Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts
Quote | Reply
Okay, reaally loaded given that I am asking this online, but I fall into the 'long leg craig category with inseam of 88cm and an inseam to sternal notch measurement of 62 cm. I am looking at getting a beam bike and want to be pretty steep...at least 78 maybe 80 degrees. Would a Softride Qualifier or a Titanflex be easier to fit with my long legs and short torso and still have decent handling characteristics (no weird stem lengths etc)? I am roughly 180.5 cm tall.

Lance



_________________________________________________
That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Dr. Doom] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I ride both an XL Softride Rocket SE7 (with exteneded carbon seat bracket) and a Zipp 2001 (large frame/large beam). My BB to seat rails is 82.5 cm. I also have a very short upper body (though exact measurement is unknown). I'm 6-3 and 163 lbs.

The Softride I have has the extended carbon seat bracket and the beam is set to the max. I have everything set to the max and I'd like to be more forward on that bike. The only solution I see is a bracket, set on top of my seat bracket to get more seat height, so I can lower the beam and slide my seat more forward. If I slide the seat more forward as it is right now, I'll loose too much bb to seat rail height.

Anyone know of a piece that'll fit on the seat bracket so I can add height to the seat rails????? HELP!

The Zipp is very adjustable and I LOVE it!!! Fits like a dream for a guy with long legs and short torso.

Sorry, I can't help with the Titan Flex. I love the Softride, its fast, light (19 lbs) and a pleasure to ride.

.
.
Paul
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [rocketman] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
> Anyone know of a piece that'll fit on the seat bracket so I can add height to the seat rails????? HELP!

Saw just such a thing on a write up about an entry-level KHS bike in Triathlete mag...

Was a little kludgy I guess, supposed to allow "on-the-fly" fore-aft adjustment of the saddle. But it also lifted the saddle a good 3 centimeters or more off a standard seatpost, from what I could see.

-Zo
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Zo] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Is it the M2 Racer that Dan did a write up on last year?



_________________________________________________
That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Dr. Doom] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
> Is it the M2 Racer that Dan did a write up on last year?

It was probably late last year, will happily haul the mag out of the bathroom "archive" stack and check when I get home. Or perhaps you're talking about something on slowtwitch?

I now recall also seeing the thing for sale independently on a tri-specific website somewhere...

Ah yes. all3sports.com has it, and it is indeed the M2 racer thingy. Their site states that it has a rider weight limit of 180lbs. Dunno if that would effect you - you tall guys tend to be a little heavier than us shorties, as I recall.

-Zo
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Dr. Doom] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I have one of those, M2 Racer. Neat little thingy....little haevy......very crooked!! The "rails" are not the same width as the rails on a seat.....so the darn thing fits like sh*t on the seat bracket. Appears as though the M2 Racer rails were poorly welded and are crooked. I may just have to take a hammer to the rails and try and form them abit better. Scares the heck out of me having to ride on that after I bend the rails... : (

.
.
Paul
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [rocketman] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Sorry to hear it!

Maybe you should consider visiting a real live machine shop? Would probably cost you a hundred or two bucks, but if you truly love your bike...

-Zo
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [rocketman] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
thanks for the reply...getting the seat high enough was my concern with the softride. The titanflex looks like it might be easier to get into a steep position with a short TT length and still get the seat high enough. I would be interested in a zipp, but I would rather buy new and the supply of NOS zipps is probably nonexistant to scarce.



_________________________________________________
That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Dr. Doom] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
aaahhhhhh......I just bought a brand new......still in the original bubble wrap....and in the original Zipp box.....1997.......Zipp 2001!!!

I found the guy that still does all the waranty work on the Zipp frames. He had this one sitting around. Its my third Zipp 2001!! I sold the other two like a big dope...so when I found this one, I had to get it!

All mine.......forever!!!

.
.
Paul
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Dr. Doom] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I'm no expert, but I can tell you what I have.

Inseam is 90cm (35.5"), Torso is 60cm (25"). Height is 182 (6'1"). Not too far from you measurements.

I received my Titanflex about a 6 weeks ago and have spent lots of time riding around the neighbourhood with an Allen key in my pocket. I've had it as steep as 81 degrees. I think I'm at about 77 degrees right now. The boom and traditional seatpost give you lots of unencumbered adjustability. The bike comes spec'ed with a Look Ergostem giving lots of adjustability up front while you settle on a stem (and while your body fitness/flexibility improves). Currently, it is set straight forward at about 15cm. I can't see any reason why you can't be fitted to a TF.

I have no experience with a Softride (other than testriding for a few hours).

The TF handing is great. No complaints here. I was pleasanty surprised to find that in my case the aero position is more comfortable than riding on the bullhorns. If you have questions, PM me. Also call Tom (TF designer) and ask him for his thoughts. He's very good to deal with.

Rob
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Dr. Doom] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
You might also want to talk to Dave at Elite bikes. He makes a very nice beam bike, and is very, very good with fit issues.

MH

Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [rjackson] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Thanks for the info....a couple of additional questions

Which boom did you get? In other words, did you get the one for your recommended weight or did you go with something stiffer?

Does the ergo stem feel pretty stable? It looks like a great idea, but I am a little nervous trusting a piece of equipment that has that many articulation when there is going to be a significant amount of force applied. Are the joints held purely by friction or are there teeth on the thing to help hold it in place?

Thanks



_________________________________________________
That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Dr. Doom] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
You need to initially torque down hard on the allen bolts on an Ergostem, but once you do the set-up is rock solid. There are tons of trackies using them and they apply way more torque to the bars and stem than you and I will ever do. The only concerns with an Ergostem are:

(1) Weight - they are obscenely heavy.

(2) Fit issues - if you need an Ergostem, it is probably because the bike doesn't fit you to start with. The Ergostem will usually allow you to put your handlebars in a good position relative to the saddle, but how that will relate to your balance on the bike is anybody's guess. IME, an Ergostem works well if you are just drying to drop you handlebars lower. But if you are trying to get your bars higher or farther out they do not work that well.

Oh, and yes, Ergostems do have "teeth".
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Dr. Doom] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I weigh around 185 lbs (but like most people here would like to loose some weight before race season). I ordered the Rocky Road (for riders between 185 and 225). But Tom accidentally shipped a Mocha boom (145 to 185 lbs). On a trainer it seems a little bouncy. On the road, it seems appropriate. Even so, Tom shipped me an insert to stiffen up the boom from one flavour to another (but I haven't done that yet).

Other people's comments include Slowman's review (http://www.slowtwitch.com/...bikes/titanflex.html) -- he preferred the stiffest boom. A TF I test rode before buying also had the stiffest boom available and it easily soaked up the road ripple. On the other hand, Ironstevie (on this forum) went from Mocha to Vanilla (softest boom). If you're unsure, ask and Tom will probably ship you a couple of booms allowing you to return the one you don't want.

The ergostem is stable once you crank down the bolts. As john points out, it does have teeth to prevent slipping at the joints. john's also right that it is obscenely heavy (400g versus <200g for a fixed stem). There are index marks at the joints so you can record the position as you adjust it.

I somewhat disagree with john's point about an ergostem meaning the bike doesn't fit. One of the _many_ reasons I went with the TF is because every bike shop (and there are some good reputable ones in my area) I talked to told me they had a bike that would fit me. But confusingly, they all had different bikes leaving me wondering who to trust (some of my early posts/questions on this forum are about this problem). The TF with its boom and ergostem allows me to adjust the cockpit and seattube angle in a way that a fixed frame bike simply cannot do. With that, I felt certain the bike would fit.

On top of that, my flexibility have improved considerably since I started dabbling with yoga 2 weeks after getting the bike. That's allowed me to slighty increase the drop from the seat to the aerobars -- something that is an easy adjustment with the ergostem. I expect/hope my fitness and flexibility will continue to improve permitting/requiring subtle changes to the bike fit.

My TF also has an Ergomo powermeter which is giving me some insight into the effect of positional changes on my power output and speed. Again, the boom and ergostem make this possible.

Sometime in the summer or fall once I'm dialed in, I will get a fixed stem (likely titanium or carbon) as I finish training for IMFL.

Hope the comments help. Feel free to ask if you have more questions.

Rob
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Dr. Doom] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Doom,

Buy at TF. Maximum fit options. Better build quality than Softride (my own personal experience). Better ownership experience (Call Tom to talk about your thoughts/concerns/ideas and you'll get the idea). Better ride (softride beam is VERY bouncy...TF boom options are great). TF climbs much better and is lighter. Much better value (look at the cost for add on items)....plus, join the Ironwishes team and you can get $250 off a complete TF bike (that deal will be announced next week along with some other cool stuff).

Later
Last edited by: Ironstevie: Mar 30, 04 12:10
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [rjackson] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Thanks, that was exactly the type of information I was looking for. Now I just have to take a deep breath, slooooooowly pull the credit card from the wallet, pick up the phone........and make sure they ship it to my office instead of the house.....LOL



_________________________________________________
That is just one more group of people that should be thrown screaming from a helicopter- George Carlin
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Dr. Doom] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Don't forget to customize the serial number. Using the wedding date smooths things over on the home front. :-)
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [rocketman] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
"M2 Racer. Neat little thingy....little haevy......very crooked!!"

it's extremely light compared to the older version of about a dozen years ago.

the rails are not crooked. they're made that way so that as you move forward and backward your saddle height remains more/less constant.

yes, they are original equipment on KHS' tri bike, because that bike is built at 74 degrees and the power module is included to allow the rider to ride steeper, more/less like cervelo's flippable seat post and kestrel's two-position aero seat post.

i believe i saw some pretty tall brackets on softrides last year, contact them and see what's available. otherwise, yes, the m2racer power module probably does the trick.

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
Quote Reply
Re: somewhat loaded bike fit question for the experts [Slowman] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Dan,

Thanks for the input and I'll try to straighten mine. I realize the rails are not a rectangle to allow the seat height to remain the same, but if you look at the one I received from the front, one rail is pointing out more then the other. The rails are not parrallel from the front view. The rails are then much wider then the clamp. The darn thing has to be forced into the clamp.

.
.
Paul
Quote Reply