Buying vs building a TT/tri bike

[george-bob]

Something I have been musing about for a little while now, I want a tri bike, I can probably spend $3000 on it. So I started to compare what you can get off the shelf vs custom build with chinese carbon frame.

The contenders

Chinese carbon

Dengfu FM086 frame with bars/stem and seatpost ~$1000
Chinese carbon 50mm clinchers ~$450 +$70 tyres
BB $50
Udi2 F + R derailleur ~$450
TT shifters ~$250
Climbing shifter ~$150
Battery, wiring etc ~$200
Crankset ~$200
Cassette + chain ~$90
Saddle ~$100

So, that comes to about $3080 all up.

The competition

Cervelo P2 (mech ultegra) - $2999
BMC TM02 (105) -$2900
Cannondale slice 5 (105) - $2700
Giant trinity composite (ultegra) - $2300
Felt B16 (ultegra) - $2200

So, it is a little more, but I would get di2 with multiple shifting positions as well as a custom paint job. Though, my concern is with a TT bike it might be a little more difficult to build than a road bike. So has anyone built a TT bike? Am I crazy?!

What would YOU do? I am leaning toward chinese carbon because it would be unique, but the P2 sounds like a stunning bike as well!

[AndrewBurns]

I vote Chinese carbon. It may seem like it's not much cheaper but that's because you've already priced in the higher spec components you want. Take wheels for example, the Cervelo P3 comes with Shimano 501 wheels, certainly there's no point running a time trial bike with wheels that entry level so you'd need to spend another ~$500 to get half decent wheels already. You're also adding another ~$500 value by going with Ui2 and multiple shift locations, so really you'd be getting a whole lot more for your money. And as you mentioned the Chinese bike is unique, because you built it you can maintain it yourself and it has exactly what you want on it.

[george-bob]

excellent point about the wheels, I hadn't really considered that.

[Ross]

Don't think Ult Di2 has shifters on the bullhorns, only DA. Would climbing shifters fit TT bars? They are usually flat on the top where road drops are generally round. I have NFI how they mount so maybe talking out my posterior.

Could look around for s/h frame - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Felt-T23-Tri ... 51a9f82fcf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[george-bob]

Now DA has gone to the same wiring set up as ultegra the TT shifters are cross compatible (http://www.artscyclery.com/descpage-SHR671BES.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). With the climbing shifter if it doesn't fit then it is relatively easy to hack by soldering on some extra buttons, though I think attaching it on the inside of the brake lever on the right side might work, I will have to experiment.