I had a Guru Cron-alu a couple of years ago and really liked it...although it was a bit heavy...it rode very well, though, and is only their entry-level bike. Their new Tri-light is a sharp-looking bike with a complete carbon rear triangle...should do well for stiffness and comfort. Of course, if you are considering a bike in that price-range, I think it would be hard to beat the Yaqui Carbo, especially if you are slightly heavier or stronger than the average rider, but, I'm obviously biased. I do think you are correct though...there are more good bikes to choose from now than say, only 2 or 3 years ago. I think now it mostly comes down to fit and price point. Geometries seem to be providing more good-handling specialty (triathlon) bikes...I think at least in part to the work of people like Mr. Empfield and Mr. Gerard of Cervelo, as well as others that are well-known for studying the subject and putting their ideas out there. Good luck in finding the right fit for you...that's still the most important thing.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

  I ride an Elite. Its not custom, but it might as well be. Elite owner David Greenfield carefully considered my mesurements when making my Magnus, and for two seasons I've been kicking ass on it. (well, not kicking any ONE's ass, but drastically faster than before.) Elites are great, handcrafted bikes, and they wont skimp on the specs. A great frame, great components and great service. ( I know it sounds like an ad, but Honestly, Elite is not paying me a dime). I dont think you can go wrong.

But I believe that Yaqui could do the same for you. Take a look around. But I promise.. you wont get the personal, continued support and service from a big company that you get from Elite.

I cannot tell you how impressed I am with Guru. We bought a number of their bikes last year and sold through them quickly. IMO no one else in triathlon is doing bikes with the degree of workmanship and the quality of materials Guru is using. The Tri-Lite uses Dedaccai U2 aluminum multishape tubing and the Black Blox carbon fiber rear end for seat stays and chain stays. This is the finest ridning aluminum triathlon I have been on from any manufacturer to date. The workmanship rivals that of the top European road frame builders: Merckx, Colnago, Pinarello and beyond. There are some very good triathlon bikes out there, but no one is using the materials, designs, workamnship and even finish quality that Guru is using on tri specific bikes. Even the best efforts from other companies are significantly more rudimentary. I fully recommend Guru as the "step up" triathlon bike that exceeds the norm for what else is out there. I am very impressed with them.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Call Yaqui, ask to speak with Ves about a bike. Tell him what you're looking for, and you may be suprised where he leads you. I just got my custom Mariola DL today - will post on how it rides this weekend. Very pleased with the service.

I have also had some great expereinces with Ves at Yaqui. his bikes are very, very good and his fitting services are even better. Based on my expereince he is excellent at fitting people who are a slightly difficult fit.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I have a Litspeed Blade and a Cervelo P3. They are both great bikes. But it seems everyone is talking about dealer satisfaction here as well as the bikes they represent. When I got my P3 I personally talked to Gerard a couple of times and also had a few personal e-mails from him. His service could not have been any better. Thanks Gerard. (I am not getting compensated in any way for this reply.)

Aloha,

Larry

U2 has a rider weight limit of 170 lbs but I don't see any warnings to that effect on the Guru webpage. Strange.

I have a custom bike built by the same guy who builds the Elites. I came up with my own geomtery for the bike, but the workmanship and tube selection are/were excellent. The geometry of the stock Elites is a little bit relaxed for my tastes, but otherwise I would highly recommend them.

"I was disappointed with the answers I got in terms of how he approached new product development and new product qualification."

i rode the trilite and really liked it a lot. very nice bike. i do have a question, tho, about dedacciai's tubeset for that bike. it appears to be their answer to easton's scandium, but i've only heard snippets about that tube's fatigue life. i've not seen anything about it, and i'd like to.

these are really thin-wall aluminum tubes from easton and dedacciai. very tweaky. a know about easton's pedigree with aluminum, but i'd like to know more about why this dedacciai tubeset is not worthy of any of my concerns.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Why think about it...we all know that any good tri bike is only a copy of a Cervelo.....





BUT...David Greenfield is a great guy with great bikes and you could not go wrong with an Elite.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Went through the same process last year. I ride a Litespeed ultimate roadbike and went w/ the Elite Razor tri bike. I can't say enough good things about the owner, David Greenfield or the bike. I increased my avg. speed on the bike on a 40k course from 21 mph to 24mph! Part of that was hard training but I think the bike and being perfectly fit helped as well. I think the Gurus and Cervelos are awesome bikes but it is nice to have a custom bike w/ custom paint for that kind of $$. You will not be dissappointed if you decide to go w/ Elite.

Basically, and I speak from experience as the former owner of Elite, most of the Tri Bikes on the market today are very well made and will serve you well. That said, FIT, is what you need to determine first and decide which stock bike or custom bike will work best for you. Am I partial to Elite, sure! They continue to make me proud. Test ride as many bikes as you can, get a reputable person to fit you and you will be ready for your new Tri Bike.

i will never purchase any road or triathlon frame other than an Elite. Fit and spec'd to perfection, i could not be happier with my road bike or my tri bike. if you have any doubts about the company or the product, please call dave at shop. (215-681-5925) i am amazed at the time he spends with each customer. he really doesn't just want the sale, he want to make sure you are both completely fit properly and happy. go with Elite and you will never look back.