Which Superbike?

[dikmdb]

Hi all,
Longtime lurker, first time poster. I'm looking to upgrade from my trusty Felt with a 105 that got me into the sport. I'm currently training for Crits next year and am riding around a couple hundred miles weekly. I've been looking for a bike for about a week but I always come back to the first spot I start at as my budget is high, around 7k (up to 9ish if need be), everything seems to be in budget.
I'm leaning towards Canyon Ultimate CF SLX Disc 9.0 Team Movistar either with EPS or Mechanical (also can't decide), Pinarello Prince, BMC Teammachine SLR Two. I know what I don't want, which is mainly the usual suspects, i.e. Cervelo, Felt, Trek, Specialized, Giant, Fuji. I already have an Argon 18 as well, which I love, so I don't want another Argon.
What is y'alls input? Is the Campy EPS worth the premium? Any other bikes y'all can think of with a Campy Groupo

 

[vickster]

Bianchi?
Condor?
Pearson?

Buy a frameset and spec to your heart’s desire?

Ultimately, you really need to get to the shops selling high end bikes and try a few out.

Obviously, you won’t be able to do that with Canyon (assuming you’re in the UK?). That alone would stop me spending a large sum on one.

 

[fossyant]

The Canyon's are fabulous value for money - you won't get an EPS equipped bike for the money they sell them for.

One point, have you budgeted in for crash replacements - e.g. stuffing up the EPS brifters. Crit racing is, as you know, quite prone for crashing. No point having a super expensive bike that you can't afford to replace the parts.

I used to race crits/road races on my Ultegra equipped bike with an off the peg frame, but TT's and long distances on the Dura Ace bike (plus that bike was a custom made one).

 

[Milkfloat]

As @fossyant says, Crit racing on a 9k bike could lead to tears. Depending on your size Canyon sell a lot of ex-pro bikes that could be of interest.

 

[HarryTheDog]

Just to re-enforce what @fossyant and @Milkfloat said, Just a word of caution, "never race what you can't afford to wreck" I remember buying my daughter a fairly expensive bike, first race on it a 30mph finish line pile up and ended up with a broken frame. I used to race with a club mate and multi national LVRC champion and ex pro Bob Downs . He bought Chinnese non branded frames and stuck expensive groupsets and wheels on them . He reckoned for crit racing where crashes were quite common that you did not want to risk a multi thousand quid frame.

 

[fossyant]

Maybe get two, £7k will get you a very nice £5k bike and an almost as nice £2k crit bike - £2k will go far with a Canyon.

I would have cried a lot if I busted my best bike - it's still original from 30 years ago. My Ultegra bike has had 3 frames, one was crash damaged (not in a race) - triggers broom comes to mind !

 

[rivers]

I'd keep the Felt with 105 for crit racing and get a Canyon for the rest of the time. Although I would go Aeroad over Ultimate (I have a preference for aero bikes is the only reason).

 

[DCLane]

Like others above I'd not recommend racing a top-end bike in the 4th cat beginner crit. Use your Felt / Argon to get a feel for what's going on. Then the best bike can be used when/if you move up. Decent race wheels rather than a hugely expensive bike would help.

One of my son's team-mates ended up with a wrecked new Ridley Noah Fast due to a new 4th cat taking him and several others out in the first race of this season when they panicked.

Having written this my 16yo is getting a top-end race bike for next year. But he's raced since he was 9, will move into adults as 3rd cat next year AND it's a team bike rather than us paying retail. He'll also be starting the season, should there be one, on his Cervelo S3 which is older.

If you can get yourself out on some of the crits that have been organised this year - they're 15 minutes only with no points - it'd give you a feel for where you're at. Just a thought.

 

[si_c]

Felts are great bikes, I'd stick with that for the crits for the reasons mentioned above. Would it be worth getting a set of race wheels for the Felt instead? A set of deep section wheels with some skinwall tyres would give the bike a fresh look and feel too.

 

[rogerzilla]

Buy the lightest.

 

[dikmdb]

Thank you all for the info. I wasn't leaning towards a frame and then building it as I'm worried I wouldn't get such a clean look with cable routing and all. I think based on the suggestions I'll keep the Felt for racing, the Argon for the Turbo and the new bike for training/day to day etc. Seeing that I'm leaning towards BMC or Canyon. Any other suggestions? Should I also look at a Look?

 

[mustang1]

When I buy a supercar, I also consider the engine.

 

[cougie uk]

A nine grand bike won't be any faster than a two or three grand bike.
New to crit racing ? Aluminium and ultegra or equivalent is as good as you need.

 

[dikmdb]

When I buy a supercar, I also consider the engine.

Correct but already working on the engine. Have a coach and all...

 

[dikmdb]

A nine grand bike won't be any faster than a two or three grand bike.
New to crit racing ? Aluminium and ultegra or equivalent is as good as you need.

I totally agree. It probably won't but some of this is like a new gadget so to keep me entertained and going, as well as to look "cool"