Considering two closeout bikes as my first tri bike. The first is an 05 QR Santo with (mostly) Ultegra 9. The second is an 07 Guru Cron’alu, full Ultegra 10. Concerned about the round tube and older 9 speed of the Santo, but like the idea of titanium. Cron’alu has overall better components with aero tubes. As a newbie, I am sure they will perform equally as well, so I am really more concerned with comfort and overall satisfaction for the next 3 or so years. Thoughts?
I ride a cron alu and love it. It is a great and fast bike.
I owned a santo. absolutely the “smoothest” bike I have ever owned.
I had a santo until earlier this year, and loved it. Best bike ever. It was a super comfortable ride and I felt like I could go forever.
Just my unqualified opinion here, but I can’t imagine you’ll be forfeiting much by going with ultegra 9 or round tubes: both will probably still be around around for a long, long time, and for good reason.
I bought Dave Tallo’s Santo frame (2005 model) and I love it. It has better vibration absorption than the aero aluminum frame (Devinci) that it replaced. Of course it is comparing apples to oranges as my alu frame used stiffer 650c wheels, and had a aluminum fork as well. Additionally, and the tires you choose probably affects ride comfort more than frame material.
I don’t think that the round tube vs aero is that big of a deal for most people. If you already have ideal body position, aero wheels, aero helmet, and never break aero position, then the frame shape probably helps (a little). My guess is that most people could actually improve their overall race time more with a few swimming lessons that with the differences between aero and round tube frames.
The ST dogma is get the bike that fits your body and budget the best. And that you think looks the coolest!
Considering two closeout bikes as my first tri bike. The first is an 05 QR Santo with (mostly) Ultegra 9. The second is an 07 Guru Cron’alu, full Ultegra 10. Concerned about the round tube and older 9 speed of the Santo, but like the idea of titanium. Cron’alu has overall better components with aero tubes. As a newbie, I am sure they will perform equally as well, so I am really more concerned with comfort and overall satisfaction for the next 3 or so years. Thoughts?
Do you have to buy the Cron’Alu as a stock frame, or can you have it customized? One of the reasons I went with a Cron’Alu in 2006 was the fact that I could get it custom fit to me without spending extra. Never ridden a Santo, so I don’t have an opinion, but I love my custom Guru.
That is kind of the great equalizer. The Santo is a good deal ($1500), but they will charge me $150 for an “advanced fitting.” The Cron’alu is a little more ($1,700) but no charge for spending the extra time to make sure everything is just right. Plus the Cron’alu shop will tune up for free as long as I own the bike. Service is a big deal to me, and the Cron’alu shop appears to want to do more to earn my business, but I don’t be the knucklehead that passed on a good deal on a ti frame if there is a significant difference in the performance of the two bikes. Further, I don’t know how concerned I should be, if at all, by the fact that QR no longer makes the Santo.