Jamis Comet, $1,775 The Comet is built with the Windshield fork—the same one that comes on Jamis’ carbon tri bikes— which wraps around the front brake to shelter it from the wind. The rear caliper is also shielded from the wind and mounts behind the bottom bracket. The Comet boasts the same brake placement as Jamis’ top-end bikes but the housing swoops out into untouched air on the Comet. It is spec’d with sensible wheels, chain, brakes and saddle to keep the price low, and it still shifts and brakes effectively. The Comet’s handling is incredibly stable, but it felt sluggish through quick and tight turns during testing. Aluminum frames have the reputation for transmitting road vibration straight to the rider, but the Comet is able to dampen road vibration more effectively than most other aluminum tri bikes.
CHOOSE AN ALUMINUM TRI BIKE IF… …you want to ride fast without the frills. Two things determine triathletes’ performance in the bike leg: their fitness and their aerodynamic drag. These aluminum bikes may not be able to match their carbon counterparts in the wind tunnel, but the bike only contributes about 20 percent of the rider’s total wind resistance—the rest comes from the cyclist’s body. A budget-sensitive tri bike can put a rider in the same drag-reducing, tri-specific position as more expensive models. This balance between rider and bike aerodynamics means that techie upgrades are far less important than finding a comfortable and aerodynamic position.
RIDE IT IF: you want tricked-out brakes. KEEP LOOKING IF: slow handling bores you.
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