Need info on the Diamas: Bikefanclub.com

Hi Rick,

It's not that I don't like the Diamas per se. I'm 53 and an avid recreational cyclist. My Calfee Tetra Pro, for example, was ordered to be able to take a rear rack. Once the moderator approves the pics I uploaded you will be able to look in the picture gallery to see the way the rack is simply mounted. So for my purposes, a race bike does not suit me. This is the only reason I wouldn't get a bike like that.

I suggest you do the smart thing. Get thee to a local bike shop that is big on proper fit and talk, talk, talk about what you like about biking and what you think you want to do. For example, classic race bikes were made to be light and comfortable for racers. After all, they would spend hours riding circuits that included cobblestones. Find out, through your local bike shop exactly how well your fit can be made on the Seven bike you are thinking about, in the geometry that you desire.

You should learn about fit by going to a lot of web sites of custom bike makers. Many of them have strong opinions on proper fit and talk about it. My fit was determined by getting a professional fitting at the bike shop I had a great deal of confidence in. I subsequently got a full custom Calfee based on my fit measurements. It suits my go-fast avid recreational and fitness riding style and takes into account my core strength and issues such as my back and knees.

For what it's worth, aero is only a fashion for most folks. Only a racer benefits from an aero bike, and only by very small margins in a time trial at maximum power output. For mere mortals there is no discernable difference in performance between an aero bike and a normal tube bike. Another thing to consider, even on a race bike, you can get a soft ride with the right choice of tires and inflation pressures. The compliance of tires are the most significant factor in the softness of the ride of any bike. Everything else about the bike is uber stiff compared to the tires, even if the bike frame has a reputation for being, "soft."

Get any bike in the $3K range that is properly fit to you and you will be happy, if it's the right kind of bike for the style of riding you do. A cyclocross bike, for example suits a particular style and can be a good all-around fitness bike as well. A time trial geometry puts your body in an aero position to minimize drag and is not a suitable bike for much of any other kind of riding since it's actually an uncomfortable position you are in.