After 20 years of ambivalence toward tri bikes and the tri market, Specialized has finally made a world class timed race bike. The Transition is, with some exceptions, a bike worthy of its headbadge.
by Dan Empfield, April 19, 2010
Cervelo’s juggernaut P2 moved out of the $2500 neighborhood, selling this year for $280. Felt’s B14 nicely slotted into the P2’s hand-me-down $2500 category; it’s a great value for the money.
The Felt B12 is a worthy competitor to C’dale’s Slice 4 and Cervelo’s category killing P2, as well as the entry level Equinox TTX and Specialized Transition. But the closest rivel to the B12 isn’t Cervelo, it’s Felt’s own B14.
Over the past decade Cervelo simplified cable routing, added a chain stay adjustment screw, then came the move to carbon. Since then it’s been pretty clear sailing.
Light and stable at a weight of 9.7 oz., the big feature is this shoe’s rubber Wave plate. This Mizuno is a lightweight trainer, good for neutral runners, maybe slight pronaters.
The Konesic is a pure stability trainers like those built ten and fifteen years ago. K-Swiss might have found a niche market for the heavier runners who loved the motion control shoes no longer widely available.
Is this still a shoe? Or is it a running sock with a midsole glued on it? Whatever it is, smart money says it’s fast. And fast it is, but it’s just there for the most efficient lightweight runners.
This bike is a case study in: Not only power, not only handling, not only comfort, but superior aerodynamics is largely tied to choosing a bike that properly fits you.
This Germany company is a behemoth, making shoes for athletes in sports many people have never heard of. They were on the right track with their ’09 running collection, and their ’10 Spring line is even more promising.
The Ace, at 7.3oz in a size-9 men’s, is a very lightweight trainer that gives a reasonable amount of cushioning and stability in a neutral shoe. Keep in mind, it’s a neutral shoe.
This more “substantial” cousin to the Adios differs from the Adios in the thickness of the midsole. It’s the thickest among the lightweight trainers from Adidas. Its weight is 9.7 oz.
The Mana is the shoe for those who might want to run in the Adizero, but, need a bit of medial posting. Just keep in mind that posting comes at a price: a slightly harder feel.
The new 2010 Nike LunarElite is one of the best updates I’ve seen this season, and it may be a favorite for all but the heavy runners who can run with success in a neutral shoe.
