RACE ROCKETS
bY aaron herSh
We pitted four of the most advanced triathlon bikes in head-to-head
competition on the road and in the wind tunnel to find the fastest,
most aerodynamic machine on the market.
peTer DaWSon
There are only two ways that one triathlon bike is faster than another: It either
has impeccable mechanical function and predictable handling while fitting
perfectly to help the rider perform better, or the machine itself can go faster
in a straight line. And when it comes to tri bikes, aerodynamic resistance more
than any other factor determines straightaway speed. We took four cuttingedge bikes ranging from totally integrated to nearly stock to compare their
performance across all categories. And to find the aerodynamic champion,
we tested them head-to-head in the wind tunnel at Faster in Scottsdale, Ariz.
34 Mar c h /ap r i l 2013
35
Cervélo P5 Three
$6,000 (with Vision Team wheels), Cervelo.com
• Simplicity
Clean integration is the
brilliance of the P5. Built
with a standard aerobar
attachment and externally
mounted brakes, the P5
has more mechanical
similarities to a road bike
than the most integrated
contender in this review,
the Trek Speed Concept.
Magura’s RT 8TT hydraulic rim brakes require a
different set of mechanical
skills than cable brakes,
but require service less
frequently. Replacing
cables takes a fair amount
of patience, but the P5’s
aerobar system makes
airline travel with the bike
extremely simple.
• Ride
The P5 remains poised
under intense cornering
and during high-speed
descents. Its predecessors had a tendency to
flex a bit when cornering
heavily—especially with
the aerobars propped
by a tall stack of steerer
tube spacers—but the
P5 is rock-solid, inspiring
faster and more aggressive lines through tight
bends. The bike snaps up
to speed instantly without
the dreaded “wet noodle”
feeling that used to plague
some aero bikes.
• Kit
Fancy but not flashy, the
Shimano Dura-Ace 7900
mechanical drivetrain is
crisp, light and durable—it
just lacks the wow-factor
boasted by the other
three. A new flagship
mechanical group will
be slowly replacing this
component kit throughout
the year. Magura’s hydraulic RT 8TT rim brakes
feel slightly stronger
than mechanical brakes.
Their performance didn’t
deteriorate during a threemonth test of this bike.
• Aero
This bike outperforms the
others in high rider speed,
low wind speed conditions, generating substantially less drag than
the nearest competitor at
zero and five degrees of
yaw. At wider yaw angles,
it performs very similarly
to the Specialized Shiv,
while losing ground to the
Trek. This drag profile is
best suited to faster riders
because high average
speeds also translate to
shallower yaw angles.
• Fit
Orbea ditched antiquated
road-style TT geometry
and replaced it with a true
triathlon-first fit scheme.
In addition to a steep
seat tube angle—a first for
Orbea—the all-new Ordu’s
front end is situated for
aggressive yet attainable positions. It uses an
adjustable rotating stem
to affix the aerobar to the
frame. This system can
accommodate a wide
range of fits and is easy
to adjust. Conservative,
upright positions are the
only ones that will test
the bike’s adaptability. No
matter the position, the
front end is elegant.
• Simplicity
Orbea adopted Selle
Italia’s Monolink system to
attach the aerobars to the
frame. The rotating stem
pieces allow the aerobars
to easily come off the
frame for travel, but fixing
the stem to the frame
must be done precisely.
The other bike with a
similar stem—Felt’s DA—
uses notches to prevent
the stem from rotating
downward, but Orbea’s
does not. Carefully assembling this joint is key.
The external front brake
is the easiest and most
functional option.
Orbea Ordu GLi2
$5,500 (with Shimano RS21 wheels), Orbea-usa.com
• Ride
At press time, the
production-grade frontend assembly wasn’t
completed to allow a full
ride test. Rather than
speculate on ride quality
without a sufficient test,
we are reserving judgment
for now.
• Kit
The Ordu GLi2 is spec’d
at the pinnacle of performance and value. Toplevel electronic groupsets
from both Shimano and
Campagnolo claim minor
“improvements” beyond
Ultegra Di2, but its shift
quality is second to none.
It does, however, lack
brake grip shifters. Orbea
elected to use a standard
Shimano Ultegra front
brake, and the result is
great performance and
easy service. It may sacrifice a bit of aerodynamic
performance, but gains
plenty in functionality.
• Aero
The Ordu created more
drag than the others in the
wind tunnel test. One way
the Ordu attains a price
several thousand dollars
lower than the others is
by spec’ing a less exotic
aerobar—the 3T Brezza II.
This component coupled
with the highly functional although completely
external front brake may
generate more drag than
the alternatives, but both
provide real benefits in the
form of a lower price and
powerful, reliable braking
performance.
John David Becker
• Fit
The Canadian company
did an about-face regarding the geometry used
on its top-flight aero bike.
Formerly dedicated to
the needs of Pro Tour
cycling teams, Cervélo
tuned the P5’s geometry
for positions achievable
by cyclists who hold desk
jobs. The frame is formed
for realistic Ironman fits,
and the 3T Aduro aerobar
extends the fit range from
conservative to aggressive. Horizontal reach
distance to the elbow
pads is the P5’s only fit
limitation. The pads cannot be choked far back
toward the cyclist.
Verdict: Incredible component function and most affordable,
but trailed in the tunnel
Verdict: Total package—great ride, realistic fit, mechanically simple and
an aerodynamic standout
36 Mar c h /Ap r i l 2013
37
Specialized S-Works Shiv
$12,000 (with Zipp 404 wheels), Specialized.com
• Simplicity
Instead of dropping the
stem-and-steerer tube in
favor of a unique integrated system, the Shiv
blends the standard components together without
sacrificing practicality.
Brake calipers strike a balance between functionality
and aerodynamics. They
aren’t quite as effective
as the Shimano stopper
used on the Orbea Ordu,
but still provide more
than adequate power and
modulation. Adjustment
and service are also easy.
Packing the bike into a
travel case and reassembling it are simple to do.
• Ride
Point the Shiv in a straight
line and it calmly holds
its course. It feels almost
impervious to the shivers
and twitches that plague
some triathlon bikes. Despite its inclination toward
going straight, it deftly
moves through sweeping turns. Its monstrous
downtube and head tube
catch a bit more wind than
the other bikes in this test,
but the bike’s predictable
handling characteristics
help resist any input from
the wind.
• Kit
There has been a deluge
of new component kits in
the past year, but, even
with an upgrade just
around the corner, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 remains
unmatched. Front shifting
feels almost automatic, the
rear derailleur stays tuned
barring a disaster, and
shifting from the brakes is
a real speed and performance advantage. Zipp’s
404 Carbon Clinchers
might be the best wheels
for racing/training double
duty. This kit makes the
Shiv ready for anything,
but at a hefty price: It’s
$8,700 more than the
cheapest Shiv.
• Aero
Specialized designed
this bike for real-life
triathletes, not just endurance all-stars. The bike’s
aerodynamic performance
reflects those goals. As
yaw angle increased, its
drag dropped, meaning
the Shiv is comparatively faster in conditions
frequently experienced by
amateur triathletes.
• Fit
Trek has created a range
of integrated stems that
span a wide breadth of
fit preferences. Paired
with the highly adjustable
Bontrager aerobar, this
bike is a fit chameleon
capable of morphing into
a conservative position
or an aggressive one.
Accommodating very
conservative positions
requires a lot of spacers,
and the frame itself is best
suited to aero fits ranging
from moderate to raceoriented, but the machine
can accommodate upright
positions as well. For
micro-adjustments to position, Bontrager’s aerobar
can be tweaked in any
direction.
• Simplicity
Integration can come with
a host of complications,
but blending nearly the entire front end into a single
seamless form did not turn
the Speed Concept into
a mechanic’s nightmare.
Re-cabling the derailleurs
and brakes takes more
time and precision than on
a standard bike, but it is
achievable with practice.
The aerobars can be
micro-adjusted to account
for position tweaks, and
adjusting the brakes is the
only irregularly difficult mechanical task. Changing
width and pad orientation
for different wheels is a
struggle.
Trek Speed Concept 9 Series
$10,600 (with Bontrager Aeolus D3 wheels), Trekbikes.com
• Ride
There is a fine balance
between a twitchy bike
and an agile one. The
Speed Concept can
weave quickly while riding
the aero position without
feeling unstable or skipping around the road. It
isn’t a tranquil cruiser, but
it still settles into a nicely
balanced medium. Quick
sprints are no problem;
the bike willingly skips up
to speed, although it feels
barely less stiff underfoot
than the others.
• Kit
Campagnolo, the historic
Italian component manufacturer, ignored triathlon
for several years, but reentered with a phenomenal
groupset. It was worth the
wait. The Campagnolo
Super Record 11 kit executes sharper rear shifts
than any other mechanical
tri components. It jumps
through the cassette with
a light flick of the shifter,
yet each gear change
feels solid and crisp.
Trek’s integrated brakes
perform admirably but
struggle to fit wide-rim
wheels and are more
difficult to adjust than any
other in this review.
• Aero
Despite being the oldest
frame design in the test,
released in the summer
of 2010, Trek’s combination of effective shapes
and creative integration
allowed it to beat the
other three contenders in
the wind tunnel shoot-out.
While the Cervélo P5
held an advantage at very
narrow yaw angles—zero
and five degrees—the
Speed Concept took
control of the test at wider
angles, which occur more
frequently for amateur
triathletes who typically
can’t match the speeds of
pure time-trialists.
John David Becker
• Fit
Craig Alexander has to
drop his bar nearly as
low as possible to fit the
Shiv—a good thing for
most triathletes because
few people can mimic
his fit. The Shiv’s frame
is designed to fit positions ridden by everyday
athletes. Its stack height
is taller than nearly all tri
bikes with a similar reach
length, matching realistic
aero positions without
relying on a tower of spacers. They can be used to
elevate the rider farther,
and the aerobar offers a
seemingly infinite range
of adjustment. The bike
can solve just about any fit
problem.
Verdict: The fastest bike, and the most
mechanically challenging
Verdict: Universally practical and aerodynamically
competitive
38 Mar c h /Ap r i l 2013
39
TUNNEL TEST RESULTS
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TECHNIQUE
CH
HNIQUE TIPS
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YOUR MENTAL
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PAGE 48
Cervélo P5
created the
least drag at
narrow yaw
angles, making
it a great
choice for very
fast riders who
experience
these angles
more frequently.
250
5
CORNER WITH
CONFIDENCE
MASTER BIKEHANDLING SKILLS
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BARRIERS
YOUR MENTAL
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TRAIN SMARTER | RACE FASTER
RACE
TOUGHER
SHATTER
YOUR MENTAL
BARRIERS
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5
NEW RULES OF
STRENGTH
TRAINING
CORNER WITH
CONFIDENCE
MASTER BIKEHANDLING SKILLS
+
WHY TOP
OLYMPIANS LIKE
JAVIER GOMEZ
WILL DOMINATE
LONG COURSE
•1
16 PAIRS TESTED •
FIND YOUR
PERFECT
RUNNING
SHOE
SHOE
RUNNING
PERFECT
FIND YOUR
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LONG COURSE
WILL DOMINATE
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TOUGHER
RACE
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JAVIER GOMEZ
OLYMPIANS LIKE
WHY TOP
TEST RECIPE
There is no such thing as a perfect wind tunnel test. The rider impacts the aero drag created by
the bike, but replicating that influence is fraught with error and inaccuracy. A person shimmying or looking at a different point can skew the results. Some tri bike companies decide
to test their designs with a dummy mounted to the bike. While this strategy does a great job
at re-creating the interaction between rider and machine, a small difference in the dummy’s
position can outweigh any disparity in the bikes themselves.
For Inside Triathlon’s test, we took elements of the best test procedures in the business and
created one that can measure the differences between the bikes—although imperfectly—while
keeping other variables to a minimum. Here’s how the bikes were tested at the Faster wind
tunnel in Scottsdale, Ariz.
BIKE SETUP CONDITIONS
TEST DESIGN DRAWBACKS
• All bikes were tested with the same Zipp Super-9 Clincher Disc
and Zipp 404 Carbon Clincher front wheel.
THIS TEST PROTOCOL ISN’T PERFECT.
THESE ARE THE SHORTCOMINGS
THAT IMPACT THE TEST RESULTS BUT
MAY NOT INFLUENCE RIDER SPEED
ON THE ROAD.
HANDLING SKILLS
MASTER BIKE-
CONFIDENCE
CORNER WITH
TRAINING
STRENGTH
5
NEW RULES OF
• Bikes were tested without a rider or dummy.
• Saddle was removed from the bike and the seat post was set at
a uniform height. Openings for saddle attachment hardware were
covered with electrical tape.
• Elbow pad height was set equally for all bikes.
• Reach distance to the pads and bar tips was set equally for all
bikes.
• Chain was positioned in the big chainring and smallest cassette cog.
• Shift levers were set horizontally.
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40 MAR C H /AP R I L 2013
10
Yaw (degrees)
SHOE
RUNNING
PERFECT
FIND YOUR
PAIRS TESTED
The Speed
Concept
excelled in the
wind conditions
most commonly
experienced by
amateur racers.
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STRENGTH
TRAINING
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• 16
350
Cervélo P5
Trek Speed Concept
JAVIER GOMEZ
BARRIERS
YOUR MENTAL
SHATTER
400
300
NEW RULES OF
FIND YOUR
PERFECT
RUNNING
SHOE
•
450
Orbea Ordu
Specialized Shiv
WILL DOMINATE
LONG COURSE
PAIRS TESTED
500
Drag (grams)
The Shiv and
P5 performed
similarly at wider
yaw angles.
•1
16 PAIRS TESTED •
• 16
Don’t forget: The rider’s
body creates much more of
the total drag than the bike.
Position is more important
than equipment, but these
numbers still matter.
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WHY TOP
OLYMPIANS LIKE
PAGE 50
Drag curve asymmetry is
caused by the drivetrain.
650
TRAIN SMARTER | RACE FASTER
RACE
TOUGHER
SHATTER
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• Crank arms were ﬁxed in the horizontal position using a Velcro
strap.
• The bikes were tested with the spec’d components and aerobars—
translating this into a complete bike test, not a frameset comparison.
• No accessories were mounted on the bikes, including Specialized’s
integrated Fuelselage hydration bladder.
• The bikes were tested in 30mph wind at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20
degrees of yaw on both sides.
• The lack of a rider is the most
obvious shortcoming. The cyclist impacts the way air passes around the
equipment, and this test neglects
that fact.
• The tip of the seat post is exposed
to unadulterated airﬂow in this test
even though it is almost entirely hidden when the bike is actually ridden
by a cyclist.
• Aerobar extensions are exposed
to the wind when the rider’s hands
would typically cover this portion of
the bike. I T
To watch a video about the test
and read more analysis, go to
Insidetriathlon.com/tunneltest.