Tommaso As2

Price Paid:  $999.00 at Randall Scott

Model Year:
2005

Bike Setup:
Frame is in Colorado
Wheels are on my old bike
Other components in basement awaiting replacement frame
(Not really a standard setup is it ?)

Summary:
I have always supported local bike shops and was a little hesitant when I spied the thousand dollar price tag on the Randall Scott website. After doing the math with shipping and the Canadian dollar exchange I figured it was still about $600 cheaper than any similarly equipped ride available here so I took a chance and ordered one.
The bike arrived in about a week and was packaged nicely in a double walled cardboard box. I quickly assembled it and headed out on the road . Immediately I was impressed by the acceleration afforded by the stiff aluminum frame .The ride was not harsh though thanks to the standard carbon fiber fork , handlebars , stem and seatpost. The Ultegra transmission shifted flawlessly right out of the box without any tweaking. I thought Tommaso may have skimped in selaecting the Tektro brakes to cut costs but the brakes had lots of stopping power and were easy to adjust . I was really pleased with my purchase.
I had the bike for two summers and the only problem I had was cracking of the carbon fibre seatpost where it comes out of the binder . In May of 2008 I took the bike out of its Canadian winter hibernation and went for my first ride of the year .Everything seemed normal until I got to a hill and stood up . I heard a little ping and then the bike made a chain rubbing noise . I looked down and saw indeed the chain was rubbing on the front deraileur . I thought the crankarm might be loose but it didn't wiggle. I crested the hill and the noise disappeared . On the next hill the noise came back . I dismounted and wiggled the crankarm with more force and noticed the entire crank was flexing due to cracks in the down tube and seat tube at the bottom bracket. I carefully limped home and began the procedure of getting my frame replaced . Thank God for lifetime frame warraties !
I shipped the frame back to Randall Scott as per their directions and waited . And waited . And waited .
After several months , I called Randall Scott to see what progress had been made . They asked me if my bike had ever been driven over by a car . My bike had never been crashed or even dropped so I thought he was kidding .He then told me the bottom bracket was the strongest part of the bike (I think anybody reading this already knows that ) and that it shouldn't crack like it did (no kidding ?)and he wondered if there had been a large impact . I assured him no and he said he would inform the Tommaso engineers . I left it in his capable hands and waited . And waited .
I patiently waited a few more months . It was now winter and my riding was all done on my exercise bike so I was not overly concerned . Finally after almost a year without my bike I called Randall Scott again . At first they couldn't find my case . When they found it they told me the case was closed and nothing was being done . They said I could contact Tommaso myself and see if I could convince them to replace the frame but insisted that the position of Tommaso was that this damage (to a bicycle that was never crashed ) was due to abuse and wouldn't be covered by warranty. I emailed Tommaso and as of July 26 2009 , nobody has responded.
Buyer beware !

Strengths:
Great components
Great Price
Lively frame feel until it snaps !
Wheels are great and still in use on my 19 yr old Triathlon bike

Weaknesses:
Carbon fiber seat post
Customer service
Integrity of company

Similar Products Used:
First aluminum frame I've ridden
I have a 1990 Specialized Transtion still going strong

Price Paid:  $299.00 at rscycle.com

Model Year:
2005

Bike Setup:
Tommaso AS2 50cm frame with Shimano 9speed components, Cane Creek Aerohead/SG wheels, Speedplay Zero pedals, Weyless carbon handlebars.

Summary:
I bought only the AS2 frame and moved my components from my R900.
I have ridden with the AS2 frame now for about 800miles including a 125mi ride and it is very comfortable. It is very responsive. Very stable at low and high speeds. Although not super light it is lighter than my R900 frame. It is very stiff and corners well. The paint job is a beautiful metallic red. I would recommend this frame to anyone who wants a nice racing style frame without the big price tag.

Strengths:
Stability at low and high speeds. Cost. For $299 how can you go wrong. That's less than some shoes cost.

Weaknesses:
The only thing I can put here is the space for water bottles. My frame is a 50cm and it is very tight getting 2 24ounce water bottle on it.

Similar Products Used:
Early 90's Cannondale R900.

Price Paid:  $1199.00 at WWW.RSCYCLE.COM

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Tommaso AS2

Bike Setup:
Frame: Easton Ultra Lite Aluminum
Fork: Tommaso Carbon Fiber with Alloy Steerer
Front Derailluer: Shimano Ultegra
Rear Derailluer: Shimano Ultegra
Shifters: Shimano Ultegra
Brakes Levers: Shimano Ultegra
Brakes: Tektro RX400
Chain: Shimano HG 73
Crankset: FSA Gossmer Triple 52x42x30
Bottom Bracket: FSA Sealed
Headset: FSA Integrated IS2
Saddle: Selle Italia XO
Seat Post: Tommaso Carbon Fiber with Alloy Steerer
Handelbar: Tommaso Aero Carbon Fiber
Grips: Black Cork
Stem: Tommaso Carbon Fiber with Alloy Steerer
Tires: Kenda Koncept 700x23c
Wheelset: Alex A Class AL X300
Weight: 17.5 lbs
Color: Metallic Wine Red

Summary:
After searching for over a year and testing numerous different bikes, I finally settled on the AS2 by Tommaso. This bike came with an Easton Aluminum frame (made in USA), carbon fiber stem, carbon fiber seat post, carbon fiber handle bars, carbon fiber fork and 90% Ultegra components for $1,199 shipped from Randall Scott Cycle Company. Compared to similar set-ups from Specialized and Lemonds priced well over $2,000, I found the AS2 to provide superior ride quality, and the light weight -- I weighed the bike myself and it tilted the scales at just under 18 lbs -- and aerodynamic frame design made for one of fastest rides I’ve tested to date! Since purchasing my AS2, I have clocked near 1k miles and recently completed my first century on the bike last weekend without any problems. I should also note that this bike came with a set of full carbon fiber handle bars which is a feature that I was unable to find on other bikes in this price range and made for a noticeable reduction in fatigue especially on longer runs. No complaints to log with my Tommaso AS2 to date and I don’t think there is a bike out there that compares with the amount of quality features you get with the AS2 for the price.

Strengths:
I did my research when I bought this bike. I compared components, frames, and just about everything you can think of. The easiest way to explain it is to compare for yourself. I am confident that I purchased the best pound for pound bike on the market (e.i. Bernard Hopkins)

Weaknesses:
none that I have found