if you have more than 4cm of spacers under your stem, you are most likely on the wrong sized bike for your needs, not a absolute rule, but damn close. I saw too many people today at a race with jacked up front ends to compensate for either a long top tube or a low head tube on a bike that is the wrong geometry for there needs. I wish shops would not force people on to bikes that are not made for there body type, flexibility, or riding style. Shops should find the right bike for the person. 4cm of stack is simply un-safe and not warranted by most fork manufactures.
people need to stop buying what they think is cool and concentrate on what works safely and is consistent with their needs as well as the natural design of a racing bicycle.
I think you could also make the case that a great many people would be better off with straight road bikes than tri bikes. I bet I see at least 30-40% of the folks in triathlons riding on the flats with their hands on the bullhorns, rather than in the aerobars. They would be faster and more comfortable with a well fitted road bike.
Because they are meant to be ridden “agressive”. That and also because Cervelo was so special due to the “revolutionary” aerodynamic P3 design. Cervelo sold alot of bikes and gained much market share over the past couple years. Maybe they should start a P3CHA (HA for High Altitude Position) for those that ride with 8cm of drop - from cockpit to saddle that is.
Not to be a smart ass, but why does it bother you what other people ride in races? Just like you ride the bike that you want, you should let others ride what they want using whatever criteria they want to use (color scheme, commercials, etc.)
I would argue that riding a hybrid or mountain bike is inapproprate for triathlons, but it’s not my concern.
The issue is actually often hat many of these people would need custom bikes and that is too expensive for some people’s taste. Plus of course I agree, sometimes it is indeed not about money, it is about ego and wanting to have a certain bike model no matter what.
Plus in some cases bike shops are limited to the stock brands they carry plus I know that some shops actually do not believe in custom bikes.
funny thing with the isaac…all those spacers yet running a -17 flat stem. flip the stem over and the rider could have the same position with half the spacers, and a much safer and probably more stable ride.
My thoughts exactly about those spacers in combo with a -17 stem. I see no problems with manufacturers making short head tubes and then individuals that need less drop accomodating their positions with upsloping stems.
not sure which is worse, the bike with the huge no. of spacers, or the red bike just before it with the insanely tilted saddle. my rear would be toast after 112 miles on that seat …
funny thing with the isaac…all those spacers yet running a -17 flat stem. flip the stem over and the rider could have the same position with half the spacers, and a much safer and probably more stable ride.
actually, this is not correct. the loads and forces on the steer tube are about the same with all those spacers and -17 ‘flat’ stem, as they would be if the rider had a ‘upsloping’ stem that put his bars in exactly the same postition with zero spacers.
No bitterness here, I picked 4cm because that is the upper limit of safety, control, and reasonable handling. You make a good point that people have personal reasons for buying what they buy, however I feel with an excessive number of spacers the rider is devaluing the bikes performance abilities and safety. I guess until there are a few more injuries due to broken steerer tubes, and crashes due to lack of control, people will not be concerned.
I’ve heard the 4cm rule touted for carbon steerer tubes, but I would doubt that this also pertains to metal steerer tube forks (I have no idea what the bike in the photo has). I think that, more often, this “rule” is used as justification for picking on an “uncool” setup.
your observation is good. but now you are making me wonder, how many steerer tubes break above the head tube on any given year due only to excessive spacers?
because i have heard of steer tubes breaking, but it seems to be nearly always at or near the fork crown, or above the head tube due to improper clamping or pinching or cutting, or at any point due to a crash.
i have never heard of one breaking due to many spacers. not saying it does not happen, you just don’t seem to hear of it happening much …
How do you know that’s the upper limit of control, safety, etc.? How many broken steerer tubes do your see or hear about? Did you see any at this race you attended?
I have a scenario for you: I bought a bike frame and fork a few months ago. I had the steerer tube cut for my preference, but it was enough room for at least 5 inches of spacer action. Why would a bike company offer that much room on the steerer tube if it wasn’t safe to ride with? Wouldn’t a bike company open themselves up for lawsuit if the tube broke? I was watching the opening time trial of the Tour this weekend. The cyclist just after Zabriskie was a taller fellow and he had spacers in the front of his bike well above your 4cm threshold. I would think the stresses he puts on a bike are far greater than anything you, I, or anyone else on this forum can put.
Can you argue that it looks ugly? Sure! However, that shouldn’t be your concern. You should only concern yourself with doing the best you can on whatever you ride. I’m willing to bet that most people who compete in triathlons and own a tri bike don’t go fast enough to enjoy the aerodynamic benefits that a tri bike brings anyway.
