Thomas Gerlach wrote:
No disrespect, but this is one of those things, unless you have done Ironman you can't have the proper perspective. You get the prospective by passing age groupers on the second loop of their first. You get it by going out in the middle of course and hiding in the bushes watching people when there is no crowd to lift their spirits. It is a tough sport.
None taken, Thomas. I don't know if I've "done Ironman", but I know I did an Ironman. I'll grant you there might be a difference between the two. I was also a follow coach for RAAM for 11 straight days. And I've ridden some longer distances than IM.
Oh, and I have watched a few IMs live, though I never hid in the bushes. :-) I'm pretty sure I know how people look when they finish.
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Are u suggesting there are fitters out there who can predict with perfect aerodynamic degradation how the body is going to change as their body fatigues. It isn't a question of the perfect comfortable position. Everyone experiences some level of fatigue and their position will incur changes. Some will lose so much water in their tissues that the aero kit that was tight is now flapping around.
No, I'm suggesting there are good fitters out there who ask their athletes about what happened during their races, and adapt the fit accordingly. The dialogue between good athletes and good positioning coaches is very complete, I'm sure. I know Jim Manton goes out to Kona and, yes, I can certainly imagine him hiding in some bushes to see the result of the fitting he does to make sure he's understood whatever he can.
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Again I love the idea of ERO and the wind tunnel but it is about balance. For many it makes sense but for many it does not at the current moment . Maybe I myself don't have the necessary perspective to fully understand ERO - to that I say have someone bring me out and change my mind.
Balance is almost never "all of one thing, and none of the other". Between training and aero testing, who knows, your ratio should probably be 1000:1. But just don't make one of the components completely zero.
I'll just end with this: aero testing is about understanding the compromises . After understanding them, you can decide however you want. But at least it won't be decided by not knowing what the compromises are.
AndyF
bike geek