I’m looking at some new bike choices for next year, and even though I know weight is not the ultimate factor in tri-bikes, it should be considered in my opinion. I hear so much about the ultralight Scott Plasma (~900 grams) and Kuota Kalibur (~1100 grams) but never anything about the Cervelo P3 Carbon frame. I can’t find a frame weight on the website either. Does anyone know?
According to the Competitive Cyclist website, a P3 with frame/fork/headset and seatpost is 2259 gm. Subtracting what they list for the weights of the fork, headset, and seatpost leaves 1300g for the frame. I don’t know what size that is in or how accurate that weight is or what the source of their information is.
I’m sure this is just one of the factors you’re taking into consideration and what I’m about to say is preaching to the choir but…PLEASE go ride a bunch of frames. You can throw about 10 top frames into a bag and they are all super light, lethally aero and beautiful. What makes the biggest difference (and there’s not even a close second) is fit and comfort. When I switched to a P3 it was almost a lifechanging experience from my pervious Kestrel. The fit was like it was made for me and I just feel pure power. My training partner got one last year and ended up bringing it back because he never “felt right” on it despite obsessive attempts to “make it fit.” He has a Colnago now and had the same experience on that as I did on the Cervelo. We are all built so much different and and have such different flexability, geometry and “likes,” that one just has to get out and test.
E.P.
P3C 2007 Size 54
Frame naked : 1235g
Seatpost collar : 22g
Seatpost : 247g
Uncut CL Fork platinum steerer : 485g
Headset : 77g
Little parts (cable guide, rear brake part, rear brake routing exit) : 16g
(The thing you can put in the unused seatpost hole : 10g)
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Uncut CL Fork platinum steerer : 485g
holy toledo! platinum steerer, that has got to be one expensive fork !
Interesting. My Hooker frame is just slightly heavier in a bigger size.
Don’t you pay your hooker enough for a decent meal?
Interesting. My Hooker frame is just slightly heavier in a bigger size.
Your Hooker is also a lot more flexible.
It’s not even close to the ultimate factor, it’s just about the last factor that you should consider unless you race frequently in the alps (even then).
The small diff in weights between top frames is absolutely meaningless. Geometry, power transfer, comfort, and aerodynamics however vary a fair bit and make much more difference. Forget about weight. This weight obsession is just silly especially for tt bikes. It’s a throw back to times when all frames were similar round tubes, and heavy. One of the few significant differences any maker could point to in the old days was weight.
I pretty much agree, but its also the only indisputable parameter that can be easily measured and is undisputably better, all thing being equal.
I can’t tell you which frame and wheels are more aero or more comfortable, or which tire and pressure is fastest without an arguement, but I’m confident that a soloist carbon is slower than a slowest carbon sl. I just don’t know by how much.
Styrrell
My old Tiemeyer weighs about 2kg bare frame. I went faster on this bike than I ever did on a P3C, Cannondale Slice, or Trek TTX. Even on courses with significant climbing.
I am in agreement that weight matters very little if at all on a tt bike.
I know weight is not the ultimate factor in tri-bikes, it should be considered in my opinion.
For TT / Tri bikes, weight should be given about the same consideration as what type of handlebar tape you use, and whether to use two 5mm spacers or one 1cm spacer under the stem.