6’4" 192#. 34" inseam. Front of middle or back of front speed-wise. Oly distance. Moving up to 1/2 IM. Live in NYC. Willing to spend some $$. But demand value for the $$ spent. Want to go steep seat tube.
Want a bike that fits. Really do not trust any bike shop - they are selling what they’ve got. Plus, while I am happy to pay for service, there is a cap on how much I’ll pay for it.
Questions:
Talk to Ves. I had a P3, sold it, got a custom Carbo from Ves. Best decision I could have made.
Andy
Wants professional fit + thinking custom Serotta + lives in NY = must at least talk to Paul Levine about what he can do for you. He posts here occasionally under his own name, so you can search back for some of his ideas about fitting and service
http://www.signaturecycles.com/
Ken
Cervelo R2 5 Chorus - obviously.
If you have the $$$ by all means take a trip to Saratoga Springs and see Ben Serrotta…they make some incredible bikes.
The Ottrott custom fitted to you can be an amazing long lasting bike.
They have workmanship un-parralled in this current industry …their CNC work is the best I’ve seen…in your height range, they are who you should see.
Plus, Saratoga is an awesome town,and puts on one of the best OLY distance Tri’s.
I don’t own one…can’t afford it,but, if I could I would get one.
I’ve ridden an Ottrott though,and it has a very smooth
ride,and fast…
Good Luck
Not steep.
All I saw was $$ and a need for speed. He does not want a P3 for some strange reason.
Do some research on the Litespeed custom bikes. Herbert posts here and can help. I do not know how the measuring and set up process works though. You could get a sweet custom tri bike though, ant Ti to boot!
Forget about “what bike to buy”. Primary focus at this point should only be fit. Accordingly, I would check out Levine (haven’t used him personally) or go to FitWerx in Waitsfield, VT. I have used them and I can tell you that I have had surgical procedures that were less detailed!! Ian and Sarah are the best and they sell you what fits and is best for your goals, not what brand they stock. They are a fitting shop and parts place dedicated to multi-sport, not a bike dealer in the traditional sense. They can get almost any brand so you are not limited in selection. They also do a ton of custom work (Elite, Serrotta, Calfee). I, like you, live in NYC so it’s a bit of a haul to get up there, but it’s more than worth it. I can’t say enough good things about them and there post-purchase availability is unbelievable. I just picked up my new bike from them last week and it couldn’t have been a better experience. Word of warning: If you go custom, at this point you are probably looking at a June delivery at the earliest.
PM me if you want chat further or have any questions.
Great advice. I am going to talk to one of them. I need lots of advice before spending the ??
IMO, you’re being very smart. It’s a lot of $$ if you go custom so it’s best to do as much diligence as possible. The one thing I would check out is if Levine sells anything other than Serotta. I dont’ know the answer to this, but my view is to keep you options open as much as possible. You should go to Fitwerx if for nothing else becuase they carry such top of the line stuff, it’s like an alcoholic walking into a bar with a fistful of money. You can’t help but walk out of there with a new bike!!
Good luck.
I’d check out Griffen. Custom geometry is available.
I would go custom if I were you. Leonard Zinn makes custom bikes for tall riders. Check his site out at zinncycles.com. Even if you don’t buy one of his bikes, the site has some great information on bikes for tall riders and things that need to be taken into consideration when building bikes for tall riders.
Litespeed, Elite, Serrotta, Griffen and many others can build you a custom bike with the perfect fit for you. Just check out their websites and give them a call or an e-mail. Your dimensions look like you are right on the borderline with being able to find a stock bike that would fit you well.
Good Luck
As the former part owner of Elite and being 6’5" 220lbs, I have to recommend you take a look at Elite Bicycles. Dave has a lot of experience building for taller riders and even has a bike at his store for someone taller then both of us.
I’m fairly sure he also has dealers in your area that can fit you.
You can visit his site at http://www.elitebicycles.com and yes he does custom fits
Save yourself the time and just call only one person - Paul Levine. He has worked with dozens of my clients and they are all impressed with his service, professionalism and expertise. check out his website at signaturecycles.com.
he is the best and he is right in the NYC area. it is really worth visiting his impressive bike-fitting operation just outside the city.
if you are going to invest a lot of money in a bike then he is your man
Does Levine offer any other makes other than Serotta? I have heard good things about him, but lack of variety tends to turn me off. If you don’t want custom and Serotta stock frames don’t reallyfit, what do you do? Having said that, he is closer than FitWerx and has a good reputation, but personally, I think the drive to VT is worth it.
I’m a tall (6’2) with dis-proportionally long femurs and tib-fib. Dave fit me to a T-Class that is currently being built. The fitting process was incredible, finding a leg length disparity that doc’s and PT’s have missed in the past.
I’d seriously have a look at Elite and get down to Philly for a fitting.
I just got my new Razor and it feels great. I didn’t get fit by Dave, but spoke with him a few times. Elite’s customer service is great. Plus, it’s good to buy American.
Another vote for Elite here. I know a few people on custom Elites (Razor) and they love them. I have an Elite, I love it. I’m sure almost any custom bike will be good but if service after the sale is important to you Elite deserves a serious look. Dave is a great guy who treats his customers like family.
Litespeed Blade …have them do a custom build…inexpensive IMHO…I LOVE the blade they built for me…JUST a GREAT company…