someday I am going to get a Colnago C-40 or some such just for the heck of it, but all in all I am not sure they are woirht the $$.

ALuminum is light and stiff but the ride can be harsh. It depends on frame geometry and how much you weigh. Quite frnakly, little guys tend to be more likely to dislike the aluminum ride. AS for me, I like it a lot. Virtually all my bikes are aluminum.

Steel is the old standby. It is very comfortable, can be reapired and repainted with ease, rarely fails catastrophically and there are many, many riders that still swear by it. Many long distance tourers, for example, will only use steel frames becasue anyplace in the world is likely to have someo that can fix a steel frame.

In short (or is it too late to say that?) while titanium and Carbon are good, I think whether they are best depends on many factors that are unique to each person, riding style and potential uses.

[Archaea]

and his thinking reflects thought regarding materials from about two to three years ago.

Now I'm not as cost sensitive as others so I typically buy from a APG group titanium manufacturer, i.e., Litespeed, Quintana Roo, Seven and Merlin.

The new alloys allow heavier guys to ride titanium. Old thinking was if you weigh more than 185 don't ride ti.

New thinking is you can go up to 200 to 210 or more.

And true heavier guys tend to like Aluminum, for a few years, but the responsiveness tends wane with age of the bike. Unless you buy a top of the line Bianchi. Simonetti makes some good frames but they wear out.

Aluminum is fine.

Steel, I'm just not a touring type guy. These bikes are made to go long and slow, carrying lots of stuff.

Carbon depends on how the glue is made, and whether it's true US carbon or Chinese or Korean carbon. As the technique used there is not correct for carbon durability. It's a question of what glue and how it's applied.

You can repair non-monocoque carbon designs. My Fondriest cannot be repaired if the top tube is destroyed, but a Trek can be. As can a Calfee.

Kuota makes a cool bike.

There are many debates and it becomes total geekdom, at the Holy Grail, Interbike here in Las Vegas.