My bike

No, I don't ride a tri bike. ("WTF?!")

• Newsflash: Not everyone buys the hype. Especially those - me - who are 6'4". When I go into an LBS, how many size 61 tri bikes do you think they have sitting around? None. And exactly how aero can I get at that height? I'm sure a low-stacked fork would be nice, with a cutesy little 80mm stem, and a darling little compact crank, and those "fast" 650 wheels. Right, like that will fit. And it will feel great too, after three or four hours. I went through so many tri bikes and many "fittings" and I never felt comfortable, all cramped in an "aero" position. And since I only do 70.3 and 140.6 events, I'm not contorting myself for three to six hours. What's more efficient? Riding comfortably in drops, or riding aero for maybe a few miles then sitting up on the bullhorns for the rest? Who will train more? Someone who feels nice on the bike, or someone who hates it because he or she gets all beat up?

So, to finally get something that fit, I went custom. Seven titanium frame, carbon fork, Shimano DuraAce group, FSA carbon crank, Chris King headest, Mavic Ksyrium SL wheelset, Easton carbon seatpost, stem, road bar.

• Bar Ends: Plastic plugs (8g)
• Bar Tape: Cinelli cork ribbon (45g)
• Bottle Cage: Bike Diet titanium (40g for two)
• Bottle Cage Bolts: Wheels MFG Titanium (6g)
• Bottom Bracket: FSA MegaExo (140g)
• Brakes Rear: Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 (155g)
• Brakes Front: Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 (162g)
• Cables / Housing: Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 (175g)
• Cassette/Lockring: Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 (161g)
• Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 (256g)
• Crankset: FSA Team Issue Carbon (565g)
• Derailleur Front: Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 (74g)
• Derailleur Rear: Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 (180g)
• Fork: Seven 5E Carbon (440g)
• Frame: Seven Axiom Ti (1440g)
• Handlebar: Easton Equipe EC90 (200g)
• Headset: Chris King (incl. top cap, star nut and bolt) (126g)
• Headset Spacers: Titanium (6g)
• Pedals: Speedplay X5 (220g)
• Quick Releases: Salsa Ti (85g)
• Seat: Selle Italia Flite Gel Flow (220g)
• Seat Post: Easton EC70 Zero-Offset (215g)
• Shifters: Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 STI (415g)
• Stem: Ritchey Comp Stem (160g)
• Tire Front: Michelin Pro Race 3 (200g)
• Tire Rear: Michelin Pro Race 3 (200g)
• Tubes: Michelin AirComp A1 (pair) (120g)
• Wheel Set: Mavic Ksyrium SSC SL 2004 (1530g)
• Total grams: 7544 (16.63lbs) For a size 61, that's damn light.

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