This statement:

We designed aerodynamic caliper covers to optimize the airflow around the disc brake calipers and minimize the impact on aerodynamic performance. The result is the aerodynamic performance of our Timemachine with the benefits functional integration of disc brake technology.

They are basically saying as fast as their rim brake version and with better brakes.

Won't happen. This disc brake train is not turning around.

Back in IL, quite a few triathletes I know only had a Tri bike. Or a Tri bike and a beater road bike. So it's no wonder they're going to spend the most time training on a Tri bike, because it's their best/only bike. At the same time, I look back to some of my rides in IL and I'm only at 100-200' of elevation gain over 20-30 miles.

I suppose "being competitive" is a relative term

This statement:

We designed aerodynamic caliper covers to optimize the airflow around the disc brake calipers and minimize the impact on aerodynamic performance. The result is the aerodynamic performance of our Timemachine with the benefits functional integration of disc brake technology.

They are basically saying as fast as their rim brake version and with better brakes.

I think that there is one thing in this discussion that is still missing...that a rim brake IS a disc brake...it is just that the pads have to concern themselves with a crushing force in the middle when using rim brakes. Now if one were to be clever, then why not make the rim where you are applying the brake force into a 'non-compressible' substrate, and have a disc brake wheel with a diameter of the wheel you are riding...thus requiring less force to crank down on it, allowing some wiggle in the 'non-compressibility'...but the problem is that this would deviate from what was previously available...disc brakes are just adaptations from mountain biking, which are adaptations from the motor world. Originality in solving this 'problem' was lost!

Stephen J

Imagine that - as aero or better than the previous generation with better brakes

I dispute that they're better. I have two bikes with hydraulic disc brakes now: an F-Si with XT-M8000 brakes and a freshly built up Culprit RAD that I've been on for a few days with Ultegra R8000 brakes. Both are properly set up. IMO, neither brake as well as my Shiv with Omega X brakes, Shimano TT 79 brake levers, and Hed Jet Black rims (disc rear, 4 front).

I'm not saying that the hydraulic discs brake poorly. Not by any stretch. I'd say they are on par with a good aluminum rim brake set up in the dry and a bit better when its wet.

My comparison isn't even apples to apples either. A proper comparison would be hydraulic rim brakes vs hydraulic disc brakes (or cable vs cable).

My dream? Maybe I just don't care about bikes changing technology? It's a bike...buy it and ride it.

I have never cared that they are changing. Apparently, a lot of you do. Get over it.

then, some bold company will release a 'climbing' version of their aero road bike for some premier pro tour rider at a hilly road race or mountain stage. it will be the same bike, but with rim brakes and mech shifting - same aerodynamics, a half-pound lighter.

then, everyone will start talking about needing a 'climbing' bike, and convincing themselves that their training and racing rides are 'pretty hilly,' and then everyone will want to get the new rim brakes and mech shifting just so that they can get neutral support, and saving weight's pretty important, and etc. except now mech and rim brakes will be more expensive that discs and electro.

and a few holdouts will come onto slowtwitch and say, "now's a great time to make a killing on second-hand rim-brake wheelsets!

The braking is a little better on these hybrid wheels but not enough to drop another $1.5-2k on. The poor cable routing and compromised brakes on most TT bikes means you're starting with two strikes. At this point I am holding fast to my current Aoelus TLR 9's until next race season and I will look at the landscape then.

And discs have completely taken over every segment but TT bikes, so dumping more money into a non-disc, non-thru axel wheelset at this point isn't for me.

Note- I like road tubeless on everything as well, so I may be biased towards new shiny stuff. . .

Good for you, I guess?

I'm not saying there aren't outliers or people in CO who only own a tri bike. Perhaps if you have DI2 on the brake levers things are different, but for the majority who have mechanical shifting, a Tri bike is not a great climbing bike, given the need for frequent switching of gears out of aero, and trying to climb in aero at 10-12MPH (or slower if a super steep climb) is pretty unstable and you can't pull against the aerobars nearly as well as you can on shift levers on a road bike. It's like trying to take Prius on backcountry trail roads. It might make it, but it's not the best tool for the job. Not to mention a lot of local group rides won't allow tri-bikes for safety reasons.

Again, bike fitness is transferable. As long as you're comfortable on your tri bike and have done enough practice rides, it's not as if training on your road bike is going to take away from your Tri bike fitness. Look at the UCI world championship TT. The top guys are almost always top tier Tour guys who... you guessed it, spend most of their time training on road bikes. Looking down on someone because they train a bulk of their miles on a road bike is pretty stupid in my opinion, assuming they have a well-fitting Tri bike and do ride on occasion to get a comfortable position. If it's good enough for the pros, it's good enough for the rest of the people.

This statement:

We designed aerodynamic caliper covers to optimize the airflow around the disc brake calipers and minimize the impact on aerodynamic performance. The result is the aerodynamic performance of our Timemachine with the benefits functional integration of disc brake technology.

They are basically saying as fast as their rim brake version and with better brakes.

Congratulations, a 23:30 10mi flat/rolling TT is TOTALLY an analog for a long course triathlon bike performance. Clap clap.

I know there are naysayers on 12 sp as Campy already has it, but you will see everyone else coming out with 12 sp. Hopefully a different set of wheels from 11 sp aren't going to be needed.