The Best Triathlon Bikes of 2021

The A2 Road Phreak (aka RP) was featured in Triathlete.com's The Best Triathlon Bikes of 2021. From the article:

A2 Bikes Road Phreak
$2,000, 20lbs. 8oz. (size L), SRAM Rival Build, Vision Team 30 Alloy Wheels

In a similar vein to Canyon and Ventum, A2 is known for their value-priced, direct-to-consumer model. Though traditionally known for their tri bikes, A2 has made the drop-bar leap with some crazy-low, rock-bottom prices on entry-level bikes. New for this year, the Road Phreak follows suit with a carbon-framed road bike that still has name-brand components, all right at $2k—which is generally unheard of. This is a great option for brand-new triathletes who aren’t ready to commit to a tri bike or triathletes looking for a second (or third) bike to supplement their tri rides.

Obviously the price on this bike is basically hors-category, and unseen in other brands, so it becomes a category in itself. Better yet, the bars leave space for some brands of clip-on aerobar clamps, placed close to the stem. If you need a different setup that doesn’t fit, swapping out the bars with mechanical disc brakes isn’t as horrifying as it would be with hydraulics. The ride itself is smooth—typical of low-priced carbon bikes—and the clean, cable-free lines on the frame are another big bonus for a price range that generally has everything exposed. Finally, this is a great beginner tri option as the seatpost allows tons of space to slam the seat into a zero-offset position to get a good steep, aero position.

Like anything at this price, there’s always something that’s sacrificed, and on this setup, it’s the snappiness and acceleration you’d typically get on higher-end carbon frames. Of course the very low-end wheelset is another likely culprit, but the fact still remains. More surprisingly, the geometry is set up for an aggressive, almost twitchy-handling bike that actually falls along the lines of what A2’s tri bikes often feel like. Of course things like weight and mechanical brakes are just a symptom of the price, but be aware that mechanical discs do not feel very much like hydraulics (though they are infinitely easier to work on!).

See the full article here.