I just got the chance to ride my new Jamis Trilogy for the first time. (It’s been a long, busy soccer season!) I really liked it though I missed having the different positions available on drop bars. It felt pretty fast and the more upright position felt good. I found a lot of the riding to be mental and by this I mean I am an excellent bike handler and found myself going slower then usual around corners and descents. I have to get used to the way it rides. I bought the bike from that shop that was closing and the guy included compact cranks and some big ones (55-44 I believe) so i am using the compacts right now (haven’t ridden since Steelhead…I told you it was a long, busy soccer season!) and plan on buying some regular crank/chainring set. Now a couple of questions: I have T2+ aerobars and have never used bar end shifters until today. Do most people ride with their thumbs on the shifters? Do you shift with the thumbs? Do TT bikes sit a bit higher then road bikes? My new bike fits me perfectly, but I noticed it looks much bigger then my road bike which is 1cm smaller. The bottom bracket is higher then on my road bike, is this normal or just the difference between the two brands?
Well I am totally stoked to have a road and TT bike! No more swapping out the bars at certain times of the year, moving the saddle, etc.
With single bend bars it’s a lot easier to ride with the thumbs on the shifters. With the s-bend types, unless you cut them WAY back and put the shifters right at the top of the “s”, you’ll be moving your hand quite a bit to shift. Just a matter of preference.
The first few times I rode a TT bike, I almost turned around and put it away and forgot about it. I’m most definately NOT a good bike handler. But I’ve gotten quite comfortable on my TT bike over time and now I love to make that rocket ship fly. You’ll be there soon – especially if you’re a good bike handler.
Regarding the shifting, you see all kinds of different approaches. Personally, I tend to ride with the shifters between my index finger and middle finger when I’m settled into a gear and cruising. If I’m anticipating needing to shift, I’m set up where I can get the levers between my thumb and index finger without the slightest change in any other part of my position. Shifting up to easier gears is done with the part of my index finger between knuckle and first joint. Shifting down is with my thumbs except for the last couple of shifts to the smallest cogs. For those, my index finger curls over the top and presses the lever down.
You’ll see folks who have a couple of inches of aerobar between where their hands are and where their shifters are. There’s no law against it. If that’s the way they like to do it, fine. I did it that way at first and decided the reach to make every shift was unnecessary and having shifters sticking up in the air in front wasn’t optimally aero. I think part of the reason people do that is that they’re afraid to cut their expensive bars just so precisely. What if you cut them and they turn out too short? Measure carefully.
Oh … look at the picture of Fabian Cancellara at the top of this forum page. His shifters are right there where his hands are.
Regarding your other questions about TT vs. road bike geometry, I can’t help you there. My road bikes are all 700c and my TT bikes are all 650.