cervelo r2.5 with clip ons and 303's. or trek madone, kestrel talon sl, or any other light climibing bike? that be my choice, the climbs on that course wear me out, others find them not so tough.

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Cervelo Soloist.

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

Wait 12 days and then I'll tell you.

Simon

PS: I'll be using a P3 with HED aerobars and a disc... I doubt that it will be a real problem

Calfee Tetra Tri, Hed Aerobars, Profile carbon cranks, DA everywhere else, zipp disc in the back, nimble crosswind on the front.

That's what I'll be on in 12 days.

What's your best bike time for those Half's you raced?

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"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

Whew...I hope you feel that way in 12 days Simon! You are probably a far younger, faster, fitter man than I and would blow by me...and I have been around long enough to know we are all an experiment of one and you know your strengths far better than I, but....after many, many times around that course I would ride:

1) a good lightweight road bike with STI (for certain...you are constantly shifting)

2)some clip ons,

3)and...yes, I know how wimpy this sounds...at least a 25 tooth cog on a good set of lightweight (303's would be nice!) wheels. I could certainly ride it with a far more aero set-up...but that pesky 26 miles of running follows this tough ride and I'd like some legs left!

I don't know if many people realize that substantial parts of this course were once the WI Road Race championship course. I don't think anyone would have really rode an aero set up on these roads until Ironman chose it to race on. Then, magically, it became a triathlon course, which, of course, means aero everything.

I believe many athletes can ride this course with a full aero set up and do well....and Simon you may well be one of those folks and my hat is absolutely off to you. I also believe the vast majority of AG participants in the race might be better off with the set-up I described above.

Good luck to everyone racing!

Best,

Mark

Beam bike, (Soft-Rides are on special now) Renn disc rear, H3 or Zipp 404's or similar in the front. S-bend aerobars. Ultegra or equivalent is fine. SLR or Arione (or whatever.) Your butt and back will love you. Can't speak to compact cranks vs 12-27 rear with a 53/39.

Read Slowman's reviews of SoftRide and Titan-Flex here on Slowtwitch.

You will have plenty left for racing and restaurants.

Warning! I'm a shitty cyclist, but other reviews including those here convinced me. Besides you can change your geometry from really slack to almost 90 degrees.

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_________________
Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

I would recommend a full aero setup, disc wheel, bar end shifters, etc. You can easily spin up the vast majority of the hills at IMMOO. None of the climbs are more than a few minutes long, and generally have an equally long downhill on the backside. Weight is almost a non issue, it's a loop course, so you descend as much as you climb, so aero is more important.

Now, that being said; if you ride a road bike almost exclusively, like to ride on the hoods, like to climb out of the saddle, are uncomfortable on your TT bike (aero bars), then you will want to consider a more road-like setup.

I have been in the 2 hr 40 range for fairly hilly courses. (20.5 mph)

I have ridden the course many times. Wife has done the race twice. I have chosen a tri bike. Litespeed Blade, 60mm wheels, Areobars with bar ends. 12-25 10 speed with a 50/34 compact crank. There is only one hill that can not be spun up with this set up (at Old Sauk Trail), and there are a lot of fast flat areas that are very well suited to aero, tri position.

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Mac McEneaney

I wouldn't build a bike specific for an IM event. I used the same exactly bike (w/ 909s mind you) at IMFL, IMmoo, and IMLP....

However, if I were to buy a bike to replace all that I have...it would be a Team Soloist, like Lessing's bike (w/ 404s). Which would ride very nice at Moo.

[/reply]
"far younger"? I'm nearly 46 :-). Faster? 5:30 bike split 6 weeks ago at IM Switzerland, that's not exactly "fast".

The important point however is that I've done nearly all my training this year on an aerobar + steep setup. It just doesn't make sense to change now, even if it isn't completly optimal.

Simon

PS: I've made one concession, I'll be riding 55/42 x 12-25 (650c wheels) instead of the 11-23 that I normally use for competition.

go with a tri bike. If you jump out of the saddle often, mount sti shifters on the aero bars

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S�rgio Marques
When it hurts is when it feels good ;-)
Sergio-Marques.com

Go with a tri-bike then.

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-
"Yeah, no one likes a smartass, but we all like stars" - Thom Yorke


smartasscoach.tri-oeiras.com

Honda CBR1000RR

998cc liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder

Computer-controlled digital transistorized with three-dimensional mapping

Cassette-type, close-ratio six-speed (well.. here you are beaten by the new DA 10speed)

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Mark

I did last years race and have ridden the course many times and completely agree with you. I am trying not to think about it before next weekend, but its relentless.

Good Luck!

Ed

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