Someone suggested that I use this forum in order to get some suggestions regarding a tri bike purchase. It’s a really big decision for me (I don’t really have that much money, but I figure it will be a worthwile investment, ONLY IF I chose wisely). I hope some of you won’t mind sharing your expertise!!! I greatly appreciate it in advance!
A little history: So far, I have been racing on a road bike. I have done several sprint and olympic distance races, and have a couple of half iron events planned for this season. This is my first year doing tri’s (my background is in long distance running), but my cycling is already fairly strong (to my surprise, I somehow picked it up very quickly… in fact, my bike split placement in my AG has been consistently as high, or even better, than my run splits, and I normally ride with some of the faster local roadie groups).
The reason for the upgrade is that I am planning to get even more serious/competitive in 2006, and want to make sure I have the right equipment… especially given that I registered for IMLP’06 (I know it’s a bit ambitious for the 2nd season in the sport, but I am a fairly experienced endurance athlete/marathoner, and my main purpose of getting into triathlons was to take on the challenge of iron distance races).
Intended bike use: Although I am still planning to do shorter races in the future (just for fun, or more as tune-ups for A priority races), my primary focus will be longer events–1/2 iron and iron distance races… I also prefer to race hilly courses (I like some variety, flats bore me, and hills also suit me better because of my climbing abilities). The bike will be used primarily for racing–I intend to keep my road bike, to ride/train with my roadie friends. Not sure if this is relevant, but just in case: I am a great climber but a pretty crappy descender (so some stability on the descents would be a plus… I also would prefer a bike that corners well). I climb better than I ride on the flats. I spin, almost never mash, the pedals (90+ rpm on the flats consistently, probably most comfortable at about 100-110 rpms or so).
My big issue: I am WAY TOO short (5 ft), and based on my research, no manufacturer offers a bike that has sufficient standover hight for me. I currently have a 44 cm Specialized Dolce Elite (WSD model, 700cm wheels–I love it dearly and it fits me like a glove), and I barely get an inch of standover clearance on that bike (because my torso is fairly long, the stem had to be changed to a longer one). Tri bike sizing tends to start at 47-48 cm–that’s way too big for me. I’ve already conceded to the fact that I will have to go custom.
This brings up a few questions:
a) which material should I go with? that would obviously help to narrow down the list of brands to consider. I tend to crash a lot–3 crashes in 2005, 2 resulted in broken helmets–that makes me think that CF would not be the best choice for me (I have no desire to blow $3-$4K on a bike and crack a frame within 6 months). My current bike is Al with CF fork/seatpost–I am very happy with this ride–I’ve done a couple of rides 120-125 miles long–and wasn’t even sore the next day (or that same day for that matter)… also several multi-day bike trips (60-70 mi/day of cycling)–same thing… However, I hear that Al is not the most forgiving material and maybe not the best choice for someone planning on racing IMs. Does this make sense? I hear good things about Ti–any downsides to this material I should be aware of? I also don’t want to rule out steel–I know it’s heavier, but I only weigh 115 lbs–so how much of an issue would extra bike weight be? I understand steel is an extremely comfortable ride (and they can now make it so that it’s fairly light)–which I am sure would be a big help to someone intending to run a marathon after biking 112 mi. What would be your recommendation? The easiest answer is to test ride bikes made of different materials–but NO ONE EVER has anything even close to my size in stock.
b) which reasonably priced (not necessarily cheap, but “bang for the buck”) brands would you suggest I look at? I am thinking, if I decide on Ti, Litespeed has a custom option for extra $. Or should I go with a smaller, boutique brand? I know IF, Seven, Serotta, etc. are out there, but I believe there’s a steep premium you pay for the name. For Litespeed, I am thinking Saber over Blade–it costs less, and supposedly it is a better choice for hilly courses. Would you agree? Someone also mentioned Yaqui as a great option for custom bikes–it looks like they make Al/CF frames that are good values. I was looking at Carbo and Mariola models (I’ve also read reviews on this specific website). I also know Landshark makes tri frames (even in steel–if I do decide to go with that)–and I ABSOLUTELY love those stunning looking road bikes (they SOO make me drool!!! most gorgeous bikes I’ve ever seen!!!)-- but when it comes to a Landshark tri bike, I am a bit reluctant because I don’t know how much experience this particular builder has in the tri bike building area. Any other suggestions? I am VERY open to any options–with an exception of Softride/beam bikes (sorry, but those are so ugly IMHO. I could never bring myself to ride one of those–and I’d be terrified that the beam would just snap… especially with my luck)
c) would you recommend buying a complete bike or just ordering a frame and getting wheels/components separately? basically, since the frame is going to already cost me a fortune, I am trying to see if there’s a way to save some $$.
Thanks so much for reading! I hope you can offer some suggestions!!!