Entry level bike

what sort of budget do you have in mind ?

Cervelo P2c is a great value and lots used.

budget is kind of depending on what I can get for trade in value on my Alpha 1.5. Absolute limit is going to be 2500

oh, that's a great budget :-)

Felt B16 or B14

Cervelo P2c

Kestrel 4000 or Talon

Quintana Roo Seduza

Just to name a few popular ones. Lots out there to choose from.

The component group should be at least Shimano 105. Be nice to have Ultegra. (Rival / Force in SRAM)

+1 on the P2C.

I just bought a lightly used Cervelo P2 for $1100 on craigslist. Everything was in excellent shape, so I know that there are some very good used bikes out there for VERY reasonable prices.

So if I was in your shoes I would buy a good used bike for a great price and with your budget I would either buy some second hand race wheels or second hand power meter to go on it.

Edited by fubar44 2014-03-02 8:29 AM

You'd be crazy not to take this advise! A new shiny, aero tri bike will only slow you down unless it fits you well. Two reasons why… the benefit of the tri bike is the position it allows the rider to be in, that's what makes it faster, not the bike itself.. Second, unless you can maintain that position for the entire race distance, it's almost useless; comfort is important and your build, core strength and flexibility is different than almost everyone else's. Hence, get a fit FIRST then start looking for bike that fit YOU.

Yea fit is going to be the most important part. I know the size I need, as I jumped into a bike shop and sat on a few different sizes.

Besides fit, what are some of the things you looked for in your bikes?


Thanks for all your input


Muller

I have not read those articles I will take a look. I will get a 2-3 hour bike fitting when I buy the bike, which ever that one is. I plan to test ride the 3 (Felt/Trek?QR) that I am deciding between this weekend, weather permitting, (got to love Wisconsin) at a bike show to get an "idea" of which one to buy.

Getting a bike fit after you've bought the bike is to optimize the fit, not to get the right bike… Buying a bike and then fitting means that you could end up with a bunch of compromises to "make it work", or even worse, the fitter will flat out tell you that it can't be done (at least a good fitter would, a dishonest fitter would sell you stems, seat posts, etc. etc. etc.). Think about it this way, do you want the bike to fit you, or you to be fitted to the bike? That's the difference between getting fitted before buying and getting fitted afterwards.

Test rides are great way to determine which one of the bikes that fits you "speaks to you", but it's not a good way to determine which one fits you.

… and don't get stuck on a specific brand… you might be disappointed if it doesn't work for you and then you've wasted lots of time looking for it.

Listen to the above advice, get a fit first. Lots of shops will fit you and then tell you what bikes they sell will fit you. Unfortunately they may not be the best bike for you.
A trek and a Felt do not fit the same! Do your homework on bikes, if the dimensions of the bikes the shop is recommending are a lot different something is wrong.


I have a Felt B16 and it is great, full ultegra, fits well, built well, and the customer service is great(so I've heard). When I bought it I was also being offered a great deal on an Orbea, which I though I was going to take. When I test rode the bikes the B16 was a clear winner- it just felt(no pun intended) good and felt faster. There was nothing quantitative that I could point out between the 2 bikes, the dimension were similar but not the same. The Orbea had some DA components and both were roughly fit for me to try. In the end I preferred the feel of the B16, which means I will be more comfortable on it and want to ride it, maybe even faster on it.

For $2500 you should have your pick of about 10 tri bikes(?) and the fastest one is going to be the one that fits your body the best.

Like others said, fit matters most. The B16 is a great bike though. Well priced, pretty quick, and adjustable. I had a good season on it and with the money saved I was able to get a power meter and race wheels. I am actually selling it now as I am switching to a different brand. It is fully upgraded to Dura Ace, profile design, etc at a pretty good price.

Hey brother a month ago I went through what you're going through right now! I echo everyone's sentiment and get a bike fit from a REPUTABLE fitter FIRST (This isn't me yelling BTW...those are my "pay attention here" words)! After you figure out your stack and reach go here: http://www.slowtwitch.com/stackreach/index.phpand figure out based on your numbers which model bikes you fit. A bike that doesn't fit will make you uncomfortable, not efficient, not aero, and probably ride in mild pain and discomfort. Then because of that you'll not want to ride your bike much. Then from there your bike leg becomes the weakest part. Because of that you may not be as competitive as you'd like. You may even decide that Triathlon's aren't for you. From there world ends as we know it and the universe implodes! All because of a improperly fit bike. Haha. I got a little carried away there but you get the point.

AFTER the fit... Then start looking. If I didn't get a fit first, the bike I wanted I would have bought and it would have been completely wrong for me and it would have made this sport harder than it already is!

If you're just getting into it I'd look for a very well conditioned used bike, because you'll get the majority of your money out of it when you choose to upgrade or that Tri's aren't for you. Plus, with used bikes, you usually get upgraded components that you would replace with a new bike, or accessories that you would have to buy anyways. Like pedals, bottles, bike computer, etc. Just make sure you pay attention to the condition of the bike, make sure to ask if it's been crashed, dropped, mileage, etc. I wouldn't worry about mileage too much. A well maintained bike with 3,000 miles is a lot better buy than a horribly maintained bike with 800 miles on it. If you find a bike you'd like to buy bring someone that is familiar with bikes (possibly a mechanic if you know one) to look over the bike. Then of course take it for a ride and make sure it functions correctly, doesn't make any weird sounds, etc. I really believe that if you buy a used bike you'll get the greatest bang for your buck. Once your feet are planted in Tris, then buy from a shop where you get warranty, a relationship with them, etc. Then swap all the parts you want to put on the new one, then sell the old one and make some money back!

Hope this helps!

Thanks for all the information!!! This is definitely much more input than I was expecting. I have been taking all of your advice and continue to research what to look for. The stack and reach articles are great to look at. I have to keep going over them so I understand what they are saying. But Im getting more and more info out of them each time.

Outside of fit, what are some other things you guys looked at for your bike?

Don't forget about bike color. Red and Black bikes have been shown to go up to 3.7% faster in wind tunnel tests.

Since you're like me and just getting into tri's, try to find a package deal that has a lot of useful accessories such as an aero helmet, bottles and cages, a pump, flat kit, bento boxes for nutrition, tri specific clothing, shoes etc. I have a bunch of different shoes because every bike I bought came with a pair of shoes and they all fit luckily. All this stuff I just mentioned can add up quickly if you have to go buy it at a store. For components you ideally want no less than Shimano 105 for reliability purposes. If you can find something with Ultegra or Dura-Ace you'll be even "better" especially when trying to recoup your funds down the road. And again, just overall condition. You also have to find a bike that stands out to you and catches your eye. You want something that looks mean to you!

Only took what, 2 replies to tell you to go get a fit? Slackers!

I just bought a kestrel 4000 pro sl from bikesdirect.com, on sale for 2495.00 with sram components and Oval 745 wheels .... great value for a new older bike 2012. Had my local bike shop assemble and fit me - now for some nice weather. Anyway, looks like they are still on sale.