Best bike at Kona

Oct 17, 05 14:36

Post #1 of 23 (4926 views)

Forget about Cannondale, Cervelo, QR, Kestrel, Kuota, et al., none of them can touch Cheetah's record - 7 wins (6 Badmann, 1 Bowden) and 1 2nd (Badmann).

I do not know if Natascha is sponsored by Cat/Cheetah but she has been racing on the same bike for a long time with no visible changes to bars/fork/frame. Pretty impressive, considering the changes made by other bike mfrs. in the interim.

It cracked me up listening to Paul Huddle and Paula raving about Natascha's bike on the Ironmanlive show like they had never seen it before.

Given this most impressive record, why aren't more people riding Cheetah's? Cost? Sizing? Lack of dealers/distributors?

Dean Wilson
www.anaerobiczone.com

Dean Wilson
http://www.anaerobiczone.com
Bicycle Protection Indoors & Out

Re: Best bike at Kona [isbr] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 14:38

Post #2 of 23 (4915 views)

Yes, she is most definitely sponsored by CAT.

To answer your question -- D) All of the above...

"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Re: Best bike at Kona [isbr] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 14:41

Post #3 of 23 (4895 views)

They are expensive, $8500 for a complete bike $6500 for frame.

They are not in any local shops and they only come in 650 wheels.

http://www.catbikes.ch/

Re: Best bike at Kona [konaby2008] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 14:43

Post #4 of 23 (4862 views)

I believe you also need a special case... Something Scott will need to address with the new Plasma... Unless Konaby2008 wants to give a lesson in cardboard artistry.

"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Re: Best bike at Kona [konaby2008] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 16:49

Post #5 of 23 (4674 views)

actually a little less than that 8500 SFra for the bike and 6090 SFra for the frame. at an exchange rate of $1.00 to 1.3 SFra, this would be $6,538 for the complete bike and $4,685 for the frame.

Re: Best bike at Kona [Rappstar] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 16:56

Post #6 of 23 (4637 views)

" D) All of the above... "

Another barrier is you have to invest in your own private traveling bike mechanic. Cool bikes, but there are so many propriatey parts on the CAT bikes they are hard to work on, take apart and put together. I once watched the boys at Bike Barn working over Lori Bowden's old Cheetah before IMC one year. No easy job and they had three of the best Bike Mechanics in the province working on the bike!

Fleck

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: Best bike at Kona [Rappstar] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 17:09

Post #7 of 23 (4586 views)

Quote:

Unless Konaby2008 wants to give a lesson in cardboard artistry.

I think that I will retire from modifying cardboard bike boxes. I'm just glad my bike made it back in one piece.

BTW on the cheetah website they recommend transporting the bike in a nylon bag.

Re: Best bike at Kona [isbr] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 18:59

Post #8 of 23 (4353 views)

I thought the in frame hydration was interesting ... was that new for this year?

-------------
"Knowledge is good" - Emil Faber

Re: Best bike at Kona [Strider124] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 19:36

Post #9 of 23 (4280 views)

Nope, same bike all these years. It also has hydraulic brakes if I remember correctly.

Dean Wilson
www.anaerobiczone.com

Dean Wilson
http://www.anaerobiczone.com
Bicycle Protection Indoors & Out

Re: Best bike at Kona [isbr] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 19:46

Post #10 of 23 (4241 views)

Everything on her bike has been the same in years past, except I do not recall the grip-brakes. I saw them on some male pro also, but I do not remember these in years past. Hmm.

Reverend Dr. Jay
Lake of the Pines Triathlon fastest bike course record holder - Golden State Super Sprint fastest tri course record holder - Wildflower Long Course slowest run course record holder (4:46:32)

"If you have a body, you are an athlete." -Bill Bowerman

Re: Best bike at Kona [isbr] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 21:11

Post #11 of 23 (4139 views)

I think this is a replacement bike. There was a lot of talk at Wildflower this year about her bike getting broken by the airline.

Dave

Re: Best bike at Kona [Hinds57] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 22:47

Post #12 of 23 (4056 views)

I was not aware of it being damaged. If so, she got an exact duplicate.

Dean Wilson
www.anaerobiczone.com

Dean Wilson
http://www.anaerobiczone.com
Bicycle Protection Indoors & Out

Re: Best bike at Kona [isbr] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 22:57

Post #13 of 23 (4037 views)

Yes, she said her bike was broken.

Yes, appears to be the same one

Yes they are expensive

Yes you can order one.....3 month wait.

Fleck is correct. this is like tuning up a ferrari. Very intricate.

Lori claimed to love hers.

They are heavy, Maybe thats why it was "broken" at wildflower.

Push your Passion!

Re: Best bike at Kona [dustytri] [ In reply to ]

....

Oct 17, 05 22:58

Post #14 of 23 (4033 views)

they are certainly not heavy...they have a model at under 8kgs with aero wheels and aero bars...

Re: Best bike at Kona [Francois] [ In reply to ]

Oct 17, 05 23:05

Post #15 of 23 (4024 views)

I think you may want to contact the builder.

I can only use the info they gave me!

Push your Passion!

Re: Best bike at Kona [isbr] [ In reply to ]

Oct 18, 05 0:08

Post #16 of 23 (3975 views)

In Reply To:

Forget about Cannondale, Cervelo, QR, Kestrel, Kuota, et al., none of them can touch Cheetah's record - 7 wins (6 Badmann, 1 Bowden) and 1 2nd (Badmann).

Dean Wilson
http://www.anaerobiczone.com

I've never seen a bike win a race. I always thought it was the athlete who had to pedal fast for any forward movement?

Frank

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.

Re: Best bike at Kona [dustytri] [ In reply to ]

....

Oct 18, 05 5:41

Post #17 of 23 (3738 views)

I know him and diane his wife. they have a really light model. each time there is an expo on a euro im, theyhave it...REALLY light

Re: Best bike at Kona [isbr] [ In reply to ]

Oct 18, 05 5:50

Post #18 of 23 (3693 views)

I got passed by a guy riding a Cat Cheetah at the inaugural 1/2 IM Florida. I sped up to pass him a couple of times and then let him re-pass just so I could get a better look. Pretty cool bike. I wasted a lot of energy doing that, but it was worth it.

Re: Best bike at Kona [konaby2008] [ In reply to ]

Oct 18, 05 6:19

Post #19 of 23 (3620 views)

you mean the beam wasn't carry on??

http://www.endurancesports.ca
Coaching and Training Camps

Re: Best bike at Kona [Zulu] [ In reply to ]

Oct 18, 05 6:55

Post #20 of 23 (3510 views)

Since you came after I arrived, and you left before I packed. But the way that I had to pack the bike in the box was super ugly. I'm surprised that Mr. Rapp didn't make fun of me more for the packing disaster.

Re: Best bike at Kona [isbr] [ In reply to ]

Oct 18, 05 7:10

Post #21 of 23 (3460 views)

I think it was in 2004 that her bike was wrecked right before Wildflower. She raced on a Griffin there, and still kicked butt if I remember correctly.

I have heard that Scott is definitely planning on selling a custom travel case for the new Plasma, due to that mast sticking up. I imagine that won't be too cheap though!

Re: Best bike at Kona [isbr] [ In reply to ]

Oct 18, 05 7:29

Post #22 of 23 (3391 views)

I still like the Lotus better. BTW, what was Larson's bike split the year he rode the Lotus?

Dave in VA

Re: Best bike at Kona [Uncle Phil] [ In reply to ]

Oct 18, 05 8:08

Post #23 of 23 (3301 views)

"I have heard that Scott is definitely planning on selling a custom travel case for the new Plasma, due to that mast sticking up. I imagine that won't be too cheap though"

More complications and costs for this sport. It seems to never end!

Fleck

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

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