SOCIALLY PROFILED
The noise of the bicycle marketing machine is super hard to ignore. Do I even need a new bike? Really?
Truth is I do not need a new bike but looking at the time and effort being invested in my triathlon habit, upgrading the toy that I spend the most time with might be nice!
No. My Argon 18 E-118 NEXT is a fast bike.
Three things. Support for more modern tire widths and brakes. More options for carrying water and calories.
Officially, Argon 18 built my current bike with support for 23mm wide tires. I have been running a 25mm tire on the back but it is hit and miss getting a 25mm tire on the front.
While training, I can carry 4 round water bottles, but for a race, I'd like to clean things up if I can.
I've warmed to the idea of disc brakes; the industry has changed, so can I. Between Carina's new bike and my XC bike, I am finally comfortable doing basic maintenance on a hydraulic system.
Electronic shifting would be a nice to have.
So I have perused many bike manufacturers websites, studying what is currently offered, or in some cases, what is not available.
Part of the exercise includes collecting and comparing angles and geometries of dozens of models, then comparing those numbers it to the dimensions of my curent TT bike.
Interestingly, not all manufacturers agree on recommended sizes. Argon 18 and Canyon insist I fit thier size small, Specialized and Trek claim I am a medium and Cervelo explain how I could fit both their equivalent of a small and medium. Lot's of homework...
Argon 18 E-118 Tri+ ‐ Natural option; the latest version of my current TT Bike. Updates to the frame match my wishlist; angles close to their flagship E-119 model. Frameset only.
Argon 18 E-119 Tri+ Disc ‐ Argon's most aerodynamic, triathlon specific model. Heavier, more expensive than the E-118. TRP brake system that may be harder to service.
Trek Speed Concept TT ‐ Triathlon model sold out; The TT version (prefered/available) is closer to my current bike. Frameset only; handlebar, aerobar parts sold separately (WTF?).
Canyon Speedmax SLX ‐ Good experience with Canyon when I purchased Carina's bike. The geometry is very different than what I am familiar with. Wait times long/uncertain.
Cervelo P5 Disc ‐ Really nice bike. Easy to understand sizing options. Expensive. Sold out in Canada but lots stateside.
Make Model | Size | (cm) Wheelbase | (cm) Chainstay | (cm) BB Drop | (cm) Front Center | (cm) Stand Over | Seat-tube Angle | Head-tube Angle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argon 18 Gallium Pro † | Small | 97.0 | 40.6 | 7.5 | 57.5 | 73.0 | 74.0 | 72.5 |
| Argon 18 E-118 NEXT ‡ | Medium | 99.1 | 39.5 | 7.5 | 60.7 | 77.0 | 76.0 | — |
| Argon 18 E-119 Tri+ DISC | Small | 98.8 | 41.3 | 7.3 | 58.6 | 76.5 | 78.0 | 72.0 |
| Argon 18 E-118 Tri+ | Small | 99.0 | 41.3 | 7.0 | 58.7 | 75.4 | 78.0 | 72.0 |
| Argon 18 E-118 Tri+ | Medium | 100.5 | 41.3 | 7.0 | 60.2 | 77.0 | 78.0 | 72.0 |
| Trek Speed Concept TT | Medium | 101.0 | 41.0 | 7.2 | 61.1 | 77.6 | 76.0 | 72.0 |
| Canyon Speedmax SLX | Small | 98.6 | 42.0 | 7.2 | 57.7 | 79.7 | 80.5 | 73.0 |
| Cervelo P5 Disc | 51cm | 97.6 | — | 7.5 | 58.3 | 75.4 | — | 72.5 |
| Cervelo P5 Disc | 54cm | 99.5 | — | 7.5 | 60.2 | 76.9 | — | 72.5 |
| † My current road bike (pseudo-reference) ‡ My current time-trial bike (reference) | ||||||||
A size small Canyon Speedmax has a standover height 2cm greater than medium frames from Trek and Argon 18. It's front center is shorter than my road bike too.
Only Argon 18 lists support for 30mm tires (F/R). The others are limited to 25mm (front).
Stack and reach measurements; some publish ranges to the back of the arm pad, some the center. I enjoyed the process of calculating where a bike's contact points can line up in space.
If I ever decide to get a new bike, it will be expensive.
I considered many brands. If they didn't make my shortlist, it would likely be how I percieved servicability (ease of getting spare parts if needed).
I couldn't help myself and bought a TT frame!