I immediately felt right in the aero bars on my first tri bike

I'll be pulling out my tri bike soon as I get ready for another season. I always start on the trainer and do a workout where I alternate 10 min aero position, 1 min up on the horns. I'll build up to 6x and then up the time in aero. Once the weather gets better, I'll be out on the road.

I could have written your post word for word. I hated my bike on the trainer because it was really stiff and uncomfortable. I did a ride outside two weeks ago and I felt a lot better about it. I am down to 200lbs now and my near term goal is to ride aero 75% of the time. I go in 5-10 minutes chunks of Aero and then rest a couple minutes. I still have to lose 20-25lbs more but I think at my current weight the aero position is obtainable but Im not beating myself up if Im not fully aero 100%. I wish I had access to some loaner seats so I could try to get something more comfortable maybe you could try the bike shop for that.

It looks like your saddle needs to be moved forward.

I was the opposite as you. I never got really comfortable on my road bike for some reason, a smidge big I think. I bought a Fuji Aloha and loved it from the get go. I recently sold it and purchased a used Cervelo P2 and am having an adjustment period with it. I still prefer it over riding a road bike though.

My first couple weeks on the trainer my first time with my tri bike did not feel right. I had hot spots on the saddle, tight muscles, and sore back & neck. First ride outside was a terror show of weaving. But, after a month, I was golden.

Pretty much everything is wrong. Saddle too high and far back.
Bars too far away (saddle forward will help)
Extensions too flat
Bars too low.
The Norcom is a good bike but the bars are terrible, I'd suggest finding a good tri fitter and plan on changing the bars.

I was gonna go with “saddle lower” myself

OP, you should be aware of the saddle is uncomfortable. That will drive our decision to change it.

Can't watch your video because I'm at work and can't see video. Something about productivity? Without seeing your size, I can say that it's probably not weight related. I've got a gut and ride a Norcom as well in aero without a problem, on the road. The trainer feels different to me.

Also I'd ditch the saddle and bars. Unless they've switched the bars since the 2016 models those oval bars are garbage.

I'm glad your shop treats you well. They've obviously provided great customer service to earn your business.

However, that fit is poor. You're on the wrong saddle, the saddle is high, and the cockpit needs adjustment as well (although if it's an Oval cockpit, you may need a different cockpit altogether to achieve the comfort that's possible).

They may be excellent road fitters, but unfortunately that is a poor triathlon fit.

Where are you located?

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Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)

All of these replies , honestly, have me pretty bummed out.

I would have hoped my shop fit me properly, and it appears they haven’t. Im not sure how to go back into my shop with the info you guys have given me. Is it weird to say. “I’m uncomfortable on this bike, and some people on a forum told me my fit is way off.”

It’s either that, or I’ll have to pay to get a fit elsewhere.

Again, I hate to be the bearer of disappointing news but you'll need to go elsewhere.

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Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)

Then I guess my next question is, who is a good fitter in the Philadelphia area? I’m in the northern suburbs, but I can go into the city if needed.
And what should a good fitting cost? Under $200?

I think you'll have several good options. I'll let someone more familiar with Philly provide feedback on who's who.

$200-300

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Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)

Most shops think that they fit well even if they don't which makes finding a good fitter challenging. Trust other triathletes or folks that recommend from here.

If you have a good fit, you should feel comfortable right off.

I understand you don't want to pay more money for a good fit but you will be more comfortable. If you don't get a good fit, you'll be searching and trying ways to fix it and end up spending more money than if you just get it done now.

I had fit coordinates I brought to the shop I bought my last tri bike from, and they couldn't even set up the bike to the measurements.

"My bike shop really prides themselves on their fit process."

Go back and just tell them you're not comfortable. If they truly pride themselves on their fit process, they'll work with you to get it right. You have given them your money and business, so don't feel bad for asking for a better fit.

Yeah, this is pretty typical for starting out. And I've seen plenty of people going to "great" fitters, but they're great at fitting people on road bikes, not tri bikes. On a tri bike, you gotta push that saddle seriously far forward. Like so far, you think it's f*cking dangerous and ridiculous. When you finally quit fighting it and do it, you'll be like, "holy shit this is fast." Until then, you'll live a life of back pain, crotch pain, and non-impressive bike results for what you paid for that bike. Don't ride it like a road bike. Ride a tri bike like a tri bike. Move that saddle forward until your elbows are almost under your shoulders. Like within an inch.

Your first few road rides will be scary with how twitchy the bike handles. Ride the aero bars uphill at first until you get used to them. Then gradually ride them more often on the flats. Then graduate to the downhills. It'll take a few rides. That's normal too.

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Zen and the Art of Triathlon. Strava Workout Log
Interviews with Chris McCormack, Helle Frederikson, Angela Naeth, and many more.
http://www.zentriathlon.com

I think I’m going to start by going back to my shop. They said to bring it back after a 100 miles or so to readjust the shifters because the cables stretch.

I’m just not sure what to say. I don’t want to tell them something general like , “I’m not comfortable.”

I guess I’ll just say what you guys have said. Reading the comments it makes sense.

I feel like I’m too far from the handle bars.

I feel like my bar extensions need to be higher. I feel like I’m twisting my wrist down just to hold onto them.

DO NOT get bummed out. you are doing something noble, ie, taking care of yourself, and enjoying life. Just start with a simple adjustment or two, with your shop's assistance. I'll bet they won't mind at all. Lower the seat a bit, and move it forward/get into a more forward position. Ride in increments, let your body adjust. Do some stretching. You can work through this. CONGRATS on your new bike!

You don't need to hold onto the Aero bars with your hands. Just lay them on top. Relax.

I understand how you feel, firsthand.

Went and purchased my first Tri bike, a new Felt IA16. Happy as can be, raced it 7 races last summer and never really felt right. Seemed like the Watts I was putting out that I should be going a bit faster.

Privately through this forum I reached out the Trent, he posted above. He also gave me bad news, the bike was too big for me.....DAMN, NOT GOOD. He gave me many options to attempt to make it work, undermount the extensions, longer dagger stem, maybe shorter cranks, and the like.

I decided I was just going to buy a new bike, again, DAMN. I never went back to the original shop, mainly for 2 reasons, first I was pissed and second, if they couldn’t get me right the first time, how in the hell could they get me right the second time? I went to a different shop, explained the whole story to them, sadly they serviced other customers from my first shop also, but never bashed them. They explained similar to Trent after seeing me on the bike. They then fit me and attempted to get my current bike to work. First step was to order the dagger stem, but they were honest and told me not to put anymore money into the bike, because it still wouldn’t be 100 percent. Again, Trent told me the same.

I then thought about it for a few days and went back and said I wanted a new bike. They gave me a really fair deal on an IA4 they had. Since the fit was done they had the mechanic get it all ready and done deal.

After it was done I sent to Trent and he agreed Fit looked good.

The point here is this, research more before you dive in. Don’t assume they are good because they have some shit hanging on their walls. Ask for advice if you have doubts. Finally, it can always be worse.

I wish you well, I see a small group of fitters that post on here, it’s no surprise they also give a TON of advice to help people enjoy this hobby to the fullest.

Keep grinding, you’ll get it sorted.

I emailed my bike shop. He got back to be within the hour. He said he would be happy to go over the fit again. They aren’t real busy this time of year and he can fit my in any night this week. He said to figure on at least an hour to go over everything.

I guess this is the logical first step. I shouldn’t just write him off as not knowing what he is doing. I’ll give him another shot. Plus it will be free.

If I don’t like the fit. From there I can make a decision to look elsewhere.

I’m sure somewhere between re-fitting the bike and just getting more time on it, will be my solution. Plus maybe he has a few different seats we can check out.

Good for you for giving your shop a 2nd chance. The world needs more of that.

Get the fitter to describe what he's trying to accomplish regarding hip angle, fore/aft positioning, etc. Not just the angles, but what's the problem he's trying to solve. Post that info and another video if you can.

Finally, listen to Trent Nix.

Glad to hear that you contacted the shop and they are willing to work with you on the fit. They deserve that opportunity.

As a part of the Professional Bike Mechanic community, I'm hoping our fellow techs can continue to improve so we can better service our customers. The bike shops and bike service companies left standing will be there for a reason and it's quality products and service available locally at a reasonable price.

I know there is a big difference between fitting and wrenching but hopefully we can move past statements like this -
I get that they may be dumbing down a complex subject by using the blanket cable stretch statement but that's not the issue. It's a host of things, but improper preparation during the build and tuning process will cause ferrules and housings along the shifting system to bed in causing slack in the cable a poor shifting. A good tech simulates the 100 mile break in period and poor shifting should be minimized - not 100% of the time but certainly a very high percentage. If they really did their job, then just be honest - we want you in the shop as much as possible, because there is a good chance you will buy parts and accessories when you are here.

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Looking for a place to swim? check out http://swimradar.com
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You should feel like you just mounted a magical unicorn for the first time.

JonP, welcome to the glorious world of the coolest looking bike group on the planet (Tri Bikes). Many good suggestions have been provided. If possible, keep the road bike as a change of pace and to do the other riding you enjoy. As a heavier Triathlete myself, I suggest that you not try to "Eat the whole steak in one bite". Meaning, make smaller incremental adjustments (seat position, cockpit set up, crank length, etc.) rather than everything at once. I would offer that hitting the trainer is different than the road, keep working and it will feel more comfortable over time as you make the necessary tweaks. I am hoping to get back on the trainer some time this spring, 2 years of surgeries and recovery have derailed my riding.

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DT Harder

Campy or nothing, Wilier all the Way

Several posters questioned your fit and called out the LBS. While I agree with the fit comments, I wouldn't be so quick to put blame on the fitter. The most common phrase during a fit is "how does that feel" and a first timer on a TT bike is likely to not understand the question or be able to give an honest and meaningful answer. Now that you have time on the bike you should be able to provide assistance with your fit.

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"...the street finds its own uses for things"

No need to be bummed - the alternate point of view is that you were wondering if you had wasted your money on a tri bike. Now you know that the money was not wasted - just a bit of work is required to make it feel like a magical unicorn.

Also, you can steer the fit. You don't have to say "some random people on a forum (or worse, other bike shops/fitters) said I should do this..." - instead "I feel like I'm a bit overstretched and having to force myself to get into the aerobars" - the logical response from your fitter will be to reduce the reach and raise the bars. A new tri fit needs the fitter to understand what a sensible starting point is (Dans Orthodoxy) rather than being reactive (which can work ok for an existing position). If your shop take pride in fit but deliver your current position they're probably good at reactive - so feed in as much information as you can, using what we've given you as a basis.

Get the position more sorted, then ask to try other saddles and continue to refine the position. You will contact the saddle differently in the current position compared to one where you are several cm further forward.

This is why this forum is great. I started this thread just feeling “uncomfortable”. I wasn’t really sure why , but I just didn’t like how I felt on the bike.

The tips have made me realize I’m reaching too much. I do almost fee like I’m sliding forward be able to reach the bars.

I’m going to move the seat down and forward today. I’m going to ride for a little while and see how that feels.

Are we talking small 2-3 mm moves here? Or should I just jam the seat an inch or two forward.


I want to make a couple changes before my fitting on Wednesday, that way I can feel the difference and be able to tell him exactly how it changed, if it’s better or worse, and be more of a participant in the fitting.

When I was in for my first fitting, I had never been in the aero position, ever.

Did anyone mention the bike is too large?

That hasn’t been mentioned at all.

Inches.

Tom Dumoulin would agree, Emma Pooley would not. There's no way she's within an inch.

Both time trial champions.

I made a few adjustments today and went for about a 40 minute ride on the trainer. I moved the seat as far forward as it would go. It totaled about 1.5" forward.
I lowered the seat about 1/2".
I moved the aero bar extensions back about 1/2" and the elbow pads back about 1/2". I couldn't move the anything else around up front. I didn't want to mess with it too much, plus the rest didnt really have any adjustment points.

It felt much much more comfortable. I sure its not perfect. Looking at the videos it doesn't really look all that different, but it felt very different.

The first video is the original video. The second video was taken today after the adjustments.

I'm glad it's feeling better, but unfortunately it still isn't a good triathlon fit. You're on the wrong saddle (you need an anatomical saddle that will push you even further forward) and the cockpit position needs lots of work.

I don't think you'll find an appropriate solution at your current shop. That doesn't mean you'll find a better solution if you decide to go somewhere else, but there are better solutions out there for sure.

Your shop is the equivalent of a family physician, and now it's time to find a specialist.

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Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)

I picked up an ISM PR 2.0 Saddle. I feel more forward on it. Its pretty comfortable so far. I was only on it for about 30 minutes. I have pain in my upper arms after bring in the aerobars for a while. I think this might be a strrangth building thing. I think the entire cockpit needs to be moved down a little at this point.
This is todays video

Definitely a step forward. Now the bars need to come down and the armpads need to be a bit forward. And angle the extensions up slightly.

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Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)

Are you sitting on the nose of that saddle?

Also, saddle needs to be raised a bit. Maybe 1 cm.

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Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)

I feel like I'm pretty far forward on it.

When you say lower the bars, do you have an estimate of how much. There are at least 3 or 4 spacers Under the stem. Ranging from what looks like a half a cm and some are larger, maybe a full cm.

Start with 2 cm. Then we can look again and see how it goes. That, coupled with raising the saddle 1 cm, results in 3 cm more drop.

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Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)

Thank you very much. I’ll try that out tomorrow.

It’s been a while since I added to this thread. This is a slightly different angle so I’m not sure how it will compare.
I lowered the bars about 2cm. Once I got out onto the road on some longer rides, I noticed that my elbows kept riding forward on the pads. So I moved them forward about 1.5” and extended the bars out a little too. I’m way more comfortable in this position. I’m sure it needs some work, but at least I’m comfortable for now.