General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Can't get used to Tri Bike Rss Feed  
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2014-04-25 11:18 PM
in reply to: siouxcityhawk

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, Jawa Barat
Subject: RE: Can't get used to Tri Bike
Originally posted by siouxcityhawk

Originally posted by JoshuaBlackburn I have recently purchased my first TT bike and I feel like I have just taken 10 steps back when it comes to my biking ability. I know that with time, hopefully, I will be able to handle the new riding style, but as of right now I can't even ride for over an hour or my arms/neck get exhausted! I know that with time it will be better, but it is just frustrating! I am just venting on here because if my wife finds out that I am irritated at the expensive pruchase I just made, she will use it against me! :-)

First rule of Tri Bikes:  don't talk about the price to your SO.

Second rule of Tri Bikes: See Rule #1

My wife:  So how much did that bike cost you?

Me:  Not as much as the new carpet and flooring in the house.

My wife:  We spent $4,500 on carpet and flooring!  It better not have.

Me:  Nope, the bike frame did not come close to costing that much.   (notice I said frame)   MUHWAHAHAHAHA




You are my hero


2014-04-25 11:25 PM
in reply to: 0

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Master
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Eugene, Oregon
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Subject: RE: Can't get used to Tri Bike
Yikes! I am doing Bintan this year! Will just stay to the far--oh no--left? Right? Left, right? So all the uber-bikers can whizz pass me on their fancy tri-bikes. And then try to go after the "defeated army" on the hot, hot run. (Unless, of course, I am part of said army.)

Edited by Hot Runner 2014-04-25 11:28 PM
2014-04-26 1:01 AM
in reply to: Hot Runner

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Melon Presser
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Subject: RE: Can't get used to Tri Bike

Originally posted by Hot Runner Yikes! I am doing Bintan this year! Will just stay to the far--oh no--left? Right? Left, right? So all the uber-bikers can whizz pass me on their fancy tri-bikes. And then try to go after the "defeated army" on the hot, hot run. (Unless, of course, I am part of said army.)

Ha. You KNOW you're gonna pass a lot of pretty piglets on their pretty bikes ... and not just on the run

and RATS--Kingsley and I were gonna do Bintan this year but we did Sungailiat here in Indonesia for our honeymoon instead! Another  missed opportunity with you!

2014-04-26 1:11 AM
in reply to: 0

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Melon Presser
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Subject: RE: Can't get used to Tri Bike

Originally posted by erik.norgaard I've been planning on buying a tri bike for this season, but this has me wondering: should I get a tri bike? On my road bike I hardly ever ride in the drops because I find it uncomfortable and my knees almost hit my chest. 2nd, what's the expected/average before you get comfortable enough to race on a tri bike? BR Erik

Hi Erik

have you had what many recommend--the bike fitting? That should answer a lot of your questions about tri / road. Your roadie shouldn't be that uncomfortable in the drops if you're well-positioned (but positioning a bike specifically for you comes after the answers the fitting provides).

As for me--I had what I believe was one of the world's best fittings available (with David Greenfield of Elite Bicycles) and when I bought a tri bike and dialed in the numbers as well as got positioned on it, I was comfortable on it in aero right away.

Here are some good resources/thoughts:

http://www.elitebicycles.com (read the materials under FIT Tech and FIT Process, esp. Choose Your Bike)

http://blog.rappstar.com/2014/04/why-triathletes-need-road-bike.html

 

 



Edited by IndoIronYanti 2014-04-26 1:14 AM
2014-04-28 9:00 AM
in reply to: JoshuaBlackburn


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Subject: RE: Can't get used to Tri Bike
takes a while to get used to... I recommend starting with a conservative position and gradually get more aggressive and you get more comfortable. When I first rode the tri bike I maybe lasted 30 mins in aero before I was cursing. Now I can ride all day. Handling skills will take time to used to as tri bikes react a little different than road bikes due to the more weight being over the front wheel.

In terms of fit, not sure how you set the cockpit up but you might want to try adding in the 15mm risers under the pads and maybe flipping the stem up or bringing it up a spacer. I think when I started on the bike I was two spacer under the stem, risers under the pads, and the 7 degree stem flipped up. wasnt the most aero position but was comfortable. As I got used to it I started to drop the spacers a little at a time. Also, check to make sure you are not too stretched out on it so your upper body is supported by your skeletal structure and not muscles. i.e. a 90 degree angle between your elbow-shoulder-torso. If you are too stretched out, you can move the seat as forward as it goes and slide the pads back a bike.

2014-04-28 9:15 AM
in reply to: erik.norgaard

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Champion
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MA
Subject: RE: Can't get used to Tri Bike

Originally posted by erik.norgaard I've been planning on buying a tri bike for this season, but this has me wondering: should I get a tri bike? On my road bike I hardly ever ride in the drops because I find it uncomfortable and my knees almost hit my chest. 2nd, what's the expected/average before you get comfortable enough to race on a tri bike? BR Erik

If bike fits well you should be able to ride tri bike out the door. I remember buying my first tri bike in 2006 and went with on a group ride with BTers a few weeks later and others in the group commented how comfortable I seemed in aero and rode in aero most of the time.

If your knees hit your chest, no wonder it isn't comfortable. Goal in TT bike fit will be to open your hip angle and to set you up so that doesn't happen. Get bike fit and then pick and buy which TT bike will fit you best.

When I have moved to a more aggressive position, it was an adjustment but not that I couldn't ride in the position...more I would get out of aero maybe 5-10% of the time not that I couldn't ride that position for more than 5-10 minutes.



2014-04-28 11:12 AM
in reply to: KathyG

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Expert
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Boise, ID
Subject: RE: Can't get used to Tri Bike

 

TT bike fit is a compromise between aero and comfort, the more you lean toward one the more you lose of the other. 

My fit depends on my race. For a sprint I will remove spacers and/or flip a stem down to get more aero as I know I won't have to hold the position for very long. For my IM this summer I am going full comfort so I put a spacer back in and flipped the stem back up. In general the higher you are in the front the more comfy you are but the less aero you are.

Just don't be "one of those" who put their bars so high they may as well be riding a cruiser.

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