Converting Trek Domane

Blindside

Hi All

I've looked through many threads to try to avoid asking something that has been asked many times.

I have a Trek Domane 5.2 (in super fast bright orange). I am not averse to spending money to improve and have this week purchased some Powertap P1 pedals and a Wahoo KICKR SNAP Smart Turbo Trainer plus Trainer Rd Subscription to maximise my bike workouts. The weather gets a bit crappy here in the North of England from about now so the indoor work will make it more pleasant. I already have a Garmin 510 and Fenix 3. I was going to upgrade my wheels but will likely go for the Wheelbuilder disc option as recommended heavily on here if I stay with this bike only.

I'd rather not spend money unnecessarily of course so how much would I be compromised over IM distance if I tried to utilise my existing bike with aero bars etc via a local fitter vs going all out and buying an aero bike? If the difference is massive then I could stomach the amount but wouldn't want to if I can get something comparable performance wise without having to plus having to store an extra bike (it would actually end up being 2 new bikes as I'd have to get my wife something too).

I'm 6 ft 3 and currently about 220 Pounds if that makes any difference with regards to how big a lump I am to cut through the air.

Edited to add this link: http://intheknowcycling.com/2015/04/16/how-to-ride-faster-on-your-bike-10-better-ways-part-2/

It seems that there are many more ways to get more bang for your buck than simply shelling out on a new bike with diminishing returns aplenty. If I take all the tips about weight loss, helmet, aero bars, clothing, positioning of bottles, wheels etc from here the additional (large) amount for a frame seems to only get me a relatively small amount of benefit, or is that too simplistic?

cheers

Paul Hough

Rob - I'm probably not the best guy to ask as I have 2 tri bikes and 2 road bikes - all high end. If I have shipped one, have one in the shop, and one on the trainer, I still have one to take out on the road. So there's that. Now to your question, putting clip-on aero bars on a road bike doesn't give you the correct seat position to use them properly. But if the Domane 5.2 has a round seat post, then I would highly consider getting a red shift seat/aero bar set-up. My Domane 6.9 has a proprietary aero seat post so it wouldn't work for me, but I don't know about the 5.2. See this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BkAWiMOXEE

Blindside

Hi Paul, thanks for the reply.

4 bikes?? You've got it bad

I'll have a look at that hybrid option but it might be the case that I''ll have to bite the bullet and seriously consider additional bikes.....

cheers

Paul Hough

Rob - the most important thing on getting aero is fit, and it has to be a fit that you can ride for 112 miles. After that would come an aero front wheel, and then an aero helmet. The front wheel is far more important than the rear. If you can't use a redshift seat, then what some folks do is put the clip on aero bar on the road bike and move their seat forward (or have a reversible seat post which they flip for the race). This will get you most of the benefits of a tri bike, but you have to move your seat back and forth with tools depending on which position you need for the day. That's why the redshift is so damn cool.

Are you training for the IM in Bolton? I lived in East Anglia for a couple of years and my daughter was born in England. We took her there last year to show her where she was born and what England was like. But I haven't been to the North yet. I'm planning on flying to Manchester in 2017 and driving a big loop around the north to see a bunch of things. Can't wait!

Blindside

I'm sure you already know that there's plenty to see in the North of England, plus Scotland is only 3 hours away by car and Wales is less than an hour. You'll be able to have a very enjoyable trip. Even London is only 2 hrs away by train. We're just a tiny island

I'm a big believer in fit and we're lucky that we live 10 Miles from where the Great Britain cycling team are based (Manchester velodrome). There's a great fitter in that complex that we've used for our road bikes.

I'm not very flexible in my lower back so how aero I could get comfortably is open to question which is why I wonder about the benefits of an aero bike (for me anyway). I might not physically be able to utilise it effectively but I'll have to check that out to find out what's possible physically. I'm over in Vegas in November so I might order that Redshift to arrive whilst I'm there to give me a feel for what I can handle.

Yes, I'm all signed up for Bolton IM (and my wife). Although it's meant to be a tougher bike course we can drive there in 30 minutes so we can practice on the course as much as we want which is an advantage I think. Plus we can hopefully get a lot of support over there to help shame me round the run!

What do you think the time compromise is for trying to pimp the road bike with the aero gear vs a specific TT style bike? The position (and compromised power output) and frame itself being the major differences between those 2 options.

What were you doing over here? Were you in the services?

cheers

Paul Hough

I don't think the TT bike is worth more than 10-15 minutes for a full IM. With a hilly bike leg like Bolton, the Red Shift would allow you to climb in the road position and then flip back to the TT position for flats and downhills.

I was assigned to RAF Lakenheath while in England. Next trip over will be for about 10 days and I won't have time for Wales or Scotland. But I will get up to Hadrian's Wall and run at least 10 miles along it. And if I can fit it in, I would like to do one or two fell races...maybe a B category. I ran for Ryston Runners in East Anglia in road, XC and athletics, but Norfolk and Suffolk don't have any hills like they do up north!