So back to triathlon after 4 years off getting fat and lazy. Bought a cheap do-up Felt DA 2014 and hoping to get some recommendations on bike fit.
Details:
Height: 178cm (5 ft 10) Inseam: 79cm No issues with back. Flexible hamstrings. Mildly tight hip flexors but stretch them a bit and not overly bad. Distance from pedal to middle of saddle following the down tube angle: 91.9 cm Distance from the tip of the saddle to the centre of the steerer tube bolt hole measured horizontally: 43.3 cm Bike - Felt DA 2014 - 54 medium Stem - Bayonet fixed stem 100mm 60 degrees Bar - old Bayonet 3 with Profile design T2 bars moved as far forward as I can. No more room to move arm pads. Arm pads angled down about a cm. Saddle - Specialized Sitero Crank - 172.5 (same as my road bike)
I’ve copied the distance from pedal to saddle and from tip of saddle to steerer tube from measurements I had on my old bike which was a Felt B12. However the saddle on the B12 was a Adamo prologue and the B12 had a normal stem that I think extended my reach a bit more. The current fixed stem is tall but stubby. Overall, it feels ok, but maybe a bit bunched. Also, there seems to be a bit of rocking in the video from rear.
Hoping to get general feedback on fit and also if my ideas for upgrades are ok.
Proposed changes are:
Get a new fixed stem which will be 100mm x 30 degrees. I calculate this to be 3cm longer and 3cm lower. Get Cee Gees pads which will probably give me about .5cm higher pads. Change to some T1 bars with ski bend. Push out 3cm reach wise. I can buy the profile design riser if I’m dropping too much with the new stem. Will soon change to a new crankset and thinking 165cm.
So here are the photos and videos.
Don’t listen to me, just recording my thoughts for posteriority.
Seat looks high.
Need more reach. Need pads further forward and likely longer extensions.
Looks like you could lower the height of the front end as well.
Ok - based on the feedback, lowered the saddle 19mm and posted an updated new side shot video. Seem better from a pedaling perspective. Wonder if I could go a touch lower at the back.
Any more feedback on what I should do (apart from losing the fat gut), let me know. Will look to order the new stem soon that will give me 3cm more reach and lower front end as well. FYI. I’ll probably go and get another bike fit, but want to have a play around first and any parts like a fixed stem or new cranks are not something the fitter could change easily anyway hence asking here if its a good idea.
Saddle - Specialized Sitero Crank - 172.5 (same as my road bike)
Toss the saddle, it’s not helping you. Get 165mm cranks.
Get a new fixed stem which will be 100mm x 30 degrees. I calculate this to be 3cm longer and 3cm lower. Get Cee Gees pads which will probably give me about .5cm higher pads. Change to some T1 bars with ski bend. Push out 3cm reach wise. I can buy the profile design riser if I’m dropping too much with the new stem. Will soon change to a new crankset and thinking 165cm.
Yes to new stem, absolutely positively yes to ski bend extensions, yes to having proprietary aero risers on hand for adjustment, and yes yes yes to 165mm cranks.
Finally, your seat is probably still too high in 2nd video. Tilt saddle downward to compensate.
Thanks for the feedback. For the saddle, this is literally the first time I’ve sat on the bike with it installed so moving around a bit and not used to it (also havent been on a tt bike in 4 years). Are you suggesting ditching it for something like an ISM?
For the ski bends, the main reason I’m thinking they’d be good is they raise my hands a bit more in front of me and I can angle them in a bit so my hands are closer. Will try bringing in the armrests a bit closer but will try that once I have the new stem.
I’ll try tilting the saddle and post again tomorrow.
Thanks for the feedback. For the saddle, this is literally the first time I’ve sat on the bike with it installed so moving around a bit and not used to it (also haven’t been on a tt bike in 4 years). Are you suggesting ditching it for something like an ISM?
For the ski bends, the main reason I’m thinking they’d be good is they raise my hands a bit more in front of me and I can angle them in a bit so my hands are closer. Will try bringing in the armrests a bit closer but will try that once I have the new stem.
I’ll try tilting the saddle and post again tomorrow.
Thanks again.
I’d try all of the ISM saddles, the Fizik Mistica, etc. and find the optimal one. These types of saddles are meant to be tilted slightly down. This is rails level for most of them.
Bear in mind switching the cranks to 165mm will require you to raise your saddle half way back up again and this will have a knock on effect on the cockpit height. You could go smaller again with the cranks if you liked. I’m the same height as you, longer inseam (~835mm). I switched my cranks from the stock 172.5mm to 160mm over 2 years ago and have never regretted it. It took all of 2 rides to get used to it. My knees and hips definitely prefer the shorter cranks and I never perceived an impact on performance, either positive or negative. I’m more powerful now than before I changed but that’s due to more consistent training. It could be partly due to the cranks I suppose since I train more when I enjoy it more, and I enjoy it more when I’m more comfortable.
My road bike is still 172.5mm and I’ve considered changing that too but less certain since I do like to grind away on steep climbs and throw in the occasional sprint. Uncertain if the shorter cranks will help or hinder in these cases.
His head is up so high, front end definitely seems like it could come down. Gonna take some practice to really get that shrug nailed and keep the head out of the wind
100% agree on ski bends, look at that bent wrist position. Definitely not comfortable.
Shorter cranks should help free up some room and less interference from the so-called “fat guy gut” lol
His head is up so high, front end definitely seems like it could come down. Gonna take some practice to really get that shrug nailed and keep the head out of the wind
100% agree on ski bends, look at that bent wrist position. Definitely not comfortable.
Shorter cranks should help free up some room and less interference from the so-called “fat guy gut” lol
He can lower the head without lowering the front end… the opposite really. Once done that’s like 75% of the battle though.
Ski bends have nothing to do with wrist position for me, but do probably make wrists more comfortable if that’s what you’re into.
Ok - so I’m about to order parts, then update videos etc when I’ve got stem/crank etc installed. Will tilt saddle then but since I’ll have to adjust back up anyway with a shorter crank, I’ll post the video with all changes at the same time.
But… I can find 160mm or 165mm cranks (trimax vision BB30 which fit the existing bottom bracket). They are compact at 34 and 50 but I figure I can negate this by running an 11 cog on the cassette (11 x 50), which for me should be fast enough. But before I order, any other thoughts on crank length? 160 or 165?
… But before I order, any other thoughts on crank length? 160 or 165?
Since you’re on 172.5mm I’d go to 160 simply to make it a significant change. I debated the same thing myself back in early 2018 and went with 160 in the end. Never regretted it. Without an opportunity to try different lengths before buying, which most of us don’t have, or some robust method of matching cranks to body dimensions, which doesn’t exist; you just have to take a stab at it. In reality it’s almost certain both will be fine but 165 may not be a big enough change to be worth the expense.
