Road/TT Bikes Alternaives

[rtsy]

I am a newbie cyclist and a newbie triathlete.

My current bike is an MTB, a Giant NRS3, but I am developing a liking for road biking. I am 5'6" and overweight at 174lbs though I plan to lose 10-15 more pounds in addition to the 40 I've already shed since starting triathlon training.

I can spend up to US$2k on a road bike and have been looking at models that can switch from classic road geometry for long rides to TT geometry for triathlons.

I have spotted only the Cervelos for this and I am considering the Soloist with 105 components or maybe even the P2K with Ultegra.

Questions:

1--What other models should I consider from other brands?

2--Where I am, Giant carbon road bikes can be had for a good price. Can I take such a bike then fit it with changes for when I need a TT bike or am I limited to bikes that were meant for dual-purpose road/TT use?

3--Articles (Sheldon Brown's, stuff from www.SlowTwitch.com) I've read mostly point that I'd benefit from 650C tires. Given my height and riding requirements, what are the arguments for 700C tires?

Thanks!

[rv]

while the soloist would be a good choice, you can make most any traditional road bike into a serviceable tt bike. all you really need is a set of clip-on aerobars. however, a seatpost that would move you forward would be additive, especially for triathlons where the bike to run transition would be easier. before getting a tt bike, I used aerobars and a thomson setback seatpost fitted with its own saddle. turn the seatpost so it is "set forward" rather than back. when it came time for a tt, I just switched seatposts and mounted the aerobars. quick and simple. mine was a traditional geometry bike with top tube parallel to the ground. thomson makes a mtb version of the setback, 330mm I believe, that would probably work with a compact (sloping top tube) frame.

[rv]

oh, and I'd go with 700 wheels. 650 tire/tubes can be hard to find if you're in a hurry.