Skunkworks 2009

• What's in store for 2009 in Tativille? There are many things in the works, and here are a few of them.

  The Triathlon Bike(s)
  We're starting a triathlon club, which is a great excuse to take a closer look at pure TT bikes. I've long held these at arm's length, encouraging most riders to instead invest in a quality road bike and race with clip-ons. But with one (and possibly two) ITU professionals on our little squad, this attitude is a non-starter. And so with the help of our resident pro Brian Hague, I've been knocking around with several TT bike concepts.

  The competition at the $2,500 price point is very tough -- but we'll have secret weapon. The TATI offering at this price point will include a set of HED Jet 50 carbon fiber wheels, which is unheard of in this range. This will be the official team bike.

  Our $2,000 offering will share the same carbon frame, fork, and build kit as the team bike. Unlike the competition, it will include a light and highly adjustable integrated fuselage (base & aero bars) and a handbuilt aero wheelset tuned to your weight & riding style.

  At $1,500 most triathletes are traditionally better off buying a road bike and adding clip ons -- but here too there is room to innovate. We'll use an aluminum frame here, powder coated with any color you desire. Most bikes in this range are a hodge podge, so buyers are often hard pressed to find the perfect combination of aesthetics, ergonomics, and fit. Like all TATI offerings, you'll be able to pick and choose components in order to ensure a perfect ride.

  Travel Bikes
  S&S Couplers have always been possible with TATI customs, but for 2009 they'll be a standard option on all of our steel and titanium frames or your own frame that you'd like to retrofit. We'll be tying up with Bilenky Bicycles out of Philadelphia. These fine folks do more couplers than anyone, and turnaround is a very fast three weeks. We'll stock and support the full range of accessories, like separable cables and travel cases.

  Inspiration: Condor Cycles
  The 2009 lineup from Condor is especially good for a major manufacturer. The Paris Tour de France is a terrific blend of colors and simple lines. The Classico and Classico Pista look as if they could have stepped right out of a 1975 Condor catalog. The Percoso, build is a little off, but reminds one of titanium's potential with track bikes and path racers. The masked white fork and rear dropouts on many of the carbon bikes are a simple detail that reinforce the brand's color scheme and design palette.

  TATI bicycles will be available with head badges and (potentially) frame decals in 2009, and while Condor's aren't perfect -- there are some interesting ideas there.