Tweaking a road bike into a TT bike temporarily?

Hove

I've got a carbon road bike for mainly sportives / the fun of riding. Just joined a local club which does weekly 10mile TT's past the end of my road. So I'm wondering about what tweaks if any are worth buying that would allow me, temporarily each week, to tweak the bike to being more of a TT machine?

I realize tuning the heavy nut on the saddle would be most beneficial, but after that?

I don't really want to change to aero bars as I don't want to reroute the cabling each week between sportive and aero setup. Is there an quick swap way?

To me that only leaves wheels, shoe covers and an aero helmet. Anything else? Another bike is out of the question until ebay relaxes its rules and lets me sell my wife or child.

Cheers,

Hove

JamieRa

maybe some clip on aero bars that you could take off when ever you need too without much hassle.

Take a look.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=60360

Pokerface

Get some clip-on TT bars as above (those ones are for a 26mm bar - you may need ones for an oversize bar if you have one). Just be careful when you clamp them on.


That will allow you to get into the aero position and give you the biggest benefit of all. You'll need to adjust your saddle position for the bars.


Then:

Shoe covers
Skinsuit
Aero Helmet
Wheels

Hove

Thanks all for the advice, especially for the relative benefit of the various bits and bobs - at least that means I can avoid spending significant cash on wheels for quite a while longer - phew!

danowat

Saddle up, front end down (obviously not so far as you can't get any power / breathe) and clipon bars, job done.

As tight fitting clothes as possible, maybe even some aero shoe covers and an aero helmet to shave a few seconds off too

iPete

I'm in the same boat, spent the last hour adding my race wheels to the bike and dropping the front, took 1 spacer out t begin with, will see how well it goes shortly...

hopper1

iPete wrote:

I'm in the same boat, spent the last hour adding my race wheels to the bike and dropping the front, took 1 spacer out t begin with, will see how well it goes shortly...

Good point Pete... When using the extensions they raise your position above normal bars, so, for the TT's, lower or flip your stem to compensate.

forward_loop

check your cassette and gearing is right for a TT - a compact with an 11-28 might not be the best option

SBezza

Don't think there is any need to raise the saddle etc, My saddle height is the same on all my bikes. You might need to move it forwards depending on how far the reach is to aero bars if fitted, but I wouldn't go changing the saddle height too much, good chance of getting an injury.

Consider flipping stem, or taking out spacers, though you might get fed up of doing this week in week out.

stratcat

I use a road bike with aero bars and while I should remove a couple of spacers to lower my aero position I usually don't bother (it doesn't take long, but it is a pain). When I had a bike fitting by Paul Hewitt he only told me to lower the bars for a TT and not alter anything else (although the fitting was for a road position rather than a specific TT position)

There's a couple of guys who ride in my clubs TT with road bikes. Sometimes without aero bars and they get good times, often faster than guys with 'all the gear'.
The old adage of it all being down to the engine is so very true

iPete

I'm not sure how raising the seat can help? I've got mine at an optimal height, it took many miles to get it correct and surely going higher is going to mess up my leg reach and raise the risk of injury?

on-yer-bike

Dont raise the saddle but move it forward, if you can, when using aero bars. This will emulate the more vertical seat tube position of a TT bike. I wouldnt remove any spacers under the stem, you will already be riding with your body lower at the front when using aero bars. The lower you go at the front the less power you will generate especially if you arent used to the position.