I would personally go with the B14 and a nice wheelset if you are looking to stay within the B2 price range. Di2 while nice, it wont make you faster but some nice race wheels will. Or better yet, you may even be able to pick up some Flos or a used set of race wheels and a PM for the price difference- much more beneficial over the Di2. Just my 2 cents. good luck on your training for IMWI. Did it as my first IM this year and it was an amazing race!

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Andy Mullen
Team Zoot

Or solid used Felt/Cervelo that's is rowdy to race for half the cost...if your a 54 I have a DA. For you,,,

I was fitted for a 54cm felt, which I was surprised by. I thought I would be smaller. Anyway, tell me more about your DA (year, model, etc.). Also where are you located. I'm in the chicagoland area.

Search beaker da on the classifieds. I'd do 2400 shipped to you. I'm in So Cal.mall SRAM RED, Felt carbon bars..no wheels.

Buy the B14 and with the money you save get a good race wheelset. The only other things that you may want to upgrade on the B14 in the future would be the Micro-Shift shifters and the FSA Omega crankset. Of course the bike is a great value as it is in my opinion, I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on one myself this fall. I've already been down to my local LBS and they are available now to order.

When posing a question like this, you should only take opinions from people with Di2 shifting on their tri-bike.

It is not a question of "maybe it's faster, maybe it's not"... It is definitely faster in the real world of crowds, corners, road crap, etc. the dual position shifting gets you through all these things so much easier and faster that there's no comparison.

The quality and speed of the shifting means you're in a preferred gear more of the time so you will be faster.

Every year I think I'm going to upgrade my wheels until I read about the actual speed improvement, do a quick benefit per dollar analysis and then just skip it and strap on my aero helmet instead.

But the Di2, I would never, never, never buy a tri-bike without it.

I swear I laugh out loud a little every time I do a simultaneous front ring and back ring shift and it is as fast and smooth as a single rear ring gear change.

(I'll bet 10 to 1 that the other people posting have never owned a tri-bike with Di2 and that's the reason their advice is what it is... Just not good)

I think it depends partly on your goals and budget. I just started this year at age 43 and I'm a MOP age group guy who is doing this for fun, fitness, etc. I just got a bike (2014 DA2) with DI2 and it was a primary criteria in my purchase. Even though it was more money that I thought I would ever spend on a bike, I can fortunately afford it and I'd rather spend too much instead of regret not having something I wanted...within reason. My reasons were: I train in some moderately hilly areas and love the ability to shift from both locations in hills, turns, etc, extremely smooth shifting, no cables to stretch/maintain in shifting, i love high tech stuff. Good luck and enjoy your bike.

I know you didn't ask about the B16, but IMHO, it is a helluva lot of bike for the money. I know you can spend a lot more money for something incrementally faster, but the only real argument for that is when you get to that point that the extra speed could help you win/place in a race or qualify for a bigger event.

The best bang for your buck is going to be buying a used 1 or 2 year old bike. After have previously being several new bikes I realized I was wasting money. I picked up a 2013 DA this summer for half its original cost. The seller bought it to do IMLOU last year and it had a total of 300 miles on it. A new 2014 DA would have been the exact same bike less the miles. It's nice and comforting to the mind to buy new but if you haven't the extra cash to do it, go used.

I agree. Look for a used new gen frame B2, B12, B14 bike and you can't go wrong if that's what you're already contemplating.

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<We all know that light travels faster than sound. That's why certain people appear bright until you hear them speak>

Exactly... Just think of the number of times you shifted while going uphill on the horns.

And it's so much nicer being able to do a quick downshift coming out of A tight corner where you are also on the horns. Other than the cost, there is really no shortage of good things to say about Di2 shifting

Goobdog,
Thanks for the reply. It seems like everyone who has a bike with di2 loves it and can't imagine going back to traditional shifting. It seems like electronic shifting does has significant impact on performance, but it is hard to quantify. Where as wheels you can quantify, but benefit seems minimal. I might now have to worry about wheels now. My boss said I can borrow her Zipps. She is small so hopefully they aren't 650s.

Cwhyte
My thinking is similar to yours. My original budget was 3k, but I can afford more. It's one of the benefits of being single and having a decent job. I like the idea of being "future proof." I went over budget on my road bike but it has lasted me almost 6 years now. It carried me well through my HIM and I have no desire to upgrade. I want to buy something that will last but I don't need the top of the line superbike because like you I am a MOP age grouper... for now. I would think that di2 is more beneficial for a MOP than having a slightly more aero bike (like integrated brakes, fancy carbon wheelset).

If you're picking the new bikes definitely go with the B2 w/ Di2. FLO Wheels can be had on the cheap and used wheels are equally discounted in the used market. I'd aim for the frame that's new (B2 mold is 12 months old) and future proof (Di2) and add the extras as you progress.

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"Train so you have no regrets @ the finish line"

Just in addition to the proDi2 posts.....it IS even more safer if you are new to tri bikes. On a road bike I don't need it and wouldn't drop that extra cash to have it. Btw...I bought a 2011 felt in 2012 with little over 30% off.

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-shoki

What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this forum is now dumber for having read it.

Di2 is a rich mans gimmick. If you want to show off how big your wallet is get the Di2, if you want to show off fast bike splits and race results, get the cheaper bike with race wheels.

Seems like you could voice your opinion/disagreement with more civility.

Do you have Di2 on your bike? Do you have it on any bike?

I have it on my cross bike and TT bike and I absolutely WILL NEVER go back. I thought it was awesome that I could drop three gears at once with the Vision Metron shifters on my old TT bike, then I broke a shifter mid race and was left in the small ring when I needed the big ring. Then during a slow cadence climb in another race, I needed to drop a gear. While pulling the shifter, I snapped the rear derailleur hanger and sucked the derailleur into the spokes. Ended my day.

Di2 shifts regardless of load and is always crisp. It's faster in and out of corners and is a huge step in efficiency on hills. You are also completely ignoring the benefits of being able to shift both in the aerobars and on the basebar.

But of course, you know best. *rolleyes*

P.S. I built a Raleigh RXC Pro and S Works Transition with Di2 on each bike for less than $3.5k total (including frames).

No reason for you to roll your eyes, I do know best on this particular matter. I don't argue that Di2 is a nice luxury, but it is entirely unnecessary in order to be competitive. A decent set of deep dish race wheels on the other hand are essential for turning out fast bike splits and competitive races. I see plenty of pros and age groupers alike who take podiums without Di2. Think of all the SRAM riders. I have never seen someone take a podium or even be competitive without race wheels. (I'm sure someone is now going to jump on and tell a story about some race they were at one time where some guy they know had a friend whose cousin one time won a race on a set of Shimano R501s.) The original poster asked if he should go with a Felt B2 with Di2 or a Felt B14 and buy nice race wheels. If you have to choose one or the other, it's a no brainer. Not everyone can afford both.

I'd get the B2 with Di2 and never look back.

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Pete Githens
Reading, PA

You're certainly going to be happy with either. But I say go for the B14 and get the nice wheelset.

1. OP is talking about a 2015 model - B2 with Di2 is $3699 while B14 doesn't even come with Shimano branded shifters for $1999. OP has enough money to buy the B14 with race wheels AND a power meter. OP is not poor.

2. You never answered my question as to whether or not you have Di2. I'm presuming you don't and thus you're arguing a known known (mech) against a known unknown (Di2). Without knowing both, your advice (any anyone else's in the same boat) shouldn't have the same amount of pull.

3. Plenty of guys are taking podiums without Di2; I would never argue against that. Who is to say they don't have other electronic tech (power meter) that is assisting them?

Personally, my belief is that the best bet is for the OP to buy a year or two old frameset and have the shop build it with Di2 for less than a new bike. He could pick up a used deep section wheelset or even new Planet X wheels on the cheap and have a much better package than an off the shelf 2015 B2 or B14 + race wheels. You want to talk about no brainer? There it is.

Also, read this with respect to aero gains: http://cyclingtips.com.au/...ime-trial-equipment/

An aero helmet can net the user 67 seconds of gain, but what happens if that user looks down at his front wheel a lot? He introduces more drag and can actually end up with a slower time than a normal helmet. This probably part of why we start to see some aero helmets with clipped tails.

Where did you do your fit (if you don't mind me asking)? I'm in Chicagoland as well and planning to get a bikefit for a tri bike this winter/spring?

I was one of those that thought Di2 was a unneeded luxury. On my TT bike I always felt I shifted a lot despite being mechanical. I knew a lot of folks saying that with Di2 they were shifting more, so being one who already shifted a lot I felt it would be no advantage to me. Well this summer I built up a new bike and lucked into a Dura Ace Di2 TT shifting set for a steal. I bought it for the cool bike factor and even at the good price felt it was an extravagance.I was wrong! Di2 is great and a definite advantage on a bike and I will equip all my racing bikes with it.

That said, to the OP, a bike with good race wheels will trump a bike without good wheels and Di2 so go that route.
But, if I were you I would get the B-2 and find the money for a nice set of used race wheels. They are not that hard to find for another $500.00 to $800.00.