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...::: TRIBIKE MIKE :::...
PREVALENT FEATURE: Ready for first tri bike. ALSO: Been in the sport 1-3 years, been doing tris on older but serviceable road bike; wants a steep seat-angled bike; wishes to stay below $2000.
So you think you're ready for a tribike? Let's make sure. Do you own a road race bike? Got clipless pedals down, and the gears, you know how they work with intimacy?
Do you have some sort of aero position rigged up on your road bike, and you can ride quite well in that position, without getting freaked out? Do you find yourself riding on the nose of the saddle, pushing your saddle forward on its rails, and you still ride on the nose?
Okay, you're ready for a tri bike.
You've got two criteria at the top of your list: It's got to get you in the right position, and that equates to a bike with a geometry that matches your personal fit coordinates. It's also got to fit inside your price range, and that's below $2000. Happily, there are a nice selection of bikes that will do this.
You can get the world for this price, but it didn't used to be this way. Bikes are like computers -- they don't go down in price much, but the value at target price points keeps improving. Nowadays you can get sub-20 pounds, aero tubes and posts throughout, faired rear wheels, 10-speed Ultegra or Dura Ace derailleurs, and some carbon.
Best, yet, many come in top geometries. In fact, some of our industry's best geometries are available in these bikes' frames, because they're typically aluminum, and bike designers don't have to wait out a mediocre geometry in order to amortize a previous, less ergonomic, carbon frame's mold.
Let's get down to specifics. Giant's new Trinity Alliance 1, (A1) costs $2000, and is geometrically just what you are looking for. In fact, this is a perfect example of the cheaper Giant being better than the more pricey all-carbon version. Why? Because it's newer, and the geometry is updated.
The Trinity A1 is a largely carbon bike. The aluminum "chassis" folds seamlessly into a carbon, sort of like a running shoe's durable outsole attached to the more compliant midsole. You can see from the photo what's aluminum versus the black part of the frame, which is the carbon.
The parts kit is slightly downspec'd from some of its competitors, and that's due to the more upscale frame construction. The shift system is Shimano 105 with Ultegra, Tektro brake calipers, and FSA crank and Xero wheels. The aerobar clip-on is a quite nice Easton Aeroforce, and all are accented with a Giant-branded stem, saddle and so forth.
You've got four companies out there all offering bikes in this price range that have the frame features described several paragraphs above, as well as the geometries you'll want. Giant is one of them, and it's got the most feature rich frame materials. Another is Cervelo, and its P2SL might be the pick of the litter.
It's also $2000 and this complete bike would've cost you $500 more one year ago, and even seven years ago. But the frame has been steadily improved upon, making it a special bargain today.
Cervelo does a nice job of spec'ing the P2SL, with Dura Ace front and rear derailleurs, high end FSA carbon cranks, Ultegra chain and cassette, and Profile T2+ clip-ons.
Felt's entry into the sub-$2000 sweepstakes is the S22. The 2007 version has a geometry very close to that of the two bikes above, and the QR just below. The S22 is spec'd much like the P2SL, and I think the biggest difference is the S22 downspecs the front derailleur, and the wheelset is perhaps a downspec from Shimano to Alex, perhaps not, depending on your point of view. Felt's Bike has a carbon seatpost to Cervelo's aluminum. Otherwise, the bikes are quite close. The big difference in years past was that Cervelo's bikes fit better than Felt's. But Felt has closed that gap down. Now the bikes are almost geometrically identical.
QR's Kilo is $100 cheaper than these other bikes at $1899, but does a very nice job of competing with them. As is the case with the three bikes above its geometrically is highly defensible, and the frame design and features are superior to much of what's out there at any price.
Cervelo and Felt spec Profiles on their P2SL and S22 respectively, although you'll find Visiontechs on a lot of the highest-end models these companies make. That's not because the frame geometries change, and it's not because the aerobars cost less.
It's because the Visions have lower profile armrests, and it is assumed that the riders on the highest-end machines are going to ride more aggressively than the riders aboard the bikes profiled here, which cost perhaps half as much. QR takes a different approach, and specs Visiontechs top to bottom, throughout its tri bike line. QR is staying true to its 20-year roots, by way of the implication in its spec, that is, price point does not alter rider position.
Indeed, the bars QR specs on its smart looking Kilo may determine whether it's your best bike, versus the three mentioned already. Although the Kilo's geometry is quite similar to the three bikes above, the aerobars alter the way this bike is going to fit -- the bike's front end is going to be lower to the ground.
From here, geometries change a bit. Trek's Equinox 9 sells for $2100, though street price might be a bit lower as Trek is one of those that quotes "high retail." The bike is a slight bit relaxed in its geometry -- slightly shallower and higher in front -- and it'll therefore be slightly better or worse than those above depending on the rider's position preference.
Kuota's K-factor is yet more relaxed in its seat angle, and yet higher in its front end. It rates a mention simply because you can't hardly find an all-carbon tri bike for $2000 these days, but the K-factor is the rare exception.
In general, though, the bikes listed above give you the aggressive geometry warranting a tri bike in the first place. They also give you telescoping aero seat tubes and posts, and faired rear wheels. The K-factor doesn't give you these things, but it does give you carbon.
This is by no means the exhaustive list of bikes that will work for you. It's an overview, and among the bikes at this price point we think those listed here probably represent the best amalgum of geometries, spec and features.
WHICH DEALERS CARRY THESE BIKES: This topic is covered in our Dealer Survey.
