Time trial conversion

wellbeloved747

I currently have a full carbon frame that almost adopts a TT frame, its has elongated tubes and the frame is super close to the rear wheel it has an aggressive shape and aero forks & seat post.

I've always been fascinated by TT bikes and want to own one, but on a Teenage budget and the purchase of a car approaching thats near on impossible.

Im thinking of converting it to a TT bike, i currently have Zipp 404s which are aero enough and i can get away with the Devonshire hills and cross winds. the main reason is when im on a lone flat or on the turbo which i put in at least 30 minutes every night due to coursework commitment, i always find that i rest my arms on my bars and adopt a Time trial position.

The obvious would be to get some clip on tri bars but they cut up the carbon coating on my old bike and i have Zipp vuka bars on my current bike and they are almost flat and can't be clamped on http://www.zipp.com/bars/vukasprint/#

I am therefore thinking about purchasing some second hand tt bars that have a base bar and extensions, i will then get some tt brakes and some 2X10 shifters and rig it all up, i may need to get a shorter stem??

i will try and have the road bars and shifter with the cable set up so if i need to change it back it will take about 20 mins.

i would be great full on what parts to buy and what shifters would be compatible with a 105 group set (2x10)

Monty Dog

To get a decent TT position on a road frame, you'll likely need a frame smaller than your regular frame size i.e. shorter toptube and headtube, plus you'll likely want to run an inline seatpost and shorter stem too. Shifters - you'll want Shimano 10-speed bar ends. It's probably require a bit of swapping around with parts plus some adaptation on your part to reach an optimum aero position.

upton

I'm tempted to ask why?

You'll be going round Devon hills on base bars. Longer rides have to potential to be more uncomfortable (& probably slower too). If you ever wanted to ride in a group you'd get quite a few raised eyebrows.

If you were doing TTs it would be different, but for just normal riding around I don't see the point despite it being doable.

diy

You could fit an inline post, slam the stem and either use clip on bars or convert the cockpit of your current bike, but it will never be the same as a proper TT bike due to the geometry. That said, this is no bad thing as taking corners on the more extreme TT bikes with deeper section wheels is like wrestling a wale. They are designed to go straight and fast. They are also pretty hard to ride in moderate wind.

There are quite a few aero road bikes that try to combine the best of both worlds.

ednino

Do you race TTs?

Yes = buy a TT bike
No = just ride your road bike

diy

You cannot deny the attraction from a bike porn point of view:

cougie

TT bikes great for TTing. Pants for the rest of the time. Save your money - you'll need it for petrol and insurance.

richk

I did a conversion of a road bike to TT bike which I rode for a couple of seasons. It was OK (better than a road bike with clip on bars) but was still a bit of a compromise. Replaced it, when I had an unexpected bonus at work, with a proper tool for the job & wouldn't want to go back now.

Pross

diy wrote:

You cannot deny the attraction from a bike porn point of view:

That Fuji has just triggered a migraine so I dread to think what it would be like to actually see it moving!

Monty Dog

Thread should be re-named fugliness exemplified

Scotty-Gee

madasahattersley wrote:

TT bikes are good at going fast in a straight line on the flat, and bad at climbing and being comfortable. I wouldn't even think about buying one unless you're going to race it.

...And if you are going to race you may as well buy a dedicated ride. I bought my TT frame for £100 straight from the factory and built it up for £350 total

Where do you find a TT frame for £100?

I'm on the process of converting my winter hack into a TT bike to see how I like doing club tens. If successful ill buy a real frame and put the bits on. This has left me short of a winter bike and I'm missing it.

mfin

Scotty-Gee wrote:

madasahattersley wrote:

TT bikes are good at going fast in a straight line on the flat, and bad at climbing and being comfortable. I wouldn't even think about buying one unless you're going to race it.

...And if you are going to race you may as well buy a dedicated ride. I bought my TT frame for £100 straight from the factory and built it up for £350 total

Where do you find a TT frame for £100?

I'm on the process of converting my winter hack into a TT bike to see how I like doing club tens. If successful ill buy a real frame and put the bits on. This has left me short of a winter bike and I'm missing it.

Put the winter bike back together then! You definitely don't need anything but a regular road bike for your first bunch of 10s, in fact, even if you find out you like it, do a few, then try some clip on TT extensions. Your first 10s are all to do with turning yourself absolutely inside out and seeing if you like it, cos no matter how fast you get, you'll always be turning yourself inside out.

richk

Scotty-Gee wrote:

...
Where do you find a TT frame for £100?
...

this is not far off (particularly if you can get a further 12% off)
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... ibbfrat600

andyrr

I TT'd, and did respectively well, on a std road bike which I then improved it's suitability for TTs by fitting a Fast Forward seatpost.
Idea is that as you are pulling yourself forwards when stretched out on the clip-on bars then if the std road bike position is correct for normal use when on TT bars it effectively is overly long - the FF seatpost is kinked forwards so that you are not so stretched.
It is a fairly cheap way of adapting a road bke.
Worth considering.

bgfalll123

:shock:

bgfalll123

madasahattersley wrote:

TT bikes are good at going fast in a straight line on the flat, and bad at climbing and being comfortable. I wouldn't even think about buying one unless you're going to race it.

...And if you are going to race you may as well buy a dedicated ride. I bought my TT frame for £100 straight from the factory and built it up for £350 total (including carbon wheels and tubs) and it's been fine for nearly 3 years now. Done some short 20s on it and it does the trick.

Luke HOW in gods name did you kit a bike out for 350 including carbon wheels.

That seems impossible !

sub55

perfectly possible to do very credible time's on a modified road frame. those who say otherwise are deluding themselves