Road bike mods to TT bike advice please

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Slinkie

Slinkie

Slinkie

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Hi all,

Last weekend I completed my first ironman 70.3 (and second triathlon ever) and am looking at next steps to help me improve my time. The obvious answer is to train more but I am looking at changing up my equipment to help me.

I currently only have a road bike with no additions (stock Fuji transonic 2.5). I want to look into my options to change this into more of a TT bike to not only help reduce drag but to put me in a better position to help my run.

A lot of the advice I've found online says to replace the seat post with a more upright/ reversed post and get a TT position saddle but I don't think this is possible for me as my bike has an aero seat post (see below).

vIcMYrk.jpg

Do you know of seat posts I could get that will work with my current set up? I feel without the seat post getting aero bars would not be as beneficial as I'd be too far back on my bike to be in a good position.

What advice do you have other than buy a TT bike (it is an option at the moment but with a house move on the near horizon I'd rather save some money!)

Thanks all.
 
Aero posts are usually frame specific, so unless Fuji make one that's a non starter.

Personally I'd go see a proper bike fitter and see that they say about getting you into a more aero position on the bike.
 
My Propel had an in-built adapter to the top of the seat-post to adjust the angle. You can buy adapters avoiding the need to consider an entirely new post.

Equally I converted to a base bar with clip-ons and bar end shifters & brakes. Which I still have as it happens. Worth doing. as narrowing your frontal area will still be a benefit.
 
I tried turning the post around and although it does nearly work it only goes into the frame about an inch and a half so is much too long. Just moving the saddle forward isn't ideal, I'd prefer to get a propper TT saddle in the right position as a normal road saddle in a tt position really would hurt! I've messaged Fuji through their facebook page so hopefully I hear back from them.
 
How much brick training do you do?

Improving your bike position to be more aero is of course good for the bike leg and you don't want to feel battered going into the run, but actually training to run off the bike is just as important.

Training for my Ironman, I'd throw in a 5K or 10K run straight after a bike ride just to get my body used to it.
 
I do a lot of brick sessions. It's the geometry of a tt bike I'm trying to replicate as that position is better in terms of fatigue and aids the running section of the race. I could just get aero bars for the aero advantage but want this geometry benefit too
 
What time did you do? I did my first ever triathlon last September which was Lanzarote 70.3 in 7:01... Went way too easy on the bike and run but avoided cramps so reasonably happy...
2nd triathlon I did was Allerthorpe Olympic in 2:40.
3rd triathlon is Lanzarote 70.3 again a week today... Hopefully sub 6 this time.
This spring I bought a Planet X Stealth and had it fitted... Its the only bike I've ridden this year and has been a dream...
 
I only did 4 races before quitting Tri because I suck at swimming.:D

2:19:52 for Olympic, 4:59:00 for 70.3 and 11:02:53 for 140.6.

Just goes to show it's all about the bike and run! Personally, I couldn't be bothered trying to force a road bike into TT geometry.
 
If you can replicate the stack, reach and seat tube angle then surely the benefits of a specific frame will be potential aero benefit, weight saving and handling/general ride comfort? And also N+1 ;)

(Thinking out loud)
 
Slinkie said:
I tried turning the post around and although it does nearly work it only goes into the frame about an inch and a half so is much too long. Just moving the saddle forward isn't ideal, I'd prefer to get a propper TT saddle in the right position as a normal road saddle in a tt position really would hurt! I've messaged Fuji through their facebook page so hopefully I hear back from them.
Click to expand...

I can see the post won't work spinning round but the head of the seat post may rotate.

This is a Merida Reacto seat post

https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/01/MIP_0471681.jpg

When you take the saddle off the whole head can come off and rotate 180 degrees to give you a steeper seat tube angle.

This felt one is symmetrical so the whole post can be rotated to change seat angle

https://gzmyu4ma9b-flywheel.netdna-...loads/2013/08/Felt-2014-Launch080613_0895.jpg
 
Unfortunately my bike isn't as versatile as that looks. Below is another picture of the seat post in. It's a diamond shape with a triangular attachment in the front which tightens it into place.

L7S56hM.jpg

This is without the seat post in, the post goes in the hole at the back of the diamond. You can see a raised section in there at the front that won't allow the post to go into the front on the hole. I don't think there is a way to get this post into a tt bike position.

85pNpJv.jpg
 
Slinkie said:
The seat post doesn't have this option, I can't see anyway of adjusting where the seat connects.


Thanks for your help though
Click to expand...

Doesn't look too dissimilar to the vector post particularly around the actual clamp. Take it apart and see if you have the rubber grommet that can be swapped. Or pick up a vector seatpost and see if it fits?...
 
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