OK, so those following along already, you know my issues. I’ve ridden more aero, and more on my road bike with a much higher position. I have reached the conclusion that the road position is better, if only because it’s higher. I can’t raise the P2K’s position any further as I already have a sharply upturned stem, max spacers, a cut steerer tube, and spacers beneath the Hed arm pads. Actually, I’m running too high already on the steerer tube – I’m irresponsibly a solid cm below the top of the stem. Shame on me.
So, I have reached the conclusion I need a frame that has a higher front end relative to the top tube length. Ideas? Think short top tube, high enough front end. All Cervelos are automatically out.
I have the same issue and am getting a Serotta CX II, because they offer custom geometry as part of the frame price. Also, supposed to be a very smooth ride.
my cannondale IM5000 Si is too tall in the front. I have to use an adjustable stem to get low enough. What length toptube and headtube are you looking for?
Well, that’s tricky because of the P2K’s flippable seatpost and the fact that this year’s geometry is apparently different than last year’s (mine) because I have a 55cm and this year it’s either 54 or 56cm. For a 56, if it’s a 75* seat tube (rear-facing seatpost), then it has a 57.3cm top tube with a head tube that’s 140mm tall. At 78*, the top tube drops to 54.5cm.
I’d like to get something a little shorter in the top tube than my road bike (56cm at 73 degrees, saddle fully forward on the rails). Call it 53cm, on a frame that would typically be considered a 56cm.
I haven’t shot my latest, but it’s virtually the same as in my post about 2/3 of the way down the page linked here. Way, way too low for me. And I mean from a power perspective, not just comfort. As an added bonus, one of my knees is starting to bother me as well – it began right after lowering my saddle, and is made worse by trying to level out my foot/heel. Doh!
Oh, if it didn’t change, I have nothing to add. It seems to me that you want everything to work right here, right now, it’s just not like that. Since you last posted about your position first I don’t think 3 weeks have gone by.
That’s right, I do want it to work right now, and it can work that way. I’ve gathered enough data and experience. That position is just too low, period. I’m sure that someday I can F around and work my way down that low. But I have only 4 weeks to an event, 12 to the next after that. Time’s up - I can’t afford to be in this same position (no pun intended!) in another couple weeks.
The best path from here is one that starts me at a higher position I can ride NOW, and THEN I can work LOWER over time. A frame with a top tube higher and shorter will provide a starting point from which I can do that. I can’t go any higher on that P2K, so there’s no point screwing around wasting more time trying to jump into it that low in one shot. My bad for trying fit onto that frame in the first place.
Before tossing down $$$$ on a frame, what’s wrong with using your road bike with aerobars for TT/tri and see how it goes. There are plently of “closet slacker” triathletes out there.
IMO, you look “lazy” in your TT position…still to stretched out to get the power where it needs to be.
Since this is a free option. Try this if you haven’t already.
Seatpost flipped forward, saddle rails all the way forward. This accomplishes 3 things:
It effectively raises your headtube as your hip angle is reduced.
It shortens your cockpit making you less stretched out which seems like a good idea to me.
It reduces your hip angle (as mentioned) which should bring back some power more inline with your road bike.
Unless you currently have your saddle all the way forward, this adjustment will go a long way towards solving all of your problems.
Remember headtube height is meaningless unless it is considered in conjunction with EFFECTIVE seat tube angle. I would need a 12cm headtube if my seat angle was 60 degrees. At 80 degrees I can go as low anyone. Everything rotates about your crank. Move seat forward, move bars down, etc…
Before tossing down $$$$ on a frame, what’s wrong with using your road bike with aerobars for TT/tri and see how it goes. There are plently of “closet slacker” triathletes out there.
IMO, you look “lazy” in your TT position…still to stretched out to get the power where it needs to be.
Actually, nothing wrong at all with doing it on the road bike.
My TT position feels kind of cramped to me. I let myself get used to it, and then rode my road bike w/ aero bars (and we’re talking several cms longer front end), and after 2 mins of adjustment time, I thought… “ahhhhhhhhhhh, that’s more like it.”
So then I did 40 mins of hard intervals on a trainer. When the watts had to go up and I really needed to dig in, yes, I would choke up on the bars a few cms. Still farther out front than on my TT bike.
When I’ve done the same intervals on the TT bike… I’m simply unable to handle those watts (~30w less).
Here’s a bike SmartAss will love: Can you say Hottie? Whew!