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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jonp9576] [ In reply to ]
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You should feel like you just mounted a magical unicorn for the first time.
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jonp9576] [ In reply to ]
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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.

DT Harder

Campy or nothing, Wilier all the Way
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jonp9576] [ In reply to ]
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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.

"...the street finds its own uses for things"
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jonp9576] [ In reply to ]
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jonp9576 wrote:

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.

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.
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [AutomaticJack] [ In reply to ]
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AutomaticJack wrote:
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.

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.
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jonp9576] [ In reply to ]
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Did anyone mention the bike is too large?
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [Monastero] [ In reply to ]
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Monastero wrote:
Did anyone mention the bike is too large?

That hasn’t been mentioned at all.
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jonp9576] [ In reply to ]
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Inches.
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [ZenTriBrett] [ In reply to ]
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ZenTriBrett wrote:
Move that saddle forward until your elbows are almost under your shoulders. Like within an inch.

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

Both time trial champions.
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [trentnix] [ In reply to ]
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trentnix wrote:
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?


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.


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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jonp9576] [ In reply to ]
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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.

Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [trentnix] [ In reply to ]
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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

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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jonp9576] [ In reply to ]
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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.

Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jonp9576] [ In reply to ]
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Are you sitting on the nose of that saddle?
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [trentnix] [ In reply to ]
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Also, saddle needs to be raised a bit. Maybe 1 cm.

Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jimatbeyond] [ In reply to ]
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jimatbeyond wrote:
Are you sitting on the nose of that saddle?

I feel like I'm pretty far forward on it.
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [trentnix] [ In reply to ]
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trentnix wrote:
Also, saddle needs to be raised a bit. Maybe 1 cm.

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.
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [jonp9576] [ In reply to ]
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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.

Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [trentnix] [ In reply to ]
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trentnix wrote:
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.
Thank you very much. I’ll try that out tomorrow.
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Re: First tri bike. How am I supposed to feel? [trentnix] [ In reply to ]
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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.

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