Anyone know of a retailer that actually has the new QR Santo in stock ? This sounds like the ultimate poor man’s Ti Tri bike. All the funcitonality of the Tiphoon and Blade (less the questionably aero tubing) and half the price. I doubt that this will be available in our frozen backwater here in Ottawa Canada (today minus 27 C without windchill), so I’d likely have to purchase in the US if I got it.
We’ve gotten Santo’s in in the past couple of weeks.
Kyle Gillooly, Inside-Out Sports
Thanks Kyle. They were not up on your web site yesterday. Any reviews from folks who have taken them out on the road ? By the way, I love the QR Fullsuit that I bought from you guys last summer.
thanks
Dev
It should have been, here’s the link.
http://www.insideoutsports.com/product.aspx?storeid=&eventid=0&sku=101395
We haven’t had time to get one on the road for and extended ride yet ourselves. Every one we’ve put together has been for a customer. I don’t forsee the ride quality varying too far from any of the current QR or Litespeed Ti frames. Smooth and fast.
At $2500 US it’ll be one of the better valued bikes for '04, roadwise the Litespeed Firenze will be along the same idea (round tubing and an Ultegra group for $2000 US).
I don’t know if they have the Santo, but Cyclo-Sportif GM Bertrand in Hull now carries QR bikes – I was in there just before Christmas and they had several on the floor. I was surprised to see tri bikes in there, looks like we’ll have more options now! They also plan on carrying tri-related accessories this year.
J-P in Ottawa
Hey Kyle
How would you compare this bike with the Picanti which I guess it replaced?
Mike
The Picanti didn’t sell all that well. I’m not exactly sure if it was the price, being a compact frame or what. Personally I like how compact frames handle, and I kind of break the mold when its said that compact frames don’t suit taller riders. I’m 6’2" and have ridded a ML PR Compact (aluminum version of the Picanti) and also now ride a XL Litespeed Siena. The Siena is a full Ti compact road bike and I can’t say enough good things about it.
Anyways, to your question how does the Santo compare to the Picanti? Again we haven’t put one on the road to tell but its not going to have that quick acceleration of a compact frame. Handling will be different but ride quality should be the same.
From what I could find our last retail price of an '02 Picanti frame was $1575, tack on a $200 fork and another $1k for an Ultegra group and your + about $275 more than what the Santo is at $2495. With the Santo’s conventional QR sizing it should fit across a larger range of athletes.