Time trial v. Road Bike set-up

Uranus

I'm thinking of setting up a bike for doing time-trials only, with tri-bars, etc. ( I'm certainly not interested in cutting edge technology or spending a lot of money, I'm a 28 minute man on my road/race bike!).

As a base for this project, I was going to use a spare frame that has exactly the same geometry as my road/race bike.

Is this hopeless? Do I, for example, really need to find a frame with a shorter top tube?

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has both road and tt bikes, and uses both regularly.

Bugly

Dont know Uranus depands on the geometry to an extent or did on older style bikes so dont take this verbatim, A true TT machine in the past had a more laid back geometry allowing the rider to be more stretched and the bike less twitchy. Putting TT/tri bars onto a out and out race bike will shift you to far forward and increase your steering sensitivivity not realy what you need on a TT machine.

I would look for a bike with more relaxed head angle - but then this advice is based on experience 15 years old so I may be way out of date.

Bugly

Monty Dog

These days TT bikes run 'shorter' than road bikes and riders are positioned more forward over the BB and tri-bars 1-2" less than a road bike set-up from saddle nose to bars. The trational 'stretched-out' rule was for in the pre tri-bar days. Moving the saddle forward / inline post and a shorter / angled stem may help to optimise your position. Generally, TT bikes have more relaxed headtubes for improved handling with the weight forward - just be careful getting used to the new position - start with the tri-bar pads quite high and wide and slowly bring them in as your confidence and skills improve.

Uranus

I was going to start with a 1 or 2cm shorter stem, and maybe try to find some tri-bars where the elbow rests can be slightly behind the centreline of the main handlebar . . that may not be "short" enough but I hate toe/front tyre overlap . .

BigSpecs

Hi Uranus,
Have a look at this...
http://www.glasgownightingalecc.org.uk/ ... lin_m.html
...a little fun I had a couple of years ago.
I went for a smaller frame than usual and a seat clamp fitted back to front. I have since tried a longer (135mm) stem and this is even better as the position is a bit more stretched out.
Cheers,
Colin.

Uranus

BigSpecs wrote:

Hi Uranus,
Have a look at this...
http://www.glasgownightingalecc.org.uk/ ... lin_m.html
...a little fun I had a couple of years ago.

Great project, Colin, and nice write-up. Did you ever try to do an A/B between your disc wheel and a plain wheel? Not that I think I will be going for a disc wheel just yet . . or fixed gears come to that!

That Raleigh looks like maybe a 23" frame? Would that be an inch smaller that you would normally go for, perhaps?

BigSpecs

Thanks Uranus,
I have never done a timed test of the two wheels but the "disc" appears faster, if nothng else because it makes a great noise as it whips through the air. Really makes you feel like a pro as you put the power down . In reality, the extra weight probably slows the bike down. I have use it on the outdoor track too with drop bars and it can be difficult to control in cross winds.
As for the frame, I can't remember exactly (and I am not in the garage to check ) but I think it is about a 22 1/2" frame and I have other horizontal top tube frames that are 23 1/2", so you are right about an inch smaller.
Cheers,
Col.