I need (yeah that is really a want but it sounds better as a need) to buy a new Tri bike this winter and need ideas that work for short torso people. All of the bikes that I see seem to have a long top tube (Cervelo, Orbea, Felt, etc). What are ideas for a short top tube bike? I have talked to a few bike shops that state that they can “make their bike fit me like a glove”, but that is just trying to sell the brand they carry. Not many bike shops around here so I will have to travel to one.
Best I can find so far is the Crono which is a sweet looking bike. Any other options that I can compare it against? Able to put decent amount of money down on it if need be. I want to be comfortable (and fast) for IMPL next year. I have seen some articles on short torso people but never anything stating “look at these brands of bikes”.
short torso here too, i ride a cervelo p3, front seat hole position, seat all the way forward. also use a slightly smaller frame size than i would for a road bike. plenty far forward for just about anyone!
If you want a production bike then the scott plasma is quite tall (suiting a short torso means tall head tube) but as mentioned above if you ride far enough forward then nearly anything has a chance. For your budget the elite and guru custom options would be pretty attractive (see dans article on the front page).
Note that choosing aerobars with high pad stack and a stem with -6 angle over -10 (as an example) can make a big difference to bar height without making it look like you have a skytower sitting on your head tube.
Yeah, things like the skytower are things that bother me. I want a bike that is for my frame and not one that ‘can’ be made to work with my frame. I can look at the Scott Plasma and see what it has to offer. I have not looked at them yet.
As a short torso guy, I would stay away from the P3C, but might consider the P2C from Cervelo.
I’m not sure, because I haven’t seen the final geometry charts, but the new Specialized Transition also looks promising as well.
Of course, custom would probably be the best option to ensure that you have a long enough wheelbase to make up for your high center of gravity. Guru and Elite have been mentioned, but Yaqui is my go-to custom tri bike. I might also consider something from ABG.
I am 6’5 short torso. For Tri bike I have a custom Serotta. Could not find a stock bike with a short enough TT, in particular because my knees do not appreciate beeing in front of the pedal spindle, so if you go with some of the recommendations here your knees will have to tolerate such a position. Mine don’t.
i have the same problem. im 5’10. i went with the valdora size small. using the zero seat post or a forward one, to get the seat forward to the BB. i would also check out P2C, or a custom calfee. good luck, i know the feeling all to well, to get something to fit. good luck.
I’m rather tall (6’2") with a short torso. My race bike is a size Large Softride TT7. I have always been able to adjust this bike to whatever position I’ve needed. (I’ve ridden it as a ‘road’ bike and as a TT race bike). If you can find a good frame this may be a cheaper way to go (if you can do the ‘Softride thing’).
The new specialized transition seems to have a short reach. You can search the forum for stack and reach numbers. I posted a long-ish review of the bike as well. There will be a model for around $3,000 I think.
Why not consider custom? (if you’re looking at the Crono anyway). I’m a short torso guy too, love my custom Serotta. Prices have gone up a lot but I still think its worth it. I also ride a Cervelo One with lots of spacers on the front. Just did my first 1/2IM with it. Two solutions for regular bikes is using quill stems and Serotta’s HeadsUp solution…
Custom will fit well (which is most important I guess), but probably won’t be as aero as a stock bike
Consider looking at a female specific bike; from what I hear the main difference is that the top tube is shorter and the seat tube longer.
FWIW, I ride a custom bike with 53cm top tube and 59 cm eq. seat tube but I’ve found a medium Planet X fine (apart from kneeing bars when tou the saddle and going up hills!).
Actual Cervelo top tubes are pretty long but if you ride the bike in the forward position and then push the rails forward then it effectively shortens the top tube. In fact, on the bike I tried it with, I needed a downsloping 130mm stem to give me some space.
Two issues result from this: 1) You are really far over the front wheel and the handling is marginal and 2) the seat post clamp is not very strong and will slip if you ride the nose and hit bumps. Not the best solution. In all fairness, I raced the bike that way and went really fast (for me), but I would not have wanted to try if much longer than the 45 or so minutes I spent riding.
My normal bike is a Yaqui and Ves will fit you on a bike that handles well, regardless of your size.
Chad
I’m 6’0 with long legs and short torso. I was fit in bike shop by someone that knew what they were doing, sent dimentions to GURU and had my aero ti in my hands the day before I left to go to IMC last year…had my old bike stolen. Put 1/2 mile on it when in penticton after putting together to make sure all was working right, and loved it for all 112 the next day. The key is getting the right fit to order the right dimentions, in my opinion. Custom is a great way to go if you aren’t a “standard” size, but that’s just my opinion.