Well, good question. The soloist is designed to be able to be set-up relatively steep (76 degrees); the R2.5 is pure road geometry (73 degrees). If you prefer to ride slack with short clip-ons the R2.5 would be great but if you want to get relatively steep you should probably go with the soloist.

That said I own a R2.5 and love it, but I use it only as road bike.

Oh my god, oh my god! I know this one!

Get the R2.5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you know me at all I am not one to talk up bike frames that much, but the R2.5 is one of two bikes that I would say are WELL worth the $. The other would be a Calfee.

I was going to get a Soloist but bith the delays I decided to go with the 2.5. I am VERY glad that I did as this bike is FANTASTIC! Blew me away how nice that rig is! The only way you are getting me off that frame is to pay me, and pay me well.

Was sort of assuming that if I bought an R2.5 i would need to retro-fit it to achieve a steep seat angle to make the IM run more comfortable? Maybe even change the road bars over to bar-end shifters etc?

Can this be done with an R2.5 at all, or am I just trying to create a Soloist?

Ok...I hate to say this (because I may get flamed) but here goes. I did set my R2.5 up with profile carbon-x and reversed the seat-post that came with it to achieve about an 80 degree seat angle. I was able to replicate the fit of my then tri-bike (qr tiphoon), the ride was not as twitchy as you may think. The only draw back, if you can call it that, was that I could not get the front end as low as my tri bike was set up. So long way to say yeah sure you can do it. Go for it. I second the other poster's opinion of the R2.5.

You can't road race with Hed3s....

Buy the R2.5 and use some clip-ons. Works well for all the ITU racers.

If you don't like it...I'll trade you my Soloist, just make sure it's a 54cm.

It's the same Geo (about) so all you need to do is get a different seatpost.

Gerard said on another thread that you can turn around the post that comes with the 2.5 but it's not designed that way. He said depending on the seat, whatever that means.

I'll try to flip mine soon and post back on this thread, or you could just go for a different post like the fast forward on this fine site for really far forward http://www.chucksbikes.com/store/ or the Look also on that site for more forward but not that far. Thompson makes a great straight post as well. http://www.excelsports.com/...major=1&minor=19

I'm going for the Look post. I like forward, but not that far. I have my saddle @ 5cm behind the bb right now on the standard 2.5 post. I could go about 1.5cm more but I'll wait for the Look post and set it @ about 1-2 cm behind the bb. This way I can just loosten a bolt and make it road legal without taking off the seat and flipping the post.

If you are riding in "big-slam" geometry, with some shorties, you get the R2.5 Period.

If you want a tri bike, then buy a dang tri-bike. I believe Cervelo may make one or two.

Carbon vs aluminium enter the equation at all? Just curious as to the difference going into the run from coming the Soloist vs the R2.5?

soloist ... aero trumps weight most of the time.

see what gerard had to say:

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=345437;search_string=soloist;#345437

get the black one. it's uber stealth cool. (i just like typing the meta-word, uber.)

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*****
"In case of flood climb to safety"

I think unter might be more appropriate. As in unter der radar?

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

I wouldn't always say so. Look at the terrain you ride in, look at where your key races are and then go from there. Looking at both frames geometry if you're looking at putting carbon X's on I'd plump for the full aero soloist option. Alternantively a good clip on puts the R2.5 into serious lightweight categories and on a course where momentum and speed changes this may be more beneficial.......

Aren't you supposed to be doing your thesis? Instead of wasting the taxpayers money? Oops., got to go back and talk to an aircraft!

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"How bad can it be?" - SimpleS

I've got to mark 70 papers on the design of cutlery for freakin sake !!!! Anything regarding bikes is a welcome distraction !!!!