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Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean?
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Or what is going on with this bike. I mean it seems the radical has taken off and a few brands are doing well, but WTF is up with the Andean and no amateurs? Unless you've seen them in the wild. I have yet to!
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [swim_corey_run] [ In reply to ]
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Disc brakes and having to buy new wheels is what’s stopping a lot of people from buying these bikes.

Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [swim_corey_run] [ In reply to ]
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I would have several reasons to not ride one as an amateur. 1) Cost. 2) It's butt ugly 3) while even if it is a super bike, I would choose something that was less of a spectacle as gaining attention of other bikers to laugh at isn't my thing. In short, there is nothing that appealing to me about the Andean. It's like the color purple--you may like to wear it & I don't. It's preference. Now if I were some hot shot pro and someone gave it to me, hell yeah, I'd take it (then sell it & buy a Cervelo, Cube, Canyon, Trek or Argon...still deciding if or if not I want that in pink...)
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [swim_corey_run] [ In reply to ]
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swim_corey_run wrote:
Or what is going on with this bike. I mean it seems the radical has taken off and a few brands are doing well, but WTF is up with the Andean and no amateurs? Unless you've seen them in the wild. I have yet to!
Well you look at the Tactical (not radical) and you get some really nice engineering and design for a much lower cost than the other super bikes. And then on top of that, what is a super bike, really? Remember Kiley's aero study where his Felt B2 did very, very well compared to the super bikes. At least one of my takeaways from that study was that properly set up bikes are very close in terms of aerodynamic performance.

The Andean has a radical design that isn't for everyone; then it became Mikki Weiss' bike (nobody likes him especially since that time he had an 'ask me anything' thread), the bike did not appear to handle well at Kona's crosswinds, then there were delays in the ordering process and issues reported here and there. At the end of the day, lots of hassle, unsure about the brand reputation, technical issues that need figuring out... too much risk for the money considering all the alternatives.
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [swim_corey_run] [ In reply to ]
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i've got one. i like it.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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I don't think you count. You may be an amateur, but with a flashing asterik.
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [littlefoot] [ In reply to ]
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littlefoot wrote:
I don't think you count. You may be an amateur, but with a flashing asterik.

sorry to skew the data!

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
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In Kona there was one guy from Brazil next to me in transition. He had HED wheels on it and both they looked like $1M.
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [Benv] [ In reply to ]
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Benv wrote:
swim_corey_run wrote:
Or what is going on with this bike. I mean it seems the radical has taken off and a few brands are doing well, but WTF is up with the Andean and no amateurs? Unless you've seen them in the wild. I have yet to!
Well you look at the Tactical (not radical) and you get some really nice engineering and design for a much lower cost than the other super bikes. And then on top of that, what is a super bike, really? Remember Kiley's aero study where his Felt B2 did very, very well compared to the super bikes. At least one of my takeaways from that study was that properly set up bikes are very close in terms of aerodynamic performance.

The Andean has a radical design that isn't for everyone; then it became Mikki Weiss' bike (nobody likes him especially since that time he had an 'ask me anything' thread), the bike did not appear to handle well at Kona's crosswinds, then there were delays in the ordering process and issues reported here and there. At the end of the day, lots of hassle, unsure about the brand reputation, technical issues that need figuring out... too much risk for the money considering all the alternatives.


We agree on the radical design and that this isn't for everyone, like any of the other radical looking superbikes like P5X, Ventum, Omni or Dimond. But regarding the bike not handling well in crosswinds is complete not true. That is what some people just wanted to see last year in Kona. I ride one and where I live we have wind, we have fierce wind and we have almost no days without wind. I don't see me as a very skilled bike rider because I'm not, but the one thing I don't have trouble with is the handling of this bike with it. I ride it most of the time with a 808/404, but also with disc wheel in races. I might even suggest that it is less sensitive to wind then my Felt IA FRD was.
The reported stem/fork issues like Kiley had were as far as I know and have read just limited to that 1 specific bike. The 1 issue I have is that I can't get the BB out. It is so damn tight, but further then that no technical issues. It is actually, once you figured it out, one of the easiest superbikes to work one.

Regarding Kiley's test, he didn't use the 'properly' built on the Andean at his test. Not implying that it would be a real big difference, but when a bike is designed around integration of storage and is marketed this way it would have been nice to have seen that it was used in the test accordingly. Now we just don't know how big of a difference using the top storage units make in aerodynamics.

An extra stem that allows the use of different aerobars would be of great value, but overall I'm quite happy with the bike and really like the disc braking. True, it set me back a whole new set of wheels but further it is a great bike.

Jeroen

Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [swim_corey_run] [ In reply to ]
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swim_corey_run wrote:
Or what is going on with this bike. I mean it seems the radical has taken off and a few brands are doing well, but WTF is up with the Andean and no amateurs? Unless you've seen them in the wild. I have yet to!

I have an ride one. Really love it, but it will take some time before you will see a more of them. Its just not a bike for everyone, you like it or not. But for most there is no grey area.
You need to replace all your wheels for disc brake wheels. In EU where I live I have seen some German's on it, one in Scandinavie.

Jeroen

Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [Benv] [ In reply to ]
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Benv wrote:
then there were delays in the ordering process...

I was a little surprised at the low number of Diamondbacks in the bike count at Kona this year, then I remembered that this bike was very slow to roll out. I'd imagine that most people will race at Kona on the bike that got them to Kona, and the Andean was too slow getting to market for many people to get one in time for their KQ race.

"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [gary p] [ In reply to ]
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gary p wrote:
Benv wrote:
then there were delays in the ordering process...


I was a little surprised at the low number of Diamondbacks in the bike count at Kona this year, then I remembered that this bike was very slow to roll out. I'd imagine that most people will race at Kona on the bike that got them to Kona, and the Andean was too slow getting to market for many people to get one in time for their KQ race.

True, I ordered mine just after the launch which was still Sept '16 and got it this year last week of May. So it took a while......

Jeroen

Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [tri-run] [ In reply to ]
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tri-run wrote:
Benv wrote:
swim_corey_run wrote:
The reported stem/fork issues like Kiley had were as far as I know and have read just limited to that 1 specific bike.

I am almost 99% sure this happened with both Jordan Rapp and Matt Russell's Andeans as well. So, 3 of the first 4 on the market had that issue? I have seen one (besides Kiley's) in the wild. At first I was interested in it, but that went away pretty quickly after hearing all the problems Kiley had with it and the responses that Diamondback had to the issue.
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [swim_corey_run] [ In reply to ]
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A guy showed up on the local Saturday tri group ride a few weeks back. I actually wanted to check it out since it was my first time seeing one in person. However he was quickly dropped from the lead group and rode with the more 17ish avg group. Nothing against the bike, just it's so flashy I feel like you need to back that up. Maybe it's just because you don't see them very often, but it garnered way more attention than much pricier bikes floating around.

I quickly looked at them online, but the disc breaks and needing new wheels was a show stopper for me.
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [APKTRI] [ In reply to ]
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APKTRI wrote:
tri-run wrote:
Benv wrote:
swim_corey_run wrote:
The reported stem/fork issues like Kiley had were as far as I know and have read just limited to that 1 specific bike.


I am almost 99% sure this happened with both Jordan Rapp and Matt Russell's Andeans as well. So, 3 of the first 4 on the market had that issue? I have seen one (besides Kiley's) in the wild. At first I was interested in it, but that went away pretty quickly after hearing all the problems Kiley had with it and the responses that Diamondback had to the issue.

But when the pinch bolt was replaced or you shaved of a mm or 2 from the standard pinch bolt the problem that Jordan, Matt and I had was solved. In case of Kiley's issue it was not. He had a different problem. Or at least needed a different solution. If it was the leverage on his aerobars and long stem due to his stretched position or something else I don't know. The root cause and solution of the issue that Diamondback gave were also a bit vague I must admit.

But I can assure you, after reading his first complains on the stem, I was quite careful for the first few rides and double checked, even during rides, if all was tight and strong. That was for me the reason to built it at first without the BTA topbox so I could see and easy access both the top cap and the pinch bolt. But after i shaved of just a few threads from the pinch bolt that stem was rock solid and never slipped on the fork.
Over time I got more and more trust and put some heavy loads on the aerobar but it remained where should.

Never had an issues with it and my CS experience was pretty good although they took sometimes quite a while before they responded to emails. But this was more in the process of the delivery. And Jordan hopped in a few times to help out as well. Now, when its completely built as it should with all the boxes on top that I also actually use it looks great. Well, at least I like it but everyone does have an opinion on it. You do attract some comments on race day, either positive or negative.

I do think the issues there were with the pinch bolt and the reaction's on it were a bit over the top. Look at only on this forum on what trouble people had or have with Shiv's, SC's, P5's, IA's even P5x's either on brakes or on other parts bars like seatposts, etc. It seems to me that all (super)bikes, how well thought they were all designed, have all some (small) issues on the first batch. Diamondback just seems no exception, but I owned a Felt B2Pro, DA and IA FRD, a Trek SC first gen and second gen and they all had issues from bar to stem and from brakes to seatposts.

The Andean might be the easiest bike to work on except for the removal of the press fit bb. There I totally agree with Kiley. That bb is f#$%îng in the ass.

Jeroen

Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [swim_corey_run] [ In reply to ]
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Was lucky enough to see one at a race last weekend, Nice looking machine
Last edited by: Biggrub_tri: Oct 25, 17 7:16
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [Rocky M] [ In reply to ]
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Rocky M wrote:
I would have several reasons to not ride one as an amateur. 1) Cost. 2) It's butt ugly 3) while even if it is a super bike, I would choose something that was less of a spectacle as gaining attention of other bikers to laugh at isn't my thing. In short, there is nothing that appealing to me about the Andean. It's like the color purple--you may like to wear it & I don't. It's preference. Now if I were some hot shot pro and someone gave it to me, hell yeah, I'd take it (then sell it & buy a Cervelo, Cube, Canyon, Trek or Argon...still deciding if or if not I want that in pink...)

Ok, lets be real here. What do you have against purple? That is the color of royalty....
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [swim_corey_run] [ In reply to ]
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I'm an ordinary AG and I ride the Andean.
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [swim_corey_run] [ In reply to ]
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swim_corey_run wrote:
Or what is going on with this bike. I mean it seems the radical has taken off and a few brands are doing well, but WTF is up with the Andean and no amateurs? Unless you've seen them in the wild. I have yet to!

I see one 'in the wild' every time I go into my garage.

I'm not a pro nor have I ever been mistaken for one (much to my chagrin). I needed a new tri bike this year because I was getting back into tri after a five year hiatus. I had one main requirement: I wanted disc brakes. Yes, yes, I know, this is the subject of much debate and much vitriol, but I don't care about any of that. I wanted disc brakes. If someone else doesn't want them, fine, I don't care, but I wanted them. Mainly because in my five year break from tri I had been exclusively riding MTB and CX, so all of my other bikes had discs, and I didn't really want to go back to rim brakes. I, personally, believe that disc brakes are the wave of the future in road/tri, I think most new bikes will have them within five years. You may or may not agree with me, that's fine.

Anyway, back to the Andean. I wanted discs, and I wanted to race IM ST.G in May, so my options were pretty limited. I didn't like the Parlee, I couldn't afford the P5X, and I liked the look of the Andean, so that's what I bought. Price was very attractive as well, my setup with a very nice set of training wheels cost about $5000. This was a 40th Bday present for myself, so I also got a set of Enve wheels (good deal through my shop) and the aforementioned trip to St. G (race followed by a week of hiking in Zion with my family, awesome trip).

The folks at DB have also been great to work with. I haven't had any mechanical issues, but I haven't tried to do anything major on it myself. I had to take it to the shop because I belatedly realized that I didn't want a 1x drivetrain. They got my new 'normal' drivetrain on without any hassles.

Yeah, it's a little heavy, but it's a tri bike, I didn't expect it to be as light as my CX race bike. I think it's an awesome bike, and I love to ride it.

------------------------------------------------------------
Any run that doesn't include pooping in someone's front yard is a win.
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Re: Does anyone Besides a Pro ride the Andean? [CCF] [ In reply to ]
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I'm glad to hear that someone truly enjoys It! I would love to ride one, just to see what it's like. Keep on riding it!
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