More on the Kona Bike Count: Is it Misleading?

Given the power of the Kona bike/gear count, you'd assume that some companies are going to try everything to increase their visibility and boost their image. So how low (or far) do they go?

Here's a few things to consider... A lot of items' counts are high by default based on the fact that they come stock. A good example is all of the vision aerobars that were spec'd on Cervelo's, Quintana Roo's, etc. over the years. Something else to consider is the fact that some companies sponsor major triathlon teams. Orbea and Ridley sponsor the Timex and Zoot teams respectively. Given the talent level needed to be a part of those teams, at the end of the year, a lot of their members end up qualifying for Kona, and therefore boost their equipment count.

Finally, there's companies that give away product in the form of "sponsorships", Quintana Roo being a goo example. Though they don't give away all of their product, they have some pro's, as well as elite amateurs representing the brand (an estimated 20%-25%). And according to an industry source, Rudy Project's campaign (see above) has been by far the most aggressive. Out of the 211 Rudy Project helmets that put them atop the Kona count, as many as 200 of them were part of their Kona plan to give away free product to qualifiers. Which poses two questions: is the Kona bike count that meaningful, that it is necessary to perform well on it? Or, is the only way to get athletes to wear/ride certain types of equipment to boost up the count to give it away for free? My guess is the latter.

Specialized Unveils Triathlon Shiv

In what was probably one of the worst kept secrets, Specialized finally unveiled their new triathlon specific "Superbike", the Shiv. Though similar to the Shiv TT, this bike has quite a few unique features which all contribute to this bike NOT being UCI legal. My question to Specialized however: if you ignore UCI guidelines, why not go crazy with it? (Ok, somewhat rhetorical as the answer probably is, because people still have to buy it).

What does Specialized have to say about it? let's watch...

I don't think anyone would disagree when I say that Specialized has built quite a reputation in the cycling and triathlon world. Over the last couple of years, it seems as if Specialized has had a ton of momentum. Will this new project keep the momentum going? it's tough to say, and only time will tell. Below are some of the key points that caught my attention after watching the video.

"Fastest, most integrated, best fitting bike" - That's a pretty aggressive claim, and if proven, will propel this to be one of the top bikes at the Kona count in 2012. This claim however is also somewhat confusing. Typically integration and fit are not friends... even if by fit you mean your bike fitting into a travel case, which triathletes do a lot of.


"Fuelselage... traditional water bottle systems add significant disturbances to airflow" - While this is a great idea, and one that's been discussed as a possibility in the past, Cervelo just recently released a study that water bottles between the aerobars and behind the saddle may in fact, make you more aero. Did Cervelo strategically release that info once they knew Specilized had an integrated bike?


"4:1 Cross-sections" - Sure, 3:1 is aero, so does that automatically make 4:1 more aero? Specialized seems to think so. Still, some testing would go a very long way. By testing, I don't mean against previous Shiv models or Transition models, I want to see testing against all other leading triathlon/TT bikes.

"Five Frame sizes, and virtually everything on it can be adjustable in multiple ways" - Ah, stack and reach. According to the new Shiv's stack and reach, it qualifies as a "Short and Tall" somewhat similar to the Cannondale Slice (at least in a size 56). This is definitely the way to go, as "Long and Low" bikes are hard to fit, and seem to be less and less common. Furthermore, the fact that this is a "Superbike" with an integrated cockpit, it typically benefits from having a higher than normal stack due to the lack of steerer.

"Wide range of vertical and horizontal adjustability" - Unlike it's predecessor and other "Superbikes", the new Shiv will follow in the steps of Trek's Speed Concept and provide a number of adjustment options. After seeing the pictures of some of Specialized's offerings, it looks like some models won't be using the proprietary bar and stem. Bottom line is, adjustability is always good.

Here's some pictures (courtesy of Slowtwitch.com) showcasing some of the Shiv's new features

The fuelselage (integrated hydration system) with the lid on. Presumably, this will be an easy, on-the-fly hydration option.

This is where the Camelbak-like bladder fits. Not sure how easy it is to take it in and out.


Bladder easily removes for cleaning. If you look closely at the picture, though this should fit about 750ml, it doesn't look like all bike sizes use same bladder (most do).


The straw will easily stay away with a magnetic "hook". The straw looks to be quite flexible unlike the Profile Design model.


Specialized looks to be using the same brakes used on the transition. One of the big questions seems to be why is there no nosecone? Of course, referring to the nosecone outlawed by the UCI on the original Shiv.


A great image on the adjustability of the base bar. Though unclear on whether there will be different length stems, this system seems to share similarities with the Look 695 stem. Need a longer stem? just flip the shim from the front to the back and increase the reach by what appears to be 1cm.