Question:Has anyone riden the Fuji Aloha and care to give any feedback? It looks
like a decent bike for the price.
Answer:
The Triathlete Magazine reviewed the bike two issues ago. They ended up
concluding (and I paraphrase) that the price is right, the bike is
decent but if you're serious about racing you may want to buy a set of
racing wheels. Apparently, the Aloha is heavier than more expensive
bikes, mostly because of the weight of the wheels themselves. The
magazine has a web site but the Aloha review does not seem to be posted
there.
I would encourage you to weigh Dan's (Slowtwitch.com) opinion over that
of Dave Bittenbender (Triathlete magazine). While I'm sure Dave means
well, his reviews are usually grounded in manufacturer hype and old
roadie myths, rather than being based on how the bike actually rides and
performs.
As Dave should know, aerodynamics are more important than weight in 90%
of triathlons. To discard heavy aero wheels in favor of plain light
wheels would be counterproductive. To get both light and aero wheels
you have to spend a bundle, which would not be in keeping with the
Fuji's budget philosophy. Who buys a $1300 bike and then turns around
and buys $900 race wheels?
I know Dave has reviewed bikes with nearly identical wheelsets in the
past and not commented upon excessive weight, at least not to the degree
that he did in the Fuji review.
The Fuji is a great entry level bike, one of the cheapest true tri bikes
on the market. The only real compromises are the aluminum fork, which
can be easily switched to carbon for ~$150, and the lack of optional
700c wheel. It has durable (if not lightweight) components, a 7000
series frame, a nice paint job, and it comes with pedals.
Reviewing bicycles--with all the subjectivity required for an individual to
make the right bike choice--must be a very daunting task.
That being said, Dave Bittenbender's bike reviews in Triathlete Mag are among
the VERY WORST I've ever seen. I get no sense that he knows anything more
about bikes than what is written in marketing brochures. They're horrible.
For instance, in the Aloha review something abot aluminum being an inherantly
stiff material. Not true. And Rick Denney made very clear that this was not
the case in an earlier Triathlete article. Oversized tubing makes many aluminum
frames stiff, not the aluminum itself...
Anyway, sorry to vent, but be very, very wary of the advice giving in reviews.
Particularly Triathlete Mag reviews.
I've been riding mine for the past two years and really like it. I'd say go
for it, but do be sure you get the correct size. The top tube is not so
short like it is on some steep angle bikes
