Ventum or Speed Concepts?
Tagging off a community thread I started earlier. Equally good discount on either bike, so which to chose?
Ventum: Like the unique look, raw straight line speed and that huge integrated bottle. Dislike; inability to test ride first, lack of a bento box up front, potentially challenging to prep for transport, long term-resale value unknown.
Trek: Like; Product of several generations of refinements by a big manufacturer with time and resources. Familiar to LBS mecs. integrated storage, seat & top tube. Also fast. Easy to break down for transport.
Cons: 500 black ones at every race and well, it's still a Trek.
Not a black and white choice to be sure. Thanks for the input so far. Other thoughts?
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@josiah -- I am really like Coach Patrick Fuel Belt "bento box" alternative - I see it as 10x better than one anyway, so thats my two cents on that theory. The rest of your thoughts are good things to think through. I would be interested to see what your fellow teammates have to say about that. Thank you for starting this thread, love it when we lean on each other for advice.
I need to post my initial Ventum review..it's overdue. But the long and short of a couple points you made....there is a hack others have done and I will be doing to mount a bento to the integrated water bottle. Also...the integrated bottle is a bigger deal than I anticipated. Lastly, Not sure why transport would be more difficult. In fact, without a downtube I think it may be more flexible to pack, etc.
What's the Fuel Belt bento hack? This is about the only thing missing from my setup, a way to convenient carry food while wearing racing kit?
U can also use one of the profile design BTA that has a small bentobox built-in
The Trek- truly an amazing bike, I had the hots for one (gen 1) 5 years ago when I bought my FELT, I did fit on a small but I did not like the bull horns (too low and swept too forward), then I saw how complicated the front end was watching a bike mechanic move stuff around, they solved most if not all of this in (gen 2).... again very sweet bike... Dan Empfield (slowman and owner of ST) loves the SC and so does Jim Manton at EROS....Tons of support available from Carl on ST who is the designer of the bike....Still a complicated bike , very adjustable, very clean looking, awesome speed box for flat kits, a large company , things are still difficult even on a very expensive project one bike, we had a $300 coupon for Project One, the dealer only collected $200 from Trek , since the dealer negotiated a price with me based on that coupon, I got pissed and after a few emails I got the dealer the other $100 , he bike now has a large chip in the custom paint under the fork where it must have turned and hit the frame even with the bumper design, the bike has never gone down, fallen over, been hit in any way (yet) , TREK refuses to do anything under warranty , So I certainly would not order a custom paint project one... The rear brake has stuck once , I was able to remove the fairing, clean , lube, reassemble and works great again... Definite maintenance item...
The Ventum- most of my comments are on the Ventum thread... you will certainly get better service through Ventum... They will work with you on what parts you need want on a new bike (like front end etc).... They will be easier dealing with after the sale even online ... Will they be around in 2 years? Who knows and that is a risk...Heathers last bike was a Blue and they went bankrupt right after her purchase and since has returned to market.... I bought a Cervelo largely on my dealings with a guy who worked there, shortly after that he left.... I had a QR with a broken fork and they would not replace it.... Trek will be aroud that is for sure.... I would say the Ventum is more wrenchable and a simpler and almost as clean design as the TREK.... Not sure about resale value and dont really care as I view a bike purchase as a big fat losing proposition...
Currently my choice would be Ventum and I put my money where my mouth was.... Keep in mind I was very hot for the TREK and even more so after Heather's purchase.
Fit?
Hydration System vs. Calorie Pack and Speed Box ?
Coolness definitely goes to Ventum...
going through the same mental debate. I have the P5... GREAT bike. In fact, there is no reason to get anything else. I checked out the SC at the booth in WI and liked it a lot. I just bought a Trek RSL madone, and love the bike. Been a long time since I had a trek, but you can't go wrong with any major brand.
Now... that said, I checked out the Ventum at the booth at IMBoulder & chatted at length with Diaa(President of Ventum), checked out both built bikes & a frame that only had the Bottom bracket installed. It was beefy for sure, and as others have reported, high quality build. The "look" has grown on me. So much so that I am waiting to see how my year finishes out and am tracking P5 sales on Ebay to see what the math works out to for me...
at the end of the day, speed wise, I don't think that the Ventum is any faster than the current generation of Superbikes. A number of the folks stepping up made the leap from 2 generations ago and missed the current superbikes... My view is that the next 3-8 years are going to be my best in Tri (I am 51), a big part of the fun, is the geekery of the gear. When i got the P5 which was a somewhat impulse purchase based on a stoopid good deal thrown my way, I thought I wasn't a good enough of an athlete to "deserve" that bike. I've since solved that problem. Perhaps sitting at the local coffee shop on the Ventum will make me work just as hard to "deserve" it...
Just some thoughts from one that hasn't completely drunken the Coool aid yet!