Aero road bike to TT bike

[Jurgens Smit]

Currently I have a Merida Reacto bike, and am in the process of rebuilding it onto something new.

 

With it being an aero frame can I rebuild it to be a tt rig? Then it will look the same as Meintjies' bike at the tdf TT stage.

 

What would I need to change/replace?

Obviously handlebars to aero bars and new shifters. But will the crank length need to change?

Also will I need to get a TT specific saddle?

 

All advice will be appreciated

[shaper]

New bars, brakes and shifter will be all you need.

 

Crank will not need to be changed, I have the same length cranks on both my RB & TT

 

Saddle, that is up to you... once you have done a set up if the saddle feels comfy keep it.  Hopefully you will be able to get the saddle in a more forward position for your TT setup

[BeegMig]

Jip.

 

Aerobars,

Aeroshifters,

Disc in the back,

Deepsection on the front,

                                        it wil make a cool TT bike.

 

Sure if you feel like it get a TT saddle, but I honestly don't see the need for that.

 

Depending on what youre turning everyday 180 cranks if its not a too big jump from what youre used to.

[BeegMig]

Jip.

 

Aerobars,

Aeroshifters,

Disc in the back,

Deepsection on the front,

                                        it wil make an cool TT bike.

 

Sure if you feel like it get a TT saddle, but I honestly don't see the need for that.

 

Depending on what youre turning everyday 180 cranks if its not a too big jump from what youre used to.

If you want to

 

Nice big pedals, Time EQ (a bit retro).

Those oval chain rings.

[Jurgens Smit]

Saddle, that is up to you... once you have done a set up if the saddle feels comfy keep it.  Hopefully you will be able to get the saddle in a more forward position for your TT setup

 

 

...

Sure if you feel like it get a TT saddle, but I honestly don't see the need for that.

...

 

 

Aren't the TT specific saddles a bit more friendly to your gentleman parts in the long run?

Or do you just manipulate the angle and setback of the current saddle?

[Spoke101]

Aren't the TT specific saddles a bit more friendly to your gentleman parts in the long run?

Or do you just manipulate the angle and setback of the current saddle?

They diffidently help out your undercarriage.

[BeegMig]

Aren't the TT specific saddles a bit more friendly to your gentleman parts in the long run?

Or do you just manipulate the angle and setback of the current saddle?

I've always been of the view that : If you ride so much and good that it justifies having a second bike just for timetrailing then your gentleman parts are bomb-proof annyways.

 

Since 80% or more of your riding and training is done on a road bike. It just makes sense to me to stick to what your'e used to.

 

( that is why I made the same comment on the crank length too )

 

But i suppose one can on the same reasoning say that; with a iron hard ass you could ride a different saddle once a week and it shouldn't matter

[Jewbacca]

I've always been of the view that : If you ride so much and good that it justifies having a second bike just for timetrailing then your gentleman parts are bomb-proof annyways.

 

Since 80% or more of your riding and training is done on a road bike. It just makes sense to me to stick to what your'e used to.

 

( that is why I made the same comment on the crank length too )

 

But i suppose one can on the same reasoning say that; with a iron hard ass you could ride a different saddle once a week and it shouldn't matter

If you are training for a time trial, especially a long one like Iron Man, 80% of your training SHOULD NOT be done on your road bike.

 

You should be doing all your training hunched over your aero bars getting your muscles ready for a very different day out.

 

Training on a regular road bike then 'smashing race day' on the aero bars is really going to lead to tears.

 

40 min in the saddle cool. Tweak the bike till you can really drive it. But sitting in the aero bars for 3 to 6 hours takes a whole new set of muscles

[Jewbacca]

Also, shorter cranks not longer ones. 170 or 172.5. In the TT position your saddle sits high anyway and you want as little hip movement as possible.

 

Lengthening the cranks means you have to drop the saddle thus making your stroke less effective.

 

Unless you are really tall, I would suggest not getting longer cranks as it will likely be less effective than running the motor at a slightly higher cadence but with more efficiency, less movement and no reaching.

 

But that is just my 2c....