Another either or... Look 695 Aerolight or S-Works Venge?

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dwaharvey
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by dwaharvey

So I have an Sworks Venge 90% built up. I haven't been doing a lot of road riding lately, and this was going to be my bike. But then I got a great opportunity to get hold of a Look 695 Aerolight that I couldn't pass up. Now I have to pick one. I guess the only thing that makes sense is to finish building the Venge and ride it a bit, then break it down and build up the Look, and pick the one I like better. Or maybe just get some additional parts and have both built up at once. The complication comes from the fact that I can't set myself up on the Look properly without cutting down both the fork and the seatpost (take 3cm off as shown), and thus hurting the resale...

Aside from the ride, there's obviously the aesthetics being quite different, and the Look has a ton of proprietary parts... that are pretty nice, but also complicated to set up and perhaps to maintain.

Opinions and advice appreciated!

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Imaking20
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by Imaking20

Get more time on the Venge - I love mine more all the time.

I haven't ridden a Look though - I'm sure I'd love it as well. The proprietary parts were a deal breaker for me this season though as I was pretty focused on racing.

highdraw

by highdraw

If me? I wouldn't build the Look for some of the reasons you stated and flip it.
I wouldn't take apart the Venge to evaluate the Look. Big hassle if you can't build the Look with its own groupset.
The S-works Venge is the bike to keep IMO.

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dwaharvey
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by dwaharvey

OK. So if I want to ride both, I'm definitely going to pick up a set of shifters and derailleurs so I can have both frames mostly built up at once. (Just have to move saddle, pedals, and wheels back and forth, but probably good to have to do that anyway to make it a fair test.

mike
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by mike

keep both if you like them. the look aerolight is more rare on the road than a specialized.

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dwaharvey
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by dwaharvey

I should clarify that I'm not worried about the effect of cutting the Look post/fork on resale down the road, but on resale if I decide not to keep it.
Keeping both would be nice, but I'd have trouble convincing the wife that it's necessary. And I just don't ride on the road enough to justify it.

NiFTY
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by NiFTY

Imagine this. You start a poll and you agree to accept the result of whatever the groupthink decides. Wait a moment and hold your breath...... the venge wins - happy or sad. If happy keep venge - sell Look. If sad sell venge, keep look.

The most important aspect of any bike for a non-pro is how excited it makes you by thinking about it/seeing it. You already know which bike is your favourite. Absolute weight, grams of drag don't matter. Both bikes are excellent. Yours is an excellent problem to have.
Evo 4.9kg SL3 6.64kg Slice RS 8.89kg viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110579" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

NiFTY
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by NiFTY

Or, more simply, N+1. Explain to the wife that, baby, its the law.
Evo 4.9kg SL3 6.64kg Slice RS 8.89kg viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110579" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

russianbear
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by russianbear

Look is a more interesting/more rare bike, that would be a deciding factor for me. (also not a fan of specialized)

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luckypuncheur
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Location: Germany

by luckypuncheur

695: The proprietary parts are a pain, especially as Look's spare parts prices are ludicrous. I own a 695 and would still rate it as a decent bike, but now clearly see the disadvantage that comes along with system integration.
Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live.

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micky
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by micky

I didnt get the luck to try any of those, but I have friends that own both of them; I would pick the Venge just due to the Look's integrated brakes which are an hassle.

NealH
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by NealH

I'd go for the Venge. Its a really good bike focused on performance.

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Tinea Pedis
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by Tinea Pedis

NiFTY wrote:Imagine this. You start a poll and you agree to accept the result of whatever the groupthink decides. Wait a moment and hold your breath...... the venge wins - happy or sad. If happy keep venge - sell Look. If sad sell venge, keep look.

The most important aspect of any bike for a non-pro is how excited it makes you by thinking about it/seeing it. You already know which bike is your favourite. Absolute weight, grams of drag don't matter. Both bikes are excellent. Yours is an excellent problem to have.

This is excellent advice.

wingguy
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by wingguy

I think that. Look's frames are very nice but they've completely lost their way with the integration.

In a few years the Aerostem will be looked on the same way as those 'innovative' suspension systems from the '90s - ie. what the hell were they thinking?

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dwaharvey
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by dwaharvey

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated. My problem with the Venge is really caused by not loving the big S, not feeling like I'm proud to ride that brand, but yet really liking the aesthetics of the bike itself. With the Look I do like the company, and I like what they try to do intregration-wise, but the brakes are certainly a complicated thing to setup as has been said. Riding wise, I could be wrong but I expect both bikes will ride really well. A real dilemma, but I guess one could look at it as there not being a bad/wrong choice.

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