Triathlon - bike purchase

so im starting to seriously consider my options of bikes to purchase. and i would like some input, which i have received already but more is appreciated. So i have been fitted on a few bikes and ridden a cervelo p2, felt b2, and orbea ora. so the cervelo felt amazing and was nice and so was the orbea. the felt was fitted all the way and the fitter said he can fit it perfectly and the cervelo and felt fit the same. if i get an orbea i would probly get the ordu not the ora, which felt comfortable which was do the the more relaxed geometry. the ordu has better aerodynamics and is stiffer but same geometry. so after riding the three and feeling comfortable on all three i am not sure how to go about this. most be say they feel more comfortable on one bike or another after being fitted. i felt fine on all of them.

so help here please

also a p2 and p3 have the same geometry ive been told so if i can get a p3 with mostly DA component (ultegra cassette and chain) for 3800 that fits is that a solid price for it? and its new with shimano r-550 wheels on it.

thanks for the help

anyone?

Personally I went Felt B12 w/Hed Jet 6 front/Jet Disc rear. Didn't even test a Cervelo as I've heard they aren't too great for tall guys. I've only gotten 1 street ride on the bike do to weather but I really, really love my new bike. If you haven't read the other thread about Felt (last week or 2 weeks ago) check it out, some good links to great reviews of the Felt B2/B12 and if you look around a little on Tom's site you can read last years review of the Cervelo. I'd also read their comparison of Ultegra/Dura Ace it's truly an eye opener.
Good luck, you're looking at great choices
--Sax

well i will mostly likely get 404's or easton ec90 tt wheels. im a small guy and will start with some basic all around aero wheels before going deeper.

do oyu have a link to tom's site..about the DA vs ultegra?

right now i'm leaning towards the cervelos and the could get the p3 for less than the b12 and still have money left over to get the eastons before reaching the price of the felt i rode

I do think when you look at the top brands: Cervelo, Felt, Trek it really comes down to what fits/what you get excited about.
Here's the link: http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/features/dura-ace-ultegra.shtml
If you've never checked out his page there's lots and lots of good info on there.
--Sax

Just be careful with the P2, P3, and P4...There's a post on a different site saying that the aerobars are no longer UCI legal because they don't follow the 1:3 ratio (or whatever it is) I'd ask about that before you buy a cervelo (yet they do make great bikes)

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?post=2249761;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unr ead

woah...aerobars illegal? how so? why?

If they all fit the same and you like them all, choose the one with the best paint job.

haha. i think that might be what it comes down to or if i can get a good deal on one

right now i can get a p3 with mostly DA for 3800...would you say its a good deal and worth while?

One reason I went against the P2(I was looking at the 51cm, which I assume you are as those are the only size of the P3/P2 that have the same geometry) was he 9cm headtube, paired up with the high bottom bracket. I wanted a bike that was as close to perfect fit wise as possible, and though spacers don't have any real negative effect on performance, it just didn't feel right to me.

Now, on the same hand, I do think the P3 for $3800 is probably a "better deal" than a Felt B2 at MSRP.

In the end, you keyed in on some good bikes and as the above person said, get which ever one you LIKE the most. The speed advantage between a P2c, B2 and P3 are fairly small as compared with some of the lesser bikes.

yes i fit a 51 cervelo and the felt has flashpoint wheels so it priced higher.

i think the plan might be to go with the p3 and my lbs just got some easton ec90 tt's and they look very nice. so i am considering the p3 and eastons, which are about 1700. considering my size and lack of experince with aero wheels i dont want to get anything really deep

Last year I was looking at more or less the same bikes and I ended up going with the P3C because it was the best fitting for myself, and it was probably the best value out there.

It was very hard for me to find an Ordu to test out seeing as I'm a rather tall guy. Once I finally got to test one I didn't fit as well as the others, and the price tag on it was a little high. As for felt vs cervelo I just liked the fit of the cervelos a little more, and the price was a lot better for what you got. So I ended up going with a P3C and I love it.

In regards to that P3C at your lbs, is it 08 or 09? 3800 would be an amazing deal for an 09 since pretty much cervelo has regulated there 09s to be 5k everywhere. I can't remember what the exact price on my bike was since I did a lot of upgrades to it, but it was probably around 3500 all said and done for the P3C frameset and stock parts.

~Plewes

its an 08 with DA shifters and der. then ultegra chain and cassette and fsa cranks with shimano r-550 wheels

Since it is an '08 make sure you get the proper fork. It should come with a 3T Funda Pro fork, not the Wolf one that's in the original specs. I think your LBS should have done the change when the "recall" went out, but just make sure.

Also, Red fork > Black fork in the looks department. Mmmmmhmmmmm.

i called the shop and they said it is not the recalled fork and yes it is black

It wasn't the recalled fork in most cases (in some it was) but Cervelo still replaced all the wolf's on their '08 P3Cs with 3T FUNDA PRO forks.

Unless my LBS just gave me a free Funda Pro fork for the hell of it, which I don't think was the case.....

It's probably something to check into, I'm pretty sure Cervelo replaced all their wolf forks, but I could be wrong.....

~Plewes

If I had $3800 to spend and given the choices you have, I think this is the way I would go - P2C, then put some race wheels on it. You could probably wind up with a nice Cervelo as well as some 60mm wheels if you found the right deal. I think the difference between a P2 and P3 frame would be outweighed by the perfomance gains you would get swapping the stock Shimano wheels for some Flashpoints, Edge or the like. But in the spirit of full disclosure I ride a P2C and love it. If I had more money to spend and could do it again I think I would still go with the P2C (fit in my case, and I liked the paint job) and upgrade my wheels. Just my 2 cents.

Well i've looked around for 08 p2 with ultegra and most places still have them at list price which is getting close to the price i could pay for the p3 with DA so i wouldn't have enough to get aero wheels after. i need to call my lbs and see what the p2 was listed at. it might have gone down.

i loved the p2 when i rode it thats for sure its just p3 with DA seems appealing to me, but i would really like the world champion frame but that build wold be expensive

The truth is, you are in a great predicament, you can't really go wrong! I picked up my P2C back at the end of 08 when you get them close to 2k, didn't have the 3T fork, but I love the silver and black. That's the version of the 09 P3 I favor as well. What size are you looking for by the way?

a 51, but its an 08 p3 with the black red and silver paint. i love the 09 scheme but too much at a thousand more.

and i want some zipps but might end up with eastons

If you have not bought yet, all3sports has a crazy sale right now where you can get a new 09 p2 in the red and silver, with SRAM rival front and rear derailleurs, and the new funda fork (ultegra equivalent), for $2300 - Yow! All sizes available when I checked today. Add a set of Williams Cycling 58 carbon wheels and you have a super bike and still have only spend $3300.