UCI TT bike - for rider under 180cm is a road frame OK: Triathlon Forum: Slowtwitch Forums

UCI TT bike - for rider under 180cm is a road frame OK

Apr 22, 24 21:25

Looking to build up a UCI legal tt bike - but there aren't many used frames around where I live. Having a look at the rules for a rider under 180cm - I can only have 80cm from the bb to the end of extensions. If I measure this on my existing road bike basically its just adding a set of clip-ons on and I'm at 80cm allready. So, when it comes to fit I'm not seeing that a dedicated time trial frame gives me any fit advantage. Especially as your not allowed to push saddle in front of the BB and with the amount of spacers I'm seeing under aerobars, super low stack height is not really necessary either.

Am I missing anything?

I have set up my existing road bike previously and it just fits within the rules, the biggest downside is its not pretty. It would be nice to have a bike with a cleaner front end.

I can pick up a system six at a decent price - what to you think?

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Re: UCI TT bike - for rider under 180cm is a road frame OK [garageman] [ In reply to ]

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jasonmac

Apr 25, 24 16:06

Post #2 of 5 (226 views)

So the answer is really, it depends.

Your general line of thinking is correct. UCI rules create some interesting constraints.

I race UCI TT (~25km masters distance) and I'd want a TT bike vs a road bike for improved body positioning (aero) and better bike aero (aero again).

Could I use a road bike? Sure, but aero wise I don't see how I could get as close to the pointy competitive end of the results with my road bike. Even then, I'd want to swap out my seat and whole front end, but that's a pain and my road stack is just too high (aero).

__________________________________________
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rst, then slowtwitch lurker since '93

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Re: UCI TT bike - for rider under 180cm is a road frame OK [garageman] [ In reply to ]

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burnthesheep

Apr 26, 24 8:38

Post #3 of 5 (161 views)

Just try out ebay/pinkbike and places to find something shipped.

The saddle setback on a roadbike puts you at a disadvantage in terms of hip angle in TT. There's the UCI rules bag for saddle setback and extension tip distance and such, but a road bike often doesn't come close to the forward saddle of a TT frameset.

Also, I did this as an average joe in just your local TT stuff for a year with clip on's and it works fine, but the bike was also pretty twitchy. The move to a TT frame bike was light years better.

If it's purely a budget perspective, sure, go for it. If it's availability, try to get something shipped to you. It would be worth it.

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Re: UCI TT bike - for rider under 180cm is a road frame OK [burnthesheep] [ In reply to ]

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garageman

Apr 26, 24 15:25

Post #4 of 5 (121 views)

I do agree, the weight forward puts a road bike a bit out of balance.

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Re: UCI TT bike - for rider under 180cm is a road frame OK [garageman] [ In reply to ]

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m@tty

Apr 26, 24 16:00

Post #5 of 5 (115 views)

A aero road frame will have a much shorter reach and very different handling.
My 50 mile TT pb was set on an original Cervelo Soloist Alu frame with tribars disk wheel etc way back in 2004 with a 1:45 but as I haven’t entered a 50 since I haven’t any feedback on going quicker with a TT frame.
I’m also 20 years older but I’m going much faster over 10 miles than I was in 2004.

Last edited by: m@tty: Apr 26, 24 16:04

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