I have a Yaqui Carbo and I own a bikeshop that does primarily triathlon bikes. I could have any bike I wanted at a substantial discount. Most companies offer 15-20% off their wholesale price as an incentive for employees to ride their bikes. I bought a Yaqui Carbo. I have ridden Ves' bikes before under a different brand name and thought they were excellent. The service I got from Ves was absolutely top-notch. I recommend them highly. Perhaps his most valuable asset is his ability to fit people correctly and accurately. I am very pleased with mine.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Tom, in your opinion, can they do a good job of fitting via their web-form? I won't be able to fly to California for a personal fitting.

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Kirby

Fly to Dearborn (Detroit) and have Tom fit you, he's the best. ;-)

I worked with Ves over the phone, via e-mail and using his form online. The results are impressive. Not only does the bike fit me perfectly, but he "built in" a substantial degree of latitude for small changes is saddle position, handlebar height, stem length, etc. Ity is a very versatile frame design. My experiences working with Ves on fitting have been excellent.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Ves did a great Job for me! I wonder how much an other Tri bike manufacturer would charge to build a bike after examining you mesurments? $1000 to stop aproduction line and change geometry so it is just right? I would guess a bit more!

M

Tom has many more credentials than I do about bikes, so I can't add anything to what he said except for my personal experience with Ves Mandaric.

It was not only enlightening and entertaining dealing with Ves, it was like talking to my long lost Yugoslavian brother that I'd never met! Not only that, but he got the bike built to fit me just right...even after I gave him a piece of fitting information that was incorrect. Ves called me on the phone and had me re-measure one of the items he wants, because it didn't mesh with what he expected after talking to me about my riding history and looking at other measurements I'd given him. So, I couldn't mess him up even by giving a wrong measurement. He patiently picked over the various options so that I'd get better equipment where it made a difference, but save a few dollars where it didn't affect performance. We even adjusted my crankarm length away from a "template value" after talking about it a while...i.e., there's more to fitting than just looking at measurements and numbers.

He set me up on a 76 degree seat tube, again, because of the care and time he spent getting to know my riding style and history. This way, I can shove the seat forward for the flatter time trials and have a steeper position, keep it in the middle for a hilly race, or slam it back if I've a mountainous race, i.e., this seat-tube position gives me some very useable options without having to put up with crumby handling at either extreme.

The bike is great on the road...I never thought I'd be able to ride a bike this light, with an aero downtube, that would be able to take the torquing I can put on a bike (I'm in the low 180's and can still bench press the mid 200's without even working out for over a year) while still feeling so solid. Is it aero? I don't know...it's tubing isn't fat, and it's downtube is downright skinny as Olive Oyl (Popeye's girlfriend), and the mono-rear carbon seat stay is flattened...it certainly LOOKS aero. Maybe Tom with have some info on that after taking his inside the wind tunnel! It's not a surprise that it is comfortable, after all, it is light, and has a carbon front as well as rear end. But, I'm still amazed how it squirts up a hill.

I'd recommend the bike, the builder, and the process to anyone that is interested. I haven't had any warranty issues, but, I cannot image Ves doing anything but exemplary behavior in case that was ever an issue.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

I have been looking at those bikes for a while and know that you all brought the topic up I'm wondering:

• Tom, how would you compare the Yaqui with a P2K, since I know you know them both. I don't think the Yaqui has the aero advantage of the P2K but sizing wise they are the same, of course the Yaqui can be custom made. Price range is about the same.
• Does the Carbon seatstay make a difference?
• For the top tube size I am looking at, 51-52cm the Yaqui comes in 650c wheels and the P2K is 700c. I know this has been discussed before but if I can fit in 700c I don't want to deal with the hassle of 650c anyway is it really going to make a difference?

Thanks.

If I may butt in, Ves said the carbon seatstays make the bike more stiff, therefore more efficient. I can tell you that when I stand up and give the bike near maximum effort up a hill, the rear end is planted solidly even though the rest of the bike is torquing. If you are strong and/or weigh more than the average stereotypical triathlete, Ves will probably suggest you go with the carbon seatstay. You just have to call him up or write him and ask.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

Not butting in at all, that's exactly what I need to hear from people who have used and tried the frame. I am assuming you ride 700c. I am not a big or powerful rider so I am not sure how useful the carbon seatstays would be to me. How about your positioning on the bike? since you have to buy the bike mail order is not like you get Ves to set your stem or saddleheight. Thanks.

Yep, 700 wheels on mine...it's a 55cm 76 degree size.

As far as positioning...you do have to know your proper seat height...Ves could probably tell you how many inches from the pedal spindle to the top of the middle of the seat that you should begin, if you don't already know.

But, the stem length is already set...it's set as a result of the fitting measurements you send to him. There is some truth that a personal preference might end up using a slightly longer or shorter stem, but not by much...and I think Ves would just swap out stems if you prefered a different length after trying the one he specs for your bike (I don't know exactly how he works this, you have to ask him). I thought I wanted a slightly shorter stem than the one he sent on my bike, but, wouldn't you know it...after putting some miles on the bike, it would have been a mistake to shorten it...it's just where it needs to be! And, he gives you a little adjustment in the handlebar height with the standard # of spacers...so you can adjust it as needed...instructions are included.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)