Question:
I am using voice recognition software,
so sorry for any mistakes. I was in
a bike wreck on February 22, and my hands
are still on the mend after having surgery.
I guess that should mention the neck brace,
too! I'm getting better. But my bike was
totaled at 35 mph when car and bike met.
I was writing a Kestrel KM40 with the 650c
wheels. I mostly do triathlon, but I also ride
with a group of roadies every Tuesday and Thursday.
Roadies rule. I live in San Francisco, so
most of my riding is hilly.
My question is, I would like to get a bike
whose purpose is for triathlon but also for
group riding, and is suited for lots of climbing.
So, I think 78 degrees is too steep for the
seat tube angle. I would like to get a bike
with a 75 or 76 degree seat tube angle.
Would a bicycle like that work for me?
For what it is worth, I am 6 ft. 1 in.
and weigh 165 lbs. I need a shortish
top tube.
I am considering the following bikes:
* Felt DA650 - nice, but lots of money
* Kestrel KM40 again - their web site says
the 56 cm frame has a 76 degree seat tube
* Airborne specter - 75 degrees and looks
really nice, and somewhat affordable
for titanium
* Calfee Tetra Tri - 76 degrees in my
size
AI am using voice recognition software,
so sorry for any mistakes. I was in
a bike wreck on February 22, and my hands
are still on the mend after having surgery.
I guess that should mention the neck brace,
too! I'm getting better. But my bike was
totaled at 35 mph when car and bike met.
I was writing a Kestrel KM40 with the 650c
wheels. I mostly do triathlon, but I also ride
with a group of roadies every Tuesday and Thursday.
Roadies rule. I live in San Francisco, so
most of my riding is hilly.
My question is, I would like to get a bike
whose purpose is for triathlon but also for
group riding, and is suited for lots of climbing.
So, I think 78 degrees is too steep for the
seat tube angle. I would like to get a bike
with a 75 or 76 degree seat tube angle.
Would a bicycle like that work for me?
For what it is worth, I am 6 ft. 1 in.
and weigh 165 lbs.
Am I thinking the right thing to get a
not so steep bike? What other bicycles
would you recommend?
Answer:Have a very serious look at the Cervelo Soloist
http://www.cervelo.com/ I have given some thought to this bike for
myself as I do triathlon and group rides but currently use a road bike
for both. This is a road bike with a 73.5 degree seat angle that has a
seat tube that can be reversed to give 76 degrees for when doing
triathlons. This bike is deliberately designed as a dual purpose bike.
Cervelo makes some excellent bikes and have done more aerodynamic
testing than most. . The problem with a dedicated tri bike is that they
handle crappy with the more upright seat tube and more forward riding
position. In many cases serious roadies don't want to ride with people
on tri bikes for this reason. In fact at one bike club in our area tri
bikes are banned from group rides because of previous accidents caused
by them. Tri bikes are designed for riding solo in a triathlon. This is
what they do well but are not particularly good at anything else.
