I am looking at buying the 2014/2015 Blue Triad SL but some of the reviews I have read says it has a fairly compliant ride (specifically here: http://www.trinyt.dk/2013/01/blue-triad-sl-le-bike-review/)
I know that is an old review, but I haven’t found anything indicating Blue has made significant updates since 2012 either. I understand a compliant ride is not necessarily a bad thing, especially for long course racing, but I am concerned about having newer, wide-rim race wheels on and having to deal with brake- or seatstay rub whenever I get out of the saddle. Can anyone comment on this? Thanks
I have a 2014/2015 Triad EX. I can say that it does fall somewhere in the middle for stiffness. It’s not so stiff that I feel every bump vibrate through my body, but if I’m really pounding it, I notice a little sway in the frame, but it’s nowhere near like what the review says where the bottom bracket is “swinging like a pendulum.” I have a new set of Flo 60/90 wheels on it & my LBS swapped my brake pads from the TRX stock ones to Shimano pads to avoid any rubbing with the wider rims & I have experienced none.
This isn’t what you asked about, but it is something I do wish I realized. The bars on the integrated Aerus cockpit are not standard diameter, they are bigger. This means that a lot of BTA setups and computer mounts will not fit on the aero bars if they use 22.2 diameter clamps. I tried the K-Edge & Zipp Vulka & neither worked. It’s not a big deal as I simply rely on behind the seat bottle mounts instead and the Garmin out front mount fits & keeps my 510 visible.
If I had to do it all over again today, I would still buy the Blue because I got full Ultegra Di2 for a great price and I am very pleased with the frame.
I have a 2014 SL.
I experience nothing like the review. Stock brakes/pads with 25mm rims are fine.
Full disclosure, I am sponsored by Blue.
In the last year and a half, I’ve ridden both the 2014 and 2015 Blue Triad SL. I can honestly say, I feel that the bike is very stiff. I thought the 2014 was plenty stiff, then in Feb, I got on the new 2015 Triad SL and noticed it was even stiffer. Even though the frame looks the same as the last few years, they changed the carbon layup/beefed up the BB, so it is stiffer. I noticed it on my first ride. I’m 142 lbs, train on HED Ardennes, race on HED Stingers.
Here’s my Blue Triad SL:
http://www.tririg.com/galleries.php?id=2015_04_Pat_Evoe_Blue_Triad_SL
Thanks for the input, this is very helpful
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I have a 2012, and have not experienced any such issues, so not sure where they may have found flexing. Mine rides better than any of my last few bikes, and I’m quite happy with it.
Do any of you guys run a bta bottle setup? I have a '14 SL. It’s awesome, but the aerobars are too close to accomodate anything I’ve tried so far.
Torhans aero bottle fit tight, as Tri_rig shows in their aero testing. It’s an awesome setup. Here’s an image on the bottom of the page…http://www.torhans.com/aerodynamics.html
I have a Blue Triad and run a BTA set-up. Disclaimer: NOT sponsored by Blue though I tried really hard to be in 2014 and everyone assumes I am. Still riding it because I like the bike.
I run a zip-tied XLab cage between the bars on my 2014 and it works amazingly. What issues are you running into? (please disregard the missing aeropad. Was a casualty to Ironman Coz, as well as most of the skin on my left arm sitting/rubbing on that velcro for 4-5hours)
http://i63.tinypic.com/2bad86.jpg
The one thing I do need to figure out is which garmin mount to use. I was using the rubber banded ones but would like to opt for something more stable like the k-edge I have on my road bike.
Just not enough space bta to accomodate bracket. Thinking about stemcap cage mount.
I have the Speedfill Z4 cage and Garmin mount zip-tied between the bars on my '15 Triad SL. Works great and is quite aero snugged in next to my arms.