Help me understand current thoughts on fit

[john]

I have read through lots of posts on this and other site regarding fit.
I am trying to set up a TT bike and keep getting conflicting advice
from local "experts", so I'm just going to try and set it up myself.
Here's my questions.

1) I have always assumed I need a higher seatpost that my road
position, but I'm reading this is wrong. I find at my road seat height
my knees tend to stick out like the post is too low. Any thoughts on
what might be going in? I feel like I'm sitting in a bucket unless I
move the seat forward and up, a lot. (I'm not the worlds most flexible
person and have raced road bikes for 25 years)

2) Are the fit calculations on slowtwich a pretty good starting point
for a tall person? It ended up giving me numbers my Specialized
Transition frame coundn't provide.

3) It seems like the whole "low and narrow" school of thought for the
front end has moderated toward less handlebar drop, correct?

Any thoughts or additinal websites would be helpful. I'm sick of
getting grossly conflicting advice from "fit professionals".

 

[Skippy]

"john" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have read through lots of posts on this and other site regarding fit.
> I am trying to set up a TT bike and keep getting conflicting advice
> from local "experts", so I'm just going to try and set it up myself.
> Here's my questions.
>
> 1) I have always assumed I need a higher seatpost that my road
> position, but I'm reading this is wrong. I find at my road seat height
> my knees tend to stick out like the post is too low. Any thoughts on
> what might be going in? I feel like I'm sitting in a bucket unless I
> move the seat forward and up, a lot. (I'm not the worlds most flexible
> person and have raced road bikes for 25 years)

It is possible you've got the set-up on your road bike wrong, if I'm reading
correctly. My TT set-up is quite close in terms of hip-bb distance to my
road bike. within 10mm. The saddle is further forward by about 25mm at the
moment. this does mean having the saddle higher because of the rotation
forward.

>
> 2) Are the fit calculations on slowtwich a pretty good starting point
> for a tall person? It ended up giving me numbers my Specialized
> Transition frame coundn't provide.

I might have a look at the slowtwitch stuff if I get a moment. I'm 5'8, so
that might not help too much. What is it that you can't get right on the
transition? Some sizes (you and bikes) might help the assembled throng with
the problem. Well it might help get you closer to something comfortable.

>
> 3) It seems like the whole "low and narrow" school of thought for the
> front end has moderated toward less handlebar drop, correct?

The flat-back idea is a bit flawed unless you can get into it comfortably .
Very few cyclists have really flat backs when TTing. It's not exactly
comfortable. One issue here is whether you use dropped bars or cow-horns.
Drops can only be lowered so much before the drops can't be used
comfortably.

>
> Any thoughts or additinal websites would be helpful. I'm sick of
> getting grossly conflicting advice from "fit professionals".
>

I'm don't know which 'professionals' you've asked. I can't claim to be one,
I've just set people (and myself) up on bikes as part of a job. Just
remember that things aren't more correct because they've been written down.
TT/Tri bike setup is tricky. As with all bike sizing, comfort and control
are paramount. Normally everything else falls into place once you're happy
with that. I can't point you in the direction of a good web site. I would
suggest going to wherever you bought the bike and asking if they can spend
some time tinkering.

I hope that helps

Skippy
E&OE