Flyte SRS-2 Road Bike Reviews

Price Paid:  $300.00 at Flyte Direct

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Haven't found it yet

Summary:
I bought this bike on clearance from the flyte website, while they were still in operation. I was pleased at the overall look of the frame when it arrived. I immediately took my Ultegra groupo off my Fuji and built up this frame. For the first year I absolutely loved this bike for its performance and aesthetics.

Fast forward 2 years to the present and my opinion of the frame has changed slightly. Now that I am a bit older and wiser (perhaps), I would like to reexamine my initial impressions.

The best parts of this frame, the carbon seat and chain stays, are also its biggest weakness. Even though they make the ride more comfy, they make hammering and climbing a bear. I have noticed significant sideways play on the BB while under power. Not having ridden anything else carbon/aluminum hybrid, I took this as normal.

I think as a daily commuter and rider, this would be fine. Since I have moved onto training for long races and hill riding, I hate feeling like I am sapping my power into the frame and not the wheel.

In conclusion, a good frame for the money. Depending on the type of riding you are doing, this might work well for you if you don't mind sacrificing a bit of power for comfort. But my next one will be something stiffer where it matters most.

Strengths:
Price
Comfort

Weaknesses:
Carbon/Aluminum joints
Stiffness.

Similar Products Used:
Fuji Marseille

Price Paid:  $1200.00 at Flyte

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
early morning in Bluewater Bay

Bike Setup:
Michelin tires, Profile Design carbon FF seatpost, Aerostryke aero bar, Terry Ti race seat, Polar 720i.

Summary:
I think I got my SRS-2 back in '05 but due to my inability to deal with midwest seasonal weather, riding it was on again/off again. That is until 2 years ago when I moved back to Florida after 6 winters in hell (Indiana). Now I ride every morning before my run, and after a bit of adjustment, find I like this far better than my old Trek 2300.

Best changes I've made are upgrading to a Profile carbon FastForward seatpost and an Airstryke aero bar. My average speed has gone up from 17.4 to 19.2+ and the bike is far more comfortable in certain positions.

At first I wasn't sure if the ride was better than my old Trek, but with the forward seatpost and the aerobars pulled back a little, I find I really like the extra comfort and speed. In fact, my cadence had always been a problem (78 to 80), but now am riding 85 to 93 fairly regularly and can stay in the middle chainring most of the time. Gearing always seemed a little weird, but finally with the new positioning, the gearing actually makes sense now.

Strengths:
Very quiet (ditch the stock seatpost). Maintenance free wheelset (I'm 230 lbs, and I trued them only once not long after getting the bike).

Weaknesses:
bar end caps. Stock seat post. Heavy wheelset. Seems my body size is right at the intersection of the 56/58 frame sizes. Triple chain ring setup (my fault for ordering it).

Similar Products Used:
Trek 2300, and an older Fuji.

Price Paid:  $1100.00 at ebay

Model Year:
2006

Favorite Ride:
Longleaf Trace

Bike Setup:
few upgrades: CaneCreek racing wheels, Shimano Ultegra pedals, mostly stock so far

Summary:
This bike takes the cake without killing the wallet

Strengths:
responsive, lightweight, attractive geometry, solid frame, comfortable, fast

Weaknesses:
as with any high end bike, when scratched i get pissed

Similar Products Used:
LeMond Sarthe

Price Paid:  $1000.00 at ebay

Summary:
I love this bike. It's incredibly responsive and very smooth.

Strengths:
Responsiveness

Weaknesses:
None

Price Paid:  $0.00

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
All of them

Bike Setup:
SRS-2 with a full Ultegra build.

Summary:
I wanted to egt another road bike to replace the one I had just sold. I had been riding my Flyte Celsius 9 for a couple of months and decided I would go with a Flyte road bike as well.

The compact geometry felt a little strange at first, but I have grwn to like it. The bike is very quick, turns like it means to, and rides so smooth.

I have raced this bike in crits and taken it on centuries. I have never wished I had a different bike and was always happy when I returned home.

Strengths:
This bike is an awesome bike at an even better price.

Weaknesses:
Compact geometry can feel a little "twitchy" until you get used to it.

Similar Products Used:
Trek 5200