I’m 6 foot, three inches and currently have a 61 cm Cervelo P3. I’ve just had a professional fit and will be getting a smaller bike. I primarily race road races and my time trials will rarely be more than 25 miles and many times around ten miles. So, I want to have a very aggressive, low position and I’m most focused on aero and power and not too worried about being able to hold a very aero position for long rides, since my time trial races will usually be less than an hour so I’m hoping that I can manage to tolerate a super aero position for that long. I’m curious as to whether anyone who is roughly my size rides a smaller frame. I’m thinking of either 56 or 58 in Cervelo and I’m also interested in other bikes too so let me know if you ride something different. I’m also interested in what folks do about stem length – seems like some of the most modern frames don’t have a lot of options for stem length.
I’m 6’3" and ride a tricked out 58cm P3, which also happens to be for sale in the classifieds. The best idea is to get a new fit in your desired aggressive position and find out what bikes/sizes fits after that
With regards to stem length, choose a bar with fore/aft adjustability, like the TriRig Alpha for example
The 61 is almost certainly too big but from what you posted, you knew that already.
I’m 6’2" and I ride a 56 on a P4, which is a long / low bike. But if you have a good fitter, listen to him / her, not me.
Thanks. Have any side profile pics of yourself that you could post just for reference point? I also have a long torso. My road bike has a 60 cm top tube and I have a 140 stem too. Long and low as you say.
I am 6’3" on a medium Shiv. This frame give me a good stack height but the reach is too short so I am riding the longest Vuka Stealth available with full extensions. This puts me way out over the front wheel but it is acceptable. You may be able to take measurements on your current bike and estimate the stack/reach you want in a new frame without paying for a pro fitting. That should narrow down your selections a lot. Long and low frames seem to be pretty rare these days.
Thanks. Good information. I’ve already had the fit with a great fitter – Body over bike in Avon, CT. Chris Petron. Anyway, he’s got the data and we are focusing on head tube length, top tube, stem lengths, stack height. All that good stuff. But, having some real world examples is great too just to have a reality check. Do you have any options for stem length on the Shiv or is just one stem size?
The Shiv has a regular steerer tube so you can put whatever stem you want on it. I used a Vuka Alumina for a bit with a 140mm, I think, stem for a short time. Good luck.
Height is only a small part of the picture. Your inseam (or rather torso to legs ratio) is more important, and so is your flexibility if you want a good aero setup.
Best answer you will get: go to a tri specific bike fitter trained in FIST or RETUL, have them fit you, get the fit coordinates, then narrow down your choice of frames to a few you know for sure will fit.
Bike fit is 10% or less of a bike purchase price. Money more than well spent.
6’3 on amed shiv?! No way you can have a long enough seat post for your required saddle height(i think)
Im 6’2" and I am rockin a BMC timemachine Large. Fits great and can get pretty low.
http://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Finding_Your_Ideal_P5_4921.html
Found this excellent article by Dan Empfield (he is 6’2’) discussing Cervelo P5 fit and concluding that, although he could ride a 54, 56 or 58, 56 is probably the best fit for a number of reasons. I’m working with an excellent fitter and have all my numbers off a Guru bike fit session and now just a matter of buying a new bike – Cervelo P5 is my current top choice and maybe 56 or 58 are the two leading candidates. I would say my torso is proportionally a little longer than my legs - inseam for pants is 34 and I wear shirts 16/36. I know those aren’t bike fitter measurements but just a general number.
I’m about a 33.5" inseam, and I don’t really do time trials (mostly IM distance), for what it’s worth. Sorry about the crappy image quality. I have a lot of leeway to go lower on this frame at a 56. With a 58, not so much.
Thanks. Hard to see your headset area but doesn’t look like you needed any real dramatic spacers and your position seems good to me. So, good to know that you fit that bike pretty well because my inseam is probably nearly the same, although my torso is probably a little longer.
Thanks. Hard to see your headset area but doesn’t look like you needed any real dramatic spacers and your position seems good to me. So, good to know that you fit that bike pretty well because my inseam is probably nearly the same, although my torso is probably a little longer.
If you look close, you can see I have a very small spacer which is mostly a comfort thing. For a time trial I’d take them off without a second thought. And like IamAERO said, you can get a bar with some adjustability if needed. Definitely work with your fitter and get an idea of your dimensions and desired setup before committing to a frame though.
Also to give you an idea about that bike, my stem has some rise as well. So that cockpit could be slammed way down.
I’m a shade over 6’3" and ride a 2014 Blue Trial SL (Large). Used to be on a Felt DA and actually love the position on the Blue. Much more aggressive and aero.
6’3" on a 58cm S5 (shame on me, huh?), Vuka Stealth medium slammed on the headset, seat post at min insertion. Knees ever so often touch my triceps - gotta fair in the guns with the arms, right? I like the position, at least 20k at a time.
There may be no need to go much smaller and use a longish stem that overweights the front wheel.
If you’re not locked in to an integrated front end, Specialized makes a stem than can be -28 degrees. FSA also make a stem that is -20. But it’s stack height is 28mm, so 10mm or so shorter than a normal stem. In the 110 length, it’s a couple or millimeters lower than the Specialized -28. It’s heavy at 190gms, but it allows me to pedestal my bars which is supposedly more aero.
If you are going very aggressive, how are you getting around the UCI length limitations?
I’m going to use SRAM e-tap or DI2 and that way I don’t have the conventional mechanical shifters – UCI regs count the length of the shift lever but you cannot really hold onto the shift lever for steering/grip purposes so the electronic helps a little there. I definitely would like to have more leeway than the UCI allows but I’ll just have to adjust to it.
I already have a negative 25 zipp stem on the 61 cm Cervelo and the bike is too high for me still.