Triathlon - Suffering from Argon 18 lust...

I don't know why, but lately I've been lusting after the Argon 18 E-114. Never even ridden it. I just think it's beautiful.

Good thing I totally can't afford one right now--that'll keep me from doing something stupid. :)

That sure is a nice bike. . . my current lust is the DA, to me that is one dead sexy bike. No way in hell I could justify it to my wife or my abilities to justify it either. I am really debating how much longer should I continue to train by HR or if i should make the leap to power.

Looks good, but not sure how aero. Down tube has quite sharp edges and is more diamond shaped rather than aerofoil...

I know plenty that lust your P2. N

I know plenty that lust your P2. N

Oh, don't get me wrong--I still do too. :)

I lust it all the time... and I COULD buy it.... but not the best idea right now..... or anytime soon.

the new QR CD is what im going for. and the worst part is i could have had it.....for next season if i ordered it back in may. that and a set of zipps or corimas. mhmm would love some

Hearing the words "Argon 18" just make me want to go spend some money I don't need to spend.

The next lust object will be the Scott Plasma 3....

http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/The_new_Scott_Plasma_TT_bike_794.html

The next lust object will be the Scott Plasma 3....

Going cheap to triathletes shortly when the UCI bans it and stops anymore innovation in cycling...

Going cheap to triathletes shortly when the UCI bans it and stops anymore innovation in cycling...

Nah... I think the triathlon world will keep it going, but then again I'm sort of believing that the UCI ban won't impact the market much--might be wishful thinking.

Either way, the Plasma 3 is a long way from coming to market from what I've read.

The issue with UCI regulations is a complicated one. On one hand, triathletes technically don't care about UCI regulations. We don't need no stinkin' "5cm behind bottom bracket" seat positioning rules, or 3:1 tube ratio rules, or whatever. Heck, even Softrides are legal (and fast) in triathlon!

On the other hand, for a manufacturer to make a bike that is NOT UCI-legal is asking a lot. The professional bike racing teams wouldn't be able to use the bike, thus taking away arguably the best marketing opportunity for these companies. Additionally, though the market for UCI-legal TT bikes is smaller than the market for triathlon bikes, manufacturers don't want to cut them off.

I think it's great that manufacturers are pushing the UCI limits, and in some cases, exceeding them. I just hope that they can reconcile these offerings with all of the disadvantages of making a bike whose application is limited only to triathlon, which is still enough of a niche market to give manufacturers pause.

The issue with UCI regulations is a complicated one. On one hand, triathletes technically don't care about UCI regulations. We don't need no stinkin' "5cm behind bottom bracket" seat positioning rules, or 3:1 tube ratio rules, or whatever. Heck, even Softrides are legal (and fast) in triathlon!

On the other hand, for a manufacturer to make a bike that is NOT UCI-legal is asking a lot. The professional bike racing teams wouldn't be able to use the bike, thus taking away arguably the best marketing opportunity for these companies. Additionally, though the market for UCI-legal TT bikes is smaller than the market for triathlon bikes, manufacturers don't want to cut them off.

I think it's great that manufacturers are pushing the UCI limits, and in some cases, exceeding them. I just hope that they can reconcile these offerings with all of the disadvantages of making a bike whose application is limited only to triathlon, which is still enough of a niche market to give manufacturers pause.

I don't know... I would submit that there are far more triathletes in America than there are USAC racers, and that a relatively small percentage of the weekend-warrior USAC guys/gals have TT-specific bikes. In that sense, the market for a UCI-compliant TT bike is vanishingly small compared to triathlon. I think the Kona bike count is honestly a bigger marketing boon than anything in road bike racing simply because of volume.

I also don't think that companies would lose out too much by building a UCI-compliant rig for the pros and selling the aero stuff to us mere mortals... A good example is ITU racing, which doesn't use disc wheels or full-on aero bars. The folks at the pinnacle of the sport might ride something different, but it's not killing anyone's bike sales.

I don't know... I would submit that there are far more triathletes in America than there are USAC racers, and that a relatively small percentage of the weekend-warrior USAC guys/gals have TT-specific bikes. In that sense, the market for a UCI-compliant TT bike is vanishingly small compared to triathlon.

Oh, I definitely agree there. Way more triathletes than TTers (at least, TTers that care about UCI regulations).


I think the Kona bike count is honestly a bigger marketing boon than anything in road bike racing simply because of volume.

Now here's where I think we disagree. It's absolutely true that the Kona bike count is important to triathletes from a marketing perspective, but I still maintain that professional cycling has more marketing reach than any triathlon broadcast. I mean, look at how many people watch Le Tour, in person and on TV! Compare that with the number of people who watch NBC's broadcast of the Ironman World Championship, and I'd wager that the numbers for Le Tour are much higher, among "normal" folk and among triathletes.


I also don't think that companies would lose out too much by building a UCI-compliant rig for the pros and selling the aero stuff to us mere mortals... A good example is ITU racing, which doesn't use disc wheels or full-on aero bars. The folks at the pinnacle of the sport might ride something different, but it's not killing anyone's bike sales.

Well, ITU is a whole another can of worms... :) I'd actually content that the ITU guys not using TT rigs places more of a marketing emphasis on the bikes that Ironman triathletes and professional cyclists use, since triathletes can't look to the ITU guys for what equipment to use. So, my thoughts is that it's a wash.

What I would love to see is more triathletes featured prominently in bike ads, in all forms of media. We're getting there, but it would sure be cool to see Chris McCormack's face all over the Specialized ads instead of (or alongside) Fabian Cancellara!