Can't beat the Stealth in the cool factor but do realize that it has a road frame geometry which may or may not be an issue for you. I believe the Stealth that won IM Canada was rode with a forward seat post.

Hmmm, tough call, so I'll quote the party line: Get measured by a good fitter. Don;t be swayed by what "looks cool". At 6'3" and 225 pounds you have some requirements that are unique. A good fitting is going to be key. A thousand Slowtwitchers are rolling their eyes, but all I can tell you is: Stop comparing bikes, start comparing fit.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Yeah, Tom's right. Get the fit sorted out, and the bike will come. After getting sized up, and comparing my requirements with the different bikes out there, it severely limited the selection for me. For me, it was tough finding a bike with a long enough seat tube and a short enough top tube...

On an unrelated topic, Tom, what ever became of your Yaqui reviews?

It's been a rotten summer. Until two weeks ago I haven't been on a bike or written a word. I'm back though.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Thanks for the advice. Yes, fit is important, I know about Elite because Dave adjusted my current bike and I improved about 1 mph (don't know if that was because of better training or the fit, probably both). He encouraged me to look at different bikes, I looked at Kestrel, Felt, and Cannondale locally. I know the Stealth is a road bike and they offer a Ti forward seatpost. Part of my thinking is that with one bike, the road frame with the forward post would be more functional as an all around bike. Most of my biking is done with tri in mind, but I do some group riding. Coolness aside, I was wondering about carbon vs. aluminum. Any thoughts on the wheels?

Thanks again.

---

--------------------------------------------------------------------

[quote]
Part of my thinking is that with one bike, the road frame with the forward post would be more functional as an all around bike. Most of my biking is done with tri in mind, but I do some group riding.
[/quote]

Let me give you my opinion on the forward seatpost thing - I tried it on my Bianchi, and in the final analysis it was a mistake. Throws off the indended center of gravity and makes the bike more difficult to handle. Yes, you may get to 78 degrees, but you are paying a high price for it. There are a host of other things you need to be concerned with when you go to 78 degrees - like cow horns instead of drop bars (Dan wrote about that somewhere).

For what it's worth, I think I just bought the bike you are describing. My requirements were a bike that would handle well in the aero position, but also have a geometry that would be at home on the road as I enjoy group rides and I can only have one bike. The geometry is shallow (74.5 degrees), but this is a trade-off I am OK with if I am comfortable and the bike handles well. The bike is Scandium, which is supposed to be very comfortable, though I don't imagine it will be as nice a ride as a Giant composite. I haven't actually ridden the bike yet, but the builder knows his stuff and I trust it will be the ticket for me.

Oh, it's a Yaqui Mariola DL. Others own this or the Ocotillo in the DL geometry and have posted about it on the site.

I have been riding a Kestrel 200 for about 4 years for tri. Specialized Epic before that. Set up with moderate (Thomson set back flipped 180 degrees) forward post and pursuit/aero bars with sti shifters. Although this set up works fine, I decided this is the year to get a dedicated tri bike and change the Kestrel back to the bike it was designed for. By my calculations my current set up gets me to 76.5 degrees seat tube angle. I would not want to go any steeper than that due to front end stability issues. The steeper you go, the more weight you move forward. The "front-center" dimension of the typical road bike is not designed for this much forward weight without sacrificing handling performance.

A few weeks ago I test rode my first "real" tri bike (QR Caliente) and first reaction was how much slower the steering felt. This was a good thing since you could turn your head without the bike taking off on you so readily. I guess my bottom line advise is that if you can afford only one bike and go with a road geometry, don't plan on going steeper than about 76 degrees. I held off on the Caliente since I want to see what the new KM40 looks like. You may also want to check out the new Aegis T2 tri bike.

Mike

I have the Stealth and love it. I just built it this Spring while recovering from a broken clavicle. It's a great bike, but the large is about equivalent to a 58cm top tube. I think it will be too small for you.

If you're in the SF Bay Area, you're welcome to stop by and see mine (unfortunate part of buying this bike is that you can't go anywhere to look at one). I find the handlebar to seat distance (with forward post ~80° effective angle) is a little tight when climbing out of the saddle. It works fine, but I'm only 6-0.

You could conceivably throw in a longer stem.

---

Cousin Elwood - Team Over-the-hill Racing
Brought to you by the good folks at Metamucil and Geritol...

def would recommend the Elite. fit and followup is worth way more than $400 over the course of a frame. bought my first Elite 2 years ago (a road bike), that this summer i followed it with an Elite T-Class (tri bike). feels amazing, worked with David extensively before we got components so i could be totally dialed into bike.

i don't know who owns Stealth, but i'm pretty sure they wouldn't loan me a set of Lew tubulars for an IM...David and Elite did.

I'd also go for the Elite, David has been fantastic with setting up my partner, that fit is so important, and he really knows what he is talking about.

Steve

Just another note on the Stealth. It has no water bottle mounts, so your choices are NeverReach, Aerodrink or something mounted on the seat post.

Just info

---

Cousin Elwood - Team Over-the-hill Racing
Brought to you by the good folks at Metamucil and Geritol...

I would agree w/ Trinipples (!) and the others that fit and service far outweight any $400 savings in the cost of the bike. David @ Elite has an excellent reputation as a fitter, and i have seen him lending parts (and even a bike) to Elite riders in need during triathlons. My guess is he has a bike for you to try before buying, and if Im right, I would think that would help in your decision.

As a fellow 6'3 225 lb triathlete I would recomend you get into a good bike shop and get measured. Your bike fit will be important to get maximum efficiency, etc. Don't be suprised if neither product line does not match up well for you. Longer torsos limit the number of frame choices. This may be the case for you.

Keep with the Aerospoke wheels unless you are dying to spend more money. They are bomb proof and very aero. They have been around for a long time. They are heavy but anyone over 220lbs is wasting their money on ZIPP 404s or HED 3. Both great wheels but not very practical for a heavier rider. I've been racing on Aerospokes for three years and have no complaints. At IM Fl. I used an Aerospoke with a ZIPP disc. I also use Aerospokes on my Cross bike during the Winter.

Lastly, your bike choice should consider the overall stiffness/durability of the frame. At 225, you are going to put down a lot of power into the pedals (thus BB flex and general responsiveness may be an issue). My only issue with carbon is the tendency for see failures in the bottom bracket area over time. I've cracked a Kestrel and a Trek in the past two years. Since then I've switched to a Litespeed Blade and have been very satisfied.

Best of luck.

---

Ban Wetsuits !! Wetsuitsareforwimps.org/net/gov