Some Bike Bargains for 2012

One thing that is interesting about the current cycling marketplace is that there are some real opportunities showing up to be able to buy products that used to only be available at much higher price points for a lot less – there are some great values.   You can get the Ferrari for the price of the Corvette or the Corvette for the price of the Camaro.   Here are a few examples in both the road and the triathlon category:

Road

Felt Z5 & Z6: It was not that long ago where “entry level” carbon fiber bikes were running over $2500.   Today, you can get a Felt Z6 for $1699.   Also, for $2299 you can get a Felt Z5 with the next level up carbon fiber and a full Shimano 105 group (Shimano’s first group offering their full range of features and designed to be ridden regularly).  The bottom line is that the amount of bike that you get for your money has never been better.

 

 

Cervelo S5 Rival – It used to take years for technology to trickle down through the price points, now you can get very similar technology to the very top of the line for a lot less.  The Cervelo S5 Rival uses the same frame as the Team, but with a little heavier fork.   While not a cheap bike, considering it offers Pro Tour technology at $3800, it is a bargain.

 

 

Seven Axiom S – Titanium is a great material to build bikes, it lasts forever, doesn’t corrode, doesn’t require paint, can be rider tuned, is light…   There isn’t much that it doesn’t do well when in the hands of a good frame builder.   For around $5000 (frame $2800) you can get a well equipped Seven Axiom S and have a bike you can keep forever.   Over 15 years, a Seven Axiom S is under $350 a year, less than half of what most people pay for cable TV and a whole lot healthier.

 

Di2 Ultegra – Last year, to get Di2 electronic shifting, you had to spend around $10,000, now bikes like Felt’s Z3 at $4999 do so at half that.   Another option is Cervelo’s S5 Di2 Ultegra which, at $6000, offers a Pro Tour level frameset and Di2.

Triathlon/TT

Parlee Stock TT: The Parlee Stock TT is unquestionably one of the very nicest riding and best fitting production tri/TT frames on the market.  Parlee is a specialty builder and their experience in carbon manufacturing is evident throughout the fabrication and design of the Stock TT.    A Parlee Stock TT frameset is regularly $3700 and the complete bikes normally start around $5000, but we’ve made a special buy and have a limited supply of Force and Ultegra equipped Stock TT models available for well under $4000 –  $3899 on either, to be exact.   This means for just $199 more than what the frameset normally costs, you get a complete bike, and a complete bike with a great level of componentry.   That is some big savings.

 

Guru CR.501: Full custom frame geometry that guarantees it fits you ideally and gives you the widest possible adjustment range, your choice of colors and finish, rider matched handling characteristics that eliminate compromises in stability, discipline specific (TT or Tri) geometry, made in North America…    The CR.501 might be Guru’s first level of frame, but it is far from entry-level and it should not be compared to the entry level models form mass produced manufacturers for this reason.  So, while you can get Spec

ialized Transition for less, that is like saying a Specialized Transition is equal to a Cervelo P3 and it simply is not.   The Guru CR.501 is much more comparable to the higher end offerings from most companies when it comes to material quality and fabrication approach.    So, you don’t need to pay more to get all those features listed above that do not come on production bikes.   We took the component group off a Cervelo and put it on a CR.501 and the price came out within $100 of the P3 at $3700.   Unlike mass produced bikes, we can all but guarantee that the CR.501 comes in a size that fits you as the $3700 includes full custom geometry and there are some great looking finish options that give it some personal flare as well.

If you have been fit at Fit Werx we have your fit information and can help you find the right matches for your riding position and budget, just contact us with questions!