Elite Bicycles is owned by David Greenfield, one of the really nice guys in the bike industry. This company is one I can appreciate, as it does the sorts of things I used to do when I had a small, pro bike company of my own. Such as, in 2004 Elite will provide free service for all Elite Bicycles owners at all IM North America events and Kona. This includes the four American full Ironman events plus the half-distance races in Florida and California. The service will be provided through Team sponsor Inside Out Sports.
I've decided that there is one A+ triathlon retailer who, to my knowledge, does not sell Elite Bicycles, yet should. It's Edge Cyclesports in Laguna Hills, California. This is because Elite Bicycles has a model called the "Razor"—see below—and if Edge had one on the floor it would be "Edge's Razor." Get it? (Requires a familiarity with early 20th Century American fiction). Of course, if there's an Occam's Bike Shop out there, it goes without saying that it ought to carry Elite as well.
MAGNUS
This bike is unique in this sense: It sells for around $2400 complete and for a U.S.-built boutique bike this is a very good price.
It's got a 76-degree seat tube angle (larger frames drop to a 75 degree angle—something I'll have to discuss with Mr. Greenfield). This 7005 Aluminum frame isn’t quite as light as it's Ultralite siblings (.4 lbs. heavier), but it's a decent double-butted tubeset with a rear wheel cut out.
The kit is Ultegra at this price, and it's just about entirely Ultegra (cranks, BB and all), with Reynolds Ouzo Comp fork, Bontrager Select wheels and Syntace C2 Clips mounted on a Profile base bar with bar-end shifters.
T-CLASS
Constructed entirely of Easton Ultralite tubing, this sharp looking bike with Dura Ace 10-speed and Reynolds Ouzo Pro Aero fork will cost $3800, a good price for a 10-speed bike. The price drops to about $3000 with Ultegra.
The tubing on this bike is a bit narrower than on the Magnus, making it at least a skinnier bike. How much more aero it is would require a trip to the wind tunnel, and so it's only our guess how much a sub-30mm wide set of main tubes would help the aerodynamics—but this bike's tubes are in the ballpark with other narrow-tubed bikes such as Cervelo and the '04 Cannondales.
RAZOR
This is a full custom version of the T-Class. Because it's custom its aero seat tube can be extended up to the level of your saddle (leaving room for a minimal seat post). It's also got a rear wheel cut-out, whereas the production T-Class does not. There are very few custom options for tri bikes offering cut-outs.
The price goes up about $500 for spec'ing it custom, and can go higher still if you'd like some of the nifty stuff Elite offers as extras, such as subbed-in spiffier wheels, saddles, and so forth.
ARIA
Not too many companies are offering beam bikes other than Softride. There are a group of end-users, however, who'd quit the sport rather than give up riding on a Softride (you can include uber-biker Jurgen Zäck among them). The Aria is an option for these people.
The Aria is perhaps the lightest beam bikes available on the market today. If you're looking for a Softride on a diet, here you go. With Reynolds Ouzo Pro Aero you're looking at $3300 to $4100 complete, depending on Ultegra or Dura Ace 10sp.
What is Elite's value in the marketplace? It is not a company rigged to go head-to-head with Cervelo or Quintana Roo, but it's a very nice second line for a lot of bike shops. It fleshes out a shop's tri bike offerings in the same way that a pro road shop might offer Waterford or Seven as a custom option. Elite's Razor is one of the few analogs in the world of tri. Perhaps Cefac, Yaqui and QR's TiPhoon are the other likely suspects. But if there's a U.S.-made, full custom, narrow-tubed (<30mm) frame with a rear wheel cutout that you can see at your LBS, Elite is one of the rare few I can point to.
