Gunnar 2000 Hot Dog!

Price Paid:  $1850.00 at Sun Coast Bicycles

Favorite Ride:
Mt Lemmon

Bike Setup:
Full ultegra except dura ace hubs on 28 spoke Open Pro rims

Summary:
I purchased this 2002 bike after being out of cycling for a couple of years. I have owned several steel road bikes including two Serotta's (Nova Special and CSI). The Roadie offers about 90% of the performance at 50% of the price. The CSI was the best steel bike I have ever owned. The Gunnar is stable at speed and hands off but it steers quickly enough to avoid the guy going down in front of you.

Strengths:
Inexpensive but smooth and stable. Steering is not twichy. Don't see one everyday.

Weaknesses:
Does have some give in the bottom bracket when really pushing hard. Does not bother me but some might not like this. Paint chips REALLY easily. Wish I had clear coat. Finish is not quality of Serotta or Waterford.

Similar Products Used:
SR, Serotta Nova Special, Serotta CSI, Litespeed Vortex, Trek 5200

Price Paid:  $2100.00 at Dublin Cyclery

Favorite Ride:
Calaveras Road

Bike Setup:
Shimano 105 Gruppo, with Bontrager Racelite wheels, Flite saddle and the most important upgrade, a Chris King headset.

Summary:
I have used this bike for almost a year. It is refreshing to ride a bike made of steel in a world of plastic bikes. On a recent ride up Mt. Diablo my friend Matt and I were stopped at the ranger station. Five different cyclist came to rest at the same spot and all of them were on plastic bicycles (4 Treks, 1 Giant). It's kind of nice to ride something other than what everyone else is riding.
The Gunnar doesn't do anything really special or exciting. The finish looked nice at first but chips way too easily. I managed to mangle the decals but recent models have a clear coat over them. The frame is very comfortable compared to the Cannondale CAAD 3 frame I was previously using. Frame is made in good ol USA.

Strengths:
Smooth riding, good looks,

Weaknesses:
Weight, poor paint quality, decals a little cheesy

Similar Products Used:
This is my second road bike. The first was a Cannondale CAAD 3 that felt faster and climbed better but beat the hell out of me on longer rides.

Price Paid:  $2950.00 at Electric Dan's - Mis

Favorite Ride:
Gunnar Roadie

Bike Setup:
Full Ultegra, DuraAce 180 triple crank, Race Lite wheels, Italia max flite seat

Summary:
I absolutely love my custom 66 cm Gunnar Roadie.
I have been into biking for less than a year, and I started with a 63cm Trek 1000 to see how it would work out. I quickly blew the spokes and ended up with Race Lite wheels. The fit was never quite right even with a long seatpost and the longest stem out there, but I didn't really know what I was missing.
I finally decided I needed a custom, and I went with Gunnar after extensive research.

Everyone kept telling me how much of a difference the bike would make. While I knew it would be better, I was skeptical on whether it would really make that much difference. Since I'm 6' 8" tall at 240 pounds, I didn't think weight was much of a factor. I also didn't think the longer cranks and the change in my riding position would be all that significant.

After riding my new Gunnar, I found out how wrong I really was. The difference is incredible.
Before I had difficulty keeping with both of my riding buddies. Now I easily match their speed and heart rate.
At first I thought maybe it was psychological because the bike feels so smooth and fast, but now I know that I am much faster.

Simply incredible. The bike is a work of art and steel is the real deal.

There is no better value out there in customer bikes.

Strengths:
Strong, fast, smooth, lively. Weight is also good - just over 4 lbs on a 66 cm frame that was specifically built extra beefy for my size.

Weaknesses:
None at this point

Similar Products Used:
Trek 1000 63cm

Price Paid:  $2000.00 at Ben's Cycle in Milwa

Favorite Ride:
Holy Hill

Bike Setup:
Mavic OP rims laced to Ultegra hubs. Full Ultegra. Salsa Bell Lap bar. Thomson seat post and stem. Profile Design AC fork.

Summary:
I got a Gunnar Roadie in 2001. I'd say the bike has between 6,000 and 10,000 miles on it now.

I haven't ridden many bikes, but this one is very comfortable. I frequently do 80+ mile rides and the bike feels as smooth when I'm done as when I started. The fork is a bit noodly, but that's my fault for not taking the upgrade.

Still, all isn't sweetness and light. The paint on my bike is terrible. I paid for the "custom" paint job which I understood to be the same as the paint job a Waterford receives.

Well, they didn't clear coat over the decals. For a while I was riding a GUN_AR. My bike lock rubbed the "N" off the frame. I've since scraped all the decals off. Second, the paint chips very easily. I sent away for touchup paint, and I try to keep up, but I'd rather not have to. Next time (and I probably will buy from them again -- they're local to me), I'd opt for the poweder coat. I'd rather have durable than beautiful.

The other problem I experience was a problem with the chain line. I don't know if Gunnar or Shimano is to blame, but if I was on the small ring up front, I couldn't use the last for cogs on my cassette without having the chain rub on the big ring. From what I could tell, the frame alignment was true, but still, that was very frustrating. I tried having a triple BB installed, but that didn't help. A different shop put in Dura Ace BB with a shim and that seems to have solved some of the problem.

Bottom line for me is this bike rides like a dream, but the paint is terrible.

As a caution, I think the Roadie has undergone some significant changes since I bought mine.

Strengths:
Rides like a dream. Relativley easy to customize.

Weaknesses:
Paint is terrible.

Similar Products Used:
Cannondale, Specialized, Bianchi, Trek

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Fat Tire Cycles, NM

Favorite Ride:
Red River to Angel Fire

Bike Setup:
Ultegra, Reynolds Ouzo Pro, King HS, EC-90 post, Bontrager RaceLite Wheels

Summary:
As a shop employee I have a wide assortment of high end frames to choose from. When it came down to "Bang for Buck" Gunnar won out. I got the NEW OS/2 04' frame and I couldn't be happier. The frame is sooo sweet. I weigh 200 lbs and I wanted a frame that was tough and could handle urban abuse. The frame is very responsive, absorbs road irregularities very well and is absolutely beautiful. I got the PPG Black Pearl with clearcoat. It is stunning in sunlight. I am glad Gunnar went with a 1 1/8 headtube. Frame is lighter than previous model and is plenty stiff.(This bike loves to fly at top speeds) I love the uniqueness of this bike - everywhere I look I see Taiwanese and Chinese made Treks, Specialized, Giants, etc...I'm not knocking their quality, but it's nice to ride something that I know is made by my brothers here in the greatest country on Earth. USA

Strengths:
Feel - Steel is being connected to the road without being jarred to a pulp.
Handling - Stability at all speeds is spot on.
Weight - These guys is Waterford WI know their stuff. 853+True Temper
Looks. - NO flashy Euro-Trash paint schemes that looks silly in 3 years. Awesome PPG paint with clearcoat on all 04's.
Strength. - Steel is king. NO worries.

Weaknesses:
"ROADIE" on top tube - You can put what you want, but it will cost you a little more.

Similar Products Used:
Trek OCLV, CAnnondale, LEmond, FELT, ORBEA