There you go!

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Just get a Ti Moots Laidback seatpost for your Chucks frame, and replace your 9 sp parts as they wear out

I use this post on an '05 E5 S-Works, and it tames the harshest of roads

None of the changes you mention, frame, parts, wheels, will really matter much in a half Ironman

As for 650c, I don't see the point, as long as 700 works for you, stick with it

Thanks GasMunky, just what I needed.

Cheers,

Justin.

Thanks Gary, I've just looked at the Moots site, is there any suspension in that (it doesn't look like it) or is it just natural flex in the post that gives you the absorption?

The current bike has 650c wheels, not 700, so it would be a case of sticking with them unless there was a convincing reason to change. I plan to buy race wheels later this year, so this decision has to be made first and then the wheel decision.

Cheers,

Justin.

before buying the new frame check what type of frame best fits your body and then look at the specs of the different bike makes to see which one fits the best -- I managed to get a stock frame that way that fits like a custom. your current bike frame looks too small and to tight (top tube too short) for you -- which is also why you have the big difference in height between the height of your handlebars and saddle height.

Check out Accufit software for the bike fit (free trial version available) http://www.billbostoncycles.com/...rsonal%20accufit.htm

105 components are great components they last long and take a lot of beating while ultegra or duraAce are primarily lighter and require more maintenance and frequent replacement. I would have a bike shop check if you need to replace the chain rings in the front due to wear (just the chain rings) and overhaul the bottom bracket if it needs any maintenance. Also check if you chain would fit the new frame and otherwise get a new 105 chain and cassette (always replace together). Otherwise just make sure that the new frame fits your current components (headset, BB size, front derailleur clamp on or braze on etc.) and you should be good to go.

Thanks evelyn, good advice.

Part of the reason for posting here was to get feedback on whether the bike I have fits me, and what else I might look into. One of the reasons for going with a Titanflex was that it's very adjustable over a range compared to a regular frame. Given I live in Borneo, I can't try other bikes and manufacturers measurements are notoriously innacurate regarding frame sizes.

I didn't think the saddle to bar height was that big, certainly not compared to a lot of other twitchers photos I've seen. I'd be interested to know what you think would be a more reasonable measurement. I measure it as 9-10cm from saddle to top of aerobar pads, is that really big? I'm pretty flexible and don't have any back pain with the current setup, and the angles are all around 90 degrees for the limbs.

Unfortunately I don't own a pc (just a bunch of Macs) so I can't run the software, do you know if it gives you details of particular bikes or just measurements to work with?

I have a new casette and chain which will be going on before the 1/2 ironman in August, so would be in reasonable shape if I go for a new frame soon. I'm thinking I'll stick with the 105 until things wear out.

Thanks,

Justin.

From your pictures, I'd say that you are too high in the front and the back. Your upper body is looking great with all of the "text book" angles. However, your legs are looking VERY extending even with your ankles slightly angled up, meaning that your saddle may be too high. So you lower your saddle but that changes your upper body position. Which means that you also need to lower your stem. If you get your saddle height right but can't get your stem height right than your bike doesn't fit.

When adjusting saddle height there is a 'power window' of sorts that is referenced by knee angle. I forget what the knee angles are right now but basically as you raise your saddle your power increases to the beginning of that 'power window' and then plateaus. At the top of this distance you begin to lose power again in addition to flirting with a knee injury.

For me its between 76 and 80 centimeters measured from the center of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube. (measured in a straight line if you have an irregular seat tube or none at all.) So I set my saddle somewhere in that area depending on crank length. I have 72.5's on my TT bike but 70's on my fixie so my TT bike's saddle is set to 78cm and my fixie is set to 79cm.

Bottom line is that nobody knows if your bike fits better than you. If you are not having problems with pain than you are off to a great start. However, if you want to be sure that you're in the most powerful position possible for your body, you are going to have to experiment to see what works and what doesn't.

I hope that helps!

Thanks, interesting things to think about.

I actually thought my seat might be too low, as it feels real easy pedalling, doesn't feel like I'm overextended, no rocking of the hips etc.

I'll have to take some more pics and make sure you're seeing the same thing each time, I admit it looks more extended than it feels,

J.

Yea, it's REALLY difficult to critic a persons position without seeing that person in motion. Looks can be decieving especially considering that biomechanics from person to person can vary radically.

If you look at a photo of Lance Armstrong's position one might deduce that it isn't a very powerful one with that slumped back of his...until you see him in action that is.

Thank you all for the very helpful comments.

I don't yet have race wheels, I was waiting to decide whether to change the frame and possibly wheel size before buying a set of wheels. As I currently have 650's, if I bought race wheels, I would probably stick with that size, but if I change and go 700 later, it'd be a pain to change over wheels too. Living in Borneo, you don't have much in the way of bike shops and shipping's expensive.

As I'll be in the US in August, that's pretty much the only time I'll be able to buy expensive bike stuff before IMNZ next March. The shipping out to here is expensive and they have very high import duty on bicycles for some reason. Hence thinking about a new frame sooner rather than later.

The fit I got was from John Cobb, just before we moved out here 18 months ago, and there's no way to get another fit unless I schedule it into my trip to the US in August. That's the last chance I'll have before IMNZ next year. I've put a couple of small video clips of me on the trainer on my website that can be downloaded, so if you are interested you can see the fit in motion. After looking at the clips and reading the advice here, I think I might well benefit from dropping the saddle slightly, I'll try 5mm and see what that feels like and experiment from there. The clips are quicktime movies, taken using my still camera as I don't have a proper video camera

http://jkath.com/movies/bike1.mov (3.5Mb, 40sec)
http://jkath.com/movies/bike2.mov (5.2Mb, 60sec)

Thanks again for all the advice, it's particularly valuable when I'm out here unable to get some 'professional' help.

Cheers,

Justin.