Does anyone have any experience or feedback with bike fitting as an ITU athlete moving to the 70.3 distance? Currently ride a Cervelo Soloist and either wanting to have a different setup for long course or perhaps get a more traditional tri bike? I find myself fairly strong on the hills but could use some more comfort and speed for the longer distance.
My assumption is that you have been riding the Soloist (for ITU) with a fairly slack seat angle ~74 degrees and that your current aerobars are pretty stubby to pass ITU rules. While you could step up to a full blown TT bike the Solosist is especially adept to full conversion from road (or in this case ITU) to a great position for longer, non-draft racing.
My suggestion is to set it up as two distenctly different bike: full road and full non-draft tri. To be done correctly you should have a fitter do it - but roughly speaking you’ll need a second, reversable post and a tri specific saddle (that new San Marco Zoncolan tri saddle is fantastic). Set the bike up as pure road, mark the road post and then remove that post with the road saddle and set 'er aside. Then build up the tri version with the second post positioned with the post clamp forward and the tri saddle clamped in place (and playing with rail slide to get to where you may need to be). Then I’d recommed a set of Profile T2+ clip ons and mounting them under the base bar and then installing double plastic spacers under the arm pad to jack it up so it rest immediately on top of the base bar.
What you should end up with is a 100% purly perfect road bike and a 96% perfect tri bike and the ability to switch back and forth between the two using just one, single tool (5mm allen) and ~90 seconds in work.
Ian
I like your solution since its very creative and low cost. The only negative is the position or placement of the aero bars would need to be changed on the Soloist depending on the type of race since they are currently mounted on top of my base bar with risers/spacers.
Drop Todd Kenyon a note at ttbikefit.com. He has worked with Ethan Brown (Under 23 Champ) on both positions and recently had Jarrod Shoemaker in for a fit for ITU racing.
-Vinu