New bike purchase

[murone07]

HELP!!! I have a 2005 OCR ZERO looking to upgrade to a new ride, I enjoyed the old bike but its time for her to leave my bedroom. I weigh 75Kg and most of my riding is Triathlon & half IM, with around the bay and the Alpine classic for fun.I was thinking full carbon to see what they are like. My budget is 3-4K. I have looked at BH, Argon 18 and a Probike kit bike from England. Any help or advice or information would be much appreciated thanks
Mark

[mikesbytes]

Hi Mark, I won't specifically recommend a bike, but as you are a triathlete, why don't you buy a bike with specific triathlete geometry. Also fit to bike is really important, so the bike that suits me may not be suitable for you.

[Bnej]

Have you considered hanging on to the OCR Zero as a general road bike and getting a Tri/TT bike?

If you want a CF road bike there is a wealth of choice in your bracket, you could probably get a TCR Composite or a lower end Trek Madone.

If you wanted to stick with the OCR geometry then there is the OCR Composite range, I have an OCR C3 and it's very smooth and comfortable but not super light.

[murone07]

Thanks for the quick replies. I have thought of holding on to OCR but the Boss wont have it, Only one bike and gear can "clutter" up the house at a time she says. I havent had a look at the Giant range this year.

[europa]

Welcome to the nuthouse mate.

Buy yourself a specialist TT bike, seeing that's what you're doing, and keep the other bike for training.

Clutter in the house is a factor of how you do it - sitting nose to tail, two bikes don't take up much more room than one. There are many bike stands that take two bikes, one higher than the other so there's no more room used up.

Ask your missus how she'd feel if you spent squillions on a TT bike, got rid of the old bike, then had the new one stolen because you had to leave it chained up somewhere - those are the sorts of trips you should be doing on the old bike.

Richard

[Bnej]

If you can really only have one bike, then I'd pass on the TT bike - they're not so great for riding when you're not doing your TTs. Especially if you're doing the Alpine Classic I think you want a conventional road bike there.

I think you should try and have a go on one in any case. Also look at a 2 bike stand and argue that actually there would be *more* room left over with a second bike.

[triode12]

HELP!!! I have a 2005 OCR ZERO looking to upgrade to a new ride, I enjoyed the old bike but its time for her to leave my bedroom. I weigh 75Kg and most of my riding is Triathlon & half IM, with around the bay and the Alpine classic for fun.I was thinking full carbon to see what they are like. My budget is 3-4K. I have looked at BH, Argon 18 and a Probike kit bike from England. Any help or advice or information would be much appreciated thanks
Mark

Cervelo Dual or Soloist.

The Soloist new is about $3.5K with Ultegra drivetrain. It is unique in that you can convert it between road and tri geometry by reversing the seatpost.

http://www.cervelo.com/bikes.aspx?bike=SLT2007

[toolonglegs]

If you can really only have one bike, then I'd pass on the TT bike - they're not so great for riding when you're not doing your TTs. Especially if you're doing the Alpine Classic I think you want a conventional road bike there.

I think you should try and have a go on one in any case. Also look at a 2 bike stand and argue that actually there would be *more* room left over with a second bike.

I agree,you would not be a happy boy trying to do the Alpine Classic on a tri bike.Ideal is obviously 2 bikes but if the OWMBO says no...then NO!.
Not really my specialitly but get a bike with a steepish seat tube angle so you can get a good position when in tri mode.You can get a tri bar set up that bolts onto the front plate of the stem so very easy to do an on and off.I think one of your biggest considerations would be the wheels...

[MountGower]

Error. This post can no longer be displayed.

[Bluerider]

Stop being a Simpsons watching femme and politely tell the girl there will be two bikes in the house next week. There is only room for one bloke in a marriage and hope, for the sake of your future, it's not her. You are the man of the house and I assume your name is not f%&$ing Homer.

Sorry to be so blunt. Actually, probably cancell the sorry bit.

Now that is a very good post, I presume your not married MG ?

[Kalgrm]

Not once his wife reads that post ....

[Mulger bill]

What's wrong with The Simpsons

[mattyb]

I'm going to go out of a limb (and put my flame suit on) and say I think tri/TT bikes are lost on most but the top pro cyclist.
Why?
You have to be generating a lot of power, and consistently, to need something like that. I was watching the world tri champs last night and many of the women did not have what looked like tri specific bikes and some didn't even have aero bars. This is the world championship so if anyone needed the stiffest, most aero crazy bikes, these are the athletes.

Funnily enough, I watched my girlfriend in the Super Sprint series tris ride past guys on tri bikes similar to the TT bikes I saw on the Tour de France (disc rear wheel, wing style bars with the gears at the end on the aero bars, all weighing about 8kgs). She was on an Apollo swift - flat bar road bike with 700 x 32 tyres pumped to 80psi that weighs 11kgs.
I'm not saying you're a hack, or she'd do the same to you, but you can see what I'm getting at.

I think, as you have indicated you will be using it for other riding, you'd be much better off getting a road bike that allows lots of adjustability. Seat posts can be raised, turned around, saddles can be moved fore and aft, aero bars can be fitted and removed, but if you get a tri bike, you'll be pretty much stuck with that ride position.
Your budget says whatever you buy is going to be good quality so just make sure you get something with a good frame and light wheels and worry about the rest if that comes into the decision.

Anyway, that doesn't take into account needs vs wants

(reaches for fire extinguisher)

[europa]

No need for the flamesuit Matty - you're preaching the attitude you'll find running through my posts ... and besides, you've got your friendly local neighbourhood admin riding shotgun

Richard

[mattyb]

Sweet! Group ride!

[murone07]

I thinks its best to pick the battles that you engage in, lose a battle here and there so you can win the war or atl east come a draw. Im sure the married will agree. I dont think a TT bike is for me, as posted more for the elites I think. I like the soloist, great looking bike. I will have to head into melbourne and throw a leg over a few.

[europa]

There's one thing about it - on a good road bike, you are only going to get beaten by those fitter and stronger than you until you reach a fairly high level. To get that fitness and strength, you need to do a loooootttttt of riding and the good road bike is ideal for that (being designed for just that purpose). Without knowing you better, that sounds like a sensible route to me.

Richard

[murone07]

Well trawling through the reams of info on the www I see that quite a few places are having run out specials for the new models so there may be a few bikes that were out of the budget now in

[europa]

Model change over is a bizarre time. Getting the right size can be a problem - you are better off if you are an odd size, but some deals are very good.

Richard

[Blybo]

Croydon Cycleworks have the soloist on special. I think there are a few different versions but I saw a $31??.00 price tag on 1 although I was picking up a bike at about 1/2 that price so not looking closely.

More closely reading about O'Grady riding the R3 (I think its called) to victory in the Paris-Roubiax. Tough race that 1