Riding a borrowed TT bike?
I'll try to keep this short and succint. I've spent the last 3 years riding on an all carbon fibre road bike that doesn't quite fit me despite 3 professional fittings, but which I've been able to complete IM events and that I'm at least adapted to at this point. I use clip-on aerobars and am able to stay in them for 90+% of the IM races I've done so far.
I have a friend who's willing to lend me his aluminum 56cm Cervelo P2k TT bike.
I'm tempted by this because I know that the IM-Moo course has a lot of ups/downs and requires you to be on top of your gear changes. The races I've done previously (Arizona, Lake Placid, Florida, Canada) all allow you to basically sit on a gear for a long time, there's not a lot of fast gear changing necessary, so being on a road bike where I have to occasionally go back to the hoods for shifting didn't really impact my riding. But for Moo, just doing some sections of it on the CompuTrainer, I've realized that there are a LOT of gear changes needed to stay on target and having the shifters on the aerobars would be a huge advantage.
However there are some issues:
- Will the bike even fit me? If it's another franken-fit, is it worth the time, energy and money to be uncomfortable and less than optimal on a different bike as opposed to the bike I'm already used to?
- I would need to get a new saddle for the bike, a new set of pedals, and at least one crank arm (if not an entirely new crankset) due to damage done to it. Based on a quick search I'm looking at ~$250 for saddle & pedals and possibly another $250-350 for a basic level compact crankset. [I want to leave my current pedals on my road bike on the trainer rather than constantly swapping them, ditto for the saddle - but that saddle is also pretty beat up at this point anyway.]
- Cost of the bike fit.
- Potential loss of gears. I currently ride a triple with a 12-28 and I'd be moving to a compact. So I'd either have to give up some hill climbing gears, or create some kind of frankenstein custom cassette to try to get some back (good thread on this with Rich's feedback makes me think it's not quite so daunting.)
This is really a cost-benefit for me because I'm kind of screwed on cash right now due to damage from the winter storms and that whole engagement ring thing (honestly, why don't I get an engagement TT bike in exchange girls? what's up with that?! I mean it's not like I'm getting land & goats from her family! 
) So basically I'm very cash poor at the moment, hence the reason I wasn't able to purchase my own TT bike as I had originally planned this year. But with components and bike fit it's like I'm going to have to drop close to $800-900 for this borrowed TT bike anyway. Is this worth it?
Is it worth it if the bike fits like a glove?
Is it worth it if the bike fit kind of stinks like my current bike and I have to make due with a frankenfit?
Comments
So the recoup cost is pretty good. But if the bike isn't gonna fit you anyway- then I don't think it's worth it. Here's what I'd do. Call/email Todd at TTBikefit. Tell him you want just a quick consult on helping figure out if the Cervelo is gonna be able to fit you without too many adjustments. I bet he'll work a deal with you so that for a pretty low cost he can get you to send him some basic measurements and he'll tell you if the fit is workable or not. That's a low cost up front investment that's probably worth making to help you make the decision.
Nice friend by the way- sure he/she wouldn't let you "rent to own" ? :-)
Tony,
1) Nemo's suggestion to use Todd is a good one. I just used him to suggest the best bike for me. This cost $50. There were several measurements and a video of my current bike required.
2) You mention damage done to the crank, has the frame been inspected for cracks? I'm assume a crash for the damaged crank. I'd go with the new saddle if the old one is beat up. If you are short on cash swapping pedals could save you some of the cash outlay.
3) There could also be additional cost of stem from the fit.
4) I don't have a triple so don't know the gearing. What's your FTP and weight? The 28 should give you lost of gearing but I just took my fat a$$ up a small hill here locally (4%grade) and the 34-27 was ok. I weigh 216 and have a FTP of 220 right now. My realization is that I really need to focus on that loss part of my Wednesday weigh in thread.
If the bike fits it might be a good choice assuming that you get to train on the bike for 2 months to get everything dialed in. As Nemo point out what value will you get after the IM. You will be 8-900 poorer and further from that tri bike.
If the bike fit is not close to optimal save your cash and go with your current bike.
I assume that you want carbon. An alternative maybe a used entry level tri bike the Quintana Roo Chicqulo is listed at $1599 or a Cervelo P1 $1950. You may get a good deal on a used one in your 8-900 budget and have a complete bike for resale. Of course fit is an issue and you would still need to pay for that as well.
Personally I would save my cash and get the tri bike next year, or the year after... or 5 years after. I was in your situation riding a 98 cannondale 8 speed at IM in 2004. There were not enough gears and the fit was suspect. I continued to pay some bills, bought the ring and ended up finally getting my tri bike this year some 6 years after the plan was initiated. It was a standing joke with one of my friends that my wife is wearing my tri bike
.
Gordon
Hm. How far off is this tri bike from fitting? If it is magically close, go with it. I believe Cervelos are known to be pretty easy to fit, so that might work.
And, you can totally put a tri bike on your wedding registry.
@Beth - Don't know about the fit yet, just got the bike recently and have only really 'straddle' tested it at this point.
@Gordon - Yeah, I feel you on the kg portion of the w/kg ratio! Currently I'm 178# & 200w (indoor) FTP. The damage to the crank is really the threading of the pedal. Apparently in the middle of his race last year my friend's pedal came out of the crank arm while pedaling, so he basically jammed it back in there and pedal-threaded it, so basically the receiver is ruined on that crank arm. I've had to do the total granny gear thing going up the hills at Lake Placid and that was a 30/27 so it doesn't get much more like walking at that point!
@Nemo - Yes, I could recoup a good bit of the component costs since saddle, pedals, and even crankset could be transferred to my own personally owned TT bike someday, so I realize that's a good thing. Really all I'd be "out" I suppose is the fit cost for this interim, lender bike. I like the idea of doing some basic measurements and seeing if someone can give me a ballpark estimate on the likelihood of fitting, I'll give that a shot.
As for my friend, he's a nice guy and really great, but kind of frustrating (to me anyway). He's a fantastic runner (open mary times around 2:45) and he decided last year to do Ironman just for the 'check it off the list' kind of thing. He rode this bike, which is like a 2006, he really didn't know how to swim, he hadn't really done much biking. He ended up being something like 45' from KQ'ing even with a ~1:25 swim and blowing up on the run because, and I love this, he started the marathon thinking "I feel really good, I think I can run my Boston qualifying time." Anyway, if it was me and I finished less than an hour from KQ this year I'd be all about getting that time back and doing things better. His response? "I don't really like triathlons, I'm going back to running." WTF?!?!?!
I tell you these genetic freaks of nature who can just drop in and do amazing even with poor skills and poor execution, and no real focus/desire/determination really annoy me sometimes. 
Tony,
I hear you I did the Lake Placid course in 2004. I went out to ride the course on a 10 speed in early spring an realized I needed more gears after only making it one lap. I bought a used tri bike, my 8 speed and suffered through two lap on a 53/38 12-25. I was 196lbs at the time and no power but doubt I could claim anything over 200 watts.
Go to Sheldon Brown's website and play with his gear calculator. This will give you a feel for what the difference between the triple and the compact with different gearing will be like. Here's the link: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/
For comparison your 30/27 on a 700c 23 wheel and 175 mm cranks is 29.2 gear inches (lower is easier).
30/27 - 29.2 gear inches
34/28 - 31.9
30/25 - 31.5 - so if you currently have a 25 on your triple this is very similar to what you would have on a compact with 28
There was another thread here (http://endurancenation.us.dnnmax.co...fault.aspx) where Matt mentions a new sram cassette with a 32. Not sure on the cost of it but a 34/32 would be 27.9 gear inches giving you an easier gear that you already have on 30/27. Of course the trade off is the wider spacing on the cassette.
I totally agree with you on the engagement TT bike! (and it's way better than getting goats.) Kevin bought me a gorgeous wheelset with red carbon hubs for my engagement "ring". He's thinking a Specialized S-works Shiv for a groom's present...
If the bike will fit you and you are planning on buying it from him than I would consider it. Otherwise it will only end up costing you in the long run. What if you wreck it etc. If you buddy is willing to lend you the bike for several months I imagine he will make you a deal and let you pay him down the road. Just a thought.
There is nothing worse than IM training and racing on a bike that doesn't fit. Lowerback, neck and hamstring pain at mile 70-80 of the IM bike is an absolute nightmare. That's your primary consideration.