since6

Cervelo P5X eTAP Bike

I know this isn't classic and vintage, but saw this come up in a pop up ad while wandering about in vintage bike lands, C/L, ebay, etc., the usual suspects. And yes it's marked down from I think it was $16,000.00. So thought I would share just to give perspective on what an extraordinary value C&V bikes are and what for 1/12 the cost of this bike you can find and ride in a C&V bike.

DrIsotope

That's like saying, "Look what a great value I got buying this pre-owned 2015 Honda Accord, instead of that 2019 Williams F1 car." Nobody looking for anything C&V is considering a full-blown TT bike. And vice-versa.

For reference, those wheels cost more than I've ever spent on a complete bicycle.

iab

I'll sell any of my bikes for $12K. What's the problem?

bikemig 

You don't own any bike as ugly as the bike the OP posted . . . .

So your bikes are worth more, right?

CliffordK

Vintage Colnago Master low profile TT road racing bike. $7.750

Darth Lefty 

Heresy and schism!

CliffordK

Are the "Foil" style bikes making a resurgence?

I thought the UCI had killed them off.

TREK Y FOIL 77, size 54cm, Shimano Dura-Ace, Upgrades. $2450

TenGrainBread 

The UCI doesn't govern triathlons.

since6

LOL Formula 1 indeed, I attended a local auto specialty shop because they were going to fire up an 8 liter McClaren Cam Am car. It took two technicians and about a half an hour. Now I'm sure this Tri bike would not take so long, well maybe the initial set up for the Pro/Am rider? But every Miata I've owned, three now, you just get in, turn the key and put the top down...Nirvana.
But yes it is horses for courses, but it's the small window of being at the top of the game coupled with the years of pain to get there that's the real cost in this Tri bike, but then if the passion leads you, no cost at all.
Enjoyed everyone's reaction, for me it was the shock of the price, but then on reflection this bike is like a Formula-1 car, where you spend millions for each 1 / 1000th of a second. Thus the art of science and engineering, but I still love a hand crafted frame set.

iab

Most of my bikes are janky old crap. Many in C&V ask why I don't restore them. Different strokes for different folks. I see tri-guys in a most uncomfortable position grinding miles. I don't get it. And I couldn't give 2 craps about aero. But some folks love that crap. So I won't begrudge that guy getting $12K for his bike if he doesn't begrudge me selling my janky old crap for $12K.

All bikes, still available.

crank_addict

I know nothing of the bike posted by the OP but my guess it's fast and serves it purpose... to a select market. And let me add, the price means little to those buyers.

The tri / multi-sport racer is very individual and not team orientated nor sponsor chasers. The prize money doesn't mean much to them as well. Its a very pricey sport for the most competitive but again, its not about that.

A good majority are VERY demanding of themselves, driven personality, considered successful in their field, etc. and higher income (through market studies somewhere noted avg income $120k annual).

It would be rare to see one that fits the above description having any interest in our old bikes, regardless how special or condition.

Fairly easy to see why late model pre-owned tri bikes drastically depreciate. Personally, I'll know when the right one comes up for a song.... and yes I'll admit, like some of the rad tech to sucker me in.

texaspandj

Here's my triathlon bike and I'm pretty sure I couldn't go much faster on the "Formula One".

DrIsotope

If you're already doing sub-5 hour solo centuries without issue, dropping 12 grand on a P5X would undoubtedly shave a few minutes off of your ET.

Wildwood 

Cervelos are overrated.
Not worth a dime over $11,500.
In my book.

cudak888 

Not a fair comparison. There's used carbon out there with Ergos and STIs that can beat the prices of well-known C&V classics (*cough* Colnago Supers... *cough*).

This is a bonkers, electronic-shifting-equipped Cervelo TT bike, all of which adds up to mucho dinero - whether it's worth it or not. As @CliffordK points out, the historical equivalent of this ugly "Look at Me I'm Jordan Belfort the Triathlete" machine - the Master Piu funnybike - is just shy of being half the cost of the Cervelo P5X.

I rest my case.

-Kurt

RobbieTunes

For 12,000, I think I'd buy a nice C&V bike and then go to Vegas with the $11,500. Should last a few days.

For $2450, they can have mine (now with DA9000). No, they can't.

cudak888 

I can just see you now, Robbie. Sitting in a smoky room surrounded by members of the fairer sex, as they sultrily present you, one-by-one, with every Dave Scott Ironman you could locate on the Vegas Craigslist.

-Kurt

RobbieTunes

I can see the appeal. Like a bass boat or set of custom golf clubs. Still gotta catch fish or shoot below par....

eTap. I can't wait until someone learns to hack those shifters.

"For some reason, Wiggins has shifted to the big ring on Alp de Huez! He's losing time like crazy!"
"Here comes team Google, and they're laughing...."

RobbieTunes

I rode a Y-Foil in two triathlons (a gold one in the first, a red one in the second one.)
Both times, a member of a triathlon club tried to have me DQ'd. Wrong.
I pointed to their club president's Airfoil..."uh, no seat tube, just like mine."

RobbieTunes

And I would fit them each, carefully.

iab

I'm assuming you didn't win, mid-pack finish?

What kind of d-bag gives 2 craps about moving up from 107 to 106?

RobbieTunes

So 100% Correct. I'm not even sure I've bumped anyone from an age group award.

Some of the 40-over crowd becomes 12-under when they get hot, tired, and passed, especially by a greyhair on a road bike, in the drops, of all things. Or the cool ones laugh at the others that get passed, and that, of course, demands action.

I come out of the water with most of the field in front of me. I sit on a milk crate and put on my shoes, drink a bottle of water, and then get to it. I'm there for the free beer. Unlike most of the field, I get relatively faster with each event, not slower, and this can cause diapers to get wadded.

My last (ever) triathlon, I rode a Cinelli carbon road bike, and pretty much the same thing happened. I heard a guy venting during the 10K run, so I asked him if he wanted me to walk, so it would be even. No sense of humor, that guy.

Then again, I'm just as big of a baby about 110 miles into the Dairyland Dare.

cudak888 

In more ways than one.

-Kurt

Bikerider007

That's what odd to me. You can' find a BMX at that price point but Pinarello, DeRosa,Colango...all have offerings. BMX guys will put up 1-2k+ for a bike. Or 3-5k on a build, and here few want to go past $500-1k, 2k and they want 50th on a bike or something.

Then we wonder why values are tanked.

madpogue 

+1, and somewhat relevant to this section, they don't govern ownership or collection, or collector value.

Exactly what I thought of, first time I heard about bluetooth wireless shifting. I imagined a 21st-Century version of that race scene in Breaking Away.