Description
Zia Custom Triathlon Bicycle
The Zia is our custom triathlon bike or Time Trial bike. Fit and body position is the most critical aspect of a triathlon bike to achieve proper aerodynamics. For athletes who are either very tall or very short or have unusual proportions, a one size fits all triathlon bicycle will not work to get the proper fit and position.
The round tubing also enables us to install couplers on the bike so that you can travel around the world easily with your triathlon bike. Couplers are only available on steel and titanium versions of the Zia. We built The Zia with cable or hydraulic rim brakes and a tapered fork. When designing high-performance custom road bikes, we focus on the customer’s specific needs for fit and performance.
Lennard Zinn has been designing custom bikes for cyclists of all sizes for over 40 years. In that time, he has mastered the art of making a bike stronger and more durable than any other bike out there while keeping it light and responsive. The Zia TT bike is designed with your ideal crank length in mind so you can finally achieve the level of fit and performance you desire. The proportional length cranks, hand-picked tubing, and his unique compact frame design make this the perfect triathlon bicycle for all athletes.
It does not matter if you are over seven feet tall or under five feet tall. We will build the perfect bike for you. Our Zia custom triathlon bike features cable routing for electronic shifting component groups and standard mechanical or wireless shifting systems. We can also build a crossover road and triathlon bike for those who participate in the occasional triathlon but mainly need a bike for everyday cycling and training. We also carry a non-custom titanium triathlon bike from our sister brand, Clydesdale bikes.
Zinn Cycles
Frame Material Options
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Titanium is half the weight of steel. That means we can build custom triathlon bikes for big guys with larger diameter tubing with a frame still lighter than steel or a lightweight bike for smaller people. We specify the exact tube dimensions for each customer to get the best balance of strength, stiffness, durability, ride quality, and lightness. Larger diameter tubing provides greater frame strength and stiffness to increase power transfer for your triathlon bicycle, yet provides excellent compliance for a comfortable ride that will not beat your body up over a long ride. Titanium is a strong metal that does not require extra large tubes and is fatigue resistant. It easily absorbs road buzz and small bumps on rough surfaces for a smooth ride. Steel frames have smaller frame tubes but are not as compliant or comfortable as titanium frames. Plus, steel frames corrode, unlike their titanium counterparts which are corrosion free. Titanium frames can be painted or left without paint, powder coating, or plating because they’re scratch and rust-resistant, unlike aluminum or steel frames. Internal cable routing is easy because the insides of the tubes are naturally impervious to rust and corrosion. Titanium also has an excellent fatigue limit, so as long as the tubing is not stressed beyond this limit or damaged, it will never fatigue. In addition, titanium flexes three times further than aluminum and twice as far as steel without permanent damage, meaning your titanium triathlon bicycle will be able to handle whatever you throw at it. |
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The Zinn Cycles carbon tiber bike frames are a testament to our dedication to superior design and construction quality. For years, customers have asked us, “Why don’t you do carbon?” And the answer was that it was too big of an investment to make molds for each one-off custom bike frame. However, a new style of fabrication now makes creating a custom Zinn carbon fiber bike not only possible, but a game-changer for customers who need custom bicycles, especially those that are big and tall. Each bike tube and joint is hand-made and bonded using state-of-the-art techniques and the highest quality materials. The layup, dimensions, and geometry of the frame tubes are custom-made from Lennard Zinn’s design for each customer. We can “beef up” or “lighten up” any section of the frame and make carbon frames for any size rider. Ultimate durability and extreme lightweight are what you can expect from our carbon fiber bicycle frames, and every Zinn carbon bike frame comes with a lifetime warranty. We are excited about this addition to the Zinn lineup and know that if you are big, tall, short, or anywhere in between, you will love a Zinn carbon fiber bike. |
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Steel frames have an incredibly high ultimate tensile strength. Compared to titanium or aluminum, they are stronger and denser. The result is an unparalleled bike frame with a fatigue life that can more than handle heavy loads. Zinn steel frames also offer a rider of any size excellent performance and versatility at a great price. While steel frames tend to be heavier than titanium ones, our TIG welding method with a single strengthening gusset under the down tube offers immense strength and longevity while remaining reasonably lightweight. And they will last many times longer than aluminum frames would. A Zinn steel frame will provide a lifetime of great, responsive riding on your custom bicycle. |
No matter where you live in the world, we will work with you to ensure your Zinn bike fit is perfect. We offer a full-service in-house bike fitting for those who can make it to Boulder, Colorado and we also have detailed measurement instructions for those who cannot make it out for an in-house fitting. We are also happy to work directly with a bike fitter in your area. However, we are most proud to offer upgraded 3D bike fittings at the Boulder RETUL Center. If you’re in the area, come give it a try!
Design
Zinn Cycles Design Philosophy
Lennard Zinn has been designing and building great bikes for big and tall cyclists, petite women, cyclists with injuries, and everyone else since 1982. He is one of the few bike designers in the world that has dedicated his career to improving the performance and durability of big and tall bikes and bikes for women. He has also spent a great deal of time working with Dr. Andy Pruitt to design bikes for cyclists who have suffered from injuries, reduced mobility, knee problems, back problems, neck problems, and many other ailments.
The difference between Zinn Cycles and others is the thought that goes into crafting each custom bike. It is not as simple as just scaling up a “normal” sized frame and calling it good. If all you do is scale, several things happen to the bike.
If you only scale-up, the stretched-out tubes become less stiff, which results in high-speed frame shimmy. Shimmy is a dangerous by-product of a poorly designed bike. Second, the added material makes the bike heavier, especially if the builder tries to solve problem number one by just using thicker tubes. Third, without a fork with a long enough steering tube, the handlebars will be far too low for the tall cyclist, causing discomfort in the back, neck, wrists, and arms. Fourth, building a bike for a tall or small rider with average-length cranks will make the rider feel unnatural while pedaling.
A bike for big and tall riders needs to carefully consider the proportions of the riders to create a bike that works with the rider – not against. Proportional crank length is at the heart of our custom bike designs. We offer cranks from 130mm up to 220mm, so we can properly fit any person in the world, no matter their size. Lennard has developed great frame design concepts to address and solve all of these issues and more.
A bike designed by Lennard Zinn will be stiff and strong while remaining lightweight. It will not shimmy at high speeds, and all components will be proportional to the rider. Fit, performance, comfort, and durability will all be superior on a Zinn bike compared to a bike from any other designer. We guarantee it.
Make it a Travel Bike
Add S&S Couplers for easy travel
If you want your bike to be a travel bike, we can add S&S couplings to your frame. It is easy to build couplers into titanium or steel frames. The process results in an incredible travel bike that breaks down into sections and fits into an airline regulation travel case. Depending on frame size, we can add two or four couplers. Bigger bikes need four couplers, and smaller bikes can get away with just two. S&S Couplers do not reduce the strength of the frame one bit. It’s quite the opposite. Well-made couplings are strong, more so than any other point in the tube!
Not all bikes can fit seamlessly into an airline regulation case. Bikes like 29ers, Touring bikes with racks and fenders, and e-bikes may or may not require a secondary bag or case to carry some bike parts. Contact us about building your bike with couplers.
Order a bike now
Are you excited to get a bike that works for you? While you are welcome to come to our location for a professional fitting, it is not required. You can easily follow the instructions for submitting your measurements by clicking the button below. Once we have your information and you’ve made a deposit, we will create a CAD bike drawing for you to review. Get ready to ride in comfort on a custom Zinn Cycle!
Zinn Custom Bicycles
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