Get the 53. I am the same height and had the 55 for a couple years and it is way too big. It fits as a road bike but not good for tri.

Quick question...
You need a bike, meaning you don't have one now? Is this your first race?

You definitely want to get a fit. I wouldn't worry about any bike unless you know what position you like and what feels good. Go to a shop and get a fit. Otherwise you are wasting money, and risking an injury.

Thanks for your input. So if you don't mind clarifying:

1. In what sense was it too big and not good for a tri for you?
2. What was your inseam?

Thanks for your input. Like I said, I don't see myself getting a fit. Based on everything I've read the Talon should be a decently flexible setup, though clearly not ideal for either tt or road. I originally looked at the Cervelo P bikes, but pricing etc seemed to make them a bit expensive (I'm on a tight budget), even the older P1's when I've seen them have been fairly pricey.

What I'm getting at is if I go to a store I'll be getting less for my money and carbon is out of the question, which is fine, but I'm also ending up with a pure road bike with aero bars. Not a single store I've been to here (New York City) have tri-bikes, even in aluminum, at the price point I'd be able to afford with all that it entails.

So as much as I'd like to get a fit I don't think it's going to happen unless I go for a road bike.

Just to confuse you, I am the exact same height and inseam as you and I rode a 55cm for a few years. I was always happy with the fit and handling. I recall having the saddle most of the way forward in the front mounting hole and I think a 100mm head stem.

My brother has a 53cm and he's about 5'7. I have ridden his bike without properly fitting but it just felt too small. I am now riding a 54cm classic P2 which has the same top tube length as the 55cm Talon. To be honest I just couldn't imagine sizing down to a 53cm Talon based on having ridden a 55 for a few years and now on a 54 P2.

Nick, thanks for the input!

I should add that competitivecyclist's actual tri-specific fit calculator gave me:

top tube length: 46 - 48 cm

Quite a big difference from their given TT length for a roadie. But I'm a complete newbie for tt bikes so it probably just looks odd to me.

I'd recommend the 55.

The Talon is low-stack for a road bike, even the 55 only has a 129mm headtube. Plus one thing I look at is front-center. With the 55 you might be able to avoid toe overlap, or at least it will be at a manageable level. With the 52 it would be significantly worse.

One more data point. I have the same measurements as you (height and inseam) and a 55cm was perfect. My wife had the 53 and I rode hers a bit as well. I could make it work with a longer stem but it never felt as good as the 55cm. Once I got the 55cm dialed in it was just right. You will probably be OK on either size but I really preferred the 55cm, especially on climbing and descending. It was a great handling bike on fast, curvy descents.

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Simplify, Train, Live

Thanks guys. I just placed an order. I'll try to get back and review the bike after I've had some time on it in case any other newbies or prospective buyers are interested.

I have the same inseam as you and I am 6ft tall. I have a talon in size 57. I have it set up as a road bike now and it fits very well. I used if as my tri bike for the past 5 years. I had a profile fast forward post on it and a stem flipped over to give me a little more drop at the front end and it felt pretty dialed in. I would think a 55 would fit you well. You can easily adjust by a cm or two by changing stems.

Thanks a million for your input!!!


Another couple of quick questions for anyone with patience (I'll buy you guys a drink if you're in NYC in the same bar as me at some point...:-)

- I got the tri version and want to swap to drop handlebars (with Oval clip-on bars). Am I understanding it correctly that the two main parameters are the clamp diameter (31.8) which needs to match and then the width to match my shoulders? I'm seeing stuff from 15 bucks and up, Oval Concepts, Bontrager etc. Seems fine to me...(?)

- Clearly I need shifters. The Talon has Tiagra 2sp front, 105 10sp rear (FD-4600 / um5y40a-001-00(?)). Compatibility confuses me a bit and I'm not finding docs to help me. I'm having a hard time figuring out what works. Any 105 STI 2/10speed shifters or are specific models required?

- I'll probably just bring the bike to a shop on the corner and have them assemble it and then I'll take it from there. I used to service my own bike back in the days, but this a bit different. For future tweaking and switching back to the tri-setup, apart from getting a torque wrench, anything specific to look out for?




I was looking at these objects btw:

http://www.merlincycles.com/...rs-silver-51237.html

http://www.ebay.com/...;hash=item5d56895508