Stiff, twitchy, fast...FUN! (many pics)

[dex]

...or, Dex Gets A Tri Bike.

The newest addition to my stable is a total frankenbike. She was assembled of parts gifted, scavenged, and found on clearance. Even her frame was a stumbled-upon deal...and what got the whole thing started in the first place.

Built around a Leader 735TT frame, Aerus carbon aero blade fork, and some Velocity Deep V wheels that I had already, I managed to assemble this bike pretty inexpensively (with a lot of help from the boys at the LBS). Did I *need* a tt/tri bike? Um, no. I did it for fun mostly.

And fun, it is. I picked her up this morning, and then promptly took her out for her first ride. Ten miles later, and I was back at my car and practically shaking from the adrenaline rush. This bike wants to go fast--way faster than I'm capable of making it go at this point. Push on the pedals, and away she goes. It's awesome! Of course, as expected, the handling is waaay different from my road bikes and is going to take some getting used to.

I can't wait to schedule a fitting (to get that steerer tube cut down to the right size, and lose some of the hyooge stack o' spacers on it right now), and start the process of learning how to ride this bike...

A few more pics can be found here.

[oxysback]

Ohhh, sexy!!

[Trek420]

I need a cold shower.

[SouthernBelle]

bike porn!

[OakLeaf]

droooool

[alpinerabbit]

a) when and what is your next tri
b) yep, gotta lose the spacers, quite an eyesore. but it'll make your neck sore. SCNR about that pun.

[pardes]

Technically and structurally I don't know enough to be impressed but just the LOOK of it is oh so very cool. Just remind your beauty to be kind to us lesser Trek and GT peons. Congratulations on your new acquisition!

[Zen]

make it slice the wind!

you're on a real bike-buying bender, aren't you?

[sgtiger]

Very nice! So how many does that make now?

[dex]

Thanks all! She is a pretty hot little piece of machinery, isn't she? I commented to a friend today that looking at this bike almost makes me blush. Hah!

Re: the spacers. After some discussion, the wrench at the LBS and I decided that the best course of action for now would be to cut it at the max height that he considered safe for a carbon steerer tube. And then schedule a fit to get it dialed down to the right height, then he would go ahead and take more off. Better to have too much than too little, and all that jazz. At his recommendation, I'll be trying to get some short rides in and put it up on the trainer at home for a couple of weeks before my fitting, just to have a feel for things beforehand.

I haven't made a race plan for next season yet, but if one of my co-workers has anything to do with it, I'll probably be at whatever the first race is in our area. I can say that I plan on doing several races of longer distance next summer...I just haven't worked out what's reasonable/realistic yet.

And, yeah, I have been on a bit of a bike bender lately. But that's calming down considerably. Partly because I simply have no more room to keep bikes. I'm going to have to go make space in my bedroom just to find a place for this newest addition. (And two of my lovelies aren't even currently living at my place. )

(Oh, and this makes six.)

[Trek420]

Dex, Your bike is not a frankenbike, she's a beautiful build. This is a frankenbike.

[NbyNW]

Congratulations! That is one sharp-looking ride.

Keep us posted on how the fitting and learning to handle the tri-bike goes. Have fun!

[OakLeaf]

Eeek, Trek, that is a frankenbike! Like, "A.B. Normal" franken.

I notice it has suspension so that when a car runs into the front wheel that's sticking out into the parking space, it doesn't crunch the frame



Wait, wait (after looking at it again)... is that even a real bike??? NOT good for your KNEES to be the steering lock...