Tennessee

I have been doing road races (cycling) for a little while now and plan on jumping to Cat 4 next season. I enjoy doing TT's very much but currently am doing them on my regular road bike. This Fall / Winter I plan on buying a TT bike and need some advice. If the geometry on my road bike is 53cm seat tube, 54cm top tube, and 73.5' seat tube angle. I would consider myself to be pretty flexible (I have no problem standing flat footed and bending down and putting my hands palm down on the ground). I mention this because I wouldn't mind getting a bike with an aggressive riding position.

My questions are:
1. Will I need a TT bike with a similar seat tube / top tube length as my road bike? If not, how do I determine that? It seems top tube would be the important measurement but I don't know. (My lbs is excellent at doing fittings. They just don't have much of a selection of TT bikes and I probably will have to go elsewhere to buy a TT bike. I hate to go there and get fit for a TT bike just to go elsewhere to make the purchase. The other shops around are questionable at doing fittings and I just don't trust them to get me fitted to a TT bike.)
2. How much should I spend to get a good TT bike? I don't mind spending some money on a bike that will allow me to use it for a while. I don't want to get a bike and then end up wanting to upgrade after one season. I would rather spend a few extra bucks and get one that will be with me for a while.
3. Any recommendations?

Thanks for any help you can send my way. I realize it is hard to evaluate my fit from reading this post. Mostly I am looking for some basic info. so I know what to look for when beginning my search for a TT bike. I can't wait to get started.

audiojan

Top tube should in general be slightly shorter as your reach will change with aerobars compared to drops. If you compare TT bikes with Tri bikes, the seat angle is usually steeper on the Tri's, but since you are going to do only TT's, look at TT bikes, such as Trek, etc.

The most important money you can spend when getting a TT bike is on a good fitting. You will be much faster when comfortable.

In terms of how much you should spend on the bike? It depends on what you are looking for... Buy a decent frame, good rear derailleur and barend shifter, get the best integrated aerobars you can afford, and spend a bit on race wheels. Keep in mind that you won't have to break that much, so don't spend a fortune on breaks (of course you need them to work, but think Ultegra vs. Dura-Ace). If you can spring for the extra cash, get a Renn Disc and a decent aero front wheel.

skydive69

You might want to consider a Guru. An incredible bike company from Canada. Unlike other companies, a Guru dealer submits an extensive number of measurements to Guru, and they decide what bike fits you best. If you do not fit a stock size, they will build a custom for only $100 more than stock. See attached photo of my Guru custom. First time out, "Jezebel" and I broke the state record for the 5K TT! The bike fits like a glove, and was professionally fitted by Florida Bicycle Sports in St. Pete, FL - they specialize in bike fittings for competitors.

I don't have the review handy, but one Guru dealer up North who is internationally known in triathlete competitive circles competes on a Chron 'alu, which is by far not the most expensive model. I love mine!

Tennessee

Thanks for the replies. I actually checked into Guru since I've seen you post that you have enjoyed yours so much. I went to the dealer locator on their website and there isn't one anywhere near me. None in Tennessee at all. I don't know. I guess I'll keep looking.

I know the main thing is fit. The problem I have is, I don't trust many of the shops around here to fit me correctly. I have had problems in the past. The one shop I do trust to fit me doesn't have any TT bikes at all. They do carry Kuota which is a very high end Tri / TT bike. I just don't want to dump that kind of money into it at this point. I know fit is the most important factor for enjoyment long term and I want it to fit like a glove.

skydive69

You might want to consider a trip to St. Petersburg. It is amazing the number of people who fly into town to thave Florida Bicycle Sports( https://www.floridabicyclesports.com/ ) do an expert fitting. They specialize in tri stuff. Check out the stuff on their website regarding fitting of a bike.