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Question for beam bike guys
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What is your opinion on Titan-Flex bikes?
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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They are very ugly and they seem very bouncy. Watch people on Softrides, they bounce a little (unless they have a bad pedal stroke). Then watch the guys on the Titan Flex, they are all over the place. I would initially think it was the rider, but it has been every Titan Flex that I have seen. This has probably been less than 20 though; maybe they all had a poor pedal stroke????

I have not ridden them, but have passed a few at races and have not been impressed by their appearance at all. They look like something that a person made in his garage.

Like anything, I'm sure you will find a hand full of people who swear by them. The people that spent a bunch of money, so they have to stand by their decision.

All that being said, I can get you a great deal on a new (2002-2003 year model) Softride of your choice. One of my ride partners is a shop owner and has a lot of old stock Softrides that he is trying to move from his inventory. They are all framesets and have never been built up.
Last edited by: trent: Apr 11, 05 6:36
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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Zipps RULE!!!

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Paul
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [trent] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
They are very ugly and they seem very bouncy. Watch people on Softrides, they bounce a little (unless they have a bad pedal stroke). Then watch the guys on the Titan Flex, they are all over the place. I would initially think it was the rider, but it has been every Titan Flex that I have seen. This has probably been less than 20 though; maybe they all had a poor pedal stroke????




You just described my opinion of Softride, Trek, and Zipp beam bikes. Sounds like TFlex is no different. I've never ridden a beam bike, but I was curious since Mr. Molina kicks so much ass on his.
Last edited by: Bucky: Apr 11, 05 6:40
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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I wrote up a comparison a few weeks ago between my P3 and a Titanflex I was testing. I rode multiple three hour time trials. You can find the article if you do a search.

Bottom line is that the Titanflex is obviously allowing me to be more comfortable so I maintain speed on long rides and get a much more aero position and hold it longer.

I got a kick out of the post above that says they looked like they came out of a junkyard. In my family we call it the junkyard bike. I loke the looks actually.

I have never noticed that I bounce much, but presumably the beam bounces a little bit to absorb shock and give me the more comfortable ride.

After testing, I ordered the bike and should get in this month. The real test will be at Lake Placid this year. I always get beaten up and much slower for the second loop. Maybe this year will be different.
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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  Let me tell you I think Trent is completely wrong, if you get the correct beam stiffness on a titanflex it is a great bike. I dont bounce at all when I ride mine, thats the truth. Just about every Softride owner I have seen has done alittle bit of bouncing, but hey its all the likes and dislike of the owner I guess, sounds like Trent has a bit of an agenda though.
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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Ouch. A shameless plug.

Experience the bounce yourself. Go to the classified section and buy my Softride. 2004 Rockett TT complete, zero miles, incl. Spinergy Rev-X, $3000 OBO

(Help me guys, I need a road bike and the wife will not let me get one before the Softride goes)
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [jtang] [ In reply to ]
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What about rider size? I noticed they appear to take that into consideration on their site. Would a 5'11" 180 lb guy like me bounce all over the road on one?

I do like that they look nothing like regular road bikes and you can get them with 650c wheels. I feel like tri bikes should try to not be road bikes. Mind you, I have a very nice road bike and love road racing. I just like tri to be as radically different from road racing as possible.
Last edited by: Bucky: Apr 11, 05 7:11
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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I love my TF. I am more comfortable on the bike, so I bike more, run better and generally go faster.

Regarding a comparison with Softride, having owned both a Softride TT7 for a Titanflex, I believe I can offer some insight to both bikes. Please note that I have no commercial interest in either bike.

1. I liked my Rocket, but the engineering of the beam mechanism was/is not particularly good. I had several problems with the beam (cracked sleeve, delamination) as well as with the pivots. If you check the SR site, you will see that the proceedure for adjusting the beam height (or replacing the beam) spreads over three pages and requires a variety of specialty tools and equipment. Initially, I found this process a pain in the ass, but after having to replace the beam and pivots so many times, I got pretty good at it. I will add that both Chig and Adam at SR customer service are very helpful and tried their best to make do with the situation. Overall, I elected to sell the Rocket becuase of the maintenance headache and because I was concerned that I would DNF races as a result of beam failure. Please note that the SR classic beam has note of these issues and may be a better choice if you want to go SR.

2. I bought a TF in December 2003 because, while I had issues with the Rocket, I still believe in the beam concept. The TF beam mechanism (actually, TF calls it a "boom") is designed more elegantly than the SR. With the TF, the boom slides in and out and the seat post slides up and down. No fuss, no muss and no worries about rbeakage. Once up and riding, I found the TF ride much better (just my opinion) than the Rocket. First of all, the boom deflection of the TF is significantly less than that of the Rocket, i.e., the TF bounces much less than the SR. Think of the Rocket as a Cadillac with a very cush ride. Think of the TF as a Porsche or BMW with a much sharper ride, though still plenty of suspension to handle any bumps. Furthermore, since the TF is significantly lighter than the Rocket (at least a full pound, if not more), in my opinion it climbs better.

3. My opinion is that the overall experience of buying and owning a TF is fantastic. Working with Tom at TF, I got a new bike that was spec'ed exactly like I wanted. First, the TF was significantly less expensive than the Rocket. I am on a custom painted TF with full DA and 404's for less than my ultegra Rocket. Once I got the bike, I decided to change to a slightly less stiff boom, so I just called Tom who sent me a new one.

Even though I "spent a bunch of money", I don't feel as though I need to stand by my decision, since I could just get a different bike if I didn't want the TF. Again, just my experience/opinion.
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [jtang] [ In reply to ]
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jtang, you think trent sounds like maybe he has an agenda? That's sort of like saying "the sun is warm". Wow.

OK, from someone that HAS a TitanFlex, and compared it head to head with well-respected traditional double-diamond bikes (Yaqui and Talon), I can tell you the TF certainly isn't slower. It doesn't bounce under me, unless I'm going over a rough spot in the road or railroad tracks, when I'd rather it bounce than my spine having to take the shock. If you tend to wiggle on it, there is a flat piece of alumunium bar that can be inserted into the Boom (BTW, it's not a Beam, that is a Softride term), which takes the wiggle right out. You can get 4 different levels of stiffness (taking up to a 305lb. rider in the stiffest mode at full insertion). It's by far the most comfortable and most adjustable (easily adjustable, I might add) bike I've ever owned. It's also stiffer in a standing sprint than any bike I've ever owned (with the possible exception of a Cannondale I had back in the mid-80's...that was so long ago I can't recall how stiff it was...just that it was extremely stiff).

As far as looks, I think mine is as pretty dressed up in full regalia as any bike. I'll re-post pictures of it if anyone is interested. Thanks to ZeGopha, I even added some red accents to the rear wheel to bring it up to his visual standards!

Compared to Softride...I'd bet Softrides are great riding bikes, too. I went with TF due to the ease of adjustability, lower top tube, perceived increase of stiffness of the frame, simpler mechanical issues, and the fact that Scott Molina told me that bike was great...I believed him. Now that I have one, I think he understated how well the bike performs.

I have a friend that now has one. He took one ride on mine, and I could tell by the look on his face that his Trek was in jeopardy. Nothing wrong with his Trek, nor my Talon, nor many of the other fine double-diamond bikes out there. It's just that it's hard to justify being so much less comfortable than you have to be when riding a bike.



Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Titan] [ In reply to ]
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Maybe I'll try one out. the price is low enough that if it sucks, I wouldn't consider it a total disaster. Beam bikes are against my religion, but maybe I'll just dabble a little. The other bikes I've seen this year from the major manufacturers just don't appeal to me. I already have a Guru (and I love that bike) and have fit issues with Cervelo, Litespeed, and Felt. I'm disappointed that Quintana Roo is watering down their geometry. So their aren't a lot of options for me this season. I'm always trying something new. That's why I got into triathlon in the first place. I certainly spend too much money every year but some people's standards, but there are more expensive hobbies out there and besides, what's the point of working 40 hours a week if I can't have lots of toys?
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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Softride is much better. I've got a nice entry-level one on the selling block if you want!
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Oregondave] [ In reply to ]
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What size and how much?
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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Check your PM
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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Bucky, notice all the Softrides for sale? See a TitanFlex among them? Just FWIW, Softrides are Beam bikes, TitanFlex's are BOOM bikes.

Good luck in your decision...just ask Scott Molina what he thinks about TitanFlex if you have any further doubts....



Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Titan] [ In reply to ]
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I like that there is a 650c option with TF and I also like anything that comes with a lot of component options. How easy are they to set up?
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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Ease if set-up is one thing TF has in spades. You have one allen-type screw that you loosen to move the boom in or out of it's receiver...that movement, along with using your saddle rails, is how you set your hipjoint fore-aft over the bottom bracket. Then, you have your normal bolt that you use to move your seat post up or down. That's it. The front-end of the bike is just like "normal".

If you are normal size (70-72 inches tall with 31-34 inch inseam) and are setting up for a road position, and want a 700 wheelset, it's just as you'd pick from a chart. However, IF you are setting up for time trial OR a very steep position, you'll get more front-to-center distance on the larger of the 650 framsize than on the middle of the pack 700 wheelsize frame.

Also, keep in mind, if you want a shorter headtube than is stock, Tom may be able to cut the top of the tube shorter....he did this for a buddy of mine that's a little smaller than me and barely fits on the middle 700 size (he would have fit better on the larger 650, but wanted to stay 700). End result is a great TT positioned steep bike (he's at about 81 degrees right now) that handles the weight distribution great for him. I have the same size bike as he does, not quite so steep, and the handling is superb. Technically, I would be better fit on the larger of the 650's if I went steeper than about 79 degrees.



Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Titan] [ In reply to ]
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I've been riding a little slack for the last year and on 700c wheels due to off and on back problems. At one point, I was so frustrated, I Ebay'd all of my true triathlon bikes thinking I could never hold that position again. Now my back feels like it is back to normal and I feel like I'm ready to go back to a 78 degree angle with 650c's. I'm 5'11" and 180 lbs with a 34 inseam. Although I've never been pro-beam/boom bike, it appears that those type of bikes are my only option at the moment for the position I'm looking for.
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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Not sure I could add much more than what has already been said about TF's. I love mine. Bought it winter of 2004 as I prepared for IMFL2004. I spent lots of time adjusting the position before settling into a position that worked for me. After that, I was very comfortable on it throught the summer of training.

Looking back at IMFL, I found my splits through the ride were very consistant. In every hour, my speed, power, cadence and heartrate were very similar giving a 5:30'ish ride time. I remember passing people in that last hour that were suffering while I would have been happy to keep riding. I'm sure the bike had something to do with it.

As for test riding, you should be able to find an owner close to you that would let you try his or her bike. I certainly let anyone that's interested ride mine. FWIW, I'm in Toronto, Canada with a 700c large (I'm 6'1", 190lbs; 36" inseam)

Cheers,

Rob

edit: corrected typo in my weight. Ouch.
Last edited by: rjackson: Apr 11, 05 13:36
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [rjackson] [ In reply to ]
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I haven't seen one here in Jax, FL. Beam/Boom bikes aren't popular here. I've seen a handful of Softrides, a BP Stealth, and a Trek, but that's about it for that style of frame.
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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One thing to remember is that the TF comes standard with the look ergostem. Very handy for tweaking fit and position. The ergostem is pricey and heavy, so you could swap for a cheaper/lighter stem once you have the specs.
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [rjackson] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
I'm in Toronto with a 700c large (I'm 6'1", 290lbs; 36" inseam)

Cheers,

Rob


RJ,

You're 290 lbs? Damn son, you really let yourself go after IMFL...
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Simple Stevie] [ In reply to ]
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In Reply To:
In Reply To:
I'm in Toronto with a 700c large (I'm 6'1", 290lbs; 36" inseam)

Cheers,

Rob


RJ,

You're 290 lbs? Damn son, you really let yourself go after IMFL...


It was all the Waffle Houses in PCB!

Typing too fast before heading out to get the kids from school. I'm at 190 having raced IMFL at 186.
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [rjackson] [ In reply to ]
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you've only gained 4 lbs since your last ironman? that's great! i typically gain 10-15 in the first month after one and then it takes half a year to get back to the correct weight.
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Re: Question for beam bike guys [Bucky] [ In reply to ]
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Jax, FL? Jacksonville?

At IMFL, Richard Nixon went something like 9:30, with a sub 5hr ride on his TF, to grab a Kona spot. I remember him because we rack our bikes about 20' from each other and he marked is row with a HUGE chalk arrow. He's listed as being from Coconut Creek, FL. How big can Florida really be? :-)

Richard is also a coach and I think convinced several of his athletes, who were also at IMFL, to ride TF's. So there are a bunch of them down there. I'm sure Tom can help in tracking them down.

FWIW, when I was considering buying a TF, I found one in Ottawa by searching Google. It's owned by a chap who posted here under "TTist". He's a fantastic resource and I look forward to riding with him whenever I'm up his way.

Cheers,

Rob
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