A few years ago, my sister entered the Tri world like a raging storm and is pretty much winning every event she enters. Last year, she won Buffalo Springs by more than 20 minutes which qualified her for Kona. There, without ever doing the full distance before, she was somewhat over-conservative on the bike and finished sixth with the fastest run in her AG. She’ll be going to Budapest for Worlds this year.
She now feels she deserves to replace her steed, an old all titanium Lightspeed Saber with something new. She’s about 5 ft 5 and on the Saber, she is a bit stretched out and her hip angle is pretty closed, yet she can motor on that thing. She came out for a visit and we headed to the LBS where she was fitted to a QR Chicqilo small. It’s the best I’ve seen her on a bike - a really excellent fit. But, not the bike she wants. Her desire was to get a Seduza, but it simply won’t fit her - too big. She won’t go down to 650 wheels, wants carbon and has $3000 to blow on this.
So, looking for help here, looking for recommendations of bikes she should check out - something similar in geometry to the Chicqilo, and a total package of under $3000 w/o race wheels (she has those).
The stack and reach of a chicquilo small is 49.7 and 39.6. Based on the ST stack and reach database, these are the closest in geometry (all with 700c wheels):
Felt 52 cm (all models): 50.5 and 40.5
Cdale 54 cm (slice): 50.9 and 39.8
Argon 18 extra small (112 or 114): 48.5 and 39.5
Fuji S/M (d6): 50.0 and 39.0
Giant X-Small (alliance): 50.3 and 39.7
Kuota Small (Kalibur): 49.8 and 39.6
The Kuota is dead on. Both the Fuji and the Giant are pretty close. The Argon 18 is also close, but not as close.
Kuota Kalibur is slightly over $3k.
The fuji d-6 comp is $3k. Full carbon. Rival components. Seems like a good deal
Given those bikes, I’d strongly advise her to look at the Felt B16 or B14–lowest priced full carbon bikes you’ll find. The 2011 B16 starts at 2000 bucks and has really nice components–ultegra front/rear d’s, etc. The crank is decent (gossamer), but could stand an upgrade.
My sister is likely settling on a Trek Speed Concept 7. While it’s not yet in ST’s database, if you can trust Trek’s geometry specs, it looks to be a good fit.
(of the sister, not the bike)