I’m 6’1" and currently on a 58 Madone, fits me like a glove. One of the things that makes it so nice for me is that not only does it have a fairly long head tube, but also an uncut steerer tube with 3 spacers to boost me up.
I will be purchasing a full TT rig this fall/winter for my TT’s next year, but one of the things I’m having trouble finding is a TT bike with a little longer than normal head tube. I realize I won’t get into the perfect ST aero position, I’m older and less nimble and I won’t sacrifice comfort for a text book aero position. Certainly I can get lower than my very upright ‘touring’ position I enjoy on my roadie. I can ride my Madone for 5 hours and not feel one bit of discomfort.
Any of you older, non-rubberized back guys out there in the same boat and find a nice aero TT rig that fits? Would love to hear what you are on please…thanks.
I’ve got an 06 Blade 59 cm and the HT length is 17 cm. I believe the Saber runs about the same. I use to ride a 58cm 5200 and like you it was the best fitting road bike I ever had. I’m a 1/2 inch shorter than you. Check the classifieds I believe there is both a 59 cm Blade and Saber for sale : ).
Thanks that is great news! Isn’t the Blade 650c? I sure hope I’m wrong, but I want to stay away from having two sets of wheels, Power Tap issues and all that.
Get a custom frame from a shop that has experience fitting triathletes.
retro-fit your road bike with aerobars.
Obviously, there is some $$ involved with a custom frame (depending upon what kind of frame you can get!), but consider this: if you retro-fit your road bike, you will be “losing” your road bike. You will likely end up changing so many adjustments (saddle setback, whether or not you change your shifters from the brifters to barends, etc) that you might as well just buy a second road bike rather than setting and re-setting your bike for each triathlon (and I promise that resetting the fit will feel “off”.)
There is also something very positive about having a dedicated TT bike. Having that pure TT bike always available to ride will get your more time in the position (even if it is upright, it is still NOT a road bike fit…different muscle groups, stress on shoulders, etc), allowing you to ride more comfortably on that bike.
I highly recommend going the custom route. Don’t worry so much about aerofoil shapes and windtunnel data, so long as your local dealer is well experienced in fit, and you will like the way the finished bike looks (leading you to want to ride it!!!) ahemSerrottaCXII
Yea I definitely not going to retrofit my Madone. That bike is an extension of my body. I’m half considering getting another Madone and just making it a TT ride even though it wouldn’t be as aero as some of the newer technology of pure TT frames.
I don’t like steep STA’s, have tried it and it doesn’t work for me. I have extremely long femurs and my hip angle is a mess when I get that far forward. I’m so comfortable on my Madone with clips that I’m really looking for an older Trek TTX before they went to steep STA’s…head tube is long enough to work with, but not as long as I would like.
a cervelo soloist is basically a TT bike for those who refuse to get low
if you do it right, you don’t need back flexibility to get decently low
Well heck I would love to know how to achieve point number 2! The answer by every fitter I have talked to is 'we gotta get your bars lower. Yea okay, thanks bye bye.
Percutaneous discectomy dictates that is NEVER going to happen for me.
Can you please expound on ‘doing it right’ please…would like to hear more. Thanks
so if the issue is that you can’t “Bend over more”
then you scoot the seat forward and lower the bars in proportion to each other. You won’t get Torbjorn low if you can’t bend much, but you may be able to get lower than you are now. A tri bikes steeper seat angle will facilitate this process.
The idea is to rotate your whole body around the bottom bracket, rather than changing your bodies position.
you might also hit up Roady or CDW here for tips on positions that are aero without being low in the normal way I described above.
if the issue is that you can’t handle more pressure on your shoulders, or your taint, well, then i dunno =)
I’m no bike fitter, but I don’t think it’s just an issue of “getting your bars lower”. Doing so will only put extra strain on your neck. You should check out some of the bike shops on this site who can guide you in the right direction regarding fit.
I don’t consider myself old, but I have pretty significant back issues which prevent me from being terribly flexible. However, I more comfy on my tri bike than my roadie!
Here is my first question. When I see steep STA’s I see guys sitting on their taint and that just isn’t my deal. I REALLY sit on the saddle with my sitz bones…can you get fit on a steep STA and sit on your sitz bones?
I just refuse to ride on my taint like that b/c it freaking hurts and at 185 I’m putting more pressure on my junk that I would want.
I’m no bike fitter, but I don’t think it’s just an issue of “getting your bars lower”. Doing so will only put extra strain on your neck. You should check out some of the bike shops on this site who can guide you in the right direction regarding fit.
I don’t consider myself old, but I have pretty significant back issues which prevent me from being terribly flexible. However, I more comfy on my tri bike than my roadie!
Okay thanks for the advice.
Question: Are you able to really sit on your ischeal tuberosity on the steep STA? That is just something I am unwilling to compromise on with my fitting. I used to hurt for years doing sliding up on my taint going numb, but once I was properly fitted on my Madone with a Specialized Toupe Gel…I will never again suffer from saddle issues. I realize there are TT saddles to help with this, but even my pals on TT rigs say it’s nowhere near as comfortable as their road saddle feel.
I am 6’7" and long legged. I am pretty close to a stock fit but I need more stack than a typical 61cm bike will have.
I contacted Lynskey (www.lynskeyperformance.com) and they built me one of their stock-size frames with an extra-long head tube. They gave me an extra 2.5 cm in the head tube and the additional cost was only 300 dollars.
Also, if you are looking at their geomtry, note that they use a non-integrated headset - so you get some more stack there also - I think the CK is about 3 or 3.5cm.
UCI compliant. My days of triathlons are drawing to a close rapidly…drafting just ruins it for me and I see it getting worse, not better:(
I’m actually doing nearly all my riding with roadies now and see myself going towards that side now. Have not done any sanctioned TT’s in years and am looking forward to doing some road racing:)
I am 6’7" and long legged. I am pretty close to a stock fit but I need more stack than a typical 61cm bike will have.
I contacted Lynskey (www.lynskeyperformance.com) and they built me one of their stock-size frames with an extra-long head tube. They gave me an extra 2.5 cm in the head tube and the additional cost was only 300 dollars.
Also, if you are looking at their geomtry, note that they use a non-integrated headset - so you get some more stack there also - I think the CK is about 3 or 3.5cm.
Yes! I have considered that as well being a former Litespeed owner(2 of them). I actually work in Tennessee quite a bit and have thought a trip by the factory might be a good thing…Lynskey is a smart guy and his customer service/warranty handling practice is awesome.
You liking the custom? What kind of seat tube angle did he build you?
Kuota K-Factor is a TT rig with a really high head tube. It is also on bonktown for $1100 - RIGHT NOW. If you get this in the next few minutes and are a quick decision maker it is the best deal you will ever find on a full carbon TT rig with a nice high head tube. Very comfy.
thanks i appreciate the heads up, but impulse buys are not my M.O. personally, i would never buy something like that w/o jumping on it and feeling it out a bit first, but thank you for the heads up.
nope, if you refuse to ride on the taint, i would pm roady or cdw and ask them about their ‘giro slam’ style position
however, riding on the taint was IMPOSSIBLE for me on a normal saddle
no big deal with an ISM ADAMO saddle, might look into it.
if your medical condition makes it hard to crane your neck up, then getting low may just not be an option
Great thanks Jack I really appreciate it.
Here is my first question. When I see steep STA’s I see guys sitting on their taint and that just isn’t my deal. I REALLY sit on the saddle with my sitz bones…can you get fit on a steep STA and sit on your sitz bones?
I just refuse to ride on my taint like that b/c it freaking hurts and at 185 I’m putting more pressure on my junk that I would want.