I'm just curious why it seems so hard to find a TT/triathlon bike in the 49-50cm range. I know they're out there, but they're almost as rare as hen's teeth. I tend to ride a 49 or 50cm road bike and I'm comfortable on that. I have two triathlon bikes but they're both 51cm frames. I can ride them pretty comfortably as well, but it seems like I could have more adjustment with a smaller frame. As it is now, I have the seat almost slammed down to get a comfortable position on my TT bikes.
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Re: Frame size differences between a road bike and a TT bike? [VegasJen]
[ In reply to ]
If you start to think in terms of Pad X,Y and not frame size, it will be easier to get on the correct tri bike. Otherwise I'll just confuse you further and say get a 48cm QR X-PR, cuz it's really a 50.
Re: Frame size differences between a road bike and a TT bike? [VegasJen]
[ In reply to ]
It seems as though bike manufactures and bike shops don't care about smaller people anymore.
I hope you find what you are looking for.
I can't find a new stock bike that will fit me at all.
I hope you find what you are looking for.
I can't find a new stock bike that will fit me at all.
Re: Frame size differences between a road bike and a TT bike? [VegasJen]
[ In reply to ]
I ride a 50 cm road bike. My only TT bike is a 49/S QR. They both fit great. But, yes, finding these sizes is a challenge. Recently, I had to rent a 44 cm road bike b/c the next available size was 52. The same is true for a race in 2024. I'll be on a rental 44 cm bike b/c anything between that same and a 52 was unobtainiam.
Re: Frame size differences between a road bike and a TT bike? [FindinFreestyle]
[ In reply to ]
FindinFreestyle wrote:
If you start to think in terms of Pad X,Y and not frame size, it will be easier to get on the correct tri bike. Otherwise I'll just confuse you further and say get a 48cm QR X-PR, cuz it's really a 50.
Re: Frame size differences between a road bike and a TT bike? [VegasJen]
[ In reply to ]
Don't get too hung up on the "49-50cm range". A small from one brand might be very similar to a medium in another, a 47 in yet another, 52 in a 4th and so on. There's no standard as to what a size really means.
If you stick to the same brand, then you at least have a decent chance that it will fit reasonably similar. But even that is no guarantee.
This is why we use stack/reach, or better yet pad x/y. A bike fitter can certainly help
But finding smaller sized frames are not the easiest... my wife is 5'2" (which isn't super short) and there's only a few that makes frames that fits well.
"Suddenly the thought struck me. My floor is someone elses ceiling"-Nils Ferlin
If you stick to the same brand, then you at least have a decent chance that it will fit reasonably similar. But even that is no guarantee.
This is why we use stack/reach, or better yet pad x/y. A bike fitter can certainly help
But finding smaller sized frames are not the easiest... my wife is 5'2" (which isn't super short) and there's only a few that makes frames that fits well.
"Suddenly the thought struck me. My floor is someone elses ceiling"-Nils Ferlin
Re: Frame size differences between a road bike and a TT bike? [audiojan]
[ In reply to ]
audiojan wrote:
Don't get too hung up on the "49-50cm range". A small from one brand might be very similar to a medium in another, a 47 in yet another, 52 in a 4th and so on. There's no standard as to what a size really means. If you stick to the same brand, then you at least have a decent chance that it will fit reasonably similar. But even that is no guarantee.
This is why we use stack/reach, or better yet pad x/y. A bike fitter can certainly help
But finding smaller sized frames are not the easiest... my wife is 5'2" (which isn't super short) and there's only a few that makes frames that fits well.
Since I've found that on road bikes, one thing I've considered is just converting a road bike to a TT set up. Really all that would be needed are the bar end shifters and brake levers. That part would be easy enough, but I don't know if there would really be any advantage. The whole point of me looking at TT/triathlon frames is that seat angle.
Re: Frame size differences between a road bike and a TT bike? [VegasJen]
[ In reply to ]
https://www.slowtwitch.com/...Pad_Y/X__5859.html#:~:text=Pad%20Y%20refers%20to%20the,%2C%20horizontally%2C%20to%20pad%20center.
Re: Frame size differences between a road bike and a TT bike? [jimatbeyond]
[ In reply to ]
jimatbeyond wrote:
https://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/What_is_Pad_Y/X__5859.html#:~:text=Pad%20Y%20refers%20to%20the,%2C%20horizontally%2C%20to%20pad%20center.
Re: Frame size differences between a road bike and a TT bike? [VegasJen]
[ In reply to ]
Pad X/Y is simply the location of your aero bar pads relative to the bottom bracket.
Re: Frame size differences between a road bike and a TT bike? [VegasJen]
[ In reply to ]
VegasJen wrote:
I'm just curious why it seems so hard to find a TT/triathlon bike in the 49-50cm range. I know they're out there, but they're almost as rare as hen's teeth. I tend to ride a 49 or 50cm road bike and I'm comfortable on that. I have two triathlon bikes but they're both 51cm frames. I can ride them pretty comfortably as well, but it seems like I could have more adjustment with a smaller frame. As it is now, I have the seat almost slammed down to get a comfortable position on my TT bikes.It's that same at the other end.
Try getting something when 6ft6in.
Now try it without wanting to spend $10-15k.