NOW THAT'S A DEAL!!!

I'm super tempted to pick one up and field test it against my Speed Concept. Seriously. I have a bunch of friends that just got into the sport that would like to buy a tri bike but really can't/don't want to shell out $3,000+. Small note: size range seems a bit limited on Nashbar: http://www.nashbar.com/...3_10052_593316_-1___

I started a thread on this bike a little while back, asking if anyone had given it a go. Seems like a helluva deal for a new carbon tri bike.

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...F_P6251682/#p6251682

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"It never gets easier, you just go faster."
-Greg LeMond

Define your terms.
What is affordable?
What is nice looking?

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#swimmingmatters
Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
The Doctor (#12)

Two extra cheap options:

http://www.bikesdirect.com/...-sale-fuji-aloha.htm

and

http://www.bikesdirect.com/...estrel-talon-105.htm

I haven't seen them in stores, but Felt makes an aluminum TT bike, the S32. I think it's in the $1200 range.

Luckily affordable and bikes with down tubes still exist. All these new TT bikes are hideous sans down tube.

Bought a Scott Plasma 5 frame on Ebay for $700 bucks. Put on some Etap. Already had the wheels. That's $2000 for a top of the line bike. Not bad.

You found a Plasma 5 frame for $700!!!! That's an incredible steal!

Hi all,
The answer to the good cheap bike question is always going to be: "Buy used!"

eBay is your friend! This is a topic close to my heart as a deal finder and cheapskate. I'm going to at some point start a post on best used bikes.

I had the same question for all of last year. Went to my LBS over and over again to try to find something that fit me and was within my price range $2500. LBS sold me on a FELT that I really liked. Last year's model, within price range. Five days later, I find out they do not actually have the leftover model. Found another model (above my price range) that was discounted--again last year's model. Waited a couple of days. Again, that was not available. Then they tried to convince me to buy a new 2017 model. Got frustrated, logged on and found a QR PR5 from prior year at R&A cycles in Brooklyn. Drove up there and met some great guys at that shop! Got the PR5 for more than my original price range, but after experience with LBS, I was willing to pay for it. My advice, find a good, trustworthy shop and buy a leftover from the year before. The technology changes year to year seem minimal.

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I may not be fast, but once I get going, it is hard to stop me...

What shred of credibility you had left was just exhausted on this post.

Based on what? Your feeling that the bike is a POS? That you don't "trust" the wind tunnel data that Diamondback put out on the Serios? That you just don't like me?

As I've said before, the Serios reminds me a lot of the Transition, which lots of people just assumed wasn't fast - including a very detailed (ostensibly, anyway) post by Tom Demerly outlining all the flaws the Transition had as compared with the P3C. Of course, actual tunnel data showed that to be demonstrably false. There was a great thread - with data - here: http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...rs_P2009701/?page=-1

You can get a Serios AF for $4,499 for a complete bike with full Dura-Ace and Hed Jets. That's a great deal for a great bike.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

When you were sponsored by Dimond, you pimped that bike on this forum and when you had a falling out with the company you publicly trashed them as being unsafe. Now, coincidentally, of all the bikes on the market, you choose to recommend your new sponsor's bike. I am sure you are a great dude and I certainly don't have any reason not to like you. But if you want to be taken seriously you may want to recuse yourself from shamelessly recommending the bikes produced by your employer. Or at least make it plainly obvious in your signature line that you have a financial arrangement with these companies as opposed to "ask me about X/Y/Z". My two cents, take it or leave it.

hi Jordan -

what are the basic differences between the AF and the F? just the groupset? are the frames the same?

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___________________________________
Cure CF, because I love my daughter.
http://www.cff.org

I don't understand what it is people like you think sponsored athletes do (or are supposed to do)? Of course they plug the product of their sponsor -- that's what they are supposed to do! It's their job. Even if the product sucks.

If you are buying product because a sponsored athlete tells you it's great, then you must have missed the memo that a sponsored athlete is a brand ambassador who is not much different from a member of that company's marketing department. Jordan marketed for Dimond; now Jordan markets for Diamondback. I don't see the big deal.

Frames are identical except for paint/color. I actually ride a Serios F because I prefer black bikes.

Only difference is in part spec, which is more than just the groupset since it also includes wheels. But the frames are identical in terms of "quality." I.e., it's not like one is cheaper carbon or lower modulus or heavier or anything like that. Differences between AF and F frames are purely cosmetic.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Giant Trinity Advanced, $1850, carbon frame, 105 groupset, aero brakes and a very stable ride compared to many other rides. I have the previous generation ride and the new version is a better bike at a great price.

thanks Jordan. i'm the same re: black bikes.

personally i like riding bikes / brands that are a little different, and still have an old Blue RC8. i'm drawn to the Serios because it's a great looking bike. it also reminds me of my childhood, when i used to ride Diamondback BMX bikes.

the AF looks like a nice deal, but the F seems to be getting into a price range that may not appeal to most buyers.

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___________________________________
Cure CF, because I love my daughter.
http://www.cff.org

I don't know the details, but it *must* have been an inventory issue. The Serios AF is the *higher end* model. It comes with better wheels and Dura Ace. The F comes with cheaper wheels and Ultegra. There's absolutely no reason for the F to be more expensive than the AF. You can see this from MSRP. The AF is $8,500 MSRP on sale for $4,499. The F is $7,500 MSRP on sale for $6,299. I don't understand it myself.

I tried to figure it out, but the AF is now totally out of stock, which makes me think they must have been clearing out inventory to make way for new model year stock. The F is still in stock in all sizes, but it's not that great of a deal by comparison...

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

I have a friend who used to ride professionally and is now on a mekk.. he is very happy with it and to be honest if I hadn't just bought a felt I would have bought one myself. What about a quinntana roo pr3?

Probably stupid question, but what would be wrong with slapping some regular road bars on there and making that into a cheap aero crit bike? Would the geometry just be too aggressive for that?

Might be too slack for some but, honestly, it looks workable to me.

A2 bikes have complete bikes starting at $1899. They unveiled the bike at 70.3 Oceanside.


Its not the best looking bike IMO, but for a full carbon bike at that price point it looks like a decent value.

https://www.a2bikes.com/

P2.....except Cervelo can't do a decent paint scheme to save themselves.

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

The problem is that there are a limited number of trigeeks buying tri bikes each year.
If a triathlete is going to buy a bike, it's the job of the bike manufacturer to sneak the buyer up from affordable to average, to fill their coffers. They aren't in business, to make us happy, they are in business to make money. Bike companies have found their niche and are going for it. In business I'd do the same.

That said, I think there is room in the market for someone to hit the budget conscious amongst us. I think if you look at how many of the uber bikes actually get sold compared to say the P2 type of bike, there would be a really fat part of the curve around P2's

I wouldn't suggest that people start making a modern version of the P2/P2K/P1 frame, but something in carbon incorporating most of the features that are shown to work well, integrated into a single bike, with 105 and some reasonable carbon wheels, and you'd be onto a winner. Sometimes good is good enough afterall. And paint it pretty.

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"