New Triathlon Gear From Interbike: The Guru CR 501

We caught up with Guru’s Industrial Design Specialist Michael McGinn to learn about the all-new Guru CR 501. The CR 501 offers consumers the opportunity to purchase a fully customizable triathlon bike at a lower price point.

Triathlete.com: What is the most innovative part of this new bike?

McGinn: The most innovative feature is that it is a relatively affordable bike that is 100% custom. You can get into a Guru customizable bike that is hand made in Montreal, Quebec for an affordable price by custom bike standards. The frameset starts at $2900.

Triathlete.com: What kind of triathletes do you visualize riding the CR 501?

McGinn: The 501 is made for anybody who is interested in fine-tuning their times to the point where they understand that custom is a real advantage on the road. It’s a high-end carbon fiber bike that is made very well, but most importantly it puts the athlete in the best position possible so that they’re ready to do the run. It’s also the only triathlon bike in our lineup that’s available in 650c wheels. So it offers smaller riders an opportunity to get a custom bike. It really will fit anyone. Because of the opportunity to get the 650c wheels the 501 is the most custom in our line.

Triathlete.com: Can you speak generally what the advantages are for a triathlete to be able to fully customize a bike?

McGinn: A triathlon is so grueling that really this puts your body in the best possible position to eliminate fatigue. We like to think of the bike as an extension of your body as opposed to you riding the product. The product is fit and becomes an extension of you. You will spend less time fidgeting on the bike. If you were to track the bike you’d see that you’re less fidgety and technically you cover less distance because there’s less weaving of the product itself.

Triathlete.com: For some of the triathletes out there who are maybe intimidated by the thought of getting a customizable bike, can you explain the process of getting a bike like the 501?

McGinn: The first step is to go to a Guru dealer. The dealer will analyze your needs and your physiology. They’ll interview you and find out what you ultimately want to accomplish on the bike and what your specific needs are. We also have the dynamic fit unit available. It will analyze your position and allow you to hone in on your fit more efficiently.

Triathlete.com: Because the CR 501 and the other Guru bikes are customizable, do you work closely with the fitters to ensure that they are knowledgeable in the product?

McGinn: We work very closely with them. There’s a huge relationship. They report their findings to us to make sure we are feeling the needs of the consumer. We also analyze every fit. Before any bike goes into production we look at the specs and make sure they make sense. We consider our dealers partners in the process. They are a literal extension of our organization.