Midlife crisis: Bowman Palace R

After one of many encounters with another vision impaired driver I lost (for now) my trusty commuter/SSCX. What that means? There's room for another bike! (And hopefully a neat compensation for all the blood & carbon lost down the road)
After much deliberation and bike geeking I got almost clearly what I want, it's time to finally have a race bike to pootle about like someone of my age. I may even get into a cycling club and buy some Rapha stuff...
I've got some trouble with carbon before (still riding a repaired carbon bike, will I die?) and i don't want to spend a fortune, so I'm set on something alloy, light, cheap and easily serviceable. Nothing fits the bill better than the Palace R, external cabling, threaded bottom bracket, no propietary bullshit, and raving reviews everywhere.
The plan is hunt a used Sram Red 22 groupset, deep carbon wheels either china or secondhand (is going tubeless safe?), a mix of Chinacarbon and some nice parts off my other bike, road pedals (Speedplay?), long, slammed stem, lots of seatpost and SWAG

CAAD12

Here's for some inspiration

Was that, the Bowman, or the Allez Sprint. The Bowman is cheapest, almost as light, but can use a regular seatpost and a non creaky bottom bracket. External cables are a bonus

If you want carbon wheels I'd suggest a disc brake bike.

If someone have Sram red or any other bling road parts for sale please PM me, we can make business

I have a disc brake bike, a carbon GT grade. Great all rounder and bad weather bike but I feel like riding something more Hip Hop. I may get an alloy wheelset if funds are low or for winter miles

Good decision on all fronts, SRAM Red 22 is good but if I was building something today I'd either get etap (if electronic) or Ultegra R8000.

I have some HED stinger 4 gathering dust if you are keen.

Doesn't want a carbon frame. Wants Chinese wheels.

Otherwise sounds cool. Always wanted one of these frames.

I like carbon, is cheap carbon what turn me off. With this I could make a race bike for about the same i would pay for a S-Works Tarmac frame... My favourite bike is my alloy fixed anyways, awfully uncomfortable for pootling about, none practical, but always a great ride if you push it fast enough. I want the same but geared

I am bad enough with cables, electronic shifting is totally alien to me. I considered old Ultegra, but keen to try something new and save some grams in the process. What makes the new one better ? Look same-ish to me.
Wheels will probably be the last thing I'll get, but feel free to PM an offer

Y u no sora?

Got in contact with Bowman, time to preorder. The thing is 58 or 56? I'm 6'2" with a 35 inseam.

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58 would put me at about the same position than my 61 bianchi pista, but I don't want to use a -17 stem in this one so maybe a smaller bike?

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weird geo .. I am 5'7" and I can ride a 56cm with 100mm stem!?

The bowman? Can't get my head around it. I guess it would be a bit too low and short in 56, but could fit with a 140 or so 6 degree stem and a long seatpost with setback. Bonus points for looking pro too

I run a Spesh Allez Smartweld 54cm with 100mm -17 and 52cm Palace Bowman OG with 120mm +6 and the bars are about 2mm different

Rough calculations give me a hefty 26cm of seatpost showing with the 56, it's that right or a bit too much?

That was pretty much my thinking.. Got a -17 stem in my GT grade and looks a bit like a shitting dog with the compact geometry

Do they have test bikes you could try.

I don't think so, as far as I know they only sell frames online.

I recall they had some frames to test ride, can't remember whether it's a one off event or the location though.
Their Insta have link for a visit inquiry though, might worth a check?

In a proper MAMIL fashion I've just did what racers do and ordered a 56. New orders are expected to arrive in October, if anyone is on the fence to get one I'll order now, they expect to be sold out with only pre-orders.
Expect massive seatpost, stem, and big saddle to bars drop

If you are actually not going to race it then don't cut the steerer for first 100 miles.

I didn't cut the steerer on my Kinesis for about 3000mi. One of the benefits of having a 215mm headtube, I guess...