Suplicy’s Quantum Carbon Tri Bike – Faster than a P4?

When my friend San Diego-based pro triathlete Caue Suplicy first told me he was starting a bike company, I figured he was just simply sourcing materials and carbon tubing and putting them together with his own geometry and specs. In the beginning, that was mostly true. I actually got to see a some of his early bikes and they turned out pretty sweet. A couple years have passed since that time and he’s made awesome progress. Brazilian Pro Triathlete Juraci Moreira raced his road bike at the Beijing Olympics last year. And when I bumped into him at Interbike he excitedly tells me he has a booth and that I have to check out his new tri bike. “Cool, I’ll come by,” I told him. Little did I know I would find the gem of the show. See, Suplicy was a last minute add to the show floor. With so many companies canceling their presence he grabbed some real estate but as a late addition he only made the supplemental show guide. Being way in the back you could have easily missed his presence. Luckily I found them. (Rather, Caue found me – at the Pacific Health Labs booth. We were both testing/chowing down on their new Forze bars.) But it wasn’t a find that I just found him and his booth, it was the bike he had on display, the Quantum.

The question I’m sure every frame builder gets is “what makes your bike better than everyone elses?” If you take a close look at the details of Suplicy’s bike you can find the answer to this question.

The most radical design feature is the “hump” on the top tube. Why not? If we’ve learned anything from aerodynamics and cycling over the past 5-10 years its that air needs not only a smooth and clean way around an exposed surface, but to lessen turbulence, a clean exit point coming off the surface. The hump attempts to improve the flow of air over the stem.

Suplicy addresses another point of turbulence and that’s the area above the rear wheel and behind seat post. On most bikes, the rear brake caliper would be there, but he’s tucked it underneath behind the bottom bracket shell (granted you need to mount special brakes). A simple detachable faring is used to better the air flow behind the seatpost can be removed just in case you wanted to mount traditional brakes. Speaking of seat posts, it’s custom but smartly engineered to easily adjust the fore/aft as well as angle of the seat (something I have trouble with on my Orbea Ordu with the turn knob angle adjuster)

The Quantum is nearly invisible beyond the fork

Faster than the P4? In theory, yes. Caue said he consulted with a top industry engineer that helped design one of the fastest TT bikes (Cervelo P4?) on the market today and they tested the bike’s aerodynamics even before it was built. Using the latest computer design programs they were able to predict and measure performance. How’s that for engineering? To further prove the design and it’s aerodynamics he had a prototype tested in wind tunnel.

Without all the R&D, its a sweet looking frame that looks fast with nice smooth and clean lines. I’d ride one just for the looks.

If Caue’s bike is as fast as his tests show, something tells me this will be a popular bike at Kona in 2010. And for my sake, I hope to be on one as well. Anyone want to buy a Orbea Ordu?

The price tag for the new Quantum? $4000 (w/Scapula fork).  Not bad considering  that’s basically what my Ordu cost and that’s mass produced frame. For more info, contact Caue at SuplicyBikes.com