(Long time lurker.. read almost all the fit articles, understood some of them)..
't-rex' is my other half, who's decided it's time for a proper tri bike after several years of racing on a roadbike with clipons. As you may guess, she's short in the arms. Specifically her elbows seem to be a long way up, and she has legs. As a (vaguely) sensible person, marched her off to the (reputable) LBS for a fit. Which has proved a little frustrating.
The numbers they've come up with are:
BOP X = 345, BOP Y = 680. I'd guess you can add 2cm to the BOPX to get COP, give or take. It's short!
saddle tip (specialised power) 6.5cm behind the BB.
saddle tip to pad centre is 465.
Pretty safe to say no tt bike is going to fit that; they're determined to put her on a roadbike with aerobars, which she doesn't want, has pretty much had it and is going to buy something. I'm trying to make sure it's not a complete disaster!
They seem to be quite set on moving her back - which makes sense when she's complaining the road bike is skittish with her so far forward (not my doing), but I'm unconvinced in terms of a Tri fit. Fitter seems to be a pure cyclist fwiw.
So, I stuck her on my (classic) P2 (in a 54) and moved things around. Got somewhere she's comfortable - front end is about as pedastalled as I'd feel comfortable with. It sticks out nearly as far as the saddle (4cm seat to pad drop), thanks to those arms. Saddle tip forward to 0.5cm behind the BB. That gives her a Pad X/Y of 660/420, and is as low as she'll go - due visibility and confidence. Flexibility isn't an issue, handling is a concern, she's not the most confident. The seat had to come forward to give a workable cockpit length, and is only about 1cm longer than their saddle-pad dimension. She actually looks reasonably OK on it, and at least a new P2 is a little shorter/taller.
Frames wise, I'm (obviously) steering her towards a short/tall frame. New P2 / Scott plasma 10 are the prime candidates.
On a 54, I feel like the bike's kinda long for her, but I'm not sure. Saddle tip in line with BB - too steep? Still leaves her inside the wheelbase..
However if she goes to a 51, I can't for the life of me figure how she's going to get enough pad stack. In a 51, the P2 is only 506 tall, that's a long way to go (it's still a long way with a 54 at 522..). How much is too much? I also wonder if the longer bike might be a bit more 'benign' in handling.
Thoughts (ideally helpful ones!)?
Thanks.
't-rex' is my other half, who's decided it's time for a proper tri bike after several years of racing on a roadbike with clipons. As you may guess, she's short in the arms. Specifically her elbows seem to be a long way up, and she has legs. As a (vaguely) sensible person, marched her off to the (reputable) LBS for a fit. Which has proved a little frustrating.
The numbers they've come up with are:
BOP X = 345, BOP Y = 680. I'd guess you can add 2cm to the BOPX to get COP, give or take. It's short!
saddle tip (specialised power) 6.5cm behind the BB.
saddle tip to pad centre is 465.
Pretty safe to say no tt bike is going to fit that; they're determined to put her on a roadbike with aerobars, which she doesn't want, has pretty much had it and is going to buy something. I'm trying to make sure it's not a complete disaster!
They seem to be quite set on moving her back - which makes sense when she's complaining the road bike is skittish with her so far forward (not my doing), but I'm unconvinced in terms of a Tri fit. Fitter seems to be a pure cyclist fwiw.
So, I stuck her on my (classic) P2 (in a 54) and moved things around. Got somewhere she's comfortable - front end is about as pedastalled as I'd feel comfortable with. It sticks out nearly as far as the saddle (4cm seat to pad drop), thanks to those arms. Saddle tip forward to 0.5cm behind the BB. That gives her a Pad X/Y of 660/420, and is as low as she'll go - due visibility and confidence. Flexibility isn't an issue, handling is a concern, she's not the most confident. The seat had to come forward to give a workable cockpit length, and is only about 1cm longer than their saddle-pad dimension. She actually looks reasonably OK on it, and at least a new P2 is a little shorter/taller.
Frames wise, I'm (obviously) steering her towards a short/tall frame. New P2 / Scott plasma 10 are the prime candidates.
On a 54, I feel like the bike's kinda long for her, but I'm not sure. Saddle tip in line with BB - too steep? Still leaves her inside the wheelbase..
However if she goes to a 51, I can't for the life of me figure how she's going to get enough pad stack. In a 51, the P2 is only 506 tall, that's a long way to go (it's still a long way with a 54 at 522..). How much is too much? I also wonder if the longer bike might be a bit more 'benign' in handling.
Thoughts (ideally helpful ones!)?
Thanks.
Last edited by:
upsidedownmark: Feb 26, 19 13:34