Building A Super Triathlon Bike For Under $1500!

Secondhand bikes can be a great deal. But it is fraught with dangers. We’re diving right into the murky world by attempting to get our camera operator the best bike possible off ebay! Our team member Belinda was about to buy a brand-new triathlon bike - could we save her some money?!
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[@BelindaHumphries]

So so grateful to GTN and James for building me this bike!!❤ THANK YOUUU

[@erockem]

Please talk GTN into following your journey this season! Training, races, etc. Good luck.

[@StanSorochan]

Congrats 🎉

[@sinancetinkaya]

Rather than a bike, invest in your legs. I don't know how many times I've witnessed some cyclists on cheap bikes literally destroying others on expensive bikes.

[@peachxblue]

Good luck at your race!! I too want to hear a follow up about how it goes!!

[@ngdawgs1]

I’m next James! Just not your Walmart bike tho 😂. Don’t need to end having Mark pulling me 😜

[@girat08]

At first I thought the paint job would be kind of unnecessary, but then the result turned out amazingly good! Congrats for you new bike!

[@gtn]

A good paint job is always the number one priority 🙌

[@Ivan_Nano]

Yep! Better paint = more watts!

[@andrewmcalister3462]

Thanks James for showing how much bike you can get for a modest budget, with some hunting and a bit of elbow grease. And thanks Belinda for commissioning the project in the first place.

[@maxbucky24]

Need to get an Ezdisc on there. Massive aero gain for a very little cost!

[@jannesvanderveen2611]

Can't wait for the full aliexpress tt bike video

[@SBoots29]

That is a very exciting feeling to get your a new bike. Enjoy your new ride Belinda. With lots of hard work and time anything is possible. Cheers

[@automotive474]

Felt the need to come here and commend this video as extremely relevant and well made It seems very realistic, it's something I felt extremely compelled to try to do myself when the time comes to upgrade from road to tt. Better than any budget bike build I've seen the last many years. Also, do love that accent. Cheers.

[@Miekzz]

Have fun with the new bike Belinda! Great the GTN team did this for you :)

[@gtn]

We loved helping Belinda out 🙌 She is going to smash it this year in and out of work!

[@kennethknowles6253]

What a fun video to watch. I had a smile on throughout. Congratulations Belinda…and super job James!

[@user-kn1tc]

Thanks for showing , totally in black , the bike looks much nicer and more professional i think !

[@alexanderpolta]

Excellent work James. True value creation turning it into a beautiful, consistent, and efficient machine.

[@zerodQI]

I literaly buy this bike last week, for 600€ on second hand. I didn't try it much, but it seems fast. It is a pleasure to see that it is GTN approved :)

[@cliffharrington6500]

Cervello P2 are such perfect entry level bikes, light frames, nice design and very aesthetically pleasing. Belinda will enjoy this bike and there is plenty more upgrades she can implement as she becomes more adept at riding aero position. I recommend the 70mm Profile Design bar risers to lift the elbow positions into a more comfortable position.

[@oldmandice2731]

Bought an upgraded 2012 Cannondale Slice 5 with a Cateye in mint condition for $450.00 US. If you get involvred with your local Tri-club there's always someone looking to get the latest and greatest willing to sell thier current bike at a fairly good price. And, as an aside, not all of us have a mechanic to put together a bike FOR FREE or someone to paint a frame FOR FREE nor have the skill to do so. Once you add in the labor cost + the FREE aerobars (and bar tape) the cost is significantly higher than advertised.

[@runruntours]

I'm not a super fan of pink, but I loved the bike paiting! I think James did a great job and I'm wondering, why not open the chance for the GTN subscribers to have a whole new bike made by James at a small budget like that? 😁Really impressed by the result, congratulations!

[@gtn]

You know it's a good paint job when fans of that colour are getting involved! Hahaha we're not sure we would ever see James again 👀

[@askhatashimov7250]

Nice job!!! Congratulations! It’s such a satisfying work!

[@GimmeMoeProductions]

Honestly, this video is so inspiring and motivating! I might just do something like this. Thanks GTN!

[@gtn]

Do it!!! We would love to see the finished product 🙌

[@daveschultz3132]

Congratulations Belinda!! Beautiful Bike. Last year I built a P3 out of parts bought from friends. And had my friends at CycleWerks in Bowling Green, Ohio USA assemble it for me. Had a blast last year and looking forward to 2023. Enjoy your adventures!!

[@gtn]

We are sure Belinda will be flyin on her P3 🙌 Great to hear she is in good company!

[@Cookefan59]

That is a beautiful bike! Belinda is absolutely adorable. Great job!

[@shawnmuise8818]

I had that very same bike. Very comfortable and fast bike. Great job resurrecting it. Looks great.

[@Jdwmaguire]

Great video this, what a good looking bike! James did pretty good if I may say so. 👌🏼

[@richardmocnik6631]

Damn good job! Looks great, especially for this budget!

[@triathlonsteve9675]

Good work James great vid and cool looking bike, she should race well on that bike and easy to find in transition with the pink 😊

[@DanielMooreDJ]

I got a Cervelo P2 with full Dura Ace components and 50mm carbon wheels for only £1500. Daylight robbery 😂. This will be my 3rd year riding the bike and it is a rocket

[@allanyeates]

Great work, James!

[@TooOverrated]

Amazing bike! Would love to see how Belinda performs on it! Cheers!

[@kbc163]

No better day than new bike day, even if it is "new-to-you" bike day. Congrats and go smash the miles.🎉

[@thommasr]

The paint definitely gives the bike the right touch 🖌

[@felixblock1542]

I was already worried when I heard size M. With old Cervelo frames that would have been sometimes much too large. The P3_old rim was then extremely deep and long built, still for the cycling pros. The P2C is fortunately somewhat more relaxed, I hope it fits. All in all, this is nicely built. Own myself a newer P2 with P3 fork with all sorts of toys on it - and it is in time trials and triathlon still a weapon, people do not realize that it was originally "only" a P2. With a good cockpit, these bikes can absolutely give new superbikes a run for their money, absolutely competitive. With the P2C, there should also be only small sacrifices, so no problem. Really a nice idea that not only the latest incredibly expensive bikes are shown at GTN, but also the possibilities that you can put together really nice things with a small amount of money. Instead of the P2C frame I would have chosen because of tire clearance perhaps but a slightly newer frame, but you have to take what you can get, no problem. The Fulcrum Wind are still great.

[@deanb61]

Superb bike. there's enough budget left for an xlab torpedo bottle, and don't forget the disc wheel cover Mark did a while ago!

[@kris.monroe]

You did an amazing job with this!! Fantastic video. She's a lucky recipient of that sweet bike!

[@i4npanman]

The bike turned out really great!!

[@saskiahipwell5477]

I think everyone wants one of these! I'm so jealous (altho id definitely go black and red)! Great work :)

[@the_secret_life_of_alf]

I wonna see a Belinda Triathlon Journey series!!!!

[@BelindaHumphries]

😂😂 100% me just calling u complaining how slow I feel

[@skullleaderx4986]

Me too

[@bottlestickers6517]

Alright you guys gotta chill out. I don’t have the space to be this jealous of that bike!! Amazing work as always!

[@haus_power]

Top effort, looks amazing. Happy for u to built me a bike to a budget 😊

[@phillipbailey7080]

Loved this! And the bike looks absolute 🔥🔥😢

[@dejan4623]

Best gtn video to date !!!

[@Dreamweaver94]

Nice video! I always like customizing my own bike and building it myself over buying new. This bike is sweet, being an owner of a Cervelo P2-SL, I love 2000s Cervelos. I've thought a lot about painting my frame, but since it's aluminum I've also considered powder coating.

[@gtn]

Powder coating can be a great option! A little more durable too 🙌

[@luizgustavodamattasilva9480]

EXCELLENT WORK!!! 😮👏 VERY NICE TIPS!!! THANKS A LOT!!! 😉🙏

[@gtn]

Thank you! 😃

[@blubbblubb6239]

So where can we register to get a bike shopped, painted organized by James? ;-P Great vid! Please keep doing such vids for people on a budget!

[@desroin]

Even the pink decals look good. Wouldn't mind having a bike like that myself ^^

[@markbphilip]

Enjoyed this one! Showed what's possible with some savvy shopping. What's next, GTN coaches Belinda?

[@Yurkevich22]

That's a MAD bike for just over a grand. Good job!

[@Jack13001]

Wow that looks amazing! Insane how much people pay for new bikes when there’s so many deals out there

[@lwittrock1]

Very nice build!!

[@zacandrewarthadodd3450]

Genuinely very good job!

[@chrisstrider]

Great project ❤

[@alisontriathlonlover]

Congratulations, looks great 👍 🎉

[@ricardor890]

well done

[@billcodey1430]

I like the bar tape.

[@atlantaswelder]

You crushed that build!!

[@gtn]

Thanks!

[@extrospective]

That is an absolutely incredible deal

[@madsolsendoteu]

Nice one!

[@pjaherne2170]

Great video, I have a P2c myself and the only drawback is I can't seem to fit 25mm tyres on it

[@colecoleman1499]

Why not? Only 28

[@savagepro9060]

I thought you were going to strip the paint right down to the bare carbon! Why? Becasue I want to do just that to a just bought Kestrel Airfoil SE Pro. I don't like the colour!

[@MrJhockley]

Ah man. I can't find a cheap or 2nd hand disc tt frame anywhere. Used to be loads pre 2020.

[@petermikus2363]

I find pink to be a weird color because it is easy to make something look absolutly horrid with, but if you do pull it of the end result of looks relly great

[@tonyBobb5209]

This project turned out fantastic! I'm new to the channel, only started my journey in cycling 10 months ago and managed to cycle up Alpes d'huez with only cycled 30 miles on a road bike thanks to the wisdom of the GCN team. However, I have looked at my options, and I believe triathlons are the avenues I want to focus on. From my background as a former serving Royal Marine Commando, I have been longing for a challenging outside of the forces, and I think I've found the right sport! As a novice to the sport, can I open this message to other keen and knowledgeable triathletes? What are the key fundamental when taking part in a triathlon, the do's and the must not's? TT bike that is best for a novice? Finally, how do I improve my swimming? As I am a thrasher 😅 Best of luck to Belinda. Thanks in advance.

[@gtn]

Hey Tony, welcome to the wonderful sport of triathlon and welcome to the channel! Firstly, what an incredible reason to give triathlon a go, that must have been an amazing feat without even a year of cycling under your belt! 😱 We have plenty of videos for beginners of the sport, if you haven't already checked out our video on a weekly training plan, that may be a good place to start 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGfZgqONlK96mJo but we also do #gtncoachescorner every week where we respond to our viewers questions so If you ever have a specific question then be sure to comment on any video with the hashtag and we may answer it in a future video. Best of luck with your training, be sure to keep us updated with how it's going! 🙌

[@jascollinscork]

OMFG…… CRACKING bike ….. 😍 well done to ALL involved!! Even better than any of GCN budget builds 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@rhysmaybrey7739]

Great job and great bike for the price

[@joyridaz]

Very cool! Much needed. Did I miss the cost breakdown of how we arrived at the final figure?

[@natthiaskeidel]

yep you missed it. Its at 11:34

[@jonr6680]

That breakdown is vv hard to read, having them listed in the intro panel would be handy. Also quite surprised that there wasn't much discussion of that side of things. E.g. what alternative options and cost impact.

[@SrFederico]

If you buliding such a bike from scratch without an already existing workshop, you have to figure in at least 200 pounds more for tools, bleeding kit, oil, wax, grease etc.

[@automotive474]

That's a good point but to me a testament that building your own could save you enough to go from "not having a home workshop" to "having one"

[@SrFederico]

@@automotive474 In the long term, for sure.

[@dlwodnd]

wow thats a great build. Almost jealous for one haha

[@tobysmith4662]

Sounded like a windy day to be painting!

[@rodp7803]

Sooooo sick!

[@se7ensnakes]

Lets see her ride it!!!! Oh man I miss that.

[@brianolson5185]

What bar tape was used in this build?

[@adamrobinson3929]

I'd love to have a bike built by GTN!

[@JamesBrown-bq3gl]

Anyone know any good online market places for Tri bike parts other than Ebay? Based in UK.

[@dani.lefebvre]

Wauw. Well done.

[@AS-ReHMn]

...Excellent setup, but I think, within some second-hand Ultegra Di2 system she would be still under 1500 GBP...

[@alfkh]

i hope belinda started singing "heaven is a place on earth" to the office after (wink)!

[@bobbysilver272]

How come you spent a lot of time sanding down the frame before painting etc. The original paintwork and Cervelo name is still visible. So what took so long then and why didn't you remove more of the original paint? Thanks.

[@larrylem3582]

I, too thought the original paint would be removed. Excess weight. Next, I was surprised that the primer didn't opaquely cover the old paint. And then I was surprised to see rattle can paint, not 2-part epoxy. I hope the paint holds up. It looks great.

[@jamescunnama3583]

The original paintwork was chipped and scuffed. I wasn't really removing paint so much as topcoat so that new primer and paint actually sticks. Sanding deeper to remove more of the original paintwork is going to save only a few grams for many hours of painstaking work (you can't sandblast or machine sand), and is risky as you can damage the raw carbon irreparably. It was already a good few hours with fine grain sandpaper just to get the topcoat off.

[@lisajenkins7692]

Hey build me one. Except due to my size I'd need and endurance road bike for use in Tris (I'm a beginner)...

[@TheTrooperOnLine]

Dude you're simply a 10/10 :D ...

[@savagepro9060]

Belinda was Tickled Pink!

[@josephwilcox5815]

I want one!

[@niqueparmesan6455]

🙌🏼 me next! I need a tri bike!

[@PaulioNZ]

Was there any due diligence taken in what size bike she needed? I'm not sure, but a medium size might be too big? Is she aware that it's generally a rule of thumb that you should size down on a TT bike compared to a road bike? She doesn't look tall enough to ride a large road bike. Personally, I'm 178cm tall and was recommended to get a small size TT bike, when I ride a 54cm road bike. Interested in your thoughts about this.

[@BelindaHumphries]

I handed James a PDF with all of my bike fit dimensions so the TT has been bespokly fitted for me! This includes cutting the tri bars to length, saddle size and shape etc... been for a ride and feels good but will continue to adjust as needed!

[@PaulioNZ]

@@BelindaHumphries well excellent then! None of that was pointed out in the video. Looking forward to future videos!

[@user-pi9ml3be4f]

Interested to see how long that paint job lasts. I painted my own bike a while back, stripped it totally, then did 4 primer layers, 5 top layers and 2 lacquer layers, and it still went bad after 6 months!

[@jambo2502]

In the paint job section your bike is painted but boxes are spotless.. hmm..

[@atan4651]

WOW

[@ainteasya]

I dont need a new bike but i would love to be able to repaint my bike as well as that!

[@Sam-zz7gs]

Looks like a relatively simple paint job, what's preventing you from doing it as well as that?

[@ainteasya]

@Sam fear of fucking it up and I love my bike. Plus the paint is pretty prestine it's just a little dated color scheme but who cares?

[@AnaFerreira-nn3qm]

You will never see her again 😅 loved it.

[@dariogonzalez5700]

Can you build one for me? :) Looks amazing.

[@gabouel]

Exactly which brand new 1500£ triathlon bike did you have your eyes on, in 2023? Anyway great video

[@colecoleman1499]

Man I would love to get that frame for 230 pounds

[@lolaaaa864]

There is an french expression who says " Qui ne tente rien n'a rien " I would ask, can u make one for me ^^? I started prep to do an ironman in 1year and half ..

[@lgmsampaio]

It took me some time to understand that he was saying "parts", while I was hearing "pots"

[@gabrielfernandeztattoos]

Hyper 60 mm wheels and damnnnnn

[@joemallenphotography543]

I know what my next project will be

[@rejickmukherjee9154]

That's one hell of a bike for that much money.

[@andrewdwyer-rm1io]

As good as it does look I still wouldn’t have painted it

[@phonebharatbackup2524]

Video is only about repainting and loosing bidding wars. Nothing else, u can skip if u are here for bike build !

[@ljadf]

I have to say it... where is the home made rear disc?

[@larrylem3582]

29.50 for a pair of tires? That's quite a deal.

[@TS-ITACHI]

Hii sir can l make l this bicycle in India

[@clay8717]

I'll take one later l

[@deanstephens3163]

I want an eBay bike. Lol