n+1

[andygates]

I'm refitting my race bike for good long-haul aero work, as part of the middle-distance triathlon race prep.  The nice (and experienced) folks at TriTalk are insulting my decor while throwing suggestions.

Problem is, the bike (a Lemond Etape + one year's modifications) is mutating into some sort of ghastly Thing - the seatpin is now flipped and the saddle way forward, the stem's about to change... in other words, it's coming close to time-trial spec.  Which is great - it'll get a nice solid box and engage my posterior chain and all - but... well, it's plug ugly like this and twitchy too; it's only for TT/tri stuff and not going to be much fun for the rest.  There is only one solution:

I need a dedicated TT bike.  As well.

*facepalm*

It is at times like these that I really, really need to stay away from Planet X.

In reality, fret not, this fettle is easily reversed: flip seatpost, change stem, etc.  My other bikes are dual-mode: Dave the MTB goes from urban-uber-utility-bike to tractorlicious mud plugger; Nero the fixie has a track outfit that he wears for days out to the velodrome and even an offroad suit for those rare fixie + fire trails days; when it arrives the van-bike folder will wear a fraudax hat and I'm sure that once I get the hang of it the pennyfarthing will discover schizophrenic identities too -- it has to be this way when you ain't minted but you are technical.  But man, that Planet X Stealth sure is purdy.

Comments

[skean.livejournal.com]

The day you become a Carbon Bling boy I'm leaving you

[andygates.livejournal.com]

Even if I let you touch it? ;)

I feel dangerously close to "all the gear, no idea" already. Srsly. Tweaks and actual training time are what I need, and all I can afford (wah!).

But don't worry, Meatloaf will be in roadie fettle for Tignes. I don't see much merit in a TT setup in the mountains!

[ravenbait.livejournal.com]

You'll also limit your breathing, give yourself neck cramps, put pressure on your spinal column in places you really don't want to put pressure, and strain your lower lumbar and sacro-iliac region.

Do you see the riders on the Tour on TT bikes? No. Is the middle section of your Half Iron a TT?

Actually it's not. Not really. It's too long. You won't catch me on a TT bike. I can put more power down in a road set-up by entraining my glutes properly (including my medial glutes -- much harder when all crunched up on a TT bike); climbing is easier, I can breathe more freely, and frankly tri isn't important enough to me for me to abuse my body like that.

[andygates.livejournal.com]

All of those woes are to be watched out for. If I just think it's arse then I'll go right back to comfort, fret not. Because I know that I need to be in pretty much feather-pillows-and-lava-lamps comfort for a fun half-marathon.

That or, y'know, EPO. ;)