Performance first, looks second. If 2 brands are the same performance but have different looks, I'll pay more for the better looking piece of gear. At the end of the day, Triathlon is not a fashion show. It's a battle between you, me, and the clock and I want to go as fast as possible.

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

Cervelo's have had the ugliest paint jobs in the bicycle business and they are the top selling tri bike every year. That's how important ''the look'' is.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

Personal fact: I will pay more for things that are matte black.

I will never understand the people like you haha

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

Have to agree with one exception. The 2005 P3-SL is a classic and beautiful.

For, me it's all about the style. A lot of people talk about the "most aero this and that" or the wheel with the best yaw #'s and it's all a buch a horse poop anyway so might as well just pick nice looking stuff becasuse you will enjoy it more.

Have to admit if I don't like the way it looks I will generally not purchase it!

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Hook Em' Horns

Got any actual data to back that up? BTW, Kona bike count does NOT equal top selling bike.

I won't necessarily pay more but I love it. The only thing not black on my tri bike is the white athletic tape on the extensions since I couldn't find my roll of black. Once the white was on and filthy though I couldn't change it (yes I said filthy and still is!) Being the only white part it just seemed so intentional, like it served a special purpose.


Current frame is gloss black, I may take it a part shortly and satin it though.


I have black wheels on all my cars too.

Yep. I won't purchase something JUST because it looks good. But if it works well and is ugly, I'll look for something almost as good that looks better.

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/kj

http://kjmcawesome.tumblr.com/

I can't look myself in the mirror & honestly deny this.

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If you've ever seen any of my race photos, you'd know that I don't care too much about looks...and from the looks of others' race photos, they don't either! :P

A much bigger factor than I'd like to admit.

I try to keep things at least a little coordinated with my racing kit but otherwise I'm more concerned with how I look when I'm on the podium later.

I try to be fast, but if all else fails, I strive to look good.

Bling is the thing.

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"...the street finds its own uses for things"

I'm having a hard time thinking about going back to ski bends from s bends purely from an aesthetic stand point even if it seems they usually (always??) test better.

That, plus a shitload of advertising and peer influence. I think those that say they buy a cervelo - or whatever - entirely on performance are delusional, naive or both.

Given that the standards for triathlon equipment have gotten so much better that the differences in speed are nearly negligible to all but the fastest amateurs in comparison to other variability in performance (I fall in this category), looks are the predominant factor when I buy something tri-related.

I will however get something uglier if it really doesn't function that well. For example, the rear-bottle holders on my seat just didn't work well for me - constant bottle ejections even with gorilla cages, so those went by the wayside. Too much splashing with the aerodrink between the bars - swapped for an regular plain vanilla bottle holder.

But for most of the other stuff, like bike frame, running shoes, tri outfit, it's ALL about the looks. Even my race wheels, which I tell myself, give me a chance to podium (I'm usually very close if I miss it), are still all about the looks in all honesty.

I thought this was going to be a Lance Armstrong thread.

Show me data that says Cervelo's are slower. Even Trek and Felt can't say that.

Ha!! I thought the same thing!!

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The Rat Snake:
A Tribute Race at Gilbert Lake State Park, Laurens, NY May 16 2015
Follow the Rat Snake on Twitter

I am neither delusional nor naive and I buy a Cervelo tri bike nine times out of ten because of its performance.

I'm saying buying a cervelo - or any other item - is a consumer decision. Sorry. It's not all about performance. It's about a consumer good. The reasons and influences on why we as triathletes buy a certain thing probably share more in common with the reasons or influences we buy a certain brand of toaster or car or toilet than they do with pure performance. Sheeeeiit ... even Cervelo's brand message (or whatever marketers call it) on the chain stay appealing to the 'Engineering' is devised in appeal to a certain emotion, create a response or influence a certain type of buyer.

But to the post, the IA and Dimond have shown better numbers, haven't they?

Personally, I love passing the guys that go out of their way to style themselves on a $10,000 bike with all the newest gear. That being said, if I had the money to spare, I'd probably do the same. Looking good is a perk, but speed is where it's at. Speed looks good.

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Dtyrrell

I've never gotten a very good look at speed, its always passed me in a blur.


Great comment, btw.

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Tad

It took awhile, but I finally discovered that its not the destination that's important, but rather the journey.

The IA is faster in higher yaw. No one beats the P5 in low yaw conditions.

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

Ha ha... Looks and gear is the MOST important thing in the world!!! Skill's are secondary... (With an ounce of ironi..)

But all things aside - I do appriciate that shoes, helmet, Googles, suit and bike match - but not important overall

Didn't the dimond "beat" the p5 at zero?

Maybe, I don't know for sure. Let's look for the data. I've seen the data on the IA vs P5

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

Found it http://www.rustersports.com/...eport-11.14.2013.pdf

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

I tell myself that looks are important. However, reality tells me that I'm a middle-aged triathlete. Even the best looking gear can't make me look cool. In the end, I allow looks to deny a purchase (for example: I won't buy or wear anything in which the words "hot" or "neon" followed by a color are an appropriate description). I will not allow my opinion on looks to justify a crappy product. Given 2 products of equal functionality, but the cooler looking one is significantly more expensive (>3%), I'll probably just be comfortable in my dorkiness.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

Matte black is the new black, I think.

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AndyF
bike geek

Semi-important. With something like running shoes I think there are now practically no limits as they come in so many, otherwise, strange colours. With bikes the choice is usually much more restricted. When looking for a new bike earlier this year I just found a number of suitable bikes (in terms of price and performance) and then picked out the one I liked most in terms of looks.

I have an orange Poc Tempor...

I love reading this, yet I rarely see it. I'm one of those guys on a expensive bike and I tend to only get passed by other guys on similar bikes, yet I pass a ton of guys on cheaper bikes. (could be because my swim sucks, but so be it)

Now if you are talking about passing 60+ year olds on $10k bikes - well, good for you. - you should.

SOOO Bummed! When I saw the title I was hoping for another discussion of this:

Yeah, me too. I, too, love the idea of someone (me?) being on "lesser" gear and whoopin up on somebody with better stuff but I just don't see it often in my neck of the woods. Plus, I am also on a P3 with 404 & Zipp disc and I'm only getting passed (not terribly often either) by guys on similar setups. I am also a slow swimmer so I have that going for me as well...

OK...

I couldn't resist, you'll die laughing. It's better to look good than, feel good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0RTD7250II

Happy holidays

From the guy who rides in t-shirts so "I don't look like a "biker"" more fun passing people that way!!!

Looks don't win races.

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I saw this on a white board in a window box at my daughters middle school...
List of what life owes you:
1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

Once again, it's looks all the way for me. Take a look at Camaganolo's beautiful super record crank set

Here is the new super Record cranks that's supposidly stiffer, better,faster, etc. The only problem is that it looks like shit. Who cares if the previous version is not as stiff, faster,etc; the older crank looks a million times better.

Glad I'm not the only one

Brian

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Brian

Gonna buy a fast car, put on my lead boots, take a long, long drive
I may end up spending all my money, but I'll still be alive

that looks like a scrotum pinned down to a dissection table.

Naturally you're looking to buy a product you desire/require, so in that sense function always comes first. Running shoes are the items that I often don't like the look of as much, but don't care about the look so long as they match my spec list.

IMO, "looks" and function tend to go hand and hand.

I quoted looks because what looks cool is most generally determined by trendsetters. The trendsetters in racing are the people going the fastest. This is inclusive of all types of racing (tri, cycling, auto, horse, what have you). The trendsetters pick the fastest gear and the masses follow with the same style. This is the reason for the enormous market of knock-offs. People who care more about looks will pay less for a product that looks like the gear the fastest people are using, even though, most times, they could get a better performing product in their budget that does not look like the fastest thing out.

I can't believe this is even the subject of debate around here.

Your triathlon LOOK is everything. The LOOK of YOU and the LOOK of all of your TRIATHLON EQUIPTMENT and YOU in that LOOK, within that LOOK, being in that LOOK, moving in and within that LOOK both TO YOU and TO OTHERS is everything. It is, as Sartre says, a being in and of itself. It is the quintessence, the paragon, the God of all being in reality of triathlon. It transcends:

1. Speed
2. Results
3. Health and fitness;
4. Relationships, including marriage

I only lurk these days, but you need to post more.

This comment pretty much sums up my thoughts as well.

If it looks like ass, no matter how fast it is, I won't buy it. Instead, I'll look for something that performs at about 98-99% and looks good.

My quote that I stand by is this: "If you're not going to win the race, you might as well look the best." Only one person wins, but if you're in the other 99%, you can certainly look awesome competing!

Look good, feel good, feel fast, be fast.

I don't mind paying an extra twenty bucks for color scheme that matches. Good parts on my bike, color clothes to match the part!

So we are pretty much sayin if the POC TT helmet that looks like a Jedi mind trick, were say 4 sec per kilo faster on any head at any angle we would not buy it? I would guess probably 90% of the earths population think we look pretty silly no matter how cool we think our kit is or bike looks.

Are women (or men, if that is your preference) included in this discussion?

Just read Gabe Mirkin's article on "The Placebo Effect". I believe in my head that my skintight clothing and svelte tri bike / aero helmet make me faster...so it must be true! When I put on my multi-coloured, ultra-light race shoes my feet think I'm faster. Goggles? Nah - they gotta fit the shape of your nose and suction cup to your face - don't care how they look... Ain't NOBODY burstin' my Placebo Effect Bubble of reality!

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I'll see you in the run

Speak for yourself, dude. I look awesome. And I train like a demon. So...my "bubble" is in my head and I perform outside my bubble and above the norm for "old people". You're as old as your VO2 max says you are :)

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I'll see you in the run

Ditto.

Well let's see. I'm middle aged, I wear spandex, my teenagers don't want to be seen with me, I purchased a funky looking "supebike" that looked cool (to me anyhow) in the moment...I guess no matter what I purchase Tri related,I won't be cool. So what's it matter?

If you think you are cool you are cool... If you let teens determine your cool quotient then you are old 😜

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I'll see you in the run

 

People fear me when they see me in my Swedes at the beginning of swims. I know they look cool, which in turn makes me look badass. Competitors don't need to know that it's mostly show and a poor kick, but it lets me slide up to the front before the race starts.

And side note....Matte Black is STEALTH!!!!!

I pretty much buy everything on price, and look second. I can't afford this sport if I purchased everything that looked cool or gave pretty functionality. I've found mid-to-low range everythign works fine for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXydX9p_ZxA

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

"... and if you think this shirt and tie look good, you are most likely a Russian mobster."

More concerned with making it through the race first! If I find a good deal then "cool" is an added bonus, but generally can't afford "cool". Definitely am not pulling it off now!