Will this TT bike fit me?

wildvellum
wildvellum Posts: 12
edited October 2010 in Road buying advice
I'm borrowing a TT bike in order to find out if I want to buy it. Never been on a TT frame before. Took it for a spin today and tried to dial it in "by feel":

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Does the frame size look ok? Will I be able to get an optimal fit? I'm wondering if the frame is slightly too small. I noticed that my knees would touch the bars when standing out of the saddle.

Comments

  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    Saddle looks too low
  • I will try to adjust the saddle.

    Is it just me or do I look a bit big for this frame?

    2i7si2h.jpg
  • moonshine
    moonshine Posts: 1,021
    i don't think it looks too bad - yip saddle prob too low. There is scope to go lower on the steerer if need be, but that takes time to work out.

    for info i'm 5'7" with a 30 " inside leg and I ride a 54cm Felt F3 race bike with a 545mm top tube and my my PX stealth TT bike is a is small and has a 510 top tube iirc.

    your TT bike will be shorter in the Top tube than your road biike. If the bike is too big, you can't shrink it.

    you want your upper arms to drop almost vertical , then horisontal lower arms on the tri bar pads.

    imagine yourself with an aero helmet on, arched back is not too bad, lift your head up and look where you are going and ther is likely to be a good fit...

    ps, if i'm clumsy, my knees will touch the tri bars when climbing out of the saddle. I hacksawed off the excess tribars that projected aft of the clamps once i was happy with my position.

    the saddle of my TT bike in its 10 mile TT set up is 20mm higher than on my road setup, (and as far forward as the rules allow) itp if nose 50mm back from centre of BB axle. ( i've a fixik Ares TT saddle, so it is short)
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    No, the frame doesn't look too small. I find they often look small (mine looks tiny!).


    Check this thread for lots of pics of people on their TT bikes for comparison:
    http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12693869
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    First time I saw a pic of me riding my TT bike, was a shock, bike looked tiny, even though its a 58
  • moonshine
    moonshine Posts: 1,021
    me on my TT bike... i'm a good inch lower at the front now...with all the steerer spacers removed.... look how close my knee is to my elbow. :shock:
    Gerry

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  • I have flipped the stem to get a little higher in the front. That felt better.

    or2v01.jpg
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    wildvellum wrote:
    I have flipped the stem to get a little higher in the front. That felt better.

    or2v01.jpg

    Only problem is.... you want to get LOWER up front. Not higher.

    You probably need a longer stem to stretch out a bit more if you are hitting your elbows, etc. The lower you can get up front usually is more aero. But if it's not comfy - that's a different story.
  • moonshine
    moonshine Posts: 1,021
    As Pokerface said.. you want to work yourself down low... it took me the early part of the season to incrementally to where i am now... it is a trade off between power and aero... as you get lower you lose a bit of power, but the aero advantage is greater..... to a point where the balance shifts.

    so with time you want to flip the stem over and move the stem down the steerer to get lower...