In short, yes you can pick a bike based on a good fit. And a good fitter should be willing to do that, not just based on new bikes that they sell. But, there are lots of people here who will help you find the right bike if you come back with your fit coordinates.

But, you should do your homework first and make sure you get a good fit, from a good fitter. Ideally one listed in the fitters database in the articles listed below. There's nothing worse than spending $250 on a fit, and buying a bike... Only to find out after that you bought the wrong bike because your fit was shit! Happens a lot here. You can search "critique my fit" and find lots and lots of threads with good and bad experiences.

Stack reach database is listed here:

https://www.slowtwitch.com/stackreach/

Lots of articles on bike fit:

https://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/index.html

Especially this article about what you should expect from a good bike fit:

https://www.slowtwitch.com/...pectations_3595.html

Very helpful. Thank you!

"Are there any archives of past year bike model coordinates online?"


Yes.

Any reason you wouldn't look in the Slowtwitch Classifieds?

I honestly really appreciate the “calculator” tririg has developed...and it seems to have many, many bike’s numbers built in. Just got to their shop, pick one of the bars and the click on fit guide...if you know what numbers you are looking for, you can even use this guide if you will not be using a tririg bar set up...their calculator will also give you the true stack/reach numbers for whatever bike/size you choose...

I’m new here - didn’t even know about it - thank you! I will be using that resource!

Thank you!

a fitter's main job is to put you in a good position and then tell you all the bikes in all of the cockpit configurations that will work for you, and then give you that solution along with your fit coordinates in writing so you have them forever.

Anything less is not a good bike fit.

E

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”

I only list current bikes. If I had to list every single bike in history that fit a client it would take far too long. If they're looking used, they can certainly inquire and I'll check the numbers for them, but I'm not listed a f***ing Centurion from the 90's just because it fits. :-}

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Jim Manton / ERO Sports

Haha, good catch. That’s what I meant

:)

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”

Checkout this thread: https://forum.slowtwitch.com/...ng%2C_etc._P6925617/

The problem with buying used bikes using fit coordinates is that equipment changes - particularly cockpit changes - moves the target. New bikes have a spec you can generally depend on, but there are issues there too.

A few years ago ORBEA changed their cockpit in the middle of the season on their lower end Ordu and it changed the minimum stack across their range by 15 mm. They were oblivious - they just put what they had on the bikes, ignorant how those changes affected geometry and the experience of dealers and riders. Suddenly riders that would ride a Medium needed to be on the Small (try to tell that to a 5’11 guy buying a bike and see what happens). It was a mess for shops that actually fit first.

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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)

Thanks guys! Lots to learn on here.

If that 99 spokes site is actuate for past years that is a great resource

You can usually go to a bike manufacturer's website and view an archive of frame geometry.

Awesome - thanks for that tip!

I'd suggest just buying a new entry level bike as your first tri bike. You can find several new bikes near the top end of your $1500-$2500 budget. For the extra couple hundred dollars, you get the warranty and current tech.

QR PR4 Disc Brake - $2999
https://quintanarootri.com/products/prfour-disc

QR PR3 Rim Brake Direct from QR - $2600
https://quintanarootri.com/products/prthree

QR PR3 Rim Brake from LBS (QR Dealer) - $1999
https://m.facebook.com/...3&id=60708337312

Cervelo P2 Rim Brake from My Bike Shop - $2900
https://mybikeshop.com/...JwCaLJxoCxYEQAvD_BwE

Felt IA16 Rim Brake - $3100 on Felt's website, but you find them brand new at Felt dealers for $2699
https://feltbicycles.com/...riathlon-bike-carbon
https://www.ebay.com/...a%3D1%26pg%3D2385738

Eric,

I'm loving this thread. Keep in mind you've now heard from Eric Reid, Trent Nix, Jim Manton - these are 3 of the top 10 fitters in....dare I say, North American. We are so lucky to have their input on the Slowtwitch Forum.

I'm wanna riff on your process for a sec too. Your budget isn't crazy high, but I would still recommend (nay, INSIST) that you spend $250-$300 on a fit before you buy. I'd rather you end up with a $1500 bike that fits perfectly than a $2000 bike that doesn't.

Start the process now in finding the right fitter. Give me your city and we might be able to help. You need to leave that fit with 2 things:
1) your fit coordinates - these are all the details you'll put to work once you take possession of your new ride: seat height, set back, cockpit distance (several elements in a tri bike), arm pad elevation, pad width, etc. etc.
2) your purchase guidelines - with your budget and your goal of a used bike you'll prolly need Stack and Reach and an understanding of how the front end effects that - length of stem, pitch of stem, spacers under stem, and rise of pads above base bar. You should also get your Pad Y and Pad X but you may not use them for this purchase.

When I finish a fit in my studio with someone with similar aims as yours I'm willing to pull up 1 bike off of Craigslist and 2 bikes off Ebay but I won't go much farther than that done the used rabbit hole - there are just too many bikes out there.

Keep us in the loop here, we're all happy to help.

Ian

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Ian Murray
http://www.TriathlonTrainingSeries.com
I like the pursuit of mastery
Twitter - @TriCoachIan

Hey Ian,

I’m in Akron, Ohio any suggestions on where to go for the fit would be great! Thanks!

I went to get bike fitting today from Mike at Bike Authority bike shop today.

This is the deliverable I was sent home with (attached). I will be looking at manufacturer specs online to help determine a bike.

What are some of the key things I should be looking for based on the dimensions?

The fitter said I should look for stack and reach dimensions and if the dimension was less than the number on the page - then to look at dimensions of the next frame size up. That was the advice I got

Why is the fitter recommending 172.5mm cranks?

What saddle were you fit for?

I wear a size 13 shoe - could that be the reason? I don’t know enough to say.

They didn’t fit me for a saddle.

Shoe size doesn't affect fit.

What saddle was used during your fit session?

They just took measurements using this jig setup and then talked to me for a bit. They put in all the measurements into a computer program and it gave the dimensions shown on the attached pic from earlier.

So, you didn't get a bike fit?