Shifters
78
Member
186 days
xc800runner posted 20 weeks ago.
If you're still riding on road bars with clip-ons, you should stick with the STI's you currently have on board. To switch to a full TT front end, you'll want bullhorns too and new brake levers. And if you don't know much about adjusting derailleurs/brakes or running cables (though on a tourmalet this shouldn't be a problem) you'll need to get a shop to do it. You likely won't be able to re-use the cables you already have run. The advantage of leaving your STI's on is that when you do buy that Tri bike next year, you'll still have a training bike to take out in the rain, and you won't have to convert it back to a road set-up. You're not going to lose so much time from drag caused by road bars, or coming from your aero position to shift to justify a $2-300 price for the new equipment and shop installation.
176
Member
213 days
GGehrke posted 20 weeks ago.
jsk85 wrote:
I ride solo almost exclusively, but will ride with a friend or two every once in a while (no cycling clubs or anything).
This is actually an important consideration because, at least with my local club, your shifters and brakes have to be in the same location in order to participate in a group ride. Show up with a Tri Bike and they'll ask you not to come along. Clip ons are okay, but not with bar end shifters.
Maybe you don't care about that, but it is something to think about.
Personally, I've got a road bike with clip ons and a forward pitched seatpost and I will not transform it further toward a tri bike. I've been looking at different clip ons and considered going to a full TT/Tri cockpit, but as far as I'm concerned that's a race bike only feature. In a few years if I'm serious about Tri and have the money I'll probably diverge to a training bike and a race bike, but until then I'll keep my STI shifters. Granted, I've never used a dedicated tri bike in the hills, so it might not be as bad as I imagine, but I feel like some of my local 10-15% grades would be dreadful if I had to reach forward to shift.
278
Member
324 days
Leroy Bonkers posted 20 weeks ago.
I say leave it as is, particularly if you are looking to leave your STI break hoods and road handlebars on. road bikes work best set up as road bikes, even after pushing the seat forward and getting aero bars.
One alternative is to mount your STI shifters on a TT base bar. I did this for a season and liked it a lot. In hilly locations I think STI might be preferable anyways. But now I've graduated to a TT bike.
59
Member
469 days
saydee1800 posted 20 weeks ago.
I converted my Trek 1500 to a full blow tri bike (the best it can get) It was costly $300 parts about $50 for the labor I felt is was worth the cash because I don't have to get out of the Aero position. I do have a new Tri bike and I still havent switch my road bike back. I really like it that way
623
Member
747 days
tsilcyc posted 20 weeks ago.
Leave it as is. Save your money and buy a tri bike.
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408
Member
182 days
42
Member
307 days
DTinVA posted 20 weeks ago.
GGehrke wrote:
This is actually an important consideration because, at least with my local club, your shifters and brakes have to be in the same location in order to participate in a group ride. Show up with a Tri Bike and they'll ask you not to come along. Clip ons are okay, but not with bar end shifters.
Really letting my nOObness show, but, here goes: Why is that? Is it some kind of safety thing?
176
Member
213 days
GGehrke posted 20 weeks ago.
Yea. When you're riding in close proximity to other people, they don't want you to have any hesitation if you have to brake. Unless everyone really trusts each other, riding in a paceline in aerobars is not terribly smart. The ban on aerobar mounted shifters just ensures that it isn't the rider's primary position. Not sure if they'd throw a hissyfit if you rode in clip ons sans shifters.
278
Member
324 days
Leroy Bonkers posted 20 weeks ago.
Our local groups let you ride in clip ons... once you get dropped. Otherwise there is a firm warning not to endanger everyone by riding aero.
42
Member
307 days
DTinVA posted 20 weeks ago.
I had no idea. . . At least I'll know better when I try to do some of the local group rides this year. Thanks for the heads up.
25
Member
499 days
zanzabar88 posted 18 weeks ago.
Last year I clipped my flight deck brakes/shifters to the end of bullhorn bars for a tri setup. Worked great.
This year I am doing a new build. Are 8 and 9-speed Shimano bar end shifters compatible?
I wanna start placing in my age group!
1
Member
119 days
cambaker000 posted 17 weeks ago.
zanz:
Are your flight decks Sora or Ultegra? I'd like to make this mod but i'm not sure I'll be able to reach the down-shift button on my Sora STI's. Has anyone tried Sora style shifters on a bull-horn bar?
This guy in New England did as you suggested and it seems really logical. http://bethelcycle.com/page.cfm?pageID=176. The full on tri cockpit is great if you live in level topography. I live in a really hilly area and standing and on the fly shifting is clutch. I smoke people in races on the climbs with my traditional road bike. But they in turn fly by me on a flat stretch in the tuck. I did a really cool tri last summer that had a crit style bike leg. I played leap frog with the same guys for 15 miles! I need to learn to ride aero but I also have to climb.
25
Member
499 days
zanzabar88 posted 5 weeks ago.
Last year I was riding Sora shifters, and yes the thumb-activated shifter was hard to reach. I have large-ish hands and it worked ok. For most people, it might be tough. This year I've done the same thing but with Ultegra shifters and they are a breeze to shift.
That article is cool cambaker, exactly how I'm riding this year.
I wanna start placing in my age group!
Alright, so I should know more about this seeing as how it's my 3rd full year of tri, but oh well...
I am considering buying bar-end shifters for my clip-on aerobars for my road bike. Next year or the year after depending on how much money I save I am looking to inverst in a decent TT, but I can't afford it right now. I was wondering if it'd be worthwhile to do this, or if I should just leave things be for the time being. Any info would be appreciated since I'm basically uneducated in everything bar-end shifting.
For background, I have a road bike (LeMond tourmalet) that I have adjusted to be about as TT as it can possibly be (with road geometry) and clip-on caron stryke aerobars. I ride solo almost exclusively, but will ride with a friend or two every once in a while (no cycling clubs or anything). I will be doing 6 events this year, all sprints or olys. I am planning on doing 2 70.3s next year and ramping up to IM by 2010, however by then I will definately have a TT bike.
Thanks in advance for the help.
My blog: http://jsktri.blogspot.com