Push the Button, Stupid!

If you asked me yesterday why I was looking at new tri bikes, I would have told you that I liked my current bike and that it was HS's idea because he was feeling guilty for spending so much money on his new toy.

Today, after trying out a few new bikes I would say I wanted a new bike because the new bikes are sooooo pretty!  LOL

My precious...is that carbon fiber?

Felt B12

After our triathlon practice at Discovery Park, HS and I headed to Davis Wheelworks (yes, in Davis) for an appointment I had set up to try out a couple of bikes. Let me just say that the guys at Davis Wheelworks were very knowledgeable and professional.

First bike was a Felt B12 with Ultegra Components.

James with Davis Wheelworks, took measurements of my current bike, put my pedals on the Felt, and even swapped the stock saddle with an Adamo saddle (so it would be what I was used to) and then put the bike on a trainer. He watched me ride for a bit and made a few adjustments. I was then ready to roll.

Navigating through downtown Davis was a bit scary at first, but I then got to a nice straight section that seemed to go on forever. About halfway through my test ride I decided I should be tracking the ride on my Garmin. Unfortunately, after setting the Garmin to "bike", I forgot to press start, so my Felt test ride went unrecorded :-/  PUSH THE BUTTON, STUPID!!!

Just a bit too small

One of the few complaints I have with my current bike is that I can't get the aero bars close together.  My elbows seem just a little too spread out for my liking. The Felt was the opposite and the bars were very close together. The bike felt very twitchy which I thought was due to the different aero bar position. It was a nice bike, shifted smoothly, but it did not win me over.

Cervelo P2

While I was out on the Felt, James at Davis Wheelworks set up the P2 for me. The P2 seemed so much more stable then the Felt. Unfortunately, I did not like the SRAM Rival group set. The shifting required way too much effort for my liking.

There was another P2 in the shop that was white/silver with Ultegra components...unfortunately, it was too big for me :-(

BMC Time Machine TM01

Word to the wise, if you can only afford a Pinto, do not test drive a Mercedes!

This bike was my favorite in Davis. Unfortunately, it was way out of my price range.  Fortunately, I am not as impulsive as my hubby otherwise I would have a new BMC sitting in my front room! 

This bike just felt right! Sigh...

Aloha colors!

Test Ride Summary

Since I forgot to press start on the Felt, I only recorded my pace with the Cervelo and BMC. Lap 1 = Cervelo, Lap 2 = BMC.

Davis Wheelworks - Test Rides by tpengilly at Garmin Connect - Details

During both rides (that I managed to record), I tried to keep my effort the same and rode in the same gear. On the Cervelo my average pace was 16.9 and on the BMC it was 18.3. Is the 1.4 MPH difference worth $2,400??? I don't know, but the bike is so cool!

Actually...that difference would mean a 25 minutes in a 70.3 race....so maybe it would be worth it!  LOL

After 3-1/2 hours, HS and I were both done and I was no where near making a decision. I did not like the color scheme on the P2 and I definitely did not like the SRAM Rival group set. The Felt colors were nice, but I did not like the feel of the ride. After talking with another guy at Davis he said that the Felt was probably too small for me. That left the BMC, but I could not justify paying that much for a bike (even with the Profile Design Aeria aero bars).

I left Davis more confused than when I arrived.

Specialized Shiv Expert

As we headed home and came up to Elk Grove, HS asked if I wanted to stop at Kinetic Cycles...just to look. I figured why not....even though I was tired and not really in the mood to look at any more bikes.

Kinetic only had two tri bikes in stock. Both were 2014 entry level Shivs with Shimano 105s on the rear and Shimano Tiagra on the front. The sticker price was $3,000. Not exactly what I was looking for.

Bruce, the salesman at Kinetic, then said that they had 2013 bikes on sale. He started going through his book and showed us the Shiv Expert with Dura Ace...black satin with hot pink...normally $4,400 on sale for $3,000! OMG! This was the same bike I drooled over at Bikes Plus in Folsom only months ago.  A bike that I was "this close" to getting. I am so glad I waited :-)

Bruce asked if I wanted to take one of the entry level Shivs out for a test ride and was nice enough to stay late while I cruised around the neighborhood.  I did manage to set my Garmin, but the route was completely different. In Davis, I had a long straightaway without much traffic or stops. In Elk Grove, I had to ride through a residential area with quite a few intersections.

That being said, the Shiv felt great and it was very comfortable....I think I may be going back to Elk Grove :-)