New Triathlete New Bike choices

i am new to the tri/tt bike myself, so i am not giving advise, but i just bought the 2010 jamis xentih T. i liked the hidden front brake too. what it came down to for me was the $2100 jamis from a not so close lbs to a really close lbs with a $1499 felt b16. The xenith seemed much more bike for the money. i was on a felt road bike and i was happy with it, but wanted to try something else. i also compared what the lbs was going to give me for buying a bike from them, the jamis dealer was going to give me free tune ups for the life of the bike, plus a complete free fitting. That was an amazing deal. The felt dealer was going to give me free tune ups for a year and 10% off accessories for 90 days. not bad, but I liked the tune ups better. all in all, the 2010 deals are great, and now is the time to buy. Hard for me in the northeast because I wont be able to get it on the road until late march at the soonest.

i did think the felt b16 looked sharp and was well designed for the price, but the components could have been better, along with the factory hubs. but I guess with a $1499 price tag there is some wiggle room with upgrades.

Again, too new to give advise, but I did a lot of research for a good bargain and narrowed my search down to those 2 bikes, so hopefully we are on the right track. Good luck, and I'll let you know how the jamis works out. Should have it by 1/15.

Edited by backstepper 2011-01-10 3:12 PM

perhaps I haven't compared them closely enough, but the B16 and the Xenith X1 seem like pretty similarly spec'ed bikes.  i.e.  I don't see the Jamis being worth more than the B16.  fit should make the decision, with the B16 giving you a longer top tube length for a similar size.  Although, their sizes overall don't really match up.  The B16 is more in the long-low category, the X1 more in the short-tall category.

buy on fit.

One thing I forgot to mention is the BB30 frame design. This was pointed out by the Jamis dealer and after some internet research, I thought it was a neat design, that and the hidden front brake that the Jamis has. And I agree with you, how come others have not picked up on this. Trek speed concept bikes have this design, as well as fully integrated cables. But not an overwhelming design pick up across all manufacturers.

A lot of the time with hidden brakes you end up with a brake design that is proprietary for your frame, and requires a little bit of experience/extra time for a mechanic who isn't familiar with it to adjust the brake properly.  So the parts cost a lot more than just being able to spec a mass produced brake, and it takes more time to have it fixed. 

for what its worth I bought 3 months ago a Felt B16...it was a 2010 leftover..i absolutely love it....yes on paper it could have slightly better components but I cant tell the difference. ...plus shimano 105 is pretty decent for most riders....I feel like i fly on this bike (maybe its just perception)

Plus its the training thats most important. You could have the best components and a lousy "engine" behind it and it wont mean much

good luck

Edited by FELTGood 2011-01-10 3:55 PM

Check out Tri Sports.
ST

I bought a B16 on November 1st and I love it.  Vroom vroom.

If you want a new tri-bike you can spend less on an aluminum one and still get a great bike.  Go used and be patient / get lucky and you can get a great deal from craigslist or the classifieds here or on SlowTwitch.

Shop around and be sure of fit before you get ready to drop the cash.  I really liked the look of the B16 and wanted it, and I was lucky that it fit really well.

The longer you shop around, the better informed  you will be and the better deal you can likely find for yourself.

-eric

Hiding the brakes isn't always more aero. It might look more aero, but that doesn't mean it is. Chances are different manufacturers have tried it both ways with their frames found the bike faster without the hidden front brake. I don't much about Jamis but I doubt they spend as much time or money in the wind tunnel as say felt or cervelo.

As with any bike choice, fit is #1.  For bike of similar size (seat tube length) there's much more variation in geometry (reach, seat/head tube angles, etc.) between tri/TT bikes than typical road bikes. Too easy to get hung up on specific models, gruoppo's, etc & end up buying an odd-fit bike that inhibits your best performance.  Drop some coin on a good bike fitter with lots of triathlon/TT experience, and ask questions.  Most learn a lot about how proper fit helps you generate comfortable, efficient power.  THEN start looking at specific bikes that fit YOU (body proportions, flexibility, etc.).  (And no I am NOT a bike fitter)

For the price point I dont think you can beat the B16. Especially if you can find a 2010 model for even less. Bang for your buck under $2K you cant beat it.

I came from a mountain biking background and one thing I learned is that price does NOT equal a better bike.  For example, I could get a fantastic Specialized for about 30% less than a Rocky Mountain, often with better specs.  The difference?  Specialized is such a high volume manufacturer that they get MUCH better pricing than some of the lesser known brands for similar components.

I would say the same about most bike manufacturers.  The brands that sell the most volume work out the best deals with Shimano, SRAM, etc... so at the end of the day, they can sell a bike based on better components for less.

Also, I'd rather put the extra money towards wheels, power meter, or something that will make a difference.

Buy the bike that fits your body the best.