i've been doing a few duathlons a year, but mostly riding with my friends on group rides, so i figured i'd check out the Soloist based on cervelo's "perfect if you ride a few time trials a year" recommendations. I tried "slamming" my road bike, but i am mega-unflexible, and there was no way i was going to run well off of the bike. Also, my front end was too high, and i'm oddly proportioned, with a long torso and shortish legs, so my seatpost was barely popping out of my lemond road bike.
anyway, based on Tom D's review on bikesportmich (can i just say, "THANKS!!"), and on everyone else's advise on this board, i got a Soloist team frameset and swapped my parts over from my road bike.
the bike ROCKS!! this is my first compact geometry road bike, and it is perfect for my proportions. i feel 'big' on the bike. not bad-big, but rather i picture myself on it like the old shots of J. Zack on his bikes looking like he could just muscle or throw his bike around at will (hope that makes any sense). the bike climbs amazingly--it's light and stiff and just flies when i stand on the pedals. by the way, i also invested in road pedals based on some of your advice on the board (Time Impact) and it was a great move--platform feels huge and it really does feel lighter. seated climbs are also very good on the bike, by the way.
i haven't had the chance to set it up with the post forward. based on some advice i got on this board, i got the syntace c2 clips in the size small (i'm 5'10, on a 56cm soloist) and they were a bit short for me. they would have been ok if i was going to ride at a true 75 degrees, but i plan on being way forward on the saddle at closer to 77-78, so i am getting the mediums in instead. should be awesome. highly scientific testing done in my basement suggests that it's going to feel great. i'll post an update when i get them in.
hopefully there's a photo attached here, but if not, can someone please fix it. it's set up with ultegra parts, easton stem/bars, time impact pedals, and American Classic CR420 clinchers (love them!). thanks for looking--just very excited to show anyone who'll look!
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/...y/files/cervelo1.asp
anyway, based on Tom D's review on bikesportmich (can i just say, "THANKS!!"), and on everyone else's advise on this board, i got a Soloist team frameset and swapped my parts over from my road bike.
the bike ROCKS!! this is my first compact geometry road bike, and it is perfect for my proportions. i feel 'big' on the bike. not bad-big, but rather i picture myself on it like the old shots of J. Zack on his bikes looking like he could just muscle or throw his bike around at will (hope that makes any sense). the bike climbs amazingly--it's light and stiff and just flies when i stand on the pedals. by the way, i also invested in road pedals based on some of your advice on the board (Time Impact) and it was a great move--platform feels huge and it really does feel lighter. seated climbs are also very good on the bike, by the way.
i haven't had the chance to set it up with the post forward. based on some advice i got on this board, i got the syntace c2 clips in the size small (i'm 5'10, on a 56cm soloist) and they were a bit short for me. they would have been ok if i was going to ride at a true 75 degrees, but i plan on being way forward on the saddle at closer to 77-78, so i am getting the mediums in instead. should be awesome. highly scientific testing done in my basement suggests that it's going to feel great. i'll post an update when i get them in.
hopefully there's a photo attached here, but if not, can someone please fix it. it's set up with ultegra parts, easton stem/bars, time impact pedals, and American Classic CR420 clinchers (love them!). thanks for looking--just very excited to show anyone who'll look!
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/...y/files/cervelo1.asp