DashLash wrote:
Slowman wrote:
SBRcanuck wrote:
Agree, yes, it is def an extra spend in the order of 1k when buying a felt frameset/bike if you want the different front end.
If buying a QR frameset, it doesn't come with bars, so you have that spend there too, but I agree their complete bikes have more up to date bars.
I'm looking at disc brake bikes and have owned a felt in the past, comfortable with the fit, and there are some good prices on 2020's. Thinking of going that direction knowing that if down the road I get frustrated with the bars for any reason, I can swap them out even if it'll cost some $$.
the felts are certainly rideable now. i guess i just see some folks on the front page noodling tri bikes now and who're making decisions that cause me to scratch my head. or, they're using data and metrics that aren't valid in real life. most of these retul reports are very helpful in identifying fit coordinates, but are wildly off the mark in bike prescription.
I 100% agree with you Dan and I do not think you are calling me out, however of the course of some years my fit has evolved as I've become more flexible (lower) which may be the reason I have become more "squashed?". In the instance of my Felt, I was fitted and then purchased the bike according to coordinates; not the other way around. Past three fits on this bike have been from a FIST and Retul fit "expert" (I use that term loosley).
What I gather from my original question, it does not seem that I am missing much in the way of aerodynamics with my current bike setup. There are some draw backs to the 2016 Felt IA as there are no down tube bosses, internal hydration, internal flat kit storage, etc that the modern "super bike" has. I guess therein lies the question; if you are smart about the setup does it still equate a modern integrated bike? A question I'm still searching for.
the first truly fully integrated tri bike, in my opinion, was the 2011 speed concept. this was the first bike where you didn't see wires leading around the frame, gels taped to the top tube, tubes and inflators external, pretty much everything was integrated. that set was a groundbreaking bike.
however, i think some brands have taken integration to absurd levels, and when the bike is just not even adjustable anymore, that's absurdity. when you talk about geometry, here's what's happened: frames have come toward each other. so, frame stack/reach is no longer the driving metric, because all the bikes in your size are close to a mean. the huge difference in bikes is in adjust ability of your bike's front end and i mean:
1. height
2. length
3. the increments in height and length
4. tilt
5. pad width
as long as you just choose the right frame size, the bike is going to handle fine, regardless of which among the bikes you're looking at (that have been mentioned on this thread). also, they're all going to be reasonably aero, and have pretty good storage capacity. you may well be fine with a felt IA if the price is good because you know you're going to switch the front end out anyway. the more important point is that this is a great time to buy, and i saw a shop close its doors today because they just couldn't get supply. imagine this. 2 pieces of news today. first, bike industry imports up like 20 percent year over year. second, shop closes because it can't get shipped product. the way both these can be true at the same time is that the suppy chain has been exhausted.
tri bike sales lagged, because there's no reason for a tri bike if there's no race. however, the parts that go on tri bikes are the same parts that go on all bikes. so, brands are trying to move out the 2020 bikes that didn't sell, but once those bikes are gone, fat chance you'll see a lot of stock on 2021 bikes, come march/april. we're going to go from glut to empty shelves in 7 months. you have a good problem, choosing now among bikes that are at a great value. you almost can't go wrong.
Dan Empfield
aka Slowman