Official FIT ASSISTANCE for Cervelo TT and Triathlon Bikes

Triathlon Forum
944

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the amazing service provided here - much appreciated. I’m looking for some advice on a P3x. Doing 70.3 and 140.6 events.

Coordinates taken from current bike, Argon18 E118 (2012) with 172.5mm cranks. Crappy pic attached for reference. Note that I moved saddle up by probably 10mm vs when the picture was taken.

Pad Reach 420 (to back of pad)
Pad Stack 610
Pad Width 240 (outside-outside)
Saddle height 760 from center of BB

Height 178cm / 5’10

As can be seen in picture, most comfortable position is when I don’t hold my extensions but let my hands hang loose (I know, the aero disadvantage is real…). Holding extensions or tilting my hands upward in general seems to put some pressure on my shoulders. I can for sure hold it, it’s just not super comfi. Probably means non-tilt position on P3x cockpit would be preferred.

Curious as to your advice - thanks.

Capture.jpg

945

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the amazing service provided here - much appreciated. I’m looking for some advice on a P3x. Doing 70.3 and 140.6 events.

Coordinates taken from current bike, Argon18 E118 (2012) with 172.5mm cranks. Crappy pic attached for reference. Note that I moved saddle up by probably 10mm vs when the picture was taken.

Pad Reach 420 (to back of pad)
Pad Stack 610
Pad Width 240 (outside-outside)
Saddle height 760 from center of BB

Height 178cm / 5’10

As can be seen in picture, most comfortable position is when I don’t hold my extensions but let my hands hang loose (I know, the aero disadvantage is real…). Holding extensions or tilting my hands upward in general seems to put some pressure on my shoulders. I can for sure hold it, it’s just not super comfi. Probably means non-tilt position on P3x cockpit would be preferred.

Curious as to your advice - thanks.

The reason tilting you hand up puts pressure on your shoulders and makes you uncomfortable is because you’re tilting your hands up. Tilting your hands is not the point, is not what you’re supposed to do. Like, my hands are high, but not because I raised just my hands up. High hands is besides the point, an output not an input, a symptom not a cause. As it stands, you’ve got a late 90’s or early 2000’s world tour TT position. No need for that, we’re not limited by UCI rules in Triathlon. There’s a hack you can use.

What you need to be doing, or rather, what the point is, the objective, is that you want to open your shoulder angle by adding reach. As you open your shoulders your hands indirectly and naturally come up. It’s a byproduct. Then, the bike holds you, instead of you holding the bike.

At your current given stack and reach you’re barely on a size M in PX series bike, almost off the back end. But if you were to agree that what I’m suggesting is the thing you’re actually trying to do, you’d be at Pad Stack of 610 (still) and a Pad Reach of 460mm at least, which would put you in the center of the range of a size M or in the bottom left quadrant of a size L. You’ll need to tilt the pads of course to catch you and to match the open angle of your shoulders and your forearms.

Make sense?

E

946

Makes perfect sense. At least in the abstract I get the anatomical implication of higher hands by increasing pad reach. On paper I would be very curious as to how ‘in control’ I would feel on my bike – I’m not the best bike handler tbh. Probably what you were referring to with your comment me holding the bike and vice versa. Also curious how supported my upper body would feel with pads not directly underneath. Like, “hanging in your skeleton” like now versus requiring constant tension in abdominal muscles to hold position (which is how I felt last time I tried sliding the pads forward). But then again, I can see how that relates to your point of tilting the pads to ‘catch’ me. Something I would have to try out and feel.

Probably the open shoulder angle would give some aero advantage as well, as it may allow me to tuck my head a bit more.

Anyway, my take-out is that size M is the safe bet here. After which I can start playing around with pad reach and tilt. Nice!

Thanks again Eric.

947

Hi Eric,

Appreciate this service you are providing all of us.

I am 5’5" with a 24" inseam, so a top heavy smurf. Looking at either a P5D or PX frameset.
numbers taken from my guru fit in 18’
Pad Reach 452
Pad stack 554
Pad width (C to C) 250
Saddle height from center of BB 633
Reach from saddle to bars 692
Saddle set back -24
Drop from saddle to Bars 71
Canks are currently 155mm

I believe the 48cm P5D frame is the one for me, but was wondering if a 51cm can or is it just not optimal. Similar question in regards to a PX frame in small or medium. Reason being it seems the larger frame is more accessible currently compared to the smaller ones.

948

Also curious how supported my upper body would feel with pads not directly underneath. .

yes, gravity is “directly underneath” you, but the vector of the forces of your upper body are 20 degrees from vertical, directly into your pads.

Yes, when you open your shoulder angle, it begins to streamline your upper body and makes it easier to shrug your shoulders to your ears and turtle your head.

That’ll be $275 please…

949

Hi Eric,

Appreciate this service you are providing all of us.

I am 5’5" with a 24" inseam, so a top heavy smurf. Looking at either a P5D or PX frameset.
numbers taken from my guru fit in 18’
Pad Reach 452
Pad stack 554
Pad width (C to C) 250
Saddle height from center of BB 633
Reach from saddle to bars 692
Saddle set back -24
Drop from saddle to Bars 71
Canks are currently 155mm

I believe the 48cm P5D frame is the one for me, but was wondering if a 51cm can or is it just not optimal. Similar question in regards to a PX frame in small or medium. Reason being it seems the larger frame is more accessible currently compared to the smaller ones.

Hi, thanks for reaching out.

With a Pad Stack of 554mm and a Pad Reach of 452mm you are a size S in PX series or in the very lower right quadrant of a size 48cm P5d. To get on a 51cm you’d have to come up 5mm or so and be “slammed”. Maxing out tilt will then bring you back down slightly.

Make sense?

Eric

950

Ha! Awesome thanks.

If I end up buying the bike, will for sure get you a coffee. Or 2.

951

I have a feeling that you aren’t the best bike handler because your bike doesn’t fit you properly.

952

I have a feeling that you aren’t the best bike handler because your bike doesn’t fit you properly.

Ha, this is good for my ego. Thanks.

Kidding aside, curious as to what you would change vs my current bike setup. And in the context of this thread: would the P3x size M be a better fit? Apart from the great advice from Eric already.

953

I have a feeling that you aren’t the best bike handler because your bike doesn’t fit you properly.

Ha, this is good for my ego. Thanks.

Kidding aside, curious as to what you would change vs my current bike setup. And in the context of this thread: would the P3x size M be a better fit? Apart from the great advice from Eric already.

It’s a bike, not the lunar lander… you can ride it. Plenty of perfectly sized perfectly fit athletes leave my studio who can’t even drink from a bottle while riding.

Also not sure that a size M in the PX series even fits you.

E

954

Hi, thanks for reaching out.

With a Pad Stack of 554mm and a Pad Reach of 452mm you are a size S in PX series or in the very lower right quadrant of a size 48cm P5d. To get on a 51cm you’d have to come up 5mm or so and be “slammed”. Maxing out tilt will then bring you back down slightly.

Make sense?

Eric

Got it appreciate the advice, yeah it as I fear going to have to stick to searching for either a 48 P5D or small PX. Thanks!

955

Hi, thanks for reaching out.

With a Pad Stack of 554mm and a Pad Reach of 452mm you are a size S in PX series or in the very lower right quadrant of a size 48cm P5d. To get on a 51cm you’d have to come up 5mm or so and be “slammed”. Maxing out tilt will then bring you back down slightly.

Make sense?

Eric

Got it appreciate the advice, yeah it as I fear going to have to stick to searching for either a 48 P5D or small PX. Thanks!

Are 51cm P5d more available?

E

956

Got it appreciate the advice, yeah it as I fear going to have to stick to searching for either a 48 P5D or small PX. Thanks!

Are 51cm P5d more available?

E

well at least for now, I can still find a few vendors with them in stock, it seems like no one has a 48cm instock. With the current shortage situation from what a couple dealers tell me, new stock probably wont arrive till next year.

957

Got it appreciate the advice, yeah it as I fear going to have to stick to searching for either a 48 P5D or small PX. Thanks!

Are 51cm P5d more available?

E

well at least for now, I can still find a few vendors with them in stock, it seems like no one has a 48cm in stock. With the current shortage situation from what a couple dealers tell me, new stock probably wont arrive till next year.

Yeah… that’s a tough one. I think the 48cm would be better for you, and probably ever so slightly more aero in the configuration you need, but a 51cm would work assuming you use the tilt function, which it should come with and you should be using.

E

958

Yeah… that’s a tough one. I think the 48cm would be better for you, and probably ever so slightly more aero in the configuration you need, but a 51cm would work assuming you use the tilt function, which it should come with and you should be using.

E

Really appreciate the fit advice, yeah those dealers were saying Q2 so April the earliest. With it being winter guess waiting it out is also an option. Just going to have to see how the N+1 struggle plays out in my head and if I get lucky while searching haha.

959

I have a feeling that you aren’t the best bike handler because your bike doesn’t fit you properly.

Ha, this is good for my ego. Thanks.

Kidding aside, curious as to what you would change vs my current bike setup. And in the context of this thread: would the P3x size M be a better fit? Apart from the great advice from Eric already.

It’s a bike, not the lunar lander… you can ride it. Plenty of perfectly sized perfectly fit athletes leave my studio who can’t even drink from a bottle while riding.

Also not sure that a size M in the PX series even fits you.

E

Hi Eric,

After our conversation I started tweaking my current bike setting. I have a feeling that I could increase pad reach by at least 80mms. Leading to pad stack 610, pad reach 500.

Now, my current bike doesnt allow for tilt and extensions arent long enough, so I can’t really try it out for real rides. But moving pads forward by that much and doing some test runs, I can see myself get real comfortable in that position if properly supported by tilted pads and extension.

Any insights as to PX size-wise given the new dimensions? I guess size L with riser almost slammed? Thanks again!

960

Hey Eric,

Thanks for previous help. Hoping for some more on crank length. As per current stats, I run both R3- 172mm, P3-165mm at 61cm frames, and am upgrading to the S5 and P5, 58cm frames (new) and was hoping to go both in 165mm but it seems like Cervelo won’t let me pick the crank length for the new builds. What’s your advice on crank length as both come 172mm as standard? I am 203cm tall with long levers and while I am enjoying the 165 I just want the best for performance and i’ll adapt.
Thanks!
Kieran

961

Road bike… 172.5mm
TT bike… 165mm

962

I have a feeling that you aren’t the best bike handler because your bike doesn’t fit you properly.

Ha, this is good for my ego. Thanks.

Kidding aside, curious as to what you would change vs my current bike setup. And in the context of this thread: would the P3x size M be a better fit? Apart from the great advice from Eric already.

It’s a bike, not the lunar lander… you can ride it. Plenty of perfectly sized perfectly fit athletes leave my studio who can’t even drink from a bottle while riding.

Also not sure that a size M in the PX series even fits you.

E

Hi Eric,

After our conversation I started tweaking my current bike setting. I have a feeling that I could increase pad reach by at least 80mms. Leading to pad stack 610, pad reach 500.

Now, my current bike doesnt allow for tilt and extensions arent long enough, so I can’t really try it out for real rides. But moving pads forward by that much and doing some test runs, I can see myself get real comfortable in that position if properly supported by tilted pads and extension.

Any insights as to PX size-wise given the new dimensions? I guess size L with riser almost slammed? Thanks again!

You can get a size M at 495mm reach. Why are you coming up 80mm?

Edit: I see you mean reach.

E

963

Hey Eric,

Thanks for previous help. Hoping for some more on crank length. As per current stats, I run both R3- 172mm, P3-165mm at 61cm frames, and am upgrading to the S5 and P5, 58cm frames (new) and was hoping to go both in 165mm but it seems like Cervelo won’t let me pick the crank length for the new builds. What’s your advice on crank length as both come 172mm as standard? I am 203cm tall with long levers and while I am enjoying the 165 I just want the best for performance and i’ll adapt.
Thanks!
Kieran

At 189cm, a threshold of 300w, and a 58cm bike I use 165mm cranks. Soon I will drop to 160mm, probably when I turn 50.

E