Converting Road Bike into a Tri Bike

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2008-12-24 8:56 PM

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Subject: Converting Road Bike into a Tri Bike
I have a few questions for the bike gurus out there. First a little backgrond info. I am planning on converting my road bike into a tri bike because it is cheaper. Second, after talking to my LBS they told me to do some research on the parts and get back to them (DONZO).

Parts and adaptations:
Fast Forward seatpost
Profile design Carbon x aero+base wing combo
shimano shifters
profile design quickstop brake levers

The only hold up now is the question of how different will the ride be. I like the road bars, but i want to be as aero as possible. Now for my dumb newbie questions. Will I notice a significant difference between the road set up with a clip on aero bar (opposed to the tri handlebars and new stem with a possible -2 degree difference)? Will the handling be different? (I have ridden in aero before so I am used to that. I guess my question is if it will be different with the new seat and stem).

Edited by moose2585 2008-12-24 9:25 PM

2008-12-25 12:15 AM
in reply to: #1871734

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Subject: RE: Converting Road Bike into a Tri Bike
the seat post will move you forward and create a less stretched out position on the bike vs a regular seatpost and aerobars. because of the shift forward, it will mov your legs forward and create a litt bit of a dif. pedal stroke, mainly just using different muscles, or using the same ones, just for different periods of time. hope that helps some 
2008-12-25 3:01 PM
in reply to: #1871734

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Subject: RE: Converting Road Bike into a Tri Bike

It will probably feel a little different.  But it's still riding a bike.  I go between my tri bike and road bike all the time.  You have to pedal to make yourself go on either one.  Road bike is nice when riding with friends or a group just because it's hard to carry on a conversation when you are down in aero, and if you are behind someone it is good to have quick access to the brake levers just in case.

One thing you might do is to grab a tape measure and note the distance from the center of your crank, up the seat tube and seat post to the top edge of the seat before you change parts out.  Then, when you set up your new post and seat, try to keep that distance about the same (you may need to measure a slightly different line through the point the post attaches to the seat with that fast-forward post design -- assuming the post and the seat tube are no longer in a straight line).  You generally don't want to introduce any radical seat height changes overnight if you are accustomed to a certain setup on your road bike.

Have fun !!

2008-12-25 9:12 PM
in reply to: #1871734

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Subject: RE: Converting Road Bike into a Tri Bike
I had a very similar setup to what you're talking about. It worked pretty well but for me I just never could get a good position with the setup I had. I thought that the steering was a little twitchy but I got used to it. I have since sold the bike and now have a tri bike.

If I had it to do over again I would try keeping the road bars on it and just add clip on aero bars. It might just work for you and save you money. I'm not sure that changing out the road bars for a base bar is going to get you much more aero. After having my new tri bike now I'm convince that for at least myself that a tri geometry gets me in the best aero position.
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