Thanks for the tip! Hopefully I’ll be ready for the new phases 
Wow that makes me curious if the SpeedMax has strange sizing. My pad X is maxed out mechanically. I would need the PD reach extender to get more out of it. Pad Y I could go up or down a few centimeters comfortably. Would that put me on a Medium?
We’re at the point now where we won’t be going easy to do things with the kids for much longer. First OW swim informal event with my 12yr old daughter two weeks ago and she is now faster than her mum down hill on the mtb and getting very close to me. Her younger sister working hard to catch up.
For the bikes - yes the Speedmax CF is one of the taller frames. And I suspect the Cube bar is a little shorter reach than the Wing Ultimate. Ventum is sized quite small
In the next few months the Ventum will be supplied with the A3 bracket, which will natively support your aerobar angle and have more reach adjustment. If you were to get one now you’d need the tilt booster with the A2 bracket.
I’d still be more inclined towards the Large, although longer bolts will soon be available that allow 20mm more stack, so you wouldn’t be as close to the top of the range on the Medium.
I was between a M and L (5’10 with 32.5 inseam) and with the adjustability of the PD front end, I am happy I went with the Medium
I wonder what@cyclenutz have to say about using this set up on the PD base bar. You use the PD reach extender and on top of that another extender piece which could make it outside the range of what is safe to use on their base bar.
I dig your front wheel:-)
Jeroen
I would also be curious what @cyclenutnz thinks? I am quite certain this would be outside the legally acceptable reach (when factoring in a safe margin for warranty and risk of personal injury as a result) but falls withing the socially acceptable reach (all of the pros rocking the fast tt extenders at max extension). Anecdotally, I have hit my fair share of potholes and the whole front end feels sturdy as a rock. And yes I do inspect the base bar for any visible signs of failure.
I don’t think there is something like a social accepted reach range ‘because pro’s ride it’ but make sure, since you mention that brand, that FastTT discontinued their 90 mm reach extender.
In your case, if I recall correctly, PD tested their base bar as safe, and this a great built bar, with their 32 mm reach extender and not when it was used at double the length. Put a significant amount of spacers underneath and the forces go even more up.That you hit enough potholes is worth nothing, sometimes it is not the question if it can go wrong but when it will go wrong….not saying per se that this goes for you. But I know from people in the industry that really know there are a lot, and i mean a very big lot of bikes that are very unsafe due to the fact of the length of the reach extenders used on base bars not designed and tested for that use.
I think we are ready to have some sort of rules for this. For the safety for all of us.
Jeroen
Using 3rd party extensions (which are a complete unknown for safety) voids the warranty. The reach is beyond tested limits so that is an unknown also.
The Wing Ultimate has been tested (and continues to be batch tested) to the highest standards, so it is a very strong bar, but no guarantees can be made for anything outside the tested ranges. Some brands test by putting product on the market, then removing it from sale when breakages occur. That is not the PD way.
Very well said. I think you bring up an interesting point that just because I am comfortable with my setup does not mean that you are comfortable riding next to me. With that said, I am unlikely to change my current setup. It would be so hard to regulate in a sport where custom fit is essential to comfort, speed, and the ability to push power. Cheers to a safe season.
I respect your expertise and have been thrilled with the customizability of the integrated PD products on my new Tempus (I am coming from an old speedmax where everything was a proprietary nightmare)
Why would you buy the Medium with this amount of reach extenders and Spacers? You Ride a Position for a frame two Sizes bigger
I suppose I should have expected the fit experts to come out on here. Ultimately it came to relatively short legs and a taller stand over height. I don’t believe you actually mean to imply that at 5’10 I should be on an XL frame.
Not claiming to be a fit guru here, but IF he’s stable on the smaller frame and in a comfortable position, wouldn’t that, on average, allow more power transfer and better aerodynamics? Happy to be corrected if wrong, because I’ve occasionally wondered if I shouldn’t have gotten an XL frame and went with Lg…
this is a problem for frames with raised top tubes - it’s easy to run out of room for the seatpost.
We’re starting to see frames with more reach to enable positions like this - without the need for aftermarket extenders on the bars. But it’s not common yet.
Larger frames are usually more aero
The position comfort/power are independent of the frame size (unless the frame prevents the position)
Stability is somewhat individual - some people really need the longest frame they can get. Others are fine with less front centre (not to say that they wouldn’t feel more confident on something longer, but it’s not a limiter)
If that is the case, short legs/long torso, you just bought the wrong frame as this one is really short in reach. At first glance it doesn’t appear to be that but it is due to the 82 degree seat tube angle. And that’s is why you now need that amount of extra parts to get more reach.
This Ventum is a great bike, even greater bar but with a very specific geo that will not fit a lot. Now, if you had long legs and a short torso…….. :-).
Have a great season nevertheless :-)!!
Jeroen
You may not be wrong here but I was coming off an old (rim break) Speedmax and the fit and adjustability were way worse. If fit were the only variable I may have gone for a different frame but as a mid pack age grouper rapidly approaching my 40’s it came down to value. The team at Ventum were incredible and gave me and the other two founders of our tri club a great discount. Happy to work with a local brand doing cool things in the tri space and on top of that I love my bike even if my reach goes a bit beyond the accepted standards. Have a great and healthy season!
Well, it is cool that you support a local brand and that they gave you a nice discount helps ;-). No doubt, by the way, the team at Ventum is a great team. And totally understand that it is a much better ride then the old Speedmax, which could be a pain in the ass to adjust. Enjoy it to the fullest!
Jeroen
