Over here in Europe only very few triathletes ride a steep geometry and despite this they do very well in the races worldwide. If you stroll through T1 in a local race the vast majority rides shallow or standard road bikes. I have the impression that it is more like a "flavour of the month" to ride more than 76 degree seat angle. There were some hot "must-have-this" bikes during the last fifteen years which are forgotten now. Me, I do ride a Trek timetrial bike and I do agree that its overpriced but besides this I'm convinced that its very suitable for triathlon.

Frank

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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain.

Regarding the "flavor of the month" thing, steep angles have been popular here in the States for at least the last 11 years that I have been racing. They may be a bit novel over in Europe, but they are tried and true here in the States.

I wonder if part of the reason for the differences in preferred geometry is the courses and the equipment rules. On really hilly, technical, urban courses where bar end shifters aren't allowed, 76 degrees or slacker makes a lot of sense. But for races with lots of flat sections out in the country like we have here in the Carolinas, steep makes a lot of sense.

I'm fortunate to have a number of bikes in my garage. 95% of the time I'll ride my tri bike with the 81 degree seat angle and bar-ends, but for the odd technical, hilly courses I'll grab my 74 degree, Ergo bike.

I would actually suspect that the european penchant to race tri's on slacker angle bikes is more related to the fact that the finest cyclists in the world all ride in that region, and they are required to ride those angles by UCI regulation.