Review Options:
Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating |
|
Reviews 1 - 4 (4 Reviews Total)
| |
User Reviews
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
kato258
a Recreational Rider
from Date Reviewed: February 5, 2011
Strengths: Light weight carbon fiber lugged construction; stiff but compliant. Compact design with large shaped cross-sections.Weaknesses: The clearcoat is a bit fragile. It needs continual touchup. The dealer base is also somewhat limited.Bottom Line: I bought this R7 frameset from a Colavita racer. What a great ride! It easily holds its own against my Madone SL. It's lugged construction reminds me of a friend's Colnago C40; very strong, stiff for climbs but still compliant.
Blue Competition focuses on racing designs so they are not mainstream. The RC7 is one of their best. Finding one is well worth the effort. Newer models are monocoque and may be a touch lighter, but I like a lugged frame for it's durability.
Check your geometry charts. Blue frame sizes runs small. My Medium-sized (54cm) RC7 measures very close to my 52cm Trek.
Favorite Ride: RAGBRAI, Harmon Hundred
Price Paid:
$585.00
Purchased At: eBay
Similar Products Used: Trek Madone 5.2SL, Serotta Concours
Bike Setup: Dura Ace 7700 (derailleurs, brakes, levers, BB), Shimano R700 compact crank, Ksyrium ES wheelset, Conti 4000S, Thomson seatpost, Selle Italia Signo saddle, 3T handlebars
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
americandudley
a Recreational Rider
from Date Reviewed: October 20, 2009
Strengths: Comfort, Solidity, perfect for a century but itching for a criterium. PRICE! T700 carbon fiber is the workhorse carbon fiber found in so many frames costing in the $3K range. Why not save a grand for those who aren't in the 46, 50 and 60 ton, M40, T800, or T1000 carbon fiber price ranges!Weaknesses: Finish: Nowadays nearly all bikes are made in the east, but my others were made in Italy and France. And visually they've seemed to hold up better over time with greater attention to detail. The clear coat on my RC7 doesn't look as professional. I've also heard that final assembly is done in the USA, so it could be a domestic issue of quality here as well. It's not really an issue at all since I am seriously looking at buying the new AC1 SL model.Bottom Line: I have to admit that I haven't ridden a monocoque frame yet and that I tend to lean towards lugged frames. I am 6'6' 235lbs and still prefer the comfort that lugged frames supposedly have over their monocoque counterparts. I have a magnesium Dogma FP that after 40 miles or so, guarantees that my body will ache for the next few days.
But one advantage to being a taller/larger cyclist is that there are so many excellent deals on bicycles. So that's why I tried the Blue RC7, and I was never gladder I did! I have the XL sloping size, which fit my long torso perfectly. Flex was not an issue, plus it absorbed almost all the road chatter I could encounter. The one characteristic which seemed to stand out the most was that I felt quicker on it than I did on my other bikes. In quicker I mean in terms of turning and overall agility. I've heard that past models were "twitchy", but I'd have to say the newer models are "snappier". Another recommendation is the Aerus carbon wingflex bar. It's is the most comfortable perfectly fitting bar I've ever had. I thought nothing could beat my Stella Azzurra Tirreno bar. I believe they're both made out of Toray's T700 carbon fiber but the Aerus is half the price???
Favorite Ride: Minnesota Rail trails
Price Paid:
$560.00
Purchased At: ebay
Similar Products Used: Time VX Special Pro, Pinarello Dogma FP
Bike Setup: Shimano Dura Ace 7800, Dura Ace 7950 SL tubeless wheels. Aerus Wingflex carbon bar with Ritchey wet white Axis stem. Fizik Arione saddle with Syntace P6 seat post (highly recommend!).
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Marcus Dennis
a Recreational Rider
from Date Reviewed: July 29, 2009
Strengths: The ride is great, very stiff and quick. It snaps right away in accelerations, yet is comfortable and dampens vibrations on long rides as well. The steering is more aggressive due to the race angle of the fork. It is not so twitchy to prevent me from riding "no-hands" to get my jacket on or rummage through the jersey pockets.Weaknesses: None that I can think of.Bottom Line: This is the first "race" bike I have owned and I completely love it. Blue has always caught my eye for their high level of quality and esthetics. My RC7 has compact geometry and is a ML size. I ride a 54cm usually and it fits me well. My previous ride was a Cannondale R900 aluminum with carbon fork. So, this was a huge upgrade in equipment and ride quality.
Favorite Ride: Blue RC7
Price Paid:
$2000.00
Purchased At: Online
Similar Products Used: I read several reviews from other manufacturers but test rode very few bikes in comparison. I wanted the Blue, so I went and got one.
Bike Setup: It is equipped with a Dura Ace 7800 gruppo, TRP Carbon brakes, Ritchey WCS cockpit, Fi'zi:k Arione saddle, and Reynolds Solitude wheel set.
Overall Rating: Value Rating:
Submitted by
Doug Mitchell
a Recreational Rider
from Date Reviewed: July 24, 2008
Strengths: Full carbon frame softens the bumps but still allows for effective energy transfer.Weaknesses: ML frame still seems kind of small.Bottom Line: Purchased after a year of hard riding by one of the current Colavita team riders. This is a huge upgrade over my old Schwinn 754 that was full alum with a cromo fork. What a different it makes when your bike loses 10 pounds. Imagine if I did the same thing.
Favorite Ride: Any cruise through the foothills west of Lakewood, CO
Price Paid:
$1300.00
Purchased At: eBay
Similar Products Used: Schwinn 754 upgraded to full Ultegra
Demoed Cannondale, Eddy Merckx and Trek
Bike Setup: Full Ultegra, tubulars
|
Reviews 1 - 4 (4 Reviews Total)
| |
Review Options:
Sorted by Latest Review | Sort by Best Rating |
