Nothing but looks....if you like the look

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I used to ride Softride ages ago and loved it. Now, keep in mind that it was set up perfectly for me so that was a contributing factor for me loving that bike.

There was a big discussion on this amongst many of the pros, in the late 80's and early 90's!!

A couple folks liked the suspension aspect, especially if they had bad backs. I'm not sure how modern beam bikes work, do they still have that suspension, and if so, can it be adjusted? I think that is the true benefit, if you actually need it. Of course in the old days, those bikes were more aero I bet, but compared to today's bikes, probably a wash on most top brands. I tried one of the old ones, I didnt like the bouncing around, it interfered with my pedal stroke and that was that. Probably not a fair trial, and Jurgen Zack set a few records on his, so didnt seem like it slowed you down..

 

I like the aesthetics of beam bikes except the Cervelo P5X. I owned a powerwing and a TT7. I found the bubbas asking 'how much did that thing cost'? and then responding 'I didn't pay that much for my: house, truck, wife, etc. annoying.

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Once, I was fast. But I got over it.

And they look damn ugly to me. I feel sorry for people riding them sometimes. You pay a ton and look ugly. WHY?

Going to help you out here, since some other posters are likely to mislead you.

There are multiple reasons to use a beam rather than a traditional double diamond design, but not all of them apply to all designs.

1. Comfort from some level of flex.

Even the most rigid beam bikes handle (and transmit) the road and vibrations differently than a traditional design. The Kestrel Airfoil had a similar effect as well. Softride obviously had the most flexible design (the Classic was always too much bounce for me when tuned to my actual weight, but I just sized up to a beam for a heavier rider to tune it), but the Rocket TT and FasTT were both great.

2. Aerodynamics

They aren't specifically more aero than other designs, until they are optimized to the same level. The older Zipp model was very good for me, but wasn't necessarily great for every rider. I have very long legs and ride very steep, so there were instances where a large portion of the beam was completely hidden when I was riding at > 5 degrees YAW. It sailed like no other.
I also have a Pearson custom that is pretty special in this category, but I did some of that aero-ing myself. It's in the same range as an Omni or a P5 O.G.
See the P5x aero shootout for more on how aero a beam bike can be.

3. Storage

Since there are less total tubes, you can (and most likely will) make the tubes you do have quite large. That means your storage is internal instead of hanging off in an un-optimized position.

Feel the exact same way about Felt and Cervelo. Damn ugly and way overpriced. Luckily am very happy with my Dimond :)

The comfort of a beam is significant in my limited experience (p3c to Ceepo). Given I also had the added comfort of a vertically compliant fork as well but overall I could eat little bumps and cracks much better than on my Cervelo.

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Benjamin Deal - Professional - Instagram - TriRig - Lodi Cyclery
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The two "original" beam bikes (softride and zipp) came at it from different perspectives.

Softride was all about comfort, and there was a lot of bounce. There are still riders with back issues that swear by beam bikes to keep them riding (they are the Hokas of bikes).

Zipp was all about creating a more aero frame by eliminating the seat tube and stays. Diamond is basically the reincarnation of this.

The final advantage is that they just plain look cool and stand out from the crowd.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
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I did a few short rides on a Dimond and I did notice the comfort was better, less shock, and yes was using the same wheels/pressure as comparison. Very good build quality too IMHO. Only downside I see is that you need to go with their top model, the marquise, to get internal storage, so $$. But if thats not an issue, I think its a great bike.

I got my first Dimond Brilliant about five years ago and once built I rode down the road and couldn't believe the dampening effect of the beam. I was looking for rough road to ride over as it just takes the harsh edge off anything and is so much of a pleasure to ride. As soon as the Marquise came out I had to have one and I look at all the bikes out there but I love the ride quality of the beam bike and the features the Marquise has to offer like the built in bento and tool compartment into the frame. Bikes are each to their own and what people find sexy varies greatly. I would be lying if having a bike that stands out to others and is visually appealing to me doesn't factor into to why I got the bike in the first place but the ride quality is what is will make me buy the next reincarnation of Dimond to come out after the Marquise.

https://www.slowtwitch.com/Products/A_very_bright_Aussie_Dimond_7171.html

I still have/love my 2001 Softride classic TT. I hardly ever ride it, but I can't bring myself to get rid of it.

Benefit is definitely comfort. It is heavier than other bikes of its era, and it is a bit of a pain to climb on out of the saddle (the beam hits my thighs). And 650c tires/wheels/tubes are hard to find now.

I have a pretty smooth pedal stroke so the bouncy nature that others complain about was simply never an issue for me. At one point I had PowerCranks on it, so I was more or less a caricature of every late 1990's cycling fad. Still... fond memories.

I think every generation of cyclists will "discover" beam bikes, the way every generation of teenagers manages to "discover" Jimi Hendrix.

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-Mark Rebuck, http://www.markrebuck.com/

When I talked to Ben Hoffman at Kona he said one of the reasons he chose to ride the P3X over the P5D was the comfort of the little bit of give in the beam.

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Let food be thy medicine...

Did the fellow you spoke with at the race (assuming Galveston 70.3?) happen to have a glorious beard? If so, I might know who that was! :) Beam bikes are hotly debated here. You have people that love them and hate them utterly. I don't think there is anything definitive that one frame design is completely superior to the other in all circumstances. Also, no two beam bikes are alike. The P5X is much stiffer than the Dimond, for example, because it is a one piece design whereas the Dimond is two. Some folks I've talked with (again, anecdotal) said that they feel like they lose power when climbing on the Dimond because of the flex while others set the fastest times on hilly courses. I had the unique experience of riding a 2013 P5 on the same course as I did my Dimond for the same distance, in a race. Times were similar (as were the conditions, almost windless both times) with the P5 having a slight edge. I used the same tires and basic set up. What I did notice is that I felt quite a bit less chip seal on the lovely Texas country roads on the Dimond than I did on the P5 (same tire pressure).

Again, this is one man's experience. I strongly suggest that if you're interested in a beam bike you get out and experience one (or a few) for yourself. You might be one of the folks that falls in love with them and fits well or you might not be. No set of opinions on this forum will be able to tell you which side you'll fall on.

If you want an aero generalization, aero beam bikes that are extremely well designed (this is an essential a detail) can be more aero than otherwise comparable traditional diamond aero frames.

But there is big caveat about this difference, this is with a rear disc wheel on both bikes (both the beam frame and the diamond frame). With a rear spoked wheel (including deep rim aero wheels), then the diamond frame can be faster, or the difference between the two frame designs is a wash ...

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Hey dude! That was you!

Thanks a lot for your input. I don’t know how interested I am in one. I am happy as could be with my tactical. At Waco 70.3 the sponsoring bike shop had the new PX series on display next to a P5 disc. Both gorgeous bikes in their own right... i window shopped them both for about 30 min and was trying to come up with a reason to get the more specific PX.

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80/20 Endurance Ambassador

This is one area that doesn't get enough attention with the Dimond Marquise. I believe most of the ST crowd does an okay job of not hanging a load of stuff off their frame and into the wind, but the general IM population sure loves to do it. It's a rarity NOT to see a super bike with bags, mounts and gels everywhere.

There's TWO storage spots in the Dimond Marquise frame. One way down low that carries all the basics and one up high that's as larger or larger than most bento boxes. Super clean. I don't own a Dimond nor work for them (But I saw that sales engineer position in the forum!), but I think they are one of the most impressive long course frame options due to the integrated storage.

I've had my Marquise since Feb 2016. Ride quality is amazing! Storage is somewhat tight compared to some of the other options out there but still very manageable. I've had people riding around me looking for any sign of flex while climbing and no one has noticed any discernable flexing of the frame. This might be because I am not that heavy (~150 lbs) but I have watched others and haven't seen any flexing of the frame. Usually I notice wheels flexing before a frame these days. I have noticed at a training camp that it is not a dead sprint bike. It has too much dampening to beat a traditional bike however over the course of IM Canada this year the bike was utterly sublime.

I even use it on my trainer. Using TJ's attachments you can set up on any traditional trainer (essentially bolt seat on seat stays). Just make sure your skewer is slightly larger. Would love to upgrade to the disc version but...like anything else wants versus needs.

I hear ya on the wants vs. needs. I talked to TJ about a frame only last year, but it turned out I needed to spend 20k on my house and wanted to upgrade a perfectly fine 2014 Time Machine.

Same. Need to fix the broken drain pipe beneath the foundation in the spare bathroom. Want to upgrade my perfectly fine Marquise frame with the disc version.

Who is the only person to win Ironman Hawaii on a beam bike?

just isolate the water to that part of the house and put caution tape over the door to that bathroom. upgrade bike. situation solved.

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80/20 Endurance Ambassador

IDK today's beam bikes being on par with a P5-6. Probably a touch behind. They are fine, not great. Yours may be great but I'm not giving up my Scott Plasma 3 premium for a beam bike anytime soon, at least not from the aero side of things

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
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Not at 0 or 5 or 7.5 degrees, but maybe at 12.5 and 15. Depends on the conditions.

Honestly I don't think anything sails the same as the Zipp. I love beans, but each one has a relatively narrow niche.

The P5 is relatively wide. It is great in a majority of situations. Omni is good across lower yaw. Beams of various sorts rule above 10 degrees along we other the Felt IA.

Horses for courses.