I currently race my triathlons on a road bke, a Giant OCR C3 with aerobars, but now that I’m gearing up for an Ironman 09 and attempting 4 halfs this season, I’ve decided that it’s going to be necessary for me to own another bike. I’m looking at these 2 bikes and really having a hard time deciding.
or
From what I could tell I can have either of these bikes for under $3000.
Does anone have any input to help me make my decision.
Thanks!
Get a good fit…then shop for a bike.
Take a look at the other thread on this but here is a link to Tom D’s review of carbon bikes at or around $2500
https://www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/2500wars.shtml
Again fit is everything but I do love my P2C!
+1 on getting fit first and then making a decision. If you have your heart set on one of those two, go to a shop that sells both (like Tom D.'s if you live around Michigan or Mission Bay if you live in the Chicagoland area). They will better tell which one you need.
FWIW, I own a K-Factor and love it. It won’t comapare well in a wind tunnel to many others, but I don’t ride in wind tunnels!! It fits me in a way where I don’t have to ever leave the aero bars and that give me a more aero package overall.
Two different fitting bikes. Kuota with higher front and slacker seat angle than PC is more comfortable for less flexible people and for races over Half-Iron distance. Fit and racing distance should be the deciding factor.
that give me a more aero package overall.
Please don’t talk about the “aero-ness” of your “package”
Just kidding!
.
LOL!! I’ll ry and use a better choice of words next post!
This might help:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=1707396;search_string=%242500;#1707396
Chip is right though, a good fit will tell you where to start.
This might help:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...ing=%242500;#1707396
Chip is right though, a good fit will tell you where to start.
Funny, I thought you were going to refer to this link here when I saw your post…
You being a pretty sensible guy, maybe you can help me out here, because I’m completely lost. What is this obsession with buying a bike around ‘fit’? I’m really trying to understand, but I don’t. We’re talking about differences of millimeters here. My aerobars have almost 4 cm of adjustibility just by flipping them around? Stems come in different lengths? The ‘fit’ which one thinks is ideal very well may not be the ‘fit’ which one finds to be ideal a year from now (after field testing, getting used to a tighter hip angle, etc). What’s to do then? Buy a new bike?
Even the 2 bikes about which the OP is asking are supposedly at the ‘opposite ends’ of the fit spectrum, yet they basically fit the same. 15mm of head tube and 16mm of reach different? Please…
IMHO, ‘fit’ is something great for bike shop owners to blather on about to try to differentiate between brands, but the truth is that the ‘fit’ between almost all of the readily available brands is so close that as long as the bike is pretty much the correct size, I’m having a really hard time understanding why one would base the purchasing decision on ‘fit’.
What am I missing here?
I totally agree with you. Well said. Now bring on the flame throwers!
I agree. It’s all about sex appeal once you’re at a certain level of quality. The P2C is probably slightly better in most measurable regards but it’s all about what gets the blood flowing below your waist. Or something. I need to figure out how to say that in a perfectly clever way…
I’ve got a K-Factor and love it! Bought it last year from Cadence Cycle in Saline, MI (terrific experience with them) (they are south of Ann Arbor if you’re wondering and carry Cervelo and Kuota). I went with the K-Factor for a couple of reasons. I wanted something a little different–I rarely see any other Kuota’s. It was also cheaper than the P2C with the same spec.
Good Luck! Let us know which way you went.
You actually think I’m sensible?! LOL, you don’t know me well!
I think the fit is mostly important to narrow out BAD options. I’m 6’1", but have VERY long legs for my height. So anything that has a short-ish top tube works slightly better and will probably handle better than a bike with a long top tube and a REALLY short stem. All in all, you’re right that we’re talking about millimeters.
Also regarding fit, I think a good one will keep certain people off of tri bikes like the P3C (and other models) that has a very short head tube, or other bikes that fit into extremes. If they aren’t flexible enough (or maybe have some extra weight around their waist!) why not put them on a bike with a slightly longer head tube (if needed) rather than popping in a bunch of spacers?
With all of that jibberish thrown out there, I think the vast majority of people could fit on that vast majority of bikes just fine. But there are three reasons why I tell people to go to their shop:
Finally, let me say, I bought my road bike on the look alone (it was a frameset, but I did do a fitting before buying to confirm size, but the brand was somewhat pre-determined since I wanted one of the Team bikes), was fit to it perfectly, and it rides like a dream…same for my MTB. I’m thinking of pulling the trigger on a tri bike now, and will probably get some input from my LBS (Get a Grip Cycles, one of the top fitters in the country!) before I buy. But, those guys are SO good that I bet they COULD fit anyone to anything and the rider would be happy, not that the shop would want to nor am I encouraging this!
In the end, I almost always believe in finding the expert and getting their advice in just about anything. I wouldn’t handle a court case without an attorney, I wouldn’t go into surgery without a Dr., I wouldn’t build a house without a contractor, I don’t buy pants without my fiance (she says I can’t dress myself) so why buy a bike without consulting a professional?
“it’s all about what gets the blood flowing below your waist. Or something. I need to figure out how to say that in a perfectly clever way…”
That IS perfectly clever! “It’s all about what gets the blood flowing below your waist” LOL, that might end up in my sig line!
Bringing this up again.
A couple of shops in my area have some deals on '09 models. I’m debating between the K Factor and the P2. I can get the K Factor with Ultegra and the P2 with Dura Ace (no Ultegra) in my size. Both bikes seem to fit well and are comfortable.
The question is: Is the P2 DA *that *much better than the K Factor?
Other than the frame, the biggest differences I can ascertain are: saddle, cockpit, and cranks (P2 are carbon, K Factor are aluminum). Of course, the DA vs Ultegra components, but to me the difference between the two alone is not worth the upgrade.
I have only ridden both bikes on a trainer. It’s winter here, so I can’t ride outside. Is there a discernible difference in ride quality between the two bikes?
Also, Carbon vs Aluminum cranks. Am I really going to notice a difference?
Does anyone have experience with both bikes that can lend some advice? If the price difference is about $800, am I going to get an extra $800 of enjoyment?
I have lusted after Cervelo’s for years and now that I have the opportunity to pick one up, my rational side is saying pocket the $800 for something else. But I’m wondering if I’m still going to hanker over a Cervelo if I buy the Kuota. In the end, I guess I’m going to have to make up my mind myself, but I’m hoping Slowtwitchers will be able to offer some insight to sway my decision.
The only issue with the K Factor that I had was that the smallest size didn’t come with 650 wheels and the stack was too high.
So unless you are looking for the smallest size get the one that looks best to you.
jaretj
My recollection is that in the wind tunnel the cervelo is far superior. The Kuota
is evidently a brick.
I still like my Kuota. 
It’s nice to ride something that not everyone else does.
-Jot
component wise those differences amount to zero. those carbon cranks have aluminum inside them anyway. its sillyness. pretty though!
frame wise, the P2 is probably faster aerodynamically =)
but no you probably wouldn’t notice without careful testing
Bringing this up again.
A couple of shops in my area have some deals on '09 models. I’m debating between the K Factor and the P2. I can get the K Factor with Ultegra and the P2 with Dura Ace (no Ultegra) in my size. Both bikes seem to fit well and are comfortable.
The question is: Is the P2 DA *that *much better than the K Factor?
Other than the frame, the biggest differences I can ascertain are: saddle, cockpit, and cranks (P2 are carbon, K Factor are aluminum). Of course, the DA vs Ultegra components, but to me the difference between the two alone is not worth the upgrade.
I have only ridden both bikes on a trainer. It’s winter here, so I can’t ride outside. Is there a discernible difference in ride quality between the two bikes?
Also, Carbon vs Aluminum cranks. Am I really going to notice a difference?
Does anyone have experience with both bikes that can lend some advice? If the price difference is about $800, am I going to get an extra $800 of enjoyment?
I have lusted after Cervelo’s for years and now that I have the opportunity to pick one up, my rational side is saying pocket the $800 for something else. But I’m wondering if I’m still going to hanker over a Cervelo if I buy the Kuota. In the end, I guess I’m going to have to make up my mind myself, but I’m hoping Slowtwitchers will be able to offer some insight to sway my decision.
Correct url has just http: http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/reviews/2500wars.shtml.
The only issue with the K Factor that I had was that the smallest size didn’t come with 650 wheels and the stack was too high.
So unless you are looking for the smallest size get the one that looks best to you.
jaretj
I ride the smallest size K Factor on 650 wheels…