Bah Humbug

You mean dedicated triathlon bikes come with triathlon bars? Weird; I can't imagine why.

seypat

This is the brand the OP should look at:

https://www.spectrum-cycles.com/track.php

LarrySellerz

I wonder how comparable most tri bikes would be to road bikes once I switch the cockpit over, ive been looking at some other 650c options that aren't as radical as the Softride and an untrained eye could mistake them as road bikes except for the cockpit.

Bah Humbug

The geometry is completely different. Steeper seat tube angle, shorter head tube, and other changes to accommodate those. Which is not to say it's never been done; I've seen a P4 built up as a roadie. It's not recommended though; I wouldn't do it if I were you.

genejockey 

And here, "untrained eye" means "people who don't ride bikes"

You seem to keep trying to find something that isn't a road bike to do road bike things on. Why? All those other things are not designed for what you want to do. Why not get a road bike to do the things a road bike is designed for? I mean, the last I heard, you were able to stick with the Spectrum ride for about 6 miles, which is pretty good! But you keep talking about getting this-or-that bike that ISN'T designed for fast riding in a tight pack, because it'll be "better training". How about if you get a road bike and keep using that road bike until you can stick with the Spectrum ride the whole way? That sounds like pretty good training to me. Then, if you find that's no longer challenging enough, you can try doing it on a 'Funny Bike' or a fixie, or for that matter a unicycle.

LarrySellerz

I want something that fits my spinergies, and I think a tri bike or custom frame are my only options for that, and a tri bike would be cheaper and easier to get used. I want a single speed for commuting, and would prefer to be able to do fast group rides on it. I want a road bike for fast group rides, but my priorities are securing reliable transport and getting the spinergies going for a bike to roll around town and do shopping on would be really fun. Might try to chase groups with it once I get used to tri geometry but they are banned

Bah Humbug

I know I'm going to regret asking, but... what's special about the Spinergys that requires a special frame? If they're fixie wheels, they won't work on tri bikes - they (usually) have track ends, but at road bike widths (130-142mm, by my memory), because of course they have multiple gears. No one has made a commercial single-speed tri bike that I've ever seen; I don't know that one has even been made as a one-off.

Eric F 

Larry’s Spinergy wheels are Rex-X, 650c size.

Bah Humbug

Ah. Then no, a Giant Liv (from before they went back to 700c) would be the trick. I assume a "women's" bike can't be beyond the pale for him given the rest of the random things he does.

Eric F 

The wheel size pretty much guarantees that the bike will be a significant compromise, especially for a full-size guy like Larry.

Bah Humbug

Ah right, and Liv won't make it in his size anyway.

The question occurs to me of why a guy that size bought a set of 650s. Something tells me the answer won't be satisfying.

genejockey 

Honestly - write off the Spinergies as a bad choice. You're too big for 650c wheels on any kind of road bike, and there's a reason people don't ride tri bikes in road races. Not to mention Spinergies are known for catastrophic failure, so unless you had Gebhard check them out minutely and okay them, I'm not sure 260# of you should ride them in any case. IOW, I would not try to build your dream bike around tiny, failure-prone wheels - remember, any gearing choices you've made for 700 c wheels won't work with 650s.

Eric F 

My impression is that it was a decision based on a lack of knowledge. Maybe I’m wrong.

LarrySellerz

Gebhard won’t allow the wheels in his shop, wont work on them. He recognized it from across the street, I took it out and held it up inspecting it and deciding if I should bring it in or not and decided not to. He saw it and knew tho

also you can run a larger chainring on a 650c bike for the same # of gear inches, so it’s a plus.

LesterOfPuppets

Once upon a time you could get tri bikes with 650c in a full array of sizes, working from the theory that small wheels are more aero, and we MUST have more aero I saw an aluminium 60cm QR with 650c wheels for sale recently, looked pretty wild.

Jack Tone 

About 35 years ago, I bought a Nishiki NFS. 61cm. Had 650 wheels. I thought it would be great for accelerating out of corners. It did seem to be easier. It was fun to ride but had a heavy steel frame. I'm sorry I sold it.

Bah Humbug

I think the theory was about being lower, not "smaller". The 650C tri bikes look low and fast, but apparently the data never showed it conclusively.

datlas 

Yeah they look more aero and aero trumps weight.

But in this case, the Joker’s wild.

DangerousDanR

Because they have a history of assploding? Why yes, why do you ask?

I have modern Spinergy wheels with polymer spokes and they are fine. What you have are a hazard.

tomato coupe

How is that a plus?

genejockey 

I think my response to Rev-X wheels in a group ride would be to either always be ahead of that rider so anything that happened would be behind me, or allow myself to get dropped early.

DangerousDanR

They are a danger to the person riding them and to others on the ride. In a past life I was a volunteer fire fighter and paramedic. I don't want to have to deal with that kind of self inflicted<expletive> on what should be a fun ride.

The leader should tell the person with them to FOAD.

LarrySellerz

because you’re running a bigger gear ratio... it sounds more impressive

Eric F 

No one will be impressed with your big gear ratio. They will be too distracted by your small wheels.

LarrySellerz

I enjoy running big ratios and if I’m enjoying myself I’ll be faster. Comparing ratios is a single speed thing