At 6’3”, I typically ride a 60-62 cm frame, but was pleased to find that the seat post in the TT2’s 54.5 cm frame provided plenty of shaft length to match my traditional seat to bb axle height of 32.5 inches. With abundant length on the adjustable bar extensions and the right saddle height, I can easily hit the target 90/90 degree position in full tuck, with a comfortable differential between elbow pad height and the saddle top. As we proceed with the TT2 test, I’ll be enlisting the help of a professional fitter to optimize my position.

Building up the TT2 was a breeze. The internal cable routing went smoothly, without any snagging. I used a standard 5nm/kg torque setting on the included seat post clamp, and followed all other recommended torque values found in the component manufacturers’ materials. A nice touch is the TT2’s horizontal rear dropouts; with a few minutes worth of tweaking, you’ll be able to trim the rear wheel in tightly behind the seat tube for a more aerodynamic profile.

The component build sheet is focused on delivering real-world performance at a value targeted price point, and it meets those goals without question. Ultegra SL brake set and derailleurs are functionally identical to their higher priced Dura Ace 7800 brethren, the only real difference being the finish and a few grams per item. Since a TT/tri bike is balanced more towards aerodynamics rather than weight savings, this doesn’t prove to be an issue. FSA’s SL-K Light carbon crank set with175 mm arms and a 53/39 ring set mates to a tried and true Mega XO bottom bracket. For the pilot interface, Pedal Force sent along Profile’s T2+ S-bend extensions and T2 base bars with a Ritchey WCS 4-axis stem. The all-aluminum T2 controls don’t surrender much on the scale to all carbon components, yet they provide plenty of tune-ability. Extension length, width, rotation and elbow pad distance, angle, height can all be dialed in, and further tweaking of the elbow pad for comfort is achieved with three bolt positions and many degrees of fore and aft rotation. If you can’t find a comfortable position with these adjustments, well, you aren’t cut out for a TT bike.

For wheels, our TT2 came with Easton’s reliable EA90 Aero clinchers, shod with Michelin Pro3 Race rubber. At a middle weight of 1600 grams, the EA90 Aeros are an affordable performance wheel that gets you into the game. They are a solid training wheel and road wheel, plus if there’s a cross wind on race day, the wheel’s 28 mm front / 32 mm rear rim sections won’t catch crosswinds, while the triangular profile and flat bladed spokes still offer reasonable aerodynamic characteristics. Upgrading to a more aero wheel will obviously net better performance, and factoring in the TT2’s price point, you can afford a second set of more slippery wheels to race on.

Without any real road time, it’s too early to offer observations of handling and at-speed road traits. But based on the first two shorts spins atop the TT2, this is going to be an exciting test project. The ride position was easier to hit than expected, the frame’s build quality was exactly as expected – top notch – and the overall component spec is on the money. Pedal Force’s TT2 as spec’d is a sub $2300 time trial that looks like it costs twice the price. If my hunch on performance is correct, expect the road report to echo that highly desirable ratio.

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