After the P3 last weekend, I tried the QR PR5 this weekend. Really liked it, but the top tube may be a tad too long (me: long legs, shorter torso), so my LBS put me on the Litespeed Blade which they had built up, and quite frankly it fit like a hand in a glove (or, i German: “wie Arsch auf Eimer”) and was super comfortable. My LBS is selling the frame for $2,000 and offering to build it up for me w/ SRAM eTAP for just under $4,000. But then I was doing some research online, and read that the Litespeed is not a true triathlon bike, but a TT bike – what does that really mean? Also, with the frame being all carbon, is there greater risk of it going kaputt over the potholes of DC?
Litespeed is not a true triathlon bike, but a TT bike – what does that really mean? Also, with the frame being all carbon, is there greater risk of it going kaputt over the potholes of DC?
thanks!
The Blade seatube angle is 77-83 so hits the tri geometry perfectly. Carbon - risk is more on the wheels and your teeth than the frame. $4000 all in with etap sounds like a very good deal.
First question, is that Blade frame with 700c wheels? I think some years it was 650. If it’s 700, it will make a really cool tri bike and nothing is more important than the fit. However, that frame is probably over 10 years old. I don’t think it’s worth anywhere near $2000. Do some research, I think that’s that’s way too high.
The Litespeed Blade is simply the UCI-legal version of the QR PR5; the geometry should be the same, but with a different carbon layup (and, most noticeably, the Blade lacks the massive SHIFT chainstay of the PR5). That’s really the only difference. Saying that the PR5 did not fit but the Blade did only makes sense if they had you on two different size frames. Check the geomtries out: a ML Blade is the same as a 52cm PR5.
“…The introduction of a TT bike is a little odd given their sister brand Quintana Roo specializes in all things aero, but the Blade is not built for triathlons. Instead, it is a TT bike through and through…” … or is that referring to a different frame?
I can ride my training bike as fast as my race bike in a 15 mile out and back TT however it takes more energy. The farther I go and the more turns I make, the more gap I see in the performance of the bikes.
The other key factor for me is the run off the bike. I hit my stride as a soon as my race bike hits the rack while with my training bike it takes a bit for me to get my feet under me.
