Litespeed Tachyon

Price Paid:  $1200.00 at Road Bike Review Cla

Model Year:
2005

Favorite Ride:
Any ride preceded by a 2.4 mile swim and followed by a marathon run!

Bike Setup:
Complete Dura Ace 7800 drive train, Zero Gravity Titanium brakes, Easton EC90 seatpost, stock Real Design Aero carbon fork, Blackwell Flow saddle, Bontrager XXX-lite stem, Profile Design carbon base bar and PD Cobra aero bars with Dura-ace bar end shifters. Profile design carbon cages and bar tape. Zipp 404 tubulars with Zipp Tangente tires.

Summary:
I purchased this bike as my first true triathlon specific bike after riding my Giant road bike for a couple of years racing. This bike is simply great! It is not especially sexy, not especially aero but it is light and fits like a fine glove which for Ironman distance is paramount. I have owned and sold no fewer than three "super tri-bikes" since this purchase but keep going back to my Tachyon due to the fit and ride quality. I have upgraded to Dura-ace components and Zero G brakes making this tried and true tri-bike weight in at a scant 17lbs with Zipp 404's. This is a feather weight for a tri-bike and aids greatly climbing the hills of Madison, Wisconsin, Louisville, Kentucky or Lake Placid, New York.

Strengths:
Primarily, Fit and Ride quality. Secondarily, a 700c ride in a 51cm triathlon bike-this can be difficult to find. And last, great bang for the buck!

Weaknesses:
Not especially aero; no true aero shaping in the tubes, external cable rounting (which could also be a strength).

Similar Products Used:
Giant Trinity TT, Quintana Roo Lucero, Kestrel AirFoil, Giant TCR-C1, Trek 5500

Price Paid:  $3400.00

Model Year:
2007

Favorite Ride:
Ironman Wisconsin

Bike Setup:
Shimano 105's, Flashpoint 60's

Summary:
After owning an aluminium Trek road bike, a CF Trek raod bike, an aluminum trek tri bike and an Orbea CF tri bike I decided that I wanted to have just one bike for everything. I settled on the Litespeed Tachyon. I couldn't see the logic in having an expensive road bike; and an expensive tri bike that I only used 4-5 times a year. I had these guys build it up for me and I love it. It shifts great and I believe the ride is superior to Carbon. I did some killer hills this weekend and it is light and responsive on the uphills and stable and fast on the downhills. It cornered as well as a tri-bike can corner and I think it will do me well for all around riding.

Strengths:
For peace of mind, I like Ti over CF. When three people I know had Carbon Fiber incidents that rendered their bikes to the trash heap: I decided to make the jump. I know Ti isn't indestructable, I just feel better about it.

Weaknesses:
External cable routings but I am not so sure it is a weakness. My orbea had Ultegra components and internal routings and the shifting was horrible. The tech told me external routings result in better shifting. I have 105 components and it shifts smoother and more accurately than the Orbea.

Similar Products Used:
Orbea Ora, Trek Madone 5.2