rruff wrote:
Impressive that Cancellara manages to get so stretched out with that arm/shoulder position. That would wear me out. On the other hand, even with angled-up arms Martin doesn't seem to stretch out at all, or does he always have a more rounded back?
What do you mean by "stretch out"? Both of these guys are tall enough that they are probably at the UCI limit for reach. Martin has always had a rounded back (last few years anyway) but he gets his shoulders very narrow.
Something works for him, obviously. But at a glance Martin looks upright and crowded on that bike.
I like angled up extensions, and partly because it makes it easier to hold the position and scoot my ass back and stretch out on the bike. While to me this seems the direct result of angling my arms up, neither Cancellara's nor Martin's photo would seem to support that idea -- Cancellara doesn't seem to tire with his forearms flat and elbow and shoulders at 90*, and Martin doesn't look like he's using much of his saddle. You're right, though -- a quick search for TT photos shows that Martin usually rides with a more rounded back, even when he rode with flat extensions/forearms.
Still, in general doesn't angling the extensions up allow more reach? And isn't a flat, more stretched out torso more aero? I'm only guessing here (no wind tunnel for me), but I thought that was the consensus.
