Bikes with less aggressive geometry?

[txvet]

Hi all,

I just found this forum today, and it's great! So glad to know it is here.

I'm primarily into longer-distance triathlons (half iron and iron distance) and love my tri bike, a Cervelo P3SL. For the past several years, though, I get a lot of neck discomfort when riding more than 30 or 40 miles. The neck discomfort seems to trigger migraines on rides > 2 hours. I have signed up for Ironman Texas in May of 2012, and I think I'm going to ride a road bike for it rather than stick with the tri bike.

Are there any road bikes that you all know of that have less aggressive geometry than others? Any change from the aero position should be helpful, but I want to try to be as comfortable as possible. I'm looking for carbon fiber and I'm 5'2'. I would love for it to have 650 wheels so that I can swap in my 650 race wheels with a powertap, but there don't seem to be many 650 options out there right now.

Thanks for any advice!

[Owlie]

First, I suggest that you get a bike fitting if you haven't done so already. It's cheaper than a new bike. If you're dead-set on buying another bike, here's what I came up with off the top of my head. I don't know about the 650 wheels, though.
Giant Avail/Defy Advance
Cannondale Synapse
Specialized Ruby/Roubaix
Jamis Xenith Endura
I may be wrong, but I'm not sure Trek has a carbon equivalent of the Lexa.

[wnyrider]

Have you tried an adjustable stem first? It can be a great tool to bring the height of the bars up to perhaps lessen the degree of your current discomfort?

[txvet]

I have raised my bars as high as they can go, but the problem persists. I think the problem is that this bike has the bullhorn handlebar with integrated aerobars with shifters. I pretty much have to be aero to have a good spot to rest my hands.

[Veronica]

I do my tris on a Cervelo S3. It's not what I would call a relaxed geometry, but the bike is fast. :D

Veronica

[pinsonp2]

The Trek Madone WSD is available in their H3 geometry which is the same as the Lexa. My LBS used the Lexa as part of the pre-fit process to determine if the geometry was what I wanted in the Madone 5.2 I got a bit ago.

P2

[zoom-zoom]

I haven't used them, yet, but I have aerobars designed specifically for use on a road bike. Even if you switched to a road bike you could add a set of bars to give you additional positions and the ability to get aero for at least part of a race.

[txvet]

Thanks, everyone! I'll look into all of those suggestions and then head out to a few LBSs and see what feels good.

[Triskeliongirl]

I love my cervelo RS which has 650c wheels in 48cm, and a relaxed geometry (higher head tube so not too big a drop from saddle to bars). But, its not a tri bike its a road bike and I don't do tris. But if veronica does tris on an S3 its similar.

[Veronica]

The RS is more relaxed than the S3. I rented an RS while we were in HI. The RS is much more upright than the S3, not nearly as aerodynamic or as stiff. The S3 is a pure race bike. Check out what Thor Hushovd was riding when he won the World Championships. :D

I've done two HIM on it and I really like it and find it comfortable. But it is not relaxed. :p

Veronica

[Owlie]

The Trek Madone WSD is available in their H3 geometry which is the same as the Lexa. My LBS used the Lexa as part of the pre-fit process to determine if the geometry was what I wanted in the Madone 5.2 I got a bit ago.

P2

Is it? Good!

[txvet]

Has anyone ridden both the Cannondale Synapse and the Cervelo RS? Any comparisons? My LBS really talked up the Synapse but they only carry Cannondale, Trek, and Litespeed. This late in the year I'm having trouble finding 48 cm frames in both, and I live in a big city!

[Owlie]

While I have no experience with either bike (C'dale's top tubes are too long for me as far as I can tell, and we don't have a Cervelo dealer that I know of), I think most people will tell you that you really need to go with the bike that feels best to you. What works for some won't work for others. If you're finding that you could go either way, then start looking at bang-for-buck and wheels and components...

[hid558]

HI I am short 4' 11" I bought a Carbon Cannondale Sypnase my first bike. It was beautiful, but I never did feel good riding her and I sold her. My BF bought me a Cervelo R3 and it is just wonderful. Many girls here like very much the Sypnase, for me it didn't work. Just like some say please give them a try. Not everything works for everybody.