Cervelo vs. Trek?

[spindizzy]

I live in a little town and will have to go 2 or 3 hours away to check out more.

Or you could fly to Nytro in San Diego and try them all out....

[silver]

Because that's the only way you'll fit even the smallest Trek. Plus, do you want to have to coordinate your tri outfits to the pea green color?

If you can find an 08 Cervelo in your size, dealers have been officially authorized to go 20% off.

I'd personally go Cervelo, and it wouldn't even be a close choice.

Felt has a whole range ($-wise) of carbon tri bikes that are very nice. For a carbon tri bike, I'd go Cervelo or Felt; high quality and best bang for the buck.

yep, I'm 5'8" I ride a 58cm Trek Madone. But I'm pretty sure that I would be looking at a 54 or 56 Cervelo. 54 most likely. And the blue and silver Cervelo is really more my color scheme, well anything silver. Yea! loks of good affirmation! thanks! I think deep down I really want the Cervelo.

And I think that Mr. is warming to the idea!

[ilima]

yep, I'm 5'8" I ride a 58cm Trek Madone. But I'm pretty sure that I would be looking at a 54 or 56 Cervelo. 54 most likely. And the blue and silver Cervelo is really more my color scheme, well anything silver. Yea! loks of good affirmation! thanks! I think deep down I really want the Cervelo.

And I think that Mr. is warming to the idea!

My what a big bike you have! Friend of mine is 5'10" (she's all leg) and rides a 54cm P2C.

The Cervelo's price leaves you money for race wheels!

[spindizzy]

Nice review here: http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/rev...oP2C2008.shtml .. Naw, I'm not trying to convince you..I'm here to support you!

[silver]

The Cervelo's price leaves you money for race wheels!

Be still, my heart!!!!

[silver]

Nice review here: http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/rev...oP2C2008.shtml .. Naw, I'm not trying to convince you..I'm here to support you!

All good stuff right there. Ok, I'm focused on the Cervelo.. lets start shopping.

on size, the Madone is on the big side....I was fitted after I had it for a year and a half and told that I needed a 54cm. I've now ridden almost 11,000 miles on it and still love it. I'm long legs and arms and very comfortable on it. But I do think that I will benefit from the smaller size for getting into aero position.

[silver]

Or you could fly to Nytro in San Diego and try them all out....

You are an enabler! I love it!

[Mr. Bloom]

My what a big bike you have! Friend of mine is 5'10" (she's all leg) and rides a 54cm P2C.

The Cervelo's price leaves you money for race wheels!

Note to self: Sneak onto the computer, sign in as Silver while she's sleeping, and activate IGNORE on spindizzy and ilima

[Veronica]

I hate all the ads about Cervelos won at Kona. No - it was the engine on the bike people.

I have to ask - why do you want a tri specific bike?

Veronica

[silver]

Well, why do I want a tri specific bike....(warning long discussion ahead)

Of course it's the engine, not the bike. But some bikes do some things better. Yes? You wouldn't ride a mountain bike in a time trial. None of this bike stuff makes any difference if you are not working, training, pushing the engine to achieve more.

The way that I look at it...a true road bike is a lightweight bike that handles well, it's light weight so it handles different terrain well, climbs well, accelerates well out of turns, handles with stability when riding in a pack, etc.

A true time trial bike has every aerodynamic advantage to give it the most advantage on a flat all out, nondrafting race. a trime trial bike concedes on issues like weight and handling to achieve aerodynamics. For instance, the aerobars. You lose handling but gain aerodynamics.

I think in tris you have to look at the terrain of the tri that you are competing in. Your best case scenario is to have a bike to fit every different situation. For instance, if you will be competing in a hilly, curvy tri, you would pick the lighter weight bike (leaing more towards a road bike configuration). If you have a flat tri, you would lean towards the time trial bike...more aerodynamics.

The pros have that advantage of a bike for every situation.

Most of the rest of us compromise.....we put clip on aero bars on our road bikes. Or we ride our road bikes on flat courses, or we ride our time trial setups on hilly courses.

I have the Trek madone. I love it. It has nothing tri on it. It' is pure road bike. No aero bars. It's a lightweight carbon fiber bike. Great on hills, rapid acceleration. My local tri is hilly and curvy and I feel that I have had an advantage over some of the expensive time trail setups that come in. I have better handling quicker acceleration, faster climbing.

People have suggested that I put clip on aero bars on it. They say using aerobars and riding in the aero position will gain you 1 mph. I've seen some research that supports this. But I just personally don't like the idea of putting clip on aero bars on my road bike.

With aero bars, I want the bar end shifters. The time trial set up is a little steeper to make the aero position a little more achievable.

But I still want a light weight bike....I want to feel the quick acceleration and hill climbing that I feel on my road bike.....therefore I want a lightweight tri bike and am looking at carbon. If I was only going to be using it for flat courses, I might consider heavier (less expensive) aluminum.

Well that's the answer the way I see it......please feel free to poke holes in my logic.

[Veronica]

My local tri is hilly and curvy and I feel that I have had an advantage over some of the expensive time trail setups that come in. I have better handling quicker acceleration, faster climbing.

These sentences makes me wonder if you really want a Time Trial set up for this race.

I've only done 4 tris and 1 duathlon, so it's not like I know what I'm talking about. But I've also been wondering about getting a tri specific bike.

The two races I want to do really well on are very hilly and very curvy. Given that, a tri bike seems like it could be a disadvantage. The other races are all just practice runs, leading up to that in my mind. It's fun to do well on them of course, but they are dress rehearsals. Those courses are very straight, flat or nearly so. I think I'd love a tri bike on those.

For now I think I'll just keep racing on my twenty pound, lugged steel bike with a Brooks leather saddle.

Really, it's your money and you can get whatever bike you want - even a tricycle.


The thing about the ads. I think Cervelo wants you to think that the winners won because they were on Cervelos. If they had been riding Felts or Treks, they would not have won.

Veronica

[silver]

These sentences makes me wonder if you really want a Time Trial set up for this race.

Right, I'm not sure what I'd pick for that one.

Do you use aero bars?

And here's another issue, what if I get the Cervelo (or any tri bike) and am adjusted to riding in the aero position and find that the tri bike is about the same weight as my road bike (because my road bike isn't the lightest one out there and the tri bike will be smaller and carbon it's possible) will I feel that I have all the advantages of both on the tri bike?

The thing about the ads. I think Cervelo wants you to think that the winners won because they were on Cervelos. If they had been riding Felts or Treks, they would not have won.

Veronica

I must be tuning out these ads...I haven't seen them.

[Veronica]

I didn't use aero bars last year. I'm still focusing on getting a decent run time. Once I shave some time off that, I'll think about the bike.

The ads I saw were in Triathlete.

No one says you can't have two different bikes that your ride for triathlon.

Veronica

[spindizzy]

I have an aluminum Cannondale. I have put clip-ons on it, (they are annoying and difficult to get used to!) and am getting a pair of HED Jet 60's. My training is ramped up slightly, but I'll let everyone know if it helps....I am considering a tri specific bike but only as a reward if I do well this year.

Racing well (and I guess this depends on your goals) is a combination of a good engine and the parts the engine drives.

[spindizzy]

Note to self: Sneak onto the computer, sign in as Silver while she's sleeping, and activate IGNORE on spindizzy and ilima

hmm..thinking to self.... time for an alter ego? That villainous Mr. Silver....