What would you do?
a) P2C 700 for $3000
b) P2C 650 for $3000
c) P3C 650 for $3500
I’m only 5’2" with a short inseam. Give me your choice and thoughts behind the choice. Thanks.
I would do the P2C 700, but I’m 6’4" with a long inseam and 650 wheels would just look silly. Of course what I would do isn’t necessarily what you should do.
Good luck with the new bike.
Adam
What kind of racing do you want to do?
I’m typically an Olympic distance triathlete. However, next year I will do my first IM.
BTW, all bikes listed are brand new 2007 bikes.
At 5’2, you should be on 650c wheels. You will not be able to achieve a reasonable aero position with 700c. I’m 5’10" and on the borderline between 700 and 650.
IIRC, the geometry of the P2C and the P3C are identical in the sizes you’ll be looking at. Assuming that an extra $500 doesn’t break the bank, go for the P3C.
I would go with P2C, 700c. Of course the bike must fit.
edit. at your size I would also take a serious look at the QROO Lucero. Just an idea.
Ditto what Jason in Halifax said…you should not even be considering a 700c bike based on your height! Unless you don’t mind being in a pretty upright position. I think either cervelo would work in 650c. Of course, try the bikes first and get what’s optimal but assuming that would naturally fall in the 650c category. Good luck
-650c
-P2C if you get on one and can can’t comfortably run the aerobars without any or minimal spacers under the stem
-P3C if you get on one and can comfortably run the aerobars without any or minimal spacers under the stem (P3C’s headtube height is lower)
-P3C if you don’t give a rat’s ass that STrs will make fun of a bunch of spacers under your stem and you just want the fastest bike of the two.
-whichever color you like better
Check out Slowman’s article for the smaller triathlete and some of the articles in the tech centre
Recommend you go for 650 wheels and also check out Kestrel. For the smaller athlete they do a slightly better job that Cervelo of addressing your needs to get in a forward, position with correct geometry.
What frame size are you looking at? 48cm or 51cm?
I have a 51cm p3sl in 650c and a 51cm p3c in 700c. I’m not finished dialing in the p3c yet. It was a recent purchase. I like having the ability to interchange wheels with my road bikes (for different training rides). I also like that there’s a whole new world of equipment choices with regard to wheels, tires and tubes in the 700c world. Did you know you can’t buy a latex tube in 650c? Nobody … I mean NOBODY makes them. And the tire choices are extremely limited.
I did 70 miles at a fairly hard pace on the P3C yesterday and, aside from a saddle issue I need to work out, I felt way less beat up than I would have on my aluminum p3sl. The smaller 650 wheels contribute to getting beat up a little more on harsh roads and the course I rode had some harsh roads.
Regarding how low you can go … I’m set up pretty aggressively (my photo postings on ST always get pretty good reviews). The difference between the P3C and the P3sl as far as how high I am comes down to a half inch. The bottom bracket is about 1/2 inch higher. My saddle is a half inch higher. My elbow pads are 1/2 inch higher. That’s all. No big deal.
All that having been said in favor of the P3C 700, I truly believe the P3sl 650 is the faster bike. I know it wasn’t one of your choices, but it may point to the 650c P3C or P2C being your better choice IF … you’re more interested in sprints or shorter races where long hours in the saddle aren’t as important. I also think the smaller wheels climb better and from what little I understand about physics, I think “moment of inertia” considerations bear that out. So shorter, hillier rides would point to 650 wheels and longer, flatter courses might point you more towards 700c.
I know this is all very subjective, but I have direct experience with both.
One last thing I’ll say … a 650c disk wheel doesn’t seem like a big deal at all. When I picked up a 700c disk and mounted it on my new bike for the first time, I felt like I was attaching an anchor and chain. And that’s the way it felt going uphill. My 700c Renn 575 feels like it weighs a TON compared to the 650 version.
When I bought the new bike, I planned to sell the P3sl. Not anymore. I’ve concluded that there are horses for courses and courses for horses, as they say. Hey … why don’t you buy one of each? 
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But race wheels are so much easier to find on eBay in 650. I hadn’t thought about the tubes. That’s a bummer.
But race wheels are so much easier to find on eBay in 650. I hadn’t thought about the tubes. That’s a bummer.
Another reason I decided to keep the old bike for now.
.
All good stuff. However, with one Google search I was able to find 650 tubes relatively easy in seconds:
http://biketiresdirect.com/search_results.asp?kw2=michelin+tube&x=6&y=11&gclid=CNXYk4D2to4CFSCTWAodt090wg
He said Latex tubes.