Just got back from Interbike and all the AERO-ware that is out there right now. Can’t help but remember the early/mid 90s and the heyday of Aero then. So, question is, and it’s a REAL question – what are the thoughts on the Cervelo P3C (best ever TT bike?) vs the Zipp 2001? Most aero? Stiffest? If it weren’t for the UCI rules being written to outlaw certain types of aero development, Zipp would still be making bikes, right?
so you went to interbike and didn’t even notice the P4?
I’m referencing the P3 since it gets touted as “the best” and the P4 is, as of yet, untested. I did see the P4 and wasn’t as blown away as I had hoped. Nice icing quote!
I’ve talked to the guys at Zipp. They have an old 2001 sitting in the entry at their office in Speedway Indiana.
One of their engineer’s has seen it in the wind tunnel and says he would take it with a sub9 and 808 front over anything on the road even with the 8spd DA on it.
Saw the P4 at Interbike… NOT impressed. Good luck taking the “aero bottle” out while riding.
matt tanner
funkmaster fresh
Aero-wise, it’s probably pretty much a wash. However, a P3C would be stiffer and more user-friendly.
A friend of mine has one (rode it at Kona in the mid 90s). I haven’t ridden it, but he says it is a noodle–a fast noodle, but a noodle.
I have a 2001 and loved it. I rode it at Ironman in the 90s and I do not think that it is a flexy noodle. The 2001 is very fast but to compare it to the current crop of aero superbikes is really unfair. The 2001 was product of early 90s aero/industry technology. It was not very light (boat anchor actually) and did not have the benefit of todays aero tweeks. I now ride a Felt DA and it is not even close in the DA s favor. While the 2001 is indeed a very fast bike and was way ahead of its time my DA would easily walk away from it. Now if the 2001 were updated with everything that Zipp now knows I am sure that it would be one of, if not the fastest bikes out there. I sometimes lament the fact that Zipp abandonded the frame side of their business. There was great demand for their bikes and I bet if they were to roll one out now it would have a long waiting list of buyers.
This is great info, thanks. I still find it interesting that this comment says that the DA is faster but the guys at Zipp might not think that. I’d love to get the Zipp in a wind tunnel to see how aero it is as well as BB stiffness compared to the new bikes. Agreed on great demand for a Zipp 2010!!!