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I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong!
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Filmed this clip at the end of a 2.5 hour trainer ride today. Over the past several months I've tweaked my fit by trying different extensions, different seats, seat height, front end height, seat position, and length of extensions. I've settled on this position as it feels the most comfortable and I can hold it for a long time during easy and hard efforts. I have yest to race this season though with this bike or current position.

A few things to note, I'm on a medium Giant Trinity with 172.5 cranks, Giro selector helmet, I'm 6 feet tall, 150 pounds. I seem to always want to sit on the nose of the seat no matter how far forward or back it is. I've tried a lower seat but it just feels too uncomfortable and less powerful.

Any feedback or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance!


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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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At first blush, I think you look great. When your head is down, you back may be over-exposed. But, one can't really tell these things without tunnel time. Were you doing "Chung" test between each tweak?
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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Saddle is too high. Have you moved it back when you've lowered it? A drop in power is fine when the drop in CdA is greater.

As far as being aero, maybe. Until you validate it you'll never know (and neither will the eyeball aero experts here).
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [Grill] [ In reply to ]
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Grill wrote:
Saddle is too high.
Agreed. Saddle is a bit too high. Drop it about 1 cm. You can experiment dropping the cockpit the same.

Also, bring the saddle forward 5-10 mm as well.

All of that said, it looks very good.

Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [trentnix] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks, I will try the saddle drop again and moving the seat forward. Is there a reason you recommend moving the saddle forward as well? I feel like I will be really scrunched.
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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I'd move it back.
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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some people like/prefer a little toe pointing but you have a lot of toe pointing.... I'd drop the seat a touch
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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Mark your seat height. Then,

1: Move it up and down to see if you keep that toe tip. If you do, go back to the mark and go ride out side. If you don't, you've got some work off the bike to do. It's hard to tell from the one angle but the right hip drops a bit so the toe dip on the left side is a bit more pronounced.

2: Go ride outside and see if the position 'holds.' Trainer and Road are different beasts. I wouldn't move the seat forward.
Last edited by: PennBen: Jun 18, 17 8:13
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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I'm not a fitter, but I have suggestions anyways:

-don't listen to trentnix or Grill
-take a better video on the trainer
-take a video outside
-heed the direction of Penn Ben, which seems to be the only good advice in this thread
Last edited by: kileyay: Jun 18, 17 18:57
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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You've got what looks like some excessive toe pointing going on. So, sort of how you noted you always sit on the front of the saddle - you need to find out if you'll always toe point. Some people just do. No matter how high or low. It's not a good or bad thing. Just a thing.

Take better video in better lighting. As BennPenn or PennBenn said, mark your current height and then experiment coming up and down a bit and see what happens with them toes.

Start there. Report back.

"One Line Robert"
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [PennBen] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks again for everyone's comments so far. I was able to take some better video today from different angles and also some slow motion up close of my pedal stroke. The first set is at the original height of 70. The seatpost has mm markings, which makes moving around easy without marking. The second set is 5 lower at 65. I'm reluctant to go any lower before my first race this weekend. Additionally, I will try and test the two heights outdoors later this week. Looking at the slow motion videos, there appears to be less pointing at the lower 65 height.

70 Pedal:


70 Slow:


70 Back:


70 Front:


65 Pedal:


65 Slow:


65 Back:


65 Front:


65 Side:

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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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Bumping this up to hopefully get some more feedback. With the new videos, would love to get more feedback from some of the original posters on seat height and toe pointing while pedaling. Thanks again!
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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Not a fitter, but between the 2 they are similar enough (you obviously toe point normally) that I would go with the one that feels the best.
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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If you have a race coming up don't change your position. Or change your position, it's up to you and what you want out of the race. But, were you sized by a professional for that bike? I ask because the Triinity is a very big (for its sizing) bike. If you go to a shop and you're, for example, 5'11 you're walking out of there with a medium trinity and you probably need a small.
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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run2tri80 wrote:
Thanks, I will try the saddle drop again and moving the seat forward. Is there a reason you recommend moving the saddle forward as well? I feel like I will be really scrunched.
You look bit stretched out and it would help open your hip angle up as well. Moving you back would actually create a scenario were you are more scrunched, as least in so much that it will close your hip angle.

Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [trentnix] [ In reply to ]
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Would he benefit from shorter cranks to help with the toe pointing?
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [teichs42] [ In reply to ]
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teichs42 wrote:
Would he benefit from shorter cranks to help with the toe pointing?
Is he toe pointing because he has to, or is he toe pointing because he prefers to?

I originally remarked the saddle is a bit high because not only was he toe pointing, but his knee looks extended quite a bit as well. Lowering the saddle in a scenario like this can result in more knee bend, less toe pointing, or a bit of both. But it isn't uncommon to see toe pointing in a scenario where the saddle is a totally appropriate height.

So to your question, shorter cranks can certainly reduce the distance from the saddle to the bottom of the pedal stroke, but so can dropping the saddle. And that might result in less toe pointing.

Looking at the most recent videos, I still think the saddle is a bit high and would definitely drop another 5 mm (and drop the cockpit the same, if possible). Saddle is maxed out forward, it looks like.

Trent Nix
Owned and operated Tri Shop
F.I.S.T. Advanced Certified Fitter | Retul Master Certified Fitter (back when those were things)
Last edited by: trentnix: Jun 21, 17 8:38
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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [trentnix] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks again everyone for the comments.

Answering a few of the recent questions/comments:

The bike was purchased used. It is a Medium and I am 6 feet tall. Maybe a small would be better, but based on my limited knowledge, I still have room to get a smaller fit. But, as you said PennBen, most shops would have sold me a medium anyway so that point is moot.

The seat is as far forward as it can go on the rails, but there are three spots it screws into the seatpost. It's currently in the middle spot, so can go roughly 20 mm more forward if needed.

I'm going to test a few more heights outside today and see how it feels. Current, 5 mm lower, and 10 mm lower.

I'll also try and film my pedal stroke with the seat 10 mm lower. I do think some of the toe pointing is a preference. Although the original height may have magnified it a bit. I have extremely inflexible ankles. I run almost strictly on my forefoot regardless of pace. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. I've included a pic of my knee as far forward as it will go with my foot flat on the ground to show the inflexibility. I've been told by several chiros and sports massage professionals that increasing my ankle flexibility would be pretty unlikely and minimal at best with work.


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Re: I think this is a good aero fit...tell me if I'm wrong! [run2tri80] [ In reply to ]
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Did several trial runs outside with different seat heights today and the original height clearly felt the best. After my race this weekend I will try some more adjustments as far as front end and seeing if the seat forward more feels better.
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