Hi,
In the market for a cockpit upgrade, what would you suggest me?
I’m on a 3t aura, mechanical & rim brake,.
The thing is that the holes for the brake cables are underneath the base bar rather than at the back. This is not very clean and not very aero I guess.
I need those 1 or 2 minutes gains over a 70.3 to secure a wc spot in my ag. For context, I rode 2:35 at WC St george.
Any ideas?
Here’s my current setup.
Messy!
What I could(should) do,
Replace the stem with a less angled one, and put some riser. But they are unavailable for this model.
Tidy up those brake cables. Just bought a tr omega front brake. But the underneath hole on the basebar is not gonna help doing a clean setup.
Maybe I just should drill some back holes on the basebar?
Or just replace the full cockpit. Tririg alpha is tempting but it costs as much as my frame(2010 model).
There’s more knowledgeable folks in these areas than myself, but your whole body position and equipment choices will figure in to you equation for time gains. The cockpit is a part of this.
If you’ve optimised / got them who you want them then the cockpit needs to work with your body position.
I’ve read this very useful article:
https://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/General_Fit_Articles/Choosing_a_Base_Bar_2887.html
Think I’m going to restart a full bike fit with someone who know the business.
I’ve the feeling that my position can be optimised…
And as you said the cockpit is just a part of the equation.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the cables. Someone can correct me but I believe that it’s something along the lines of 1 watt per 10 cm of exposed cable. In addition, you can make small adjustments to the housing that will line it up better with your frame. Here’s an example of what I did with a similar baseball:
Before:
After:
For the front brake I just kind of adjusted the length and positioned it so it would just run flush up underneath the base bar from when it exited until it got to the stem in which it went downward lining up with the head tube. No tape or zipties were needed. For the rear break housing after it exited the base bar I ran it underneath the base bar until it got to the stem and then I ran it on top of the stem (where it was ‘hidden’ behind the arm rests) and then into the frame.
I also did the TriRig/Cody Beals hack to move the shifter cables. But since your shifter cables don’t run in front you wouldn’t have to worry about it. But you can see with this pic how my rear break cable/housing enters the frame at a slightly different angle now:
Here’s my current setup.
Messy!
What I could(should) do,
Replace the stem with a less angled one, and put some riser. But they are unavailable for this model.
Tidy up those brake cables. Just bought a tr omega front brake. But the underneath hole on the basebar is not gonna help doing a clean setup.
Maybe I just should drill some back holes on the basebar?
Or just replace the full cockpit. Tririg alpha is tempting but it costs as much as my frame(2010 model).
Are you on a trek speed concept gen 1?
isn’t the brake system under fork? Or is it in front?
Nice job! I appreciate
Lots of courage to drill your frame by the way! I could go with di2 if I could do so, but my top tube is really thin and narrow and I don’t see a huge benefit of di2 apart from comfort.
…
Maybe I just should drill some back holes on the basebar?
…
I recomend “YOU WILL NOT DO THIS!!!”
Having the same issue, I swapped my old basebar (44cm) to a Profile Design Wing 10 in 36cm width and combined it with a trigrig omega.
So far so good, if I can save some minutes with this I don’t know exactly. There have been other places for significant improvements.
I was in a similar situation.
I ended up buying a used TriRig Alpha X and paired it with a TriRig brake. Only one 'annoying" cable to the rear brake into the frame to the side and aft of the head tube.
Hope this helps
Not a trek, a kind of rarety, look 576.
No side picture available. But here is the front with the big old school logo!
Yes, I guess tririg alpha is the way to go, I’m just scared of the cost. Regarding my bike I’m also wondering if it’s worthy
3T Vola would be cheaper than Tririg if you can find one.
I use them with Aerocoach Tilt Blocks and Arm Rests, D2Z Extensions, Profile Aeria Ultimate Stem and a Tririg front brake.
I am faced with the same dilemma. 10 year old bike, needs a new cockpit. I thought about getting a new bike but I ultimately decided on the TriRig AlphaOne. Yeah it’s expensive but it’s cheaper than a new bike plus I’m very intrigued by the adjustability. Can’t say how it works though - it’s at a shop getting installed. I hope to have it dialed in for my last race of the year in about a month.
RP
Would the sigma x stem be a cheaper solution?
Before I went whole hog on an Alfa X aero bar, I’d look into a new frameset that you can transfer some components to from your old bike.
I say it a lot when folks cannot go new bike or electronic shifting on cost but want possibly expensive cockpit stuff: buy an aero sensor and do tests.
Same here, keep it as long as you can get fit coords you want then do the aero sensor and a Tririg front brake and call it done.
I did upgrade a mech shift bike years back and went the Chinese basebar and Aeria stem, Tririg brake, alloy basic tilt Aerocoach bars and pads. All in maybe $500.