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Slowtwitch Forums: Triathlon Forum:
Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry?

SDG

Jul 4, 08 8:43

Post #1 of 11 (516 views)

Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry?	Can't Post

I have a QR Lucero size medium and it fits like a glove. Feels great in the aerobars or the basebar and I can ride it all day. I recently tried to get a road bike and got a Cannondale Caad 9.5 in size 54. I had major toe overlap and switched to a 56. In a 56 I was little too stretched out. The guy at the bike store said the reason my QR did not have the toe overlap issue is b/c the seat post was steeper. The top tube on the QR is around 53.5 so I can get over the front end well too.

My question is: Does anyone make a road bike with a shorter top tube but a larger frame for someone like me with a 33.5 inch inseam? I feel too stretched out on the 56 and the 54 has toe overlap on the road bike I tried.

Would it be a bad idea to get a 56 and shorten the cockpit with a compact bar, 100 stem and zero offset seatpost? Any other ways to shorten the cockpit? I am also looking for bikes with taller head tubes that push the handlebars further back.

Any thougths or advice would be appreciated.

rroof

Jul 4, 08 9:22

Post #2 of 11 (502 views)

Re: Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry? [SDG] [In reply to]	Can't Post

You do see the irony in your statement "road bike with tri geometry" right?

You feel good on your QR because you are riding it bent over, aero on the bars the way it was designed. You are used to it.

A properly fitting road bike will be just as (actually, should be much more so) comfortable and handle much better for tight turns, in a pack, in the hills, etc. Many 54cm or smaller 700c road bikes have toe overlap issues - no big deal. It is far outweighed by having your weighted shifted rear over the rear wheel, opening up your hip angle, etc.

Or, you can just go custom (i.e. Serotta, Calfee, Parlee, etc.) and just have them build you a "tri" bike with a tall head tube ;-) You very well may have a strange body type.

But, there is a reason that most road bike geometries aren't all that different over the past 50 years or so
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Khai

Jul 4, 08 9:22

Post #3 of 11 (500 views)

Re: Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry? [SDG] [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

I had major toe overlap and switched to a 56.

How slow are you riding such that toe overlap is an issue?

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SDG

Jul 4, 08 9:30

Post #4 of 11 (486 views)

Re: Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry? [rroof] [In reply to]	Can't Post

yes, I realize it may be a pretty screwy perceived problem on my part but I can't get over how uncomfortable the road bike was compared to the tri bike. I assumed, maybe naively, that I like the tri bike that much more b/c I was not reaching so far. I may just have to work on lower back strentgh and get used to riding a road bike in that position.

You are probably right with the screwy body type, I am 6 foot with a 33,5 inseam and fairly long neck. The torso is short, at least my wife likes me.

I do not have the funds to go custom so I will have to decide if the toe overlap bothers me or if I can shorten up the cockpit of a 56. It only happens on short tight turns that I rarely ever make but it is more of a nagging bother in the back of my mind that if I make a slow tight turn my foot may get stuck in the front wheel.

rroof

Jul 4, 08 9:37

Post #5 of 11 (467 views)

Re: Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry? [SDG] [In reply to]	Can't Post

No worries - I have some pretty major toe overlap on my Soloist Carbon (54) and haven't had an issue after about 15K miles or so ;)

At 6 foot and a 33.5 inch inseam, you should probably be on a 56cm frame and overlap shouldn't be much of an issue unless you have size 14 feet! You can run a 100mm upturned stem without having too twitchy handling - still be better than a tri bike for sure.
____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

UKathlete

Jul 4, 08 10:00

Post #6 of 11 (439 views)

Re: Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry? [rroof] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Yes, you can.

LOOK 586, look in products/tri/586 on the LOOK website

http://www.lookcycle.com/products/?m=7&l=en

Ideal if you are doing elite/drafting races etc, where you want to get a good position on the areo bars, but have to use a road bike. Also may be good for the more challangeing IM courses in Europe etc.

I've been thinking about it myself.

rroof

Jul 4, 08 10:37

Post #7 of 11 (410 views)

Re: Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry? [UKathlete] [In reply to]	Can't Post

???

Still a 73.5 or 74 degree seat tube angle, 15 cm head tube with 405mm chainstays ("rear center")

For reference, a Cervelo Soloist (same size M) has a 1 cm shorter head tube, shorter chainstays with similar STA and top tube length/reach (0.5cm longer)
____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

KPI

Jul 4, 08 11:24

Post #8 of 11 (383 views)

Re: Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry? [UKathlete] [In reply to]	Can't Post

What would make it more suitable to tri's vs. any other Look road bike (or any other road bike for that matter)?
As rrof said, geometry seems to be standard Look road geometry.

That said, the 586 Mondrian is on the top of my dream bike wish list:

/Petter
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cerveloguy

Jul 4, 08 11:34

Post #9 of 11 (371 views)

Re: Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry? [SDG] [In reply to]	Can't Post

A road bike with tri geometry wouldn't be a road bike. My 52 cm Kestrel Talon has a 74 degree seat post which is about as steep as you'll find on a road bike. When I flip the post for tris I've got probably a 76/77, which is where I like to ride for tri.

Sounds more like something is out with the fitting on your road bike. Most people generally tend to find road bikes more comfy than tri bikes. Maybe you should invest in a road bike fit.

"OK, I'll admit I screwed up the facts"

JNSunSports

Jul 4, 08 16:08

Post #10 of 11 (299 views)

Re: Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry? [cerveloguy] [In reply to]	Can't Post

As stated above, two different animals, but if you're going to use your road bike in tri's, try one of the posts that you can switch around moving you over the bottom bracket more giving you the effect of a steeper seat angle. Obviously some aero bars are going to be key too, but I think the biggie here is make sure you spend some time on the bike set up like this.

Often times people 'doubling up' the bike use like this will switch the bike over to 'tri-mode' a few days before a race and just aren't used to it. You need to get used to the position as well as develop the muscles used while riding in that position.

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skavoovie

Jul 5, 08 1:19

Post #11 of 11 (227 views)

Re: Any Road Bikes with TRI Geometry? [SDG] [In reply to]	Can't Post

You'll get used to to overlap quickly and it won't be an issue. You'll wipe out once when turning your wheel trying to do a track stand. Then you'll learn not to do that anymore.

I commute on a fixed-gear with lots of overlap and some of my turns are sharper than 90 degrees, but I never trip (after my first track stand, of course). You develop an instinct for the timing to avoid it.