That's scary looking.

I would NOT want to ride that bike over any rough pavement, which is quite common in my area.

I though the max stack height was about an inch( 2.5 - 3 cm)

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Wow -- I'm not even sure how they got all that stack height out of the steerer tube. What kind of weirdly proportioned person could ride this bike?

It's a 54 cm frame so it should fit an "average" proportioned rider of 5'9"-10" or thereabouts. Looks like this P2K has been "fitted" to someone about 6'5". Must have very long legs and a short torso!

Brian,

I though you already had a new Kestrel. Don't tell me you are already being unfaithful.

This bike is a great example of how we take a really aerodynamic bike and then put a sail on it (our chest sticking up in the windstream) to make it slow. Why buy a bike meant to get really low in front if you want to sit in an armchair and kick back. Very strange.

However, before I become too judgemental, I'll have to post a photo of my beast. Some of you will think I am equally messed up.

Oh yes, the Kestrel rocketship is in the barn here. No unfaithfulness here. I just had a few moments to kill and needed some mindless decompression time so I surfed Ebay.

Dude f*ck all that, I'd buy the bike just for the Zipps + VisionTech Bar. The Chorus group alone is prolly worth more than that.

Unless that bike has been through some major crashes, I'd buy it right now (if I had the monies)

more than liley the bike is not intended to be ridden like that. Instead of cutting the steerer tube and limiting how the bike could be fitted, they left it uncut and the new buyer can now have it cut to their requirements.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

It's the bike of someone that's all legs, and very short torsoed. My bike is set up somewhat like that, but not as extreme in terms of spacers and seatpost. Not many stock bikes out there work well for that sort of body type, and if you don't have the budget for something truly custom, you adapt in ugly ways. (though for what the ebay bike owner paid, they probably should and could have gone custom)

"... if you don't have the budget for something truly custom, you adapt in ugly ways."

Actually, there are many framebuilders who can build a custom steel or aluminum frame for less than the cost of a P2K.

I don't think you even necessarily need to go custom. Cervelo bikes are much ballyhooed for their ultra-short head tubes, which allow you to get really low if you're so inclined. Many other bikes have been bashed for not having short enough head tubes for someone like Steve Larsen. However, if you're the all-legs sort, why on earth would you buy the bike with the shortest head tube in the industry? The new Treks, for example, would have been a much better fit for this body type.

To quote Tom D. "buy the bike that fits". Clearly this one did not fit this person all that well.

Our headtubes are not the shortest in the industry, Felt for example is traditionally the shortest. The CErvelo headtubes range, the P3s are pretty short but they get longer as we move from model to model. The P2K is still pretty short, the Dual a bit longer and the One a bit longer than that.

Furthermore, if this rider is long-legged and short torsoed (which we don't know, we don't even know if this bike is set up for anybody at all), but if this rider is long-legged and short torsoed, 650c wheels would not have been the way to go, same goes for the VT bars (lowest stack of any aerobar out there). I am very long-legged and short torsoed myself and use only one spacer on my bike. Just a matter of the right frame with the right stem and bars.

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Gerard Vroomen
3T.bike
OPEN cycle

Thanks for clarifying Gerard. You stated the point I was trying to make much more eloquently. I didn't mean to single out the P2K or Cervelo's as not being appropriate for long-legged folks- rather that equipment choices on the whole (of which the frame is one element) need to be considered in the context of one's unique anatomical needs.

Responding to multiple replies here. . .

While I'll grant that MP may be right, I still think this is an irresponsible setup to be showing on the bike. Unsuspecting or less experienced triathletes may just think this is a viable way to set up a bike. If they wanted to show that the steerer was uncut, that's ok. Just put all the spacers at the top and say that the steerer is uncut, waiting for proper fit to a rider. The listing actually claims the bike has been ridden, though.

It's not so much the head tube in my case, it was the struggle to find a top tube short enough for my torso. I'm just shy of 5'9", and when I was getting sized for a bike, could not get a decent elbow bend on the aerobars on a size 51 because I had to stretch out so much.

What did you end up with? (my wife is getting a new bike this winter and she is similarly proportioned to what you are describing).

Ended up with a clearance 2002 Cervelo One size 48 with a very tall seatpost and as many spacers as it's safe to put. My absolute budget ceiling was $1500, and based on what the tri-friendly LBSes carry down here (I felt I needed to buy locally because I knew I needed the LBS' help for a tricky fit) it was either the old One, Fuji Aloha, or Quintana Roo Kilo. The Trek stores down here, they sell mountain bikes and have one dusty Lemond sitting in the corner.


I ended up with the One because the shop could make it fit, and I was going to get out the door (bike, bike fit, pedals, and shoes) for about $1400. The key is working with someone who knows fit in an aero position. The only adjustment I've had to make to my bike since I've gotten it has been to move the elbow pads out a bit, and that's to accomidate a low grade shoulder problem I've developed from swimming.

Not sure how it compares to the current Dual in terms of geometry. Hey, Gerard, any chance of putting the specs up for the old One up on the Cervelo web site? It seems to be the one discontinued model you don't have specs up for.

I have asked the seller a few questions about this bike. I'm interested. No answer yet (3 days) I won't bid if I don't get sensible answers.

I'd certainly have to say that the fork stack thing looks really really stupid. Can't imagine that it IS actually set up for anyone and has actually been ridden in that condition. The aero bars? Why such low bars on such a tall stack? IF it is set up for someone, and not just a shop throwing it together to try and get rid of, why the spacers above! the stem. Bizzare man.

If it is a real bike that has actually been ridden, why not a 700C bike with larger frame? Too weird for words.

I'm looking for a 54cm P2K. Wheels are great, except I prefer clinchers (too may punctures here in New Zealand). Campy doesn't go with my current Shimnao clad bike(s) but I could live with it. Vision bars would have to go. Oh yeah, I'd simply have to get it resprayed RED. Gerard, the old P2K in RED was heaven sent. Why go to blue for gods sake?

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"