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Road Bike Conversion

tcattritcattri
in General Training Discussions

I have a Fuji Altamira 3.0 road bike. I am looking to do the aerobar conversion for this season. Here is what I have gathered so far from the forums and wikis:

* Replace seat stem with a more forward position stem

* Adjust to shorter handlebar stem to mimic the seat post to areobar length of the tri bike

* Sounds like PD T2+ or T3+ are the best options for clip ons - any additional thoughts on this?

I have already ordered by custom wheels and PT so I should be good in that area.

Is there anything else that I am missing? Thanks in advance for the advice/feedback.

Comments

  • morpheusmorpheus
    Matt Russ http://www.thesportfactory.com/site/index.shtml . Local to you.



    Knows his stuff, and his minions are great, too.  Will get you in a good position with whatever you want to use. Obviously, tricking out a roadie to do exactly what a tribike does is a bit of a reach. But, you're going the route that many of us have gone. And, I guarantee that your setup is gonna be a hell of alot better than what I started with.



    Matt, or one of his peeps, with play around with ....



    seat height

    seat fore/aft

    type of seat tube

    stem length and angle

    risers on different aero bar clip ons

    length of aero bar clip ons

    cleat position, and more.



    It will be 'good enough' to be 'very effective'



    Then, train your ass off and execute EN style. You do this and there won't be anything that you should blame a converted bike on <img alt="" align="absmiddle" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; vertical-align: middle;" src="http://members.endurancenation.ushttp://members.endurancenation.us/DesktopModules/ActiveForums/themes/_default//emoticons/wink.gif" />
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    I recommend you go with shorty bars not do the forward facing seatpost.

    Look at how roadies on road bike ride in a solo breakaway: forearms on the tops of the bars and maybe slid forward on the saddle. That's the position you're trying to create with your road bike, via shorty bars and maybe slide forward in the saddle. 

    Going with a forward facing seatpost significantly changes the weight distribution, and therefore maybe the handling characteristics of the bike. 

  • robin sarnerrobin sarner
    What they said. And
    Look for the Cobb video that discusses this. Youtube
    Everything needs to move forward. But as coach says, handling will change.

    Maybe biggest issue going downhill fast. But just get butt back a bit and hands in the drops.
  • robin sarnerrobin sarner
    Another option is todd kenyon the online fit guy.
  • tcattritcattri
    Thanks Chris. I have an appointment with Matt on Thursday.
  • tcattritcattri
    @Chris - thanks again. Matt was great! I am glad I did it local for my first fit as we had lots to go over. He confirmed a lot of decisions I was already planning to make based on feedback/input from EN, so that was great. We got everything handled Thursday. I am totally good to go - just gotta get my Power Tap and new wheels and I am set.

    Thanks everyone else for your suggestions as well...
    @Coach Rich - we did not move the seat post forward
    @Robin - thx for the Cobb video suggestion

  • morpheusmorpheus
    Good to hear.

    Over the last few years, all3sports has been slowly losing my business, with TSF + my local bike shop + my local Big Peach Running (Suwanee) picking up what all3 loses. I've been real happy with their setup/knowledge/friendliness. Think I might do the quarq pm upgrade with them, too.

    Anyways, glad you had a good experience with them and good luck in the upcoming season!
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