Having received an insurance claim for a recent crash I am in the market for a new bike. I have narrowed down my options at the local shop I am going to buy from, and I have settled between two bikes. I would like your thoughts on which bike to choose. For roughly the same price I can buy a 2014 TM02 105 with a Rotor Power2Max powermeter, or a 2013 Cervelo P5-3. Both bikes would fit well and fit nearly the same, and I will be using the same aerobar setup(Zipp Vuka Bull base/Vision Clip-On) regardless of my choice, with only 1 cm difference in stack between the setups.
I have been wanting a powermeter for a long time. In addition to being fun and giving me something to Strava I believe that having power would improve my ability to pace my races (especially 70.3). I think my main difficulty in my last 70.3 was knowing how hard to go, especially when my legs were fresh but felt different due to swimming. I think that a powermeter would also stimulate long term improvement by allowing my efforts to be more directed during outdoor training. I currently use a Kurt Kinetic trainer, so I already have the ability to track progress over time and do some power-directed training (albeit indoors). I have chosen the P2Max because it is the cheapest crank-based meter. I have a disc wheel that I enjoy and do not wish to sell, and I want more accuracy than the Stages meter can provide.
While I would like a powermeter, the P5-3 is undoubtedly more aerodynamic and would improve my bike splits in any race. I like that laterally it is extremely stiff and that it would inspire confidence in my racing because I hold it in such high regard.
I am wondering if anyone has any idea how much faster I might be on the P5 vs the TM02. I would also like to hear about your experiences using a powermeter: how it has (or hasn’t) improved your racing, or how it has (or hasn’t) helped stimulated improvement in power output. Finally, which bike would you choose in my situation and why?
Interesting, after I got fit, Jim Manton at ERO gave me a list of frames. TM02 was on it (what I bought) but he said the 2013 P3 was a bit too high. 2012 P3 would have worked.
At any rate, went with the TM02 and couldn’t be happier. It’s not the bike that everyone else will have in transition (you may want to have that bike…). The TM02 is almost identical to the TM01, only differences being TMO1 slightly stiffer, slightly lighter, the integrated headset and the buried front brake. other than that same bike. I have the 105 build and while i was hesitant at first i see no reason to switch, operates flawlessly
Only comment is if you are on a trainer and swap tires of different sizes, you can’t adjust the rear brake pads without taking the crank off, so have them put in an in line rear brake barrel adjuster up at the cockpit if you go BMC.
I would choose the TM02 because I like having a different bike (previously had a saber and a planet x)
As for the power question, if you use it as a tool, you can make huge gains. I started racing with it last spring (had a CT for a couple seasons) and it’s been quite a ride. I also have a coach that guides my training though. I’ve gone from a FOP /MOP swimmer to actually gaining overall spots on the bike including long course. Using power over the last coule years I’ve gone from 3:13 to 2:55 to 2:47 at oceanside. Last race was a 2:26 (granted flat) at Miami . I use a CT indoors and a PT outdoors
Honestly I think a powermeter is one of the most important things for me in training and for TTs. I’m probably worse than most at pacing myself so it really helps to be able to take myself right up to the limit and hold it there. It also keeps me from slacking off. Whatever frame you choose, I’d get a powermeter to go with it.
The new P2 is slightly too tall/short for me. I could make the fit work with a -17 degree stem and 2.5 cm rise aerobar (only Felt Devox or old Pro Missile, and maybe 1 or 2 others?), but using my desired aerobar setup (vision clip) I would sacrifice .5cm in drop. This was initially prohibitive to me, but on second thought maybe I could live with that…
Careful, that is possibly true but it is compounding one guess upon another!
Not a guess, faith in what Cervelo has said!
Cervelo claim: NP3 (with 3 piece vision 31.8 bars and sram brakes) has 68g of aero drag more than than the NP5-6.
Cervelo claim: Sidepull brake has 21g more aero drag than Magura with Cover.
Cervelo claim: P5-6 fork saves 10g of drag over P5-3 fork which is the same design as the NP3.
Cervelo claim: NP2 has a different fork crown than the NP3 but adds a negligible amount of drag.
We are left with a 37g difference if you assume the differences in the aero parts aren’t interacting with the other parts too much.
The 3 piece Vision bar could (haven’t seen aerobar data with a rider involved) easily account for most of the difference.
As a side note to the OP: Damon Rinard has stated that the Scott Plasma is much faster than the BMC. As per Cervelo’s data, the P5 is much faster than the Scott.
I have a TM02 and a powermeter and I love it! Haha just anecdotal advice.
The Tour article also basically found no statistically significant difference between BMC TM01 and P5-6, especially at yaw angles greater than 2 or so degrees. I would guess the same when comparing TM02 and P5-3 especially if you put a Tririg Omega on.
Get the P5 so I can always blame that you beat me cause my NP3 is slower
good luck with the bike search dude!
My two cents: If the TM02 is the white one with colorful stripes I honestly would pass on it just out of looks. That power meter option is enticing though…
I believe that having power would improve my ability to pace my races (especially 70.3). I think my main difficulty in my last 70.3 was knowing how hard to go, especially when my legs were fresh but felt different due to swimming. I think that a powermeter would also stimulate long term improvement by allowing my efforts to be more directed during outdoor training. I currently use a Kurt Kinetic trainer, so I already have the ability to track progress over time and do some power-directed training (albeit indoors). I have chosen the P2Max because it is the cheapest crank-based meter. I have a disc wheel that I enjoy and do not wish to sell, and I want more accuracy than the Stages meter can provide.