"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Help Me Get Lower On My TT Bike

I know that this is really a frame issue and I'm just trying to get a work around, but a new frame is not in the budget this year. I'm trying to get lower (more armrest drop) on my Trek Equinox but am running out of ideas. It seems that Trek frames just have a taller head tube. And no the frame isn't really too big, my knees will hit the armrests when I climb on the horns if I'm not careful. I am already using about as extreme of a stem angle that I can so I'm wondering if there are any tricks out there to get lower. Anyone know if there are some bars I could use that would help? Thinner armrest pads? I can remove the last spacer. Zero stack 1" headset (is there such a thing)? Anything else? Or am I at the lowest point already? Thanks.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3580/3350796389_382b9f2180_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3437/3351619938_dd847b7d6d.jpg?v=0

A longer stem with the same angle would help too. It would not only get you lower, but more forward as well, stretching you out a bit more.

How long is that stem?

You can buy different aero bars that would give you a few more MM drop.

A longer stem with the same angle would help too. It would not only get you lower, but more forward as well, stretching you out a bit more.

How long is that stem?

Pretty short, I think it's a 100. Maybe 90.

You can buy different aero bars that would give you a few more MM drop.

I figured, I'm just not familiar with all the different brands and which offer a lower height. The city I am in doesn't have a "Tri" shop so none of the shops have any bars in stock to look at. So I'm stuck staring at pics on the internet trying to guess. The bars I currently have are the Syntace C2.

You know you have at least one carbon spacer under your stem, right?

You know you have at least one carbon spacer under your stem, right?

Yep, that's coming out tonight.

You clip-ons have a bar over your base bar and then the armrest attaches to that. If you look at some of the Profile Design bars they have units that the bars attach under the base bars and put your armrests almost on top of the base bar.

Take a look at the T-Mag http://www.profile-design.com/products/aerobars/t-mag/

Get one of these:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24316
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Images/Models/Original/24316.Jpg

You might also look into a headset with a shorter stack height.

Get one of these:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24316


That was my first thought. I'm not sure how much lower that stem can go than the set up I currently have.



Take a look at the T-Mag http://www.profile-design.com/products/aerobars/t-mag/

Cool, that might be the ticket.

I second an "underbar-mount" aerobar purchase. Ideally the elbow pad would sit only millimeters above the top of the bar. I think you could lose 3-4 cm of height with one.

An adj stem will work too, but I don't think you'll be able to angle it down too much further. And it'll be hard getting one longer than 120, so not too much of a difference.

I think Shimano and Tange had very short stack headsets. They were so short it was difficult replacing them because nothing fit.

cdr

the Oval 710 I linked to comes in a 140 length

Easton MOD (http://www.eastonbike.com/PRODUCTS/BARS/09/bar_road_aeroforce_mod_%2709.html)

I used them for a while and found them very comfortable.

the Oval 710 I linked to comes in a 140 length

Ah yes, a much longer stem would be better. Thanks.

Easton MOD (http://www.eastonbike.com/PRODUCTS/BARS/09/bar_road_aeroforce_mod_%2709.html)

I used them for a while and found them very comfortable.

Those pads are pretty low. I like it.


As for headsets, the Equinox 9 (2005) uses a conventional headset so a zero stack is not an option. Looking at 1" threadless headsets the Aheadset STS and Cane Creek S-2 look like they have the lowest stack height. Compared to the FSA on there now, I can save ~ 7mm of stack height.

interesting post. Your head tube height looks very short.

I bought a Leader 720TT frame. I had LBS install a headset and didn't think to ask them to install one with a very low stack height. They asked me "how many spacers" and didn't believe me when I said NONE. I've got the Deda newton pista stem which has a big drop, and I feel like I am not any lower than I was with my road bike head tube height of like 170mm or whatever.

How much of this is about getting forward, vs. flat, vs. Low????

If I wanted to be more flat, I could raise my seat height but is that really what you want?

Those C2s have a very high armrest height, relative to the bar. You can get more than 1" lower just by switching to a different aerobar like the Visions. If you want to get lower, you can flip the Visions so they come out under the base bar and the armrest sits just on top of the base bar. You just need an extra set of the spacers Vision sells. Here's a pic of my old setup:

http://www.secondhandsix.com/temp/bikes/Picanti_002.JPG

Those C2s have a very high armrest height, relative to the bar. You can get more than 1" lower just by switching to a different aerobar

Yep, those C2's seem to be a big part of the issue so I'm getting rid of them in favor of a Easton attack setup. (THANK YOU RACER EX :thumb:) Very low armrest profile on those. I'm also going to try a Ritchey adjustable stem to play with getting even lower. I'm debating whether to try to get a different headset, but I think I can only get 7 mm lower stack height since it's a 1" steerer tube, so probably not. Thanks for the advice everyone!

Buy some 650's. Just kiddin'.

Those C2s have a very high armrest height, relative to the bar. You can get more than 1" lower just by switching to a different aerobar like the Visions. If you want to get lower, you can flip the Visions so they come out under the base bar and the armrest sits just on top of the base bar. You just need an extra set of the spacers Vision sells. Here's a pic of my old setup:

http://www.secondhandsix.com/temp/bikes/Picanti_002.JPG


*zombie bump*
is there anything that I need other than a set of spacers? is there a certain height, or do they come with all the sizes in one package?
I tried this with mine last night and I don't have the spacers to pull it off.
Do the pads attach to the aerobars behind the basebar or in front?

*zombie bump*
is there anything that I need other than a set of spacers? is there a certain height, or do they come with all the sizes in one package?
I tried this with mine last night and I don't have the spacers to pull it off.
Do the pads attach to the aerobars behind the basebar or in front?

Are you talking about the spacers below the pad mounts? I have some, I'll look when I get home.

Put the armrests wherever they work best for you. It's worth throwing some money at a Ritchey or Nashbar adjustable stem if you're going to be playing with position a lot.

Are you talking about the spacers below the pad mounts? I have some, I'll look when I get home.
yep - those are the ones. Also, my screws aren't long enough to go through any significant length of spacer and still thread in... are there longer lengths that I should be looking for?


Put the armrests wherever they work best for you. It's worth throwing some money at a Ritchey or Nashbar adjustable stem if you're going to be playing with position a lot.
yeah - my adjustable stem is the one that broke the other night. I should start looking for another one (oh bother)
The oval concepts parts were great, but if one of them breaks the only components that will work to replace it are other OC parts. I probably won't go that route again.

yep - those are the ones. Also, my screws aren't long enough to go through any significant length of spacer and still thread in... are there longer lengths that I should be looking for?


yeah - my adjustable stem is the one that broke the other night. I should start looking for another one (oh bother)
The oval concepts parts were great, but if one of them breaks the only components that will work to replace it are other OC parts. I probably won't go that route again.

I have a couple of adjustable stems in a drawer, what length?

hmmmm..... I don't recall, 110 or 125. I'll need to check tonight.