New for 2026, Philadelphia Triathlon Club (PTC) is excited to bring on Quintana Roo (QR) as a club partner for bikes and wetsuits. QR occupies a rare space in the industry as a brand founded by triathletes, for triathletes. While most cycling companies started with road racing and adapted to triathlon, QR began with the specific physiological needs of the multi-sport athlete such as one of the first swimming specific wetsuits (1987) and one of the first triathlon-specific geometry bikes, the SuperForm (1989). The founder of Quinana Roo, Dan Empfield, is also the founder of one of the longest running member-contributed triathlon websites, Slowtwitch.com
The partnership with QR provides our teammates access to member-specific discounts to help lighten the costs and help make the sport more affordable and accessible.
We already have had a few members take advantage of the discounts and PTC teammate, Emily Wagener, recently provided her experience how how she saved roughly $1000 (!!!) through the partnership. Check out Emily's thoughts below:
The $1,000 Sign: Why the PTC + Quintana Roo Partnership is a Total Game Changer
(Emily Wagener)
It was the middle of a Philadelphia snowstorm in December, and I was doing what any sane athlete would while cooped up inside: mindlessly scrolling past dozens (if not hundreds) of triathlon gear options.
I had just made the decision to sign up for my first 70.3 Ironman, and I was going to need a proper set of wheels to upgrade from my awkwardly sized beginner road bike to not only carry me through that race, but to "grow into" as a cyclist for the next 10+ years. I also needed my first ever wetsuit. Not exactly small decisions!
Feeling overwhelmed, I messaged the Philly Tri Club's group chat and asked for advice from people who had far more experience than me about what brands to buy from. A spirited debate ensued: "Go for Canyon! Roka!....No, Pinarello! Zoot! ... Are you folks crazy? The clear answer is Cervelo." Later, a simple suggestion emerged from PTC: "Why not try Quintana Roo? They allow for customization without going crazy on the pricing." - It was a name that was instantly familiar, so I decided to check it out and filled out the form on their website for the Service Course aero road bike. I didn’t have high hopes for success given my “weird” proportions of a short torso and long legs, but it was worth a try.
Within 24 hours I had a message back from their customer service team. It was the beginning of a thoughtfully curated service experience that blew my expectations out of the water.
I knew just enough about bike geometry to know that “stack” was not referring to pancakes, so I needed all the support I could get. QR threaded the needle perfectly. They enthusiastically acknowledged my needs while gently nudging me in the right direction away from some of my, erm, questionable choices.
Every email in our exchange turned into a five-paragraph essay as we worked through every last detail, down to handlebar spacer sizes and the paint job (Only +$100 for an off-spec, gorgeous color? Sign me up!).
The QR rep kindly assured me, “No problem! Most of my job description is just to nerd out about our bikes, so happy to get into the weeds,” when I started to get concerned about how long I was taking to finalize my customization choices. That level of attention to detail sealed the deal for me.
The bike arrived in 2 short weeks in perfectly packaged condition.
Once I tested it out and felt how responsive it was on the road, I immediately knew "our" specification choices were correct, which were later confirmed by a pro bike fitter who begrudgingly only had to adjust my seat height. I've been thrilled with my cycling journey ever since, even if I occasionally get startled by a cyclist hollering "NICE PAINT JOB" when I'm fumbling with a gel.
The wetsuit decision was thankfully much more straightforward than the bike, and once again QR came through: it arrived fast (again) and fit like a glove.
To anyone on the fence about a direct-to-consumer brand: QR makes the experience the next best thing to physically testing out wheels for yourself.
In total, I saved $1000 (!!) with PTC's collaboration discount to upgrade to gear that will last for years to come. That was enough to buy the extra accessories I needed for the bike plus enough premium gels to last a full training cycle (ha!).
Honestly, if you’re a PTC member even thinking about upgrading, this is probably your sign. QR makes the whole process surprisingly fun, and you end up with something that actually feels built for you. The discount makes it even easier to say "YES".
