Home made Tri Gear

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2006-11-24 6:16 AM

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Dalgety Bay
Subject: Home made Tri Gear

Aloha all,

Being a good Scout I am always looking to re-use, re-make or re-invent stuff. So why not tri-gear?

So the question is.... What have you cobbled together out of bits and bobs or found an ingenius new tri-athalon use for an every day item? Or maybe you just have an idea that came to you. Well here is a place to share and let us all benefit.



2006-11-24 10:41 AM
in reply to: #607416

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Champion
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Tacoma, Washington
Subject: RE: Home made Tri Gear
Back when tri was new... Well, okay, it was the first generation of Scott clip-on aero bars. Before Lemond used them in the Tour. Those clip-ons didn't have any elbow pads. So, I cobbled my own together.

4" black PVC pipe
Blue foam pad (like what you get at camping supply places)
Pipe clamps

My first go at it, I cut the pipe into a 4" length, then in quarters length-wise. I cut slits in the pipe so I could put the pipe clamps through them and around the drop bars. Then I glued some of the blue foam on top. Well, it worked fine until those slits I cut into the pipe turned into cracks and the whole thing fell apart.

Second try at it, instead of cutting slits, I took a length of lumber strapping, and pop-riveted it to the bottom of the pipe section, at an angle so that they pointed to the hand hold parts of the aero clip-ons. Worked like a charm. I used those for a few years, until I finally got the mod kit to add the elevated pads a-la Lemond.
2006-11-24 11:32 AM
in reply to: #607416

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Pro
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Vancouver, BC
Subject: RE: Home made Tri Gear

Yeah I have a friend who made her own tri bars like the person above just described.

At a TT in 2005, they tilted her "store-bought" bars down because they were above her seat post. This year she showed up with her home made ones that don't have any bend in them and they worked for her. I did the same TT for the first time this year and they tilted my bars down too. Damn being short! She's even shorter than me, so I think I will be able to get some other set up for 2007.

Jen

2006-11-24 11:35 AM
in reply to: #607579

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Subject: RE: Home made Tri Gear
jeng - 2006-11-24 5:32 PM

Yeah I have a friend who made her own tri bars like the person above just described.

At a TT in 2005, they tilted her "store-bought" bars down because they were above her seat post. This year she showed up with her home made ones that don't have any bend in them and they worked for her. I did the same TT for the first time this year and they tilted my bars down too. Damn being short! She's even shorter than me, so I think I will be able to get some other set up for 2007.

Jen

Showing ignorance here but... why would they tilt bars? Surely high bars is less aerodynamic and therefore a disadvantage not an advantage.

Sorry for stupid question. 

2006-11-24 11:47 AM
in reply to: #607416

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Pro
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Vancouver, BC
Subject: RE: Home made Tri Gear

No not a stupid question. UCI (United Cycling International?) rules say that the tops of the bars can't be above the seat. Well I'm short and my friend is even shorter. I ride a 47cm frame and my seat is low. I guess when my bike got measured my bars were slightly above my seat.... I should have known better, but I thought they were fine. They tilted my bars downwards. Making the bars out of a pipe worked for my friend because then her bars went straight out from her handlebars. There was no kink.

I don't know what the best aero position is, but check out Floyd in the TTs. His hands are way up.

Jen

2006-11-24 3:46 PM
in reply to: #607416

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Subject: RE: Home made Tri Gear

This isn't specifically tri-gear, but in the mid-1970's I cobbled together a plastic bottle and some surgical tubing to make a precursor of the Camelbak feeding system.  I used it for backpacking.  I think Camelbak owes me royalties! 

 

2006-11-24 4:12 PM
in reply to: #607681

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Champion
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Tacoma, Washington
Subject: RE: Home made Tri Gear
Before there was a Profile Aero-drink, I used a Minoura handlebar mounted bottle cage, and a section of clear tubing inserted where the bottle pull-top would be, and used that as my "in my face" drinking system. I also tired to do the same thing from a bottle mounted behind the seat (the Trimble carrier), and aborted that attempt quickly.
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