In a recent review, Slowman says that custom geometry is mainly for the long leg/short torso types.
I’m not convinced. I’m six ft tall and my saddle height is seventy cm.
Even with the lowest profile aerobars available, I need a head tube of 8cm or so to have the top of an aero helmet create a horizontal line with my back and pelvis. The kicker is that the top tube needs to be 55cm if the STA is 78*. Nobody makes such a bike (except a 51cm P3 with a 150mm stem - see how that handles).
So, aren’t the short leg/long torso guys also a strong candidate for custom?
I know, we should probably ride 650’s, but I don’t want to get into the two wheel sizes thing.
“In a recent review, Slowman says that custom geometry is mainly for the long leg/short torso types”
i don’t believe i said that. i think i said that long leg / short torso types are the most likely candidates, or are those who represent the group in greatest need, when it comes to tri bikes.
guys like you are typically not that hard to fit on certain geometries, specifically, QR kilo/tequilo at $2500 and below, and cervelo P3C at the higher price end. i say this because these bikes are often bad fits for those who need average to above average stacks. you end up putting profile aerobars on half the P3Cs out there if you want to fit the entire range of customers desiring that bike.
and that’s with cervelo’s O.E. spec’d +/-6° stem. if you take that stem off and put a -17° stem on, that gives you more room to fit the short-waisters. then there are the -25° stems.
certainly there are those who, like you, also warrant a custom, but they tend to represent a smaller subset than the other folks.