Official snazzy triathlon bike

I finally convinced myself to invest in a time trial bike. For those of you who aren't tri nerds, a time trial bike has different geometric angles that allow the rider to get more aerodynamic by getting more vertical over the handlebars (or cockpit and aerobars, in tri-nerd speak).  When I first started training for tri's I immediately bought a Cannondale Synapse, 59 cm, carbon fiber bike. This was the first bike I tried. I got it on the advice of Rob who owns Crazy Cat Cyclery here in El Paso, a personal friend and extremely nice guy who is fair and honest in all his dealings (a pleasant surprise in what is increasingly a business owner friendly climate).  It was the only bike I tried out and I think Rob got it for me because I'm 6' 2" and over 200 pounds, and most of the road bikes seem to be designed for little skinny dudes, and this was the one that fit me.  I looked online for used bikes and every single one listed for guys was 56 centimeters. So I rode the Synapse and loved it.

When I went to triathlons, I would see guys riding the TT bikes and feel pangs of jealousy as they dusted my big ass.  I told myself, however, that I never wanted to be the guy that shows up on a fancy TT bike and proceed to get dusted by guys on lesser equipment. I didn't want to be the "all hat, no cattle" guy. Hate that guy. So I made a deal with myself that if I could average 20 miles per hour for a solid hour, I would consider myself "worthy" of a TT bike. I got there in September 2009.
Here's the proof. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/50146507?sms_ss=blogger&at_xt=4d49a3505ab3dfc1%2C0. Yes, I'm that kind of guy.

Cannondale Slice TT Bike - 60 CM

Here it is. 4 months later I finally pulled the trigger. I'm glad I waited and not so glad either. I'm about 2 miles per hour faster on this bike at the same relative effort. Very impressed with the bike and don't feel like a big hat at all.

I even got one of those fancy bottles that sits between the aero bars and has a long straw so you don't even have to slow down to get a drink - just tilt your head down a bit.  I know, I know, it's a sick, obsessive hobby.