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Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget
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OK guys/gals, please go easy on me. I searched first but couldn't find any recent posts regarding this subject.

I have reached a point where I need a new TT bike. I'm new to triathlon (2014 was my first sprint triathlon) but have successfully completed 3 full Ironmans the past 3 years. (I did race bikes for a few years in the 1990s so I'm not new to cycling). My current TT bike is not working out after 2 professional fits. My husband thinks a Cervelo P3 with the Ultegra DI2 might be a good option (saw a 2018 for $4700 online). What else is out there that you recommend within this price range? If I should spend more I need to justify it.

I am signed up for my 4th Ironman in 2019 and already have an IM picked out for 2020 when I turn 50. So it will be a bike I race and train on for a long time.

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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70Trigirl wrote:
My current TT bike is not working out after 2 professional fits.

which bike are you currently on and what's not working about it from a professional fit perspective?

Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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Does your fitter think the P3 will work for you? If so, go for it.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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A Di2 P3 for $4,700 USD is a pretty incredible value. If that is a real price, that would be my first choice. Other great value Di2 bikes around that price are the Canyon CF, Felt IA10, and Premier Tactical.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [exxxviii] [ In reply to ]
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The best bike for you - the one that fits you.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [Ksavostin] [ In reply to ]
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In this era of flexible bikes and cockpits, do you believe that only one bike can fit a person? All of those bikes are broadly configurable.

When I bought my bike, the fitter told there was only one mainstream bike that would not fit me, the Shiv. He did not explain why.
Last edited by: exxxviii: Jan 19, 19 18:13
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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Buy a closeout P2 for ~$2500. Buy a 165mm crankarm 110 BCD quarq for $600. Buy some used super aerobars (enve ses, tririg, profile aeria, etc) for <$700. Buy some HED Jet 60/90 wheels.

Come it at less than budget for a bike that's just as fast as pretty much anything out there.

Or, stretch your budget a little and get a Premier Tactical that comes with everything anyway.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [jkhayc] [ In reply to ]
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This^^. Of course OP needs a fit and a bike that fits and should do that. That aside, you should be able to get yourself a fast frame like P2, upgrade the components, get a top aerobar, add powermeter and aero wheels for $5k. I have done it.
Last edited by: DFW_Tri: Jan 19, 19 20:34
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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As that price I would go for the Andean. So much integration for the money. Plus, it looks like a $10k bike next to a P2/3
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [jkhayc] [ In reply to ]
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jkhayc wrote:
Buy a closeout P2 for ~$2500. Buy a 165mm crankarm 110 BCD quarq for $600. Buy some used super aerobars (enve ses, tririg, profile aeria, etc) for <$700. Buy some HED Jet 60/90 wheels.

Come it at less than budget for a bike that's just as fast as pretty much anything out there.

Or, stretch your budget a little and get a Premier Tactical that comes with everything anyway.

This is the way to get a great bike for this price. I bought a closeout P2 for $1975, added a Power 2 Max power meter, Hed 6/ 9 wheels and fast tires, and an upgraded base bar. You can go further and upgrade to a faster cockpit or DI2, but for under just $4k you can have something that is very good for 98.5% of all triathletes.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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This advice goes for everyone, but perhaps more so for you as you are already having fit problems... Use the first few hundred dollars of your budget to get fit on a fit bike PRIOR to buying a bike. Come away from the fit knowing your coordinates and which bikes will fit. You will want to be sure the bike you end up buying will fit you well and that is easily worth the cost of a fit.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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Your post is a little confusing...you've been doing triathlons for 4 years including 3 ironman races but you consider yourself new to triathlon...you've had 2 professional fits which didn't work out for unspecified reasons, but you are looking for advice from random posters on the internet who have zero info regarding your fit parameters. For all we know, they could be suggesting one of the bikes that already didn't work out for you.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [kdw] [ In reply to ]
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Yes, I consider myself new to triathlon when my main competitors have been doing this 10-15 years, some longer. It's all relative. 3 Ironmans isn't that much. My competitors have done up to dozens of full IMs. A friend has done over 30 IMs. Yes I still feel like a newbie sometimes. (I also learned to swim from complete scratch at age 42. I'm learning every day.)

Just looking for a few suggestions on different bike brands other than Cervelo around $5K (w/o race wheels) that any of you have had good experiences with for racing/training. Of course I'm doing plenty of research. And of course I'll have another bike fit. I just *began* looking into new bikes and was wondering what slowtwitchers might have for ideas. I live in a remote area where there is only one bike shop that sells high end tri-bikes (which I can't visit this weekend due to a huge snowstorm where everything's closed)

My current bike is a BMC Time Machine 01 (bought it used from my first tri coach). It's a great bike but due to it's design I can't get the headset any higher. I need it to be a little higher after the second bike fit. My neck still screams after 2-3 hours of riding. I can't stay aero in a full Ironman during the second half. Been to PT and done lots of upper body mobility work. And still working on my upper body flexibility as it effects my swim too.

Thanks to the couple posters with some helpful suggestions. I'll look into them and ask our local bike shop if they sell those brands when the snow stops :-)

Would love any female input on this too. Maybe I'll also post this on the women's area too.

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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Good bike fits are gender neutral. Every person will have an optimal saddle they prefer and optimal fit coordinates. Humans gonna be human.

Where are you located?

Your current bike sounds too small, and you probably need to size up, unless you’re not using the postural cues and techniques that a good fitter will coach you during fit sessions. Neck pain is usually a symptom of improper looking, not fit.

That said, and this goes for anybody really, your best bet is a closeout P2 with a primo aero bar like TriRig and some usedrace wheels or else a Tactical.

I’d be curious to see a pic of you on your BMC

Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [ericMPro] [ In reply to ]
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We are in Vermont and have a good bike fitter up here. And I'll be visiting him again. People from MA come up to get fit by him (so the rumor goes). And they are dealers in Cervelo, Parlee and Felt.

I already have race wheels

Like I said, just looking for other suggestions on bike brands/models that have brought other Ironman athletes success and comfort.

Yes my bike might be a tiny bit too small for me.

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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If they deal Cervelo then it’s an upgraded p2 all day long

Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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If front end height is an issue, then a P2, being relatively long and low, may not solve the problem. A used Shiv, being taller, might.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [FatandSlow] [ In reply to ]
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My husband is reading about Canyons at the moment :-)

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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As others said in this thread, check out canyon and premiere tactical.

IG -frebay | Strava
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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For 4-5k you can get almost any bike you want as long as you are willing to buy used. Lots of 9k+ new bikes for sale in that price range everyday on ebay, craigslist, and facebook marketplace
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [frebay] [ In reply to ]
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My husband is ready to blow the budget in a big way. I'm the accountant and trying to keep it reasonable. But let's face it a tri-bike is an investment.

But in all seriousness, the first step is a visit down to the bike shop when it's not snowing. Comfort right now is my primary goal.

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [peace242000] [ In reply to ]
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peace242000 wrote:
For 4-5k you can get almost any bike you want as long as you are willing to buy used. Lots of 9k+ new bikes for sale in that price range everyday on ebay, craigslist, and facebook marketplace


Yes I'm OK with used! Or a good close out deal like the Cervelo P3s I've seen online at a couple places.

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.
Last edited by: 70Trigirl: Jan 20, 19 7:38
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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It’s hard to beat Canyon’s prices especially when you look at what you get for the money. There’s a reason that all the top guys are riding them.

With that said, my first stop would be the local bike shops. I’d look for 2018 bikes they’re trying to dump in preparation for 2019 inventory. There have to be some good deals and perhaps you’ll find a bike you love that was unexpected.

70Trigirl wrote:
My husband is ready to blow the budget in a big way. I'm the accountant and trying to keep it reasonable. But let's face it a tri-bike is an investment.

But in all seriousness, the first step is a visit down to the bike shop when it's not snowing. Comfort right now is my primary goal.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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2019 Felt ia16 is on my shortlist. You get a very versatile frame with high end carbon for entry level money. Pick up some used rim brake aero wheels, and a tri rig front brake. eventially go di2, or tri rig front end.

I am partial the the black ia16. :-)
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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I own 5 tri bikes and the Premire Tactical is right at the top. Best bang for the buck by far. Give Dan a call. You can do Di2 and really nice wheels in that range. I love my Tactical.
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [Rocket_racing] [ In reply to ]
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Rocket_racing wrote:
2019 Felt ia16 is on my shortlist. You get a very versatile frame...

what is versatile about the Felt IA 16? It's a narrow-tall bike with a high stack proprietary stem and a high stack proprietary aerobar system. It's the definition of not versatile.

Canyon is versatile. You can fit most people's fit coordinates on two or even three different sizes of SLX. Felt definitely not.

Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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If you're looking at an as-configured-from-the-factory standpoint, and you can hit your fit coordinates, it's hard to beat a Trek Speed Concept for performance value. You aren't getting Di2 for $5k (although you might get close, if you stick with the standard color scheme), but you are getting "super-bike" frame/cockpit aerodynamics. The stock wheels aren't flashy, high end hoops, but they're decent enough. Put some fast tires on it, and an aerojacket on the rear wheel, and you have a bike can still hold it's own with any of the latest $12k+ super-duper bikes.

"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [70Trigirl] [ In reply to ]
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70Trigirl wrote:
We are in Vermont and have a good bike fitter up here. And I'll be visiting him again. People from MA come up to get fit by him (so the rumor goes). And they are dealers in Cervelo, Parlee and Felt.

I already have race wheels

Like I said, just looking for other suggestions on bike brands/models that have brought other Ironman athletes success and comfort.

Yes my bike might be a tiny bit too small for me.

If you are talking about Fitwerx in Waitsfield you really cannot go wrong there at all. Ian is probably one of the top 10 fitters in the US. Its not like you are at any risk of bad advice. Cervelo P2 and P3s are popular because it is a well tested, well documented leading bikes at the entry level. They are not only popular because of herd mentality, there is a lot to back it up....
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Re: Tri bike suggestions with $4-5K budget [ericMPro] [ In reply to ]
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ericMPro wrote:


what is versatile about the Felt IA 16? It's a narrow-tall bike with a high stack proprietary stem and a high stack proprietary aerobar system.


I had a quick look, and the pad stack adjustments are roughly 60mm for the felt, vs 90 in the canyon. reach for the pads was similar, but i am aware the stock extensions are a bit short for larger frame sizes. I was planning on a tri rig alpha one front end.

I know the iax are lower than the ia. I could not find standover numbers for the speedmax, but it looks lower. However, the speedmax bento box seems to add a lot of height to the speedmax.
Last edited by: Rocket_racing: Jan 20, 19 17:54
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