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GURU Continues to Grow, Launches Complete Bike Program

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GURU Continues to Grow, Launches Complete Bike Program

You may remember the Photon HL above from our GURU NAHBS coverage where we checked out the 670g frame in person. Even though this radical 11 pound rocket won’t be available as is, the bike will be offered fully built now that GURU has launched a new complete bike program. According to GURU, the move to offer a full line of complete bikes is a big one for the small manufacturer and was done to make the purchasing process for both dealers and customers as easy as possible.

Check out the frames and builds offered next…

GURU Continues to Grow, Launches Complete Bike Program
Neither of the bikes pictured are to spec with the new build kits, just what they had on hand at NAHBS

Both custom and stock frames will be offered as complete bikes depending on the model. The carbon bikes will include the Photon HL, which is custom only, and the Photon R and SL will be custom and stock geo. The Flite is offered in stock geometry only. On the metal side, the Ti Praemio R and Praemio will both be offered in custom and stock geometry, with the Sidero steel bike in custom only.

For the triathletes out there, GURU’s CR.901 will be available as custom or stock geometry, and the CR.301 will be stock only.

To complete their build kits, GURU partnered with Shimano to offer Ultegra and Dura-Ace drivetrains in both mechanical and Di2 options for road and tri set ups. The rest of the kits are the same for each build level with the  exception of the Ultegra (the lowest build) receiving Rynolds Shadow wheels instead of the Assault C or Storm C (road and Tri). Road bikes will be built with a Ritchey WCS Evo Curve bar, WCS 4-Axis stem, WCS 1B seat post, and Prologo Nago Evo T2.0 saddles. Tri bikes will receive a Profile Design T4+ Carbon aerobar, Svet base bar, Ritchey WCS 4-Axis stem, and ISM Adamo saddles.

Guru pricing

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29 Comments
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NCMTB
NCMTB
10 years ago

There has to be a misprint in those graphs, $4500-$8500 for framesets alone?!?!?!?

Does that seem stupid high compared to all the other custom builders out there or is it just me?

Eyal
Eyal
10 years ago

@NCMTB It’s just you! Prices are going up. Parlee Z-Zero is around $8500. Crumpton is around there if you start adding options. Euro carbon are the same story.

Topmounter
Topmounter
10 years ago

I’ll stick with hand-crafted Ti frames from US builders.

I know that means I’ll never win the TdF, but I came to terms with that reality twenty years ago.

Lucifer Sam
Lucifer Sam
10 years ago

Sheesh…no wonder I feel so inadequate when I show up to group rides on my Specialized 2013 S-Works Venge RED

vectorbug
10 years ago

Yeah but wheres the *really*top shelf configuration chart???

Steve @ G4G
10 years ago

Bike prices have gotten out of control.

Josh
Josh
10 years ago

@Vectorbug – For the real top shelf configurations you have to start speaking to fairwheel bikes! They helped Guru build that 11Lb show bike and the parts are TRICK!

Rich W.
Rich W.
10 years ago

Warranty does not exist. Refused to replace my frame after the down tube started to buckle (very slightly). Frame was still in brand new condition and never crashed. First said they would replace it and then changed their mind. Totally unprofessional. I will never buy another GURU product again.

Guru Dealer
Guru Dealer
10 years ago

@Rich – As a Guru dealer that’s had a few warranties over the years, that seems completely contrary to our experience. The company has always been incredibly professional and they tend to bend over backwards to make sure the customer is happy. Even going so far as to respray and entire bike because the customer did not like the way the paint looked in real life versus the work-up online. Also, as a Guru rider, I love their bikes, especially the Praemio R. Built in North American goodness.

CXisfun
CXisfun
10 years ago

@ Rich W: As a FORMER Guru dealer I will tell you that what you experienced is par for the course. I picked up a few frames in my store and was pretty unimpressed with them. The real problem came in when frames started pouring in from other Guru dealers with a multitude of problems. The most common thing I had to deal with was threaded alloy BB inserts coming loose in carbon frames. One after another they’d come in, primarily tri bikes, with the threaded insert spinning in the frame. Of course, boxing and shipping a frame internationally isn’t cheap for repair, it would take weeks, and cost hundreds of dollars. Either we’d have to eat the cost or have an even more pissed off customer on our hands trying to charge them for shipping.

We drew the line when Guru opened another dealer less than 4 miles away without even talking to us first.

Terrible business practices. There’s a reason they’ve had financial difficulties time and time again.

ST
ST
10 years ago

Chainrings in the first pic look, erm… epic? What’s up there?

Bayard
Bayard
10 years ago

Sweet bikes to dream about

WOW@PRICES
WOW@PRICES
10 years ago

LOL @ those prices.

David
David
10 years ago

Thanks Rich and CXisfun for keeping it real.
Saw the Guru frame segment on “How It’s Made” on the Science Channel. Definitely wasn’t impressed by that and the current stratosphere pricing. Must be another doctor/lawyer demographic they want or need.

Buy A Real Bike
Buy A Real Bike
10 years ago

Why not buy a Time for the money, thats handmade precision and quality and $6000 for some frame makes those seem like a bargain.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
10 years ago

@ST: those are KCNC Cobweb chainrings.

david
10 years ago

Any feedback on Guru ti frames ?? I’m looking a slightly used one…thx

lesalpes
10 years ago

@CX – As yet another Guru dealer, I’ve had good experiences with them, and amongst the many reps that I’ve dealt with over time, I’ve found that my inside Guru rep has been extremely responsive and professional. I’ve ridden most if not all of their bikes, and though there might be a Dogma 2 out there that might handle just a little better, or another bike from Brand A that might be a little stiffer, on the whole, I think Guru bikes are VERY good. The Evolo R that I’ve been riding for about a year now just might be my favorite bike.

As stratospherically silly as these prices are, and as much as they might appeal to the vanity of a Doctor going through a mid-life crisis, they at least make sense when you consider they’re hand built and made custom to your individual geometry. What’s really nutty is paying $18,000 for a “limited edition” Specialized McLaren Venge. A Tarmac SL4 gets up to ten grand, and it rides like crap.

Matt
Matt
10 years ago

Yeah, it is amazing how many riders have won the TdF, Giro, and other major races on those SL4 pieces of crap.

wheelz
wheelz
10 years ago

@lesalpes. I was sort of with you until your comment “Tarmac SL4 rides like crap.” I don’t ride one (I love my mid-range Colnago), but know enough high level racers that choose the Tarmac and love them to know that you are talking out of your a**. Obviously bikes like Guru are not for competitive racers (who don’t have a lot of money), bur rather for doctors/lawyers who have more money than time and are willing to send anything to make the climbs a bit easier in their next century ride. More power to them.

Matt
Matt
10 years ago

By the way, Dr.’s don’t get paid that much anymore so I am not sure why we keep using them as the ridiculed target market for astronomically priced bikes. Obamacare yo.

lesalpes
lesalpes
10 years ago

I ride a lot of bikes by a lot of manufacturers. I actually try to discern differences between bikes that I ride. The SL4 I rode ….it was very light, very stiff….uncomfortably stiff…ridiculously stiff. To be fair, a lot of bikes that try to get the weight down and the stiffness up by using very high modulus carbon throughout the layup have the same problem – they’re just unreasonably stiff and chattery. I think that lack of ride refinement in a bike that costs that much is just not acceptable. A BMC Team Machine is just as light, rides a lot better, and is half the price….and Cadel won the TDF on one if that really matters to you. TdF riders win on those bikes because they’re paid to ride them. S also pays big bucks to subsidize local racers and races. Lots of those guys get team deals. …and quite frankly, most people don’t know any better. Me, I’d rather have a bike that is light, responsive, handles great and rides nice.

Matt
Matt
10 years ago

@les – I appreciate what you are saying.

td
td
10 years ago

@matt–whatever you consider the level at which doctor’s “don’t get paid that much anymore” is still a disgusting amount of money and certainly enough to afford a guru. And if someone had to buy a $10,000 instead of a $16,000 bike so a poor person could live I’m all for it. at some point the price of these bikes becomes unethical. wealth divide yo. racism yo. god yo.

mechanic
mechanic
10 years ago

My $.02 is that S-works frames now ship with 2-part epoxies and all our Venges use aluminum can shims around the seatposts.

Matt
Matt
10 years ago

@td, you sound like a hater. Sorry, if someone wants to put out a significant effort at significant expense over significant time to become a Dr, instead of sitting on their ass expecting handouts, than the compensation one can recoup is not disgusting. That same Dr is contributing significantly more taxes and most likely much more in additional donations than that person sitting on their ass. Ignorance yo. Getoffyourass yo.

td
td
10 years ago

I happen to be a doctor 🙂

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
10 years ago

You don’t have to buy the bikes. Yo. Capitalism. Yo. Consumer choice. Yo. If the bike is too expensive, buy a different bike. Yo. Gangsta talk infantile. Yo.

Paul
Paul
10 years ago

I ride a Guru Praemio, and love it. In fact this is my second one as the first was stolen right out of my house earlier this year. I can also say that although I am employed and have been for 40 years I am not a doctor. OK enough with the preamble and down to some of my actual GURU experiences. Every time I had a slight problem with my first Praemio Guru stepped up big and exceeded their own warranties, the issues were never large and never actually with their product, rather, as an example when I popped a spoke Guru let me use another carbon wheel so that my rides would not be interrupted. When I busted through my DA chain, not only did they give me a new one they also installed it, and tuned the drivetrain at no charge. every time I met the folks at GURU they treated me as if I was their best customer. GURU also provided a buddy of mine a professional fitting on a Cannondale 6/13 I sold him to assure that my buddy was fitted and riding correctly. These folks all ride and as riders they are sensitive to what rides need.. Hey where else can you pick up the phone and speak to the president of the company that manufactures your bike.. At Guru if you call Tony he will pick up or call you back. oh by the way did I mention that I LOVE THE RIDE, Ok so I am not an animal as I only average approx. 5K per season (and in Canada that can be short) but this crate can be plush when going on those long tours and also kick when you are stepping down chasing that guy that you caught in your sights. When my bike was stolen I took my time, did the research and tried on many bikes (needed to be sure that I was making the right choice) and ended up back on a GURU and now after approx. 2K on the new Praemio I am really glad I did.

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