To most of us, $1300 for a bike doesn't sound cheap. In fact, it's a breathtaking leap.

But to the Pilot 2.1 customer, it's a sneak attack on value.

The Pilot 2.1 offers 98 percent of what you get in the more-than-double-the-price Pilot 5.0: a buttery ride polished smooth by the vibration damping qualities of carbon fiber, great components, and a rider position that works for people who aren't double jointed (the handlebars are slightly higher than they would be on a true racing bike).

So where's the savings? Part of it is in components, and part of it is in five pieces of tubing. The more expensive pilot is all carbon everywhere; this one just puts carbon fiber where it will do the most good in its role as a vibration damper: the front fork and the seatstays.

Why are the front fork and seatstays the important tubes? They're the ones that run directly from the axles to your contact points on the bike. The front fork runs directly to your hands and the seatstays run directly to your seat. So cutting vibration from those tubes is the smart thing to do. Oh, and the seat post is carbon fiber too, because it's in the line of fire.

Meanwhile, the welded aluminum main triangle enjoys a fabulous strength to weight ratio and stiffness to weight ratio, so it kicks butt, performance wise. Some riders will prefer this to the more expensive model.

The Shimano 105 drivetrain has a wonderful reputation for smooth, crisp operation.

This is a bike for riders who want high performance along with their vibration-damping comfort. Not quite an all-out racing bike, due to the more humane handlebar position and wide-range gearing (from the 27-speed drivetrain), it is nonetheless a better bike than most young athletes get to race on. Great for weekend romps and sag-supported tours, it is a joy ride, not a work horse. What we wouldn't recommend it for is workhorse duty. It wasn't made for racks to carry your stuff, and the Sunday-best wheels aren't the best choice for commuting on pothole-strewn roads.

Finally, here's why this bike is a best buy, even with a four-figure price tag. Almost all road bikes cost more than $700, due to the expense of the brake lever/shift lever combo componentry. Given that the road bike customer is close to this price range anyway, the advantages of this frame and component selection pushed the Pilot 2.1 over the edge.


Pros: Excellent ride, very stiff frame, great components, gearing and rider position will work for riders of all abilities. Terrific value for the dedicated rider.
Cons: No fittings for racks (except those seat post mounted racks, which have disadvantages). 20-spoke and 24-spoke wheels seldom need maintenance, but when they do, a home mechanic won't be equal to the task.

Warranty
1 year components, paint, and decals; Lifetime limited, frame