Your vote for Race Bike of the Year 2007

[James70]

This years Look bikes look awesome, I think one of those has to go in.

[TimB]

Firstly I think that the RBOTY should be the best off the shelf machine you can buy. No midtier bikes, not bottom, only the very best machines in terms of lightness, stiffness and ride quality.

so I'd like to see the following bike in the 2007 RBOTY contest.

Litespeed Vortex 07
Giant TCR ADvanced 0
Ridley Noah
Cannnondale System 6
Time VXRS
Trek Madone SSLx
BH G3
Colnago Extreme C
Pinarello Paris
Pegoretti or Billato off the shelf.
Boreas

Most of these bikes are purchased as a frame set so could we have the components and wheels taken out of the equation by standardising on perhaps Shimano Dura Ace and Mavic Ksyrium wheels.

[boonen_II]

I think the Litespeed Siena with Zipp 404's. It's not bad.

[tommeke]

i'd go with TimB's concept - just go for the same groupset, wheels and finishing kit so you can more accurately assess just how good the bikes are. Let's face it, at over £1500-ish most people buy a frame and forks and simply spec it to their own wish list.
This way people could make up their mind without having their opinions swayed by bling finishing kits.

I'd like to see you test a Ti bike and set it against that old Litespeed Vortex you've had since 1998 was it?

Kuota was mentioned - I'd like to see that in there as well as the Time that Cofidis now ride.

So:

Litespeed Vortex (both latest and the old one)
Pinarello Dogma
Kuota (whichever is the top one)
Specialized (both Tarmac and Roubaix)
Trek
Giant (ISP type model)
Look (ISP type model)
Ridley (ISP type model)
Wilier
Orbea
Bianchi
Time

[MikeHawkins]

Many thanks for all your comments and posts plus your private messages. It’s great to know that we are thinking along the same lines as you are. We’ll do our best to include all the bikes but obviously we have just eight places so we can’t feature everyone of your suggestions.

I’ve ordered the bikes from the manufacturers and with a few I have to tell you we are struggling. Anyone whose tried to buy a high end bike will already know that they are rarely available off the peg and a couple of manufacturers simply can’t supply us in time which is a bummer but understandable.

We’re off to Majorca in a week or so for a training camp / test week. Feel free to say ‘Hi’ if you spot a bunch of tarts of excessively fancy bikes!

Mike