I still like my P2SL. It's an '05 (I think). A few things have changed since this pic (bars are different, seat is further forward, different cranks and pedals, bta bottle for races). I keep thinking that I'll replace it, but then I take a look around and wonder "why??"

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

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2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

2 years ago, the British 10 mile TT champs were won on a TTX.

It’s more important to get a good aero position and kit than the frame. A nice aero frame helps, but most of the options you stated would be fine.

Very roughly, the original Speed Concept marks the point where frames stopped getting notably quicker. So anything that was good in 2011 won’t be slowing you down.

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Developing aero, fit and other fun stuff at Red is Faster

If you want to also race in UCI TT, make sure the bike is UCI-legal. However, that is more likely as you go back a few years-- it was less common to have the >3:1 aspect ratio tubes and bars back then.

Many old bikes are very good. I think there is more parity today than there was 5 years ago, though. If you look back to around 2010, I think Cervelo's P2 & P3 variants may be significantly better than others.

n=1, I have a 2008 Cervelo (carbon) P3 that I've been quite happy with. I imagine that a comparable used bike would be relatively affordable.

I'm usually top 3-4 in cat 3's, so I can't be a complete brick in the wind on it at least.

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All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. ~Gandalf

I had a 2006 P2 that I loved but sold because the cables had cut into the frame. If that hadn't happened I would probably still be riding it today. I bought the P3 which was basically the same bike. I think you can go back 10 years almost but make sure to inspect the joints and frame for cracks, corrosion, etc. If that doesn't I would say go for it.

The original P3c is the benchmark. Anything older than that is an aero brick and should be upgraded.

For the triathlon history buffs. Who did this bike belong to?

I was wondering the same, I can get a pretty good price on a 2010 Cervelo P3 with Zipp 808s andfull Campag Record.

Just not sure if a 2010 is too old. My current bike is a 2015 Canyon Speedmax Al 8.0 (the cheapest they made), I could sell it and not spend much more to get the p3...

Steve Larsen

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/....._P2242241/?page=-1

Thanks for the info so far. Now to find a good deal...

So is the TT bike more about getting you in a good position than the actual frame being aero, or both(i assume some of both)?

Is Ebay the best place to look?

perty

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36 kona qualifiers 2006-'23 - 3 Kona Podiums - 4 OA IM AG wins - 5 IM AG wins - 18 70.3 AG wins
I ka nana no a 'ike -- by observing, one learns | Kulia i ka nu'u -- strive for excellence
Garmin Glycogen Use App | Garmin Fat Use App

That's one sexy bitch there.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

I have an old aluminum P3 (circa 2004?) and, set up properly, I'd bet it's still faster than many bikes currently being sold. I upgraded to a P4 because I got a smokin' deal on a frameset but I wouldn't hesitate to race an aluminum P3. They can probably be found for <$500.

The P2c and P3c are pretty fast bikes and there are a ton around. Specialized Transition is fast as well. I figure 700-800$ is a pretty fair price with 10 speed and training wheels. For a bit more you could upgrade to a first generation Speed Concept, say1200-1500$.

eBay may be ok for the bike that were popular and people are trying to clean out the basement and make some cash. There is, however, a ton of stuff that is way over-priced and just gets re-listed all the time. Why anyone thinks a used bike is worth as much as you can get new bike on sale is beyond me.

I've bought 2-3 bikes from Cragis list - more of an old-school shake the hand of the guy you buy it from. Another big option is Pros Closet who specialize in used bikes. Started as a clearing house for pro roadies who would sell some of their freebies , but now it's pretty much all comers. pros closet is on E-Bay.

I would avoid any used bikes with funky proprietary headsets / brakes...some can be hard to work on and if it's hard to work on it probably wasn't maintained very well. Again - all signs point to a P2/P3...

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" I take my gear out of my car and put my bike together. Tourists and locals are watching from sidewalk cafes. Non-racers. The emptiness of of their lives shocks me. "
(opening lines from Tim Krabbe's The Rider , 1978

If going for a P3c the 2011/2012 years have the P4 fork.

I have an '05 Quintana Roo Lucero. I haven't done a triathlon for a few years but would have absolutely no concerns about racing on it again and having my competitiveness being limited only by my fitness, not the bike. I've got a good body position on it which in my view is where 90% of the gains come from over a road bike position, and it ticks off the basics like having internal cabling and a clean cockpit. Add in deep wheels, and smart choices on clothing, tire selection, helmet, hydration, etc and I really doubt I'd be giving away that much to somebody on a modern superbike. Thanks to the position alone I get a significant speed boost over my road bike, which is a 2016 Canyon Aeroad with one-piece cockpit and Di2 so pretty cutting edge.

Bigger concern I always have is the condition of secondhand bikes. You never really know how they've been looked after, so worth getting somebody to properly check it over if you don't know how to do so yourself. Even if the frame is OK, worn out drivetrain can end up costing a surprising amount to replace - a friend recently thought he'd picked up a secondhand bargain but ended up spending as much again as virtually all the components needed replacing.

It is both. The geometry of a TT bike is very different from a road bike in order to get you into an ideal position. Then, a good TT bike will be a lot more aero than comparable road bikes.

IMHO, eBay is probably the last resort for a good used bike. I like craigslist. The eBay exception is The Pros Closet... They are a seller that has a very good reputation for used bikes.

If one lives in or near a metro area it amazing what can be found in some shops as consignment bikes. My B10 will soon be on consignment from the shop I upgrading to a new IA and in that shop there are several barely used bikes at very low prices in comparison to new. There is a Felt AR that has never been used by the owner because he ended up with a significant health issue while the bike was being built up. It is a couple of thousand less than new. I know of several shops in this city that have very nice consignment bikes available where you can put your hands on the bike, look it over good and take it for a spin. I am also choosing to use consignment because I don't want to have to meet with people at various times and I don't want to fool with shipping. Anyone local that is interested in consignment bikes can visit at their convenience and the safety of the bike shop.

My old B10 that will be going for less than $1K (I will be happy to get 600 so I am not sure what the shop owner will put on it for his cut) has SRAM Red and is I great shape. I set some PRs on that bike recently and on Sunday it was cruising so nice I started to think how stupid it was to buy a new bike. IMO - my engine needs far more improvement than the bike I am riding.

Edit: I forgot to mention that I bought the B10 frame years ago on consignment from a fitter/mechanic shop. The owner gave me a very discounted price on building up the frame, discount components and a pro fitting.

I have a friend who still rides one. Placed 2nd in his AG in Timberman, 4th or 5th in Tremblant, one of the fastest bike splits of his AG. So in my book, it works.

Now, yeah, maybe he would have won his AG in Timberman with a carbon superbike. Or maybe not. Who knows.

When the P5 came out, in 2012, early windtunnel tests indicated the P4 was faster. The basic design of the P5 hasn't changed, so I'm going to go ahead and claim that the P4 is still a pretty competitive bike. First sold in 2009. Make of that what you want.

And on top of that: the main cause of aerodynamic drag is the sack of water, fat, and muscle occupying the saddle. A TT/tri-bike's job is to optimize the drag of said sack. Once that is optimized (also using clothing and helmet), the drag of the bike itself and its components (wheels) becomes relevant. That is to say that a bad-fitting bike with superior aero numbers will be slower with you on board than a well-fitting round-tube alu bike.

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Citizen of the world, former drunkard. Resident Traumatic Brain Injury advocate.

Same vintage P2SL for me (does yours have the official Slowtwitch approval label on the seat tube?).

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Yup! :-)

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

qualified twice for ITU worlds on a 2005 aluminum Cervelo Dual, still riding it, have not persuaded myself a newer frame would be significantly faster.. maybe a superbike in the case of a lottery win.

I'd have great confidence in any Cervelo P(n) bike, alu or carbon, from any time since they came on the market. For other frames I'd need to be persuaded with actual aero data. For example Pro Bike Closet has Guru, Jamis etc frames but there's no good data on those..