Calfee Dragonfly, Cervello R3 and Tarmac S Works: Bikefanclub.com

I have only ridden the DFly, but have have seen the other bikes you mentioned.

First of all, Cervelo had a recall on the R3 I believe. A major problem. Cervelo knows next to nothing about carbon fiber bikes, hence the recall. The first production bikes were AL, and they started as an AL bike company. They introduced a prototype carbon fiber bike back in 2003. I was already riding a DFly at the time for over a year, Calfee's third carbon fiber bike design. I don't know why anyone would consider a Cervelo carbon bike with their weak track record and recall history. Ride it if you like being a guinea pig.

Specialized is another johnnie come lately to the carbon fiber world. I remember a few years ago they were pushing hard on their AL bikes. Great if you want to ride 5 miles in a sprint, but AL gets to you after about 30 miles in the saddle. Specialized and Cervelo both build bikes in Taiwan or China (Taiwan if you are lucky). Forget about good workmanship. China is all about making a profit at any cost as witnessed by all the recent problems with various Chinese products. They really only care if they get paid for the initial product, to hell with you if it is not what was promised, they have your money and are onto the next scam.

I am sure both Cervelo and Specialized would be very happy to give you a new frame if there was a problem with their Chinese made frames (and I know several riders who have have new Cervelo frames to replace their defective recalled ones), but it is a bother, and you risk you life if it is you who has the frame failure.

Calfee has been building carbon frames in production since 1989. Cervelo was still not even a concept. While Trek and Kestral both introduced carbon frames in 1986 and Exxon Graftek produced a flawed carbon frame in 1975, Calfee was one of the first builders of an all carbon frame and has been on the leading edge of carbon technology ever since. In fact, he has advanced to the stage of building bikes from bamboo and hemp fibers since mastering carbon fiber with the introduction of the DFly in 2001.

Also, Calfee will build you a custom carbon bike, not many others will do that for you. I just bought a coupled carbon triple bike from him. It rides great. I don't know anyone else on the planet that has the know how or experience to pull that off. Not Trek, not Cervelo, not Specialized, not no one. Calfee is the leader in carbon fiber bikes. I would not buy a metal frame from him if you paid me, but I would not buy a carbon fiber bike from anyone else if you paid me either.

Go with the master or go with an obsolete metal bike or cheap Chinese carbon. It's you money, your decision, but the choice is pretty obvious.

Bruce