Felt IA 2.0, much better and more adjustable cockpit. Both bikes are great, but adjustability out of the box with the Felt and, it is just a great looking bike.


Jeroen

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Owner at TRIPRO, The Netherlands

Love my CFR. Zero complaints.
Check how your fit coordinates work.

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Team Zoot So Cal

Do you want a bike or need a bike?
If it's a need then the Felt is your answer.
If you don't care if you get a bike this season or next or the season after then go with the one that makes you feel the most badass or is all black.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

You also need to consider parts for when/if something needs to be replaced 4-5 years down the road. I have a 2016 Felt IA10 and have heard it's very difficult to get replacement parts now. I've been a loyal Felt rider for 13 years now and 3 bikes.

As someone who may be looking for a new bike next year, what's the part situation like for Canyon?

Canyon seems to offer a fair amount of parts on their site for sale here:
https://www.canyon.com/en-us/gear/components/


That being said, from what I've seen a lot of the parts on there seem to be for the previous model version speedmax, which leads me to believe in a few years there may still be a good amount of parts for the current model speedmax. To be honest, it does worry me a little bit about getting parts for mine as they seem to sell what they have but unsure how often they're making replacement parts. I'm unsure what parts I may need in the future.


On the plus side, every single part on the bike has part #s labelled on it so at least getting a right number/name for what you need is pretty easy and contacting support may be helpful whenever a new part is needed down the road. Again, if they still have it.


Disclaimer, this is my first super bike and not sure if all that is standard or not.


To answer OP, I would get the Canyon, but mostly because I think the new Felt is fugly, but there are some that like the looks of it and if that's you go for it.

Sometimes I think you should be charging for simple, honest, data driven advice. :)

I personally don't like the look of the bike. However, I'm not the one buying it. Out of curiosity, are there any other models you would be able to go with? Cervelo, Trek? Bmc?

I think the $ for the felt is a lot, especially with the challenge of reselling potentially at some point.

To me, if I'm spending 12k, I'm getting the trek speed concept or the cervelo. Really random, but have you considered something like the premier tactical?

I haven't looked at other bikes but my fitter recommended these two models based on my body stats/fit out of the box -- will certainly ask about the trek and cervelo

What would be considered the best overall TT bike with the latest update at this point?

define best overall TT bike?

Do you want the fastest TT bike? Then it's Cervelo's P5disc. If you want the fastest with the most storage then you're looking at the p5x or p3x (I'd go w/ the P3x since it's about 2.5# lighter). Good luck finding either of those and if you do, open your wallet, fast.

You give us what you're looking for in a bike and we'll tell you what to buy. I love spending other's money hahaha!

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

When you say TT, do you have UCI restrictions or is this 100% triathlon ?

The good news is the fastest bike out there is UCI legal (P5D).

Funny that. All these restrictions other manufacturers don't have, and they can't make a faster bike.

I am guessing you are not UCI restricted based on the Felt being an option.

Would be 100% triathlon, specifically for 70.3 then full IM in terms of race priority

Yes more advice please!

It would be primarily used for IM 70.3 then full IM (so storage is important) but I also do care about looks and the felt IA is borderline questionable for me and p5x/p3x while may be fastest with storage I personally can’t get there on how they look!

I would get the Felt. It's a fast bike and support is pretty decent. I've heard so much horror stories about Canyon bikes being delayed.

Then we're getting to 2nd tier bikes. Not in quality but in potential for speed. Everything else is going to cost you 3-5 or more watts maybe more, maybe less. I need more info.

For 90% of your racing what is your avg speed? Give me a 1mph range 22.3-23.3
For 90% of your racing would you describe it as almost no wind, light wind, some wind, windy, windy AF?
For 90% of your racing how many bottles do you carry? How much nutrition?

If you answer these questions you agree to the following term:
If we ever met in person you buy the first 2 rounds. Be warned I don't drink cheap beer and can be an expensive whiskey/bourbon date

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Deal!

I did my first 70.3 in morro bay recently and averaged 21mph on my specialized venge (aerobike) with bolt on aero bars. I think could have pushed harder but played it safe for the run given this was my first triathlon.

Most of my upcoming races will be all in California so I would say light wind

I was pretty dialed in nutrition wise for the race so had two large bottles and 9 gels which I stuffed in my tri-suit pocket / non were on the bike (which wasn’t fun trying to reach back there or juggle bottles while pushing hard)

Just so you know, the last time my BFF and I went whiskey drinking the tab was >$300. Now that we have that out of the way since you're in the 21-22mph range Cervelo is still going to be your best options. Cervelo's are The King of Low Yaw. You are probably going to need to look at something that does really well in that 4-8 degree of yaw range and doesn't suck as you get to 10-12.

There's the QR ZV-PR or X-PR. QR makes some outrageous aero claims. I have no doubt the bike is fast but not as fast as they claim. I get the same spreadsheets they get from A2 and they danced around the specific questions I had for about their data when we had an email exchange and phone call.
You've got the Felt IA2 which seems to have some decent storage. I'd probably put this in the group below the Cube/Argon/Trek (see below)

Canyon cfr maybe not as good of storage. My guess is this is ~8w slower than the P3x, maybe a touch more. Their Speedmax is about 5-6w slower
Argon E119 tri+ (although their E118 is pretty fast)
trek Speed concept
Cube Aerium (I would probably make the next fastest group after Cervelo the Cube, Argon and Trek)
Scott Plasma
Orbea Ordu (although I may be tempted to put this on the slower end of the list)

So off the top of my head
Group 1:
cervelos probably all inside 3w of each other

Group 2:
Argon
Cube
Trek


Group 3
Scott (this might go to group 2)
felt IA 2 (I think it looks good ymmv)
Canyon Speedmax
Probably QR (although these might go down 1 group, maybe. I know in the past their CD01 was as fast as the Specialized transition and cervelo p3 of the time)
You're also getting into some rim brake bikes in this group, if not near the top of this group. Cervelo P5-6 (still The Rim Brake Bike), Scott Plasma 3 modded, cervelo P5-3 modded, maybe the Plasma 5
Maybe the KU (who knows really? could go up a group, could go down a group)
Cadex (sorry KB)



Group 4
Orbea
Canyon rim brake TT bike (edited)
A2 bikes (their sales #s have been booming this year, maybe the fastest growing tri bike brand right now) - (anyone know how their road bikes ride?)
Ribble Ultra tri (anyone know how their road bikes ride?)
More rim brake bikes

Anyway that's my off the top of my head while I eat bfast and have my 4th cup of tea list.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Your three tier system is good

There are probably manufacturers who's 2nd tier bike is at the same as other's tier 1 bike.
Example a Cervelo P series is probably close to a Tier2. And Argon 117 (a notch below the 119) is probably as good as some of those Tier 3 bikes.

That was a very thorough response. Not for me, but just appreciate how detailed your response was. DD, how much difference are you looking at with regard to the p5 disc vs. the new trek speed concept?

Also, which category would the rim brake version (SC) go to?

This is fantastic, thank you!

When you say Cervelos, would this also include the regular P5 Disc as well?

There is only a P5D, not a regular. As he said, fastest is a P5D. If more storage is needed than the beam Cervelos. Read a few posts above and Brian says this.

Thanks!

You know I have a database of 30-40 rim brake bikes run as bikes only. The rim SC is the one bike I do not have. I would put it in same group as the cervelo P5-6, but behind it in the group.

If I was choosing between the Cervelo P5D and new Trek SC I would choose based on my fit coordinates. Then in no particular order availability, price, which is easier to wrench on, change stuff out (extensions/saddles) and which is easiest to travel with then I'd worry about aerodynamics.

Remember folks, today's high(er) end bikes are slicker than 10 years ago. You and your position are much more important now. Then the choices you make about tires, tubes, wheels, clothing, helmets, storage etc all matter more.

We've all seen that dude on a super bike whatever where the saddle is tilted down, the risers are all the way up & they are higher than most road bikes.

That person would be faster with a slower bike that fit them better vs trying to make a faster bike work half way.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Thank you.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

All good points. I totally agree with you. I know you have a lot of time and experience with bikes and fitting people and testing, but didn't realize you had so much data on so many bikes. That is cool.

We are lucky to have you!

I did see a tunnel test in 2016. SC against P5 against Argon 119. SC won at high yaw, worst at 0yaw. P5 won at 0 yaw, worst at high yaw.
119 was right in the middle in both tests.