The BIG Decision

If you're a clydesdale (+200lb triathlete), the chances you will be winning your "age group" at any particular race this upcomming season are about as big as your chances of fitting into that size 32" waist slacks that have been hanging in your closet since college... Even if you're not a "fat" clydesdale. I'm 6'5" and weigh 255 lbs (I just weighed in at the Y this past Tuesday and that's down about 5 lbs since the start of my running program about a week and a half ago) I could definitely stand to lose a few more pounds, but even when I do lose my goal of thirty pounds I am still, most definitely, a clydesdale... and have always had a bit of trouble keeping up with my fleet footed friends who tip the scale at 150-170. Let's face it, there aren't that many 6 1/2 ft tall sub 7 min milers in the world. I say all this in order to set up the most important question you have to ask yourself when choosing a brand new tri-bike... How competitive do plan on being?

If you do have hopes of winning your age group (as a clydesdale even) then by all means you need every advantage you can get, because the odds are stacked against you from the beginning. So more power to you, purchase the best equipment you can afford and try your best to be OK with the fact that anyone that passes you on their lesser quality bike has taken a mental snap-shot of you and is using that as inspiration for the rest of his racing career and talking about you to his friends. We've all heard it before... shoot, I've done it. "Did you see that guy on the P2 with the disc wheels? Yeah, I passed him 15 mins into the ride on my garage-sale 1983 Fuji!"

Keeping the proper perspective in mind and the necessary entertainment value that should be considered when spending this kind of money, you primarily need to be concerned about comfort, durability, and value. You probably don't need top-of-the-line anything, because you will look silly and that's ultimately not gonna be what helps you succeed. But, like i said, if you have the money and are a total gear-head (which I am somewhat guilty of)... more power to you. I am actually making a concious effort to be satisfied with the 105 components on my new bike, because I know that a Dura Ace rear derailler will only make it more expensive. If I ever get to the point where I'm in a photo finish and a couple seconds in the race would have made all the difference in winning, I might feel a bit more justified in purchasing the better stuff.

The frame is a differnt story. Aluminum has always been the better choice for a heavier guy. It is cheaper than titanium and lighter than steel. Heavier guys feel way less discomfort on an aluminum bike than the featherweights. The frame comresses more under the big guys and more of the roads vibrations are absorbed by the bike rather than being transfered through the bike to the rider. There has been a bit of a dark cloud when it comes to carbon and its weight limits. Most "people" I've talked to will say that carbon isn't rated for a rider over 200lbs... where they get this idea i don't know. Maybe they are thinking of the carbon bikes that were made 5-10 years ago. I've spoken with a LBS that said carbon Trek bikes don't have a weight limit, and I have personally corresponded with the manufacturer of Argon 18 bikes and asked him about one of their carbon bikes, this was his response... "Torbjorn Sindballe was riding that model when he broke the bike split record (in Kona) in 2006(I believe) Torbjorn is a pretty big guy and he's pushing really hard on the pedal. To resume.. no worries go get one." So, if the manufacturer is standing behind it and they're the ones providing the warranty, why should I worry? Besides, theoretically, carbon fiber CAN be made to be stronger than aluminum. "Well what if you wreck it?" you might ask... I wrecked an aluminum frame bike last year and ended up not keeping it because of the dents and scrapes, so what's the difference... right? The difference is, carbon fiber bikes are all the rage, and if you decide you want a different bike later you can sell a carbon bike quicker and for more money. Taller frames are always in high demand. So if you have one you want to get rid of, put it on Ebay... it will sell. I have yet to be dissapointed with a bike sale I've made on Ebay, and that's because the big frames are few and far between... I promise... check it out.

And this leads me to my new bike decision... I chose this.


The carbon frame should be comfortable and, because of the cannondale warranty, I'm not worried about it failing because of my weight. And by choosing carbon over aluminum I am able to get a frame that came out of the very same mold as their 10K bike. If you switch to aluminum you have to make a few compromises that i wasn't that thrilled about (as evident in the drastic differences in the jump that Felt makes between their aluminum and entry carbon bikes.) And if the component dork inside of me rears his ugly head after i get the bike, it's much easier to swap out a rear derailler than a frame. I like the fact that cannondale has a fully adjustable seat post. It's not a seat mast that has to be cut, and there are two positions (fore and aft) so I am relatively sure that i can adjust it to the geometry that best fits me. Also, Felt sells their bikes with a lot of house brand equipment. there's probably nothing wrong with it, but if i swap out something like the wheels or brakes or something, it will be a lot easier to sell a shimano wheel on ebay than a Felt house brand. And Quintana Roo is definitely coming on strong, but for some reason the brand doesn't excite me as much as it used to. They're coming out of a rough couple of years, and I don't have anything negative to say about them. But I do want to see them re-establish themselves among the leaders of the sport again before i throw down the cash and the commitment.

Well that's enough for today. I'm gonn go camping in the state park in Huntsville, TX tomorrow afternoon and Saturday, and hopefully get in some good trail running. I'm especially looking forward to some campfire skillet breakfast tacos. Tonight, the wife heads out of town for a weekend retreat and I'm gonna spend the evening at the Y and do an indoor brick workout. 30 mins on the stationary bike, and 30 mins on the treadmill. too bad i can't do it on the road yet... bike should be here at the end of April.

It's springtime... go do something.
Soulrider.