After looking at the Felt AR2 at my lbs the other day, I’ve been thinking of converting my tri-bike to an aero road bike by swapping out my aerobar on my 08 Felt B12 for a road handlebar, installing STI shifters, and setting my seat back a bit. However, since a tri-bike has different geometry than a road bike, would the bike handle badly set up as a road bike? Any downside to doing this? I just think I’d get more use out of my bike this way since I’m not planning on doing many tris this year.
I remember reading a thread on this a few months back, but couldn’t find it. Thanks for all of your thoughts!
I did the same to my Slice. I love it. The only drawback is one bottle mount. I suppose is is not the ideal crit machine, but solo rides and a few group rides are all that is on my radar.
I run my tri set up with the saddle tip even with the BB. I run my road set up 4cm behind the BB. I may throw some clip on’s on there and split the difference with the saddle. I’d like to do a 24hour road event someday. I think this would be the perfect set up.
Handles the same for the most part. Raised the height of the bars 2 cms, moved the saddle back a bit to slacken the seat angle (~74 degrees-ish). Climbs alot better with the road bar than tri bars and great for pack riding, training, or races with hilly courses. When flat courses come around I can switch back to tri bars pretty easy.
You could save the set of cables for the road bar and a set for the tri set-up, but you’ll have to re-cable it each time regardless. I’ve found that the length of cable is slightly different, but you really don’t save anything by reusing the cable for both. Might as well have a set for each and leave them threaded through the shifters and brakes and just pull the whole set up off (bars, shifter, brakes, and cables all together).
Kmill23 is right, I have a set of housing and cables that stay with the road bars and a set that stay with the tri bars. It’s not bad really, the whole process to switch out takes about 20 min. (includes beer in hand).
This happens to be the same look I was pondering for next fall.
May have enough cash to get 1 new bike. Presently, riding the P2sl for the tri’s and an old (7 years) Trek 2300 for road rides and base miles. But the Trek is too brutal for the group rides, kills me over 50 to 60 hard paced miles.
So, I was looking to get faster in the road bike dept, but don’t want to wait another 5 yrs to upgrade the P2sl.
That’s why I was thinking of this kind of road setup on the P2sl and spending the cash on a tri bike. But, everyone I ask says that this is a bad idea, will still be heavier than a good roadie, won’t handle as well and won’t be very comfortable. Yet, I’m thinking- it’ll still be better than what I’m riding now for the road bike.
It’s a good look for a convert. If you were going thru it again (or if you were making a decision like I’ve described), would you do the convert again or bite the bullet and buy a nice roadie?
So you have the cash for a new bike, want to upgrade the road bike stable from a frame you dislike, and already have a great tri bike right?
This is a no brainer, and not in the sense of the P2SL “being heavier”, not “handling like a road bike”, or not being “very com fortable”…its just hard to top as a tri bike. Problem I see is you’ll end up with a new tri bike which probably isn’t anywhere near as good as the great tri frame you have set up as a compromised road bike…
Mate, the only reason I switch between setups is because I don’t want to spend money on a second bike…if I had the disposable cash I’d buy a road frame in a heartbeat. Its a compromise I live with because its all I can afford…
But, everyone I ask says that this is a bad idea, will still be heavier than a good roadie, won’t handle as well and won’t be very comfortable.
the only problem is that the “everyone” who says that this is a bad idea, none of them have actually tried it themselves. if it helps you, i also have a P2SL (actually i have a P2K, but they are really the same bike, just different finish and different name) set up as ‘road’ bike and it works absolutely great on all types of terrain. try it, you really have nothing to lose. then decide for yourself rather than listen to the ‘everyones’ that have never ridden such a set up. or, listen to the folks on this thread who have actually done it.
My 2 cents…I wanted a bike that I could use in training rides. I starting doing group rides and a road bike handles better in that setup, but I chose to convert a tri bike with the same geometry because I wanted to work the same muscle groups as on a tri bike. In my opinion it handles the same as a road bike and the weight is around 19lbs, not bad i think. but my focus was to save money and put that towards my tri bike.
This has all been helpful for me. I am at the stage in the sport that I have been looking to buy a tri bike. I have been riding my Lightspeed with clip ons. I had a bike fit done so I think I have gotten all I can with my current setup. The problem is that I am 56 and am constantly managing “issues” ( I don’t like the term injuries). Ultimately I don’t know how many years I’ll be able to do tris, but I should be able to do sprints for some time. I just would hate buying a new tri bike only to be able to use it for a couple of years. In that case I’d rather end up dropping my cash on a new killer carbon frame road bike. It is nice to know that if I go with a tris bike that it could live on - on the road.
I believe Wellington rides her (or use to) ride her p2c with road handlebars when not racing.
actually, ms. wellington rode her p2 with road handlebars even when racing (for certain races).
