LarrySellerz

Sup guys, yesterday on the group ride I was chatting with someone about his aerodynamic road bike. I asked him if it was “closer to a tt bike than the average road bike” and he said yes, it’s pretty much the most aerodynamic road bike. I questioned if converting a TT bike to a road bike would give a similar result, and he said not to do it because everyone would think it’s ridiculous. Was not able to answer how the ride would feel.

some searching leads me to see that this conversion is doable, and I have two main questions.
1). is there a significant handling difference between an aero road bike and a tt bike converted to road?

2) other than a large weight penalty, what are some major downsides to this conversion? People around me are seemingly giving away TT bikes compared to road bikes, lots sitting in a garage for a decade. The bike I’ve been eying is a Softride Powerwing and this dude said he used to have one but sold it!

thanks!

KerryIrons

1) yes.

2) a true TT bike is not a good road bike. Poor handling and quite possibly poor comfort. Horses for courses.

LarrySellerz

Would be great if someone could move this to road biking. Cannot figure out how to delete thread. Sorry, thanks.

tempocyclist

I have converted a TT bike into a road bike before. It was fine, but (subjectively) didn't handle quite as well as an actual road bike.

VegasJen

I have two TT/triathlon bikes and three road bikes. Honestly, I don't know if there's really a difference between a triathlon bike and a TT bike, that's why I lump them together.

But here's my very rudimentary take on the differences.

A TT bike has a more forward riding position, which you can relatively easily replicate on a road bike with a zero offset seat post. So it might stand to reason that the reverse is true, at least to some degree. You may be able to find a seat post that fits a TT bike that allows a more rearward seating position. Don't know this for sure because I've never looked.

The second thing is really the height of the bars. Of course, I'm not even discussing the difference between conventional road bike bars and TT bars, that's an obvious difference. But the height and reach are going to be lower and more forward for a TT bike. Also, easily changed with stem and stack.

Beyond that, I really don't think there's a lot of inherent difference in riding geometry. Sure, there's specific difference in the kit, but the fundamentals stay the same.

And, out of curiosity, where are you seeing people "seemingly giving away" TT bikes? The two I have I've paid substantially more for either of them than any of my road bikes (all used, of course).

Trakhak

You can click in the red button at bottom left in any of your posts and ask a moderator to move the thread.

GhostRider62

You can make an aero road bike very nearly as fast as a dedicated TT bike and it will generally be more comfortable and better overall handling on the road.

VegasJen

I would agree with this. And particularly with a good pair of bolt on aero bars, a road bike will give you more options for riding comfort. I have aero bars on all my road bikes, mainly to rest my arms when I'm riding. I don't try and ride low and tucked for long periods of time, my back just won't stand for it. But I can drop down on my elbows and maintain a solid 18-19mph pace (on relatively flat ground) for miles in a pretty relaxed position. But when my back starts to talk to me, it's easy to just sit up and ride on the hoods to give my back a break.

genejockey 

One way to look at it is that an aero road bike puts you in road bike position, maybe just a little lower in the front but not necessarily, and road bike position is optimized to ride comfortably for hours, up long climbs, down fast descents, pounding along the flats, noodling along when you want to smell the flowers. It may be slightly heavier than a climbing bike, but not too much, so it won't be much of a penalty on chimbs.

A TT bike will put you in TT position, which is designed to be as aerodynamic as one can tolerate for about an hour, with handling that will get you through courses that aren't very technical, but isn't built for real climbs or descents, especially because they're built for speed on the flats so they don't build them light.

Last I heard, you'd screwed up your neck or back so you couldn't really do a low front end, right? Maybe neither of these are for you.

RChung

Cervelo used to sell the aluminum Soloist and the aluminum Dual with reversible seatposts so you could swap between road and TT. I have an old Cervelo P2K that was sold as a TT bike but whose previous owner also used it as a crit bike when drop bars were swapped in. The high BB meant a little less chance of pedal strike in turns, which is kinda handy in crits. I've only used it as a TT bike but he reported that the handling in road bike form was "immediate" which is also kind of desirable in crits. Alas, the main disadvantage is that since it was originally designed as a TT bike, the fork and rear triangle were really narrow. You can shoehorn 21mm tires in there but it's preferable to use 19mm pizza cutters. Those tires are hard to find nowadays.

LarrySellerz

I was going to put drop bars or even flat bars on it and remove the aerobars, so no tt position

genejockey 

Bars won't raise a low front end, not by much anyway. You seem to go out of your way to ride the wrong bike, when there are so many bikes out there that could be the right bike. I'd rather spend my energy on riding than on trying so hard to be different.
'

Jrasero

The new Scott Foil RC is the closest you will see to a road bike that's designed like a TT bike. The current gen Foil gives you those massive bottom bracket area and the wheel pushed right up against the frame, yet because the wider tire clearance, new carbon layup, and new seat post the Foil is much more comfortable and now lighter than a TT bike. However the Scott Plasma RC TT is still faster

GhostRider62

Dean Phillips at Fitwerx won the Masters National TT (in 48 minutes) on a road bike, a Cervelo S5. I am the same size as Dean, he fit me to an S3 with a reversible seatpost. For a bigger rider, there are UCI measurements that can make some of us with long upper bodies difficult to fit and an aero road bike isn't that much slower than a TT bike. I just wish I had Dean's power and Cda.

genejockey 

Next time around, choose your grandparents better...

Jack Tone 

I'm surprised nobody's commented on his choice of future road bike:

LarrySellerz

just trying to get spinning on my new wheels mate

Broctoon

A TT bike frame has geometry (steep seat tube angle, and short, horizontal top tube) to push the rider forward and down low. Cockpit components further contribute to this positioning. So you can't really convert a TT bike into a road bike. You could replace the seat and seat post, stem, handlebar, and levers, but you'll end up with a TT bike wearing road bike components. You will still be in a pretty aero position. It seems like a goofy approach.


Get a TT bike for time trials. If you're into road biking, there is a whole range of good choices, from endurance geometry and touring bikes, through hill climbing bikes and aero bikes, and even to the all road category, which is sort of like a less focused gravel bike, I think. (Maybe just another marketing term for a gravel bike?) A lot of what suits any of these bikes for its intended purpose is component choices. All of them will have frame geometry that is more moderate or relaxed and more versatile than a TT frame.


One more downside to trying to convert: TT bikes tend to have specialized and often proprietary components. Before everything went to disc brakes, the TT frames used direct-mount calipers, often behind the fork and maybe under the chain stays. This gives you vastly fewer options when you want to replace or upgrade calipers. TT seat posts are usually aero shape, which again limits your replacement options. Don't get me wrong; I think these are cool bikes for their very specific purposes. I think they're a terrible choice for general use.

Broctoon

Yeah, Larry mentioned that he's eyeing one of those. It's not the worst choice. I mean, it's quirky, unique, weird but not necessarily in a bad way. Definitely catches peoples' attention and not necessarily in a good way. In other words, kind of like Larry.

Broctoon

Years ago I was riding with two friends (both of them better riders than me), slowly grinding up a three mile canyon road with an average grade of 8%. One friend, who is powerful but a bit stocky, said to the other, "I wish I had your heart and lungs." He replied, "I wish I had your legs." I told them, "If I had his heart and lungs, your legs, and my build, I'd be world class!" All I have going for me are a thin build and easy ability to maintain 160 lbs.

shelbyfv

Clown bike, perfect choice!

Koyote

If someone showed up for our group ride on that bike, I'd stay away. Far away.

Bah Humbug

For reference, a TT bike can be used for triathlon, but triathlon bikes also include bikes that don't pass UCI rules (airfoil shape, saddle nose, etc) and particularly extreme ones (QR Illicito, Ceepo Shadow R, and so on). Tri bikes also tend to include huge amounts of storage these days for food and drink which is not such a concern for TTs.

LarrySellerz

I’m envisioning it like this but without the aerobars. Like 15% of these bikes I’ve seen have the spinergies on them LOL everyone has the same idea as me.

Broctoon

Do the UCI rules still prohibit anything on the bike with a sole purpose of reducing drag? Before carbon fiber rims became affordable and refined to the high extent we see today, lots of folks rode those aluminum rims with thin carbon fairings. But I understand they were illegal in sanctioned competition. You could have an all-carbon rim with good aero characteristics, but putting on that fairing was not allowed, because it wasn't structurally necessary, therefore its only purpose was to improve the aero.