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Road bike to Tri Bike
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What do you tell a client that wants to bring in their road bike to get fit for a tri bike (using their clip ons?).

I do not have a fit bike.

Do you tell them no, recommend them to a fitter with a fit bike, have them borrow a tri bike in their size to fit on, or explain that the road bike measurements with clip-ons may get us close, but it's not the best option and let them decide?

Thanks for your input.

Denise
Last edited by: MrsTiki: Dec 21, 14 15:11
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Re: Road bike to Tri Bike [MrsTiki] [ In reply to ]
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Is this person wanting to use their road bike in a triathlon (by adding on clip-ons)? What distances will they be participating in?

I usually have a longer conversation with the person, mostly to determine if the clipons are totally necessary. Let's just say that there is nothing 'aero' about 'clip-on aero bars' on a road bike. I prefer to call them armrests and nothing more.

I am a little confused, as you list yourself as a Certified Retul Bike Fitter, so you should have all the tools you need in your head to work with a client using a road bike in tri. It is not necessary to have a 'fit bike' to do a bike fit.

Anne Barnes
ABBikefit, Ltd
FIST/SICI/FIST DOWN DEEP
X/Y Coordinator
abbikefit@gmail.com
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Re: Road bike to Tri Bike [MrsTiki] [ In reply to ]
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If I'm doing a fit away from HQ I'll record all the relevant aerobar measurements. Then translate them into a position that takes advantage of Tri bike STA (rotate around BB). From that I can generate bike recommendations, with a caveat that they're based on that translation process. Sometimes a couple of tweaks required once they get a tri bike but the process works fairly well.
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Re: Road bike to Tri Bike [MrsTiki] [ In reply to ]
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What I tell them is this: A road bike set up with clip-ons can work just fine for triathlons. However the road bike with clip-ons will not accurately determine which tri bike is optimum for them. To determine which tri bike, if that is what they are seeking, you need to either place the rider on a fit bike and work out the position and then the geometry or you need a tri bike of approximate size to work with.

If this is a question or type of client that you see frequently you should seriously consider investing in a sizing cycle of some kind or partner with a fitter/ shop who does have one.

In the end you need to determine what it is specifically the client is asking of you and be honest about what you can deliver. It sounds like you are missing some key tools to be able to accurately deliver the clients request and as a professional should consider referring the client to someone who can. That is the more professional approach and will do much for your reputation as a fitter and honest resource. I would never even consider providing a partial answer to a client and say you figure it out from here.

Retul Certified Master Fitter, FIST certified fitter, Owner of Hypercat Racing http://www.hypercat.com, and friend to the animals.
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Re: Road bike to Tri Bike [ABarnes] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the replies everyone.

My approach to this situation has been, in the past, to do a tri bike fit on a tri bike. If they borrow a bike, or whatever, I don't care. From those measurements, we can get something in Frame Finder that will work. (work better than throwing in road bike fit numbers and trying to pull a tri bike off those IMHO)

But I have a client that just contacted me, has a road bike with clip ons and says they want to get fitted for a tri bike using the road bike. I explained that wasn't optimal and asked if they had access to a friends tri bike that we could use to dial in a fit and get the data into Frame Finder. I have been told by other (non-fitters) that I should just use their road bike with the clip ons and it will work just fine.

I personally disagree and wanted to know what you all told folks.

Thanks for the replies.

Denise
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Re: Road bike to Tri Bike [MrsTiki] [ In reply to ]
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Apologies that I misinterpreted what exactly you were a asking of. I would say stick to your guns and the knowledge that you have had using "any"/tri bike to get valid numbers. Sounds like a great opportunity for you to expand the conversation and create an even stronger relationship with this rider. He/she may think close enough is good enough.
I call that the " 9mm Rule . An 8mm round will fit in a 9mm clip and it will work *almost* every time

Anne Barnes
ABBikefit, Ltd
FIST/SICI/FIST DOWN DEEP
X/Y Coordinator
abbikefit@gmail.com
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Re: Road bike to Tri Bike [ABarnes] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks Anne. I want people to be comfortable. I don't want to be they one they point at one someone asks them in a sour voice "Who fit you on THAT bike?" Ya know?

Denise
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Re: Road bike to Tri Bike [MrsTiki] [ In reply to ]
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I know that all the current rage is to use a fit bike and the various systems but it really has only been 7 - 8 years that we all regularly fit racers to their road bikes to do triathlons. You can still easily get reverse seat post and long stems to make this work well. Go back and look at some of the old Triathlete Mag Kona bike counts, it was just recently [in bike years] that forward geometry bikes displaced road bikes at Kona. As a retailer, your customers don't always have the financial ability or desire to spend money on a second bike, so as a fitter, it is fair to discuss the different advantages and needs but then I suggest fixing the road bike and getting their money. It is very likely that you can get a rider very close to an optimal position and yes they may give up a little aerodynamics or "coolness" but they can certainly go race. As a trained fitter, you should be able to get said rider into a known, good position range regardless of the frame.
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Re: Road bike to Tri Bike [John Cobb] [ In reply to ]
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Hey John - this gal WANTS a tri bike. Her coach has even tried to talk her out of it. And hey, she's raced on her road bike for many years, is going to be doing long course and wants to be more comfortable.

My (poorly phrased) question was - Do you pull road bike data and try to plug it into a tri bike online? Or do you suggest they bring in a tri bike that is close to their size, fit them on it and THEN use that data to suggest what would work for them? Or refer them to someone with a fit bike?

I apologize for my inability to articulate lately. I blame the cold medicine! :-D

I should note that I'm a newly minted RETUL certified fitter. First female fitter in this area and just getting started. I do not have the 8, 9, 10 years of experience. I am also not comfortable pulling road bike data and telling someone, Yep, this is it! Order that $5000 bike online! But we all have to start somewhere, right? And that's why I asked you guys. I was curious what you all do when a client thinks their road bike fit is all you need to tell them exactly what bike is going to make them sing.

Off to take more Sudafed.

Denise
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Re: Road bike to Tri Bike [MrsTiki] [ In reply to ]
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I hear you and I'm glad the girl wants a better bike. But, if you get a reversed seat post and have a couple of adjustable stems, then you can get to very accurate stack and reach numbers and help the customer get the right size bike. Let's say this girl has a 52 road bike and it probably has a 74 degree seat tube. A reversed post with a long rail saddle will get her out to a 78degree range, the stem change can get her stack height and you can add or subtract elbow spacers or stem angle to find her an acceptable stack number. By having her start out at a 78 seat angle, figuring her reach will be easy. One of the great things about stack and reach is that you can figure it off of any bike and do a little math to get the correct bike size, stem size, bar size. I'm only going into all of this so that you don't have to refer the customer to someone else and can give her some good solid info for a new bike purchase. Or if you get a X/Y tool from Purely this all becomes very easy. I'm really just trying to help by showing some other options. Hope you feel better soon.
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Re: Road bike to Tri Bike [MrsTiki] [ In reply to ]
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I explain that TRI bikes are used to save running muscles for the run and body POSITION is what accomplishes that. Road bike seat tube angles do not allow that POSITION to happen, Therefore it is impossible for a road bike to be used to properly fit a TRI bike. IMHO it is impossible to do a proper fit on a standard bike of any kind/geometry. Step up and get a fit bike.

http://www.mybicyclefit.com
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