d_monie1

I seem to be leaning toward getting a TT bike the more I ride. I love the straights most, and the speed you can get and attain when you stop fighting the wind. I like the Cinelli TT bike. What are the forum members view on this? Is this a waste of money? I may race at some point in the future but not in a triathalon because I hate swimming (I swallow to much water all the time).

russdaz

Have you got clippon areo-bars fitted to your road bike?

If not try them first, adjust your seat further forward with a short sterm. not quit the same, helps alot. an with a nice light set of wheels and small ratio cassete (if you havent already 12-21 say)you would be far off, in the fun area.

Personally i wouldnt get a TT bike if your not going to race on it, due to the cost. But if money's no issue then go for it.

EURO

Yes. Next?

my58vw

If you are not going to use it to race or do Tri's then yes.

Personally if you are looking for a change in posistion I would look into getting a set of clip on aero bars for road bikes (i.e. visiontech's shory tt clip on bars). TT bikes can be expensive (although you can get a tt setup for around 1500 dollars) for a posistion change. The big benefit of tt bikes though are the closed course runs that you can stay in the aero posistion for long periods of time, thus saving you second and maybe a few MPH faster over the time interval.

I would seriously wait until you get to the point you are doing competative itts and that your fitness level is at an approprate place before you go tt bike...

YMMV

sunninho

+1 for the clip-on bars and for raising/moving forward the seat. This will put you in a TT position to allow your hammies and glutes to do all the work.

merlinextraligh

I just bought a TT bike (used frame), and I do race. I'll use it for the state TT championship a few stage races, and I'm doing a triathlon with it this fall for the heck of it. Even with that use, its a questionable use of money. I'm enjoying riding it now, playing with the new toy, agetting ready for the tri. But day in, day out, I'd much rather ride my roadbike The road bike is more comfortable, better suited for long rides, handles better, looks less geekish, climbs better, and better sutied for riding in a group.
If you got the money and think you'll enjoy the TT bike go for it, but as you describe your riding a really nice road bike would be a better investment.

Enthalpic

Don't forget TT bikes are ugly.

jdtschida

What kind of crap response is that?


d_monie1, I agree with others that you might want to try converting your road bike into a tt type bike without the major frame change. It can be tricky, as I'm finding out with my road frame to tri bike conversion, but there are a few things you can do.

Aerobar choice is important. If you go with full bars with the bar-end shifters, then you will very likely need to move your seat more forward than your post will allow for. You can get a zero-setback post, or also a "fast forward" post. The one from Profile I've read will move you about 5cm forward! If you go with a shorter style aerobar like the Profile Century, then the pads will be under your forearms, which is uncomfortable, but you won't have to worry about your body weight being too far over the front wheel either. It's a trade off...

You may also need to get a shorter stem. You will also want to work out how to get your bars to be lower because the aerobar pads will rise up pretty high, and you want to get lower. So you will want to look for a stem that doesn't rise up at all, and you may also want to remove any spacers you may have in your current setup. Anything to get lower. Playing around with different configs will help you figure it all out.


You might also want to spend some time reading this link. It's mostly for triathlon bike fitting, but will still have a lot of info relevant to your setup.

https://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadin...r/bikefit.html


good luck.

d_monie1

d_monie1, I agree with others that you might want to try converting your road bike into a tt type bike without the major frame change. It can be tricky, as I'm finding out with my road frame to tri bike conversion, but there are a few things you can do.

Aerobar choice is important. If you go with full bars with the bar-end shifters, then you will very likely need to move your seat more forward than your post will allow for. You can get a zero-setback post, or also a "fast forward" post. The one from Profile I've read will move you about 5cm forward! If you go with a shorter style aerobar like the Profile Century, then the pads will be under your forearms, which is uncomfortable, but you won't have to worry about your body weight being too far over the front wheel either. It's a trade off...

You may also need to get a shorter stem. You will also want to work out how to get your bars to be lower because the aerobar pads will rise up pretty high, and you want to get lower. So you will want to look for a stem that doesn't rise up at all, and you may also want to remove any spacers you may have in your current setup. Anything to get lower. Playing around with different configs will help you figure it all out.


You might also want to spend some time reading this link. It's mostly for triathlon bike fitting, but will still have a lot of info relevant to your setup.

https://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadin...r/bikefit.html


good luck. [/QUOTE]

Thanks for the assistance. I think I will try your suggestions. If I get a TT bike it might be next year. right now, I am enjoying my roadie lots!

my58vw

As I said in my post if you want a tri/tt bike then trying to convert a road bike is almost a waste of time... the geometry will never be the same. The best thing is to get the shorty bars which do not require moving the seat forward.

goldfish

i find TT bikes to be uber-sexy, actually

hi565

damn right!

HOW COULD YOU SAY SUCH A THING! they are art pieces!

goldfish

even the $1499 Dual, at the polar-opposite---price-wise---of the $12 000(frame only) BMC Time Machine, looks good to these eyes

airsoft510

i highly disagree my p3 carbon looks sweeeeeet

bluecd

i love the way mine looks and rides. its the only bike i own but come christmas a road bike will be on the list. i dont race or tri either. you already have the other types of bikes covered so why not get the tri? you know you want it.

Elvish Legion

Thats actully really nice looking.

I'm getting really into tris so I need a real tri not my half tri bike...been looking at mainly specialized and cervelo(sp)

tlupfer

if you can afford it and have occasion to use it even infrequently, then buy it. bikes are a neat way to waste money as opposed to say, collecting 1980's garbage pail kid memorabilia.

post pics once you get it set up.

goldfish

the upward slope of your aerobars reminds me of the similar setup for the bars that Floyd Landis uses...just an observation.

either way, i vote that the OP gets a TT bike....i would but i already have a few too many projects going.

fmw

Everybody is hung up on use and value. There is nothing wrong with simply wanting a TT bike and then having one. We're just amateur bicycle ethusiasts, after all. Why not be enthusiastic about a TT bike. I see nothing at all wrong in it. I like to build bikes. I sure don't need any more but I'll build more anyway.

krazyderek

I do, many tri and tt bikes arent welcome at group rides due to safety, and you can't even dip your hand into road race's on a bike with aero bars especially if it has bar end shifters. This is why clip on's have caught on so well, 90$ for a decent set, vs 900$ for a completely new bike.

bluecd

the bars are very comfortable. ive put about 3500 miles on the bike in the last 4 months & have no aches or pains to complain about.