I have been thinking about this for a while and would like to see what some of think.
I have a bike with tri geometry adn 650c wheels, I haven't measured the actual seat angle, but I'm pretty sure it's around 78. I also have my aero bar pads about 4 inches lower than my seat, so it's a relatively low position.
I also have a Surly Steamroller, set up as a fixed(46 x 17) that I use mostly for commuting but also for some training. This bike I have set up with a much different position from my tri bike. I have the seat much more rearward and lower.
Here are some measurement comparisons although I don't know how relavelant they are. Tri bike: seat height-30", setback-1/4" behind BB, basebar to seat nose-21". Fixed: sh-28.5", setback-2",basebar to sn-22".
Anyway, there is a short climb(2km maybe 5-6%) that I do fairly often(If you live in the Phoenix area, it is 5th Ave from Chandler Blvd to Telegraph Pass in Awatukee). Usually on my tri bike, riding in the aero position I can ride up at about 14mph without pushing too hard, the best that I've averaged with my tri bike was 18mph with a little tailwind. But on my fixed gear I can usually do 19-20mph up this hill in similar wind conditions. In general I've noticed that I climb better on my fixed than on my tri bike.
One thing that I did notice doing on my fixed was that I put my hands on the back side of the bar near the stem and push back. I can't do this on my tri bike because there isn't room on the base-bar with the aerobars mounted.
Also, the fixed feels like it actually weighs more and I'm using velocity aerohead wheels on the tri bike and a Campy Scirocco front(around 30mm deep, 20 spokes) with a 32h box section rear on the fixed.
I would like to get your opinions/ideas on this. Do you think it is simply the lower frictional losses in the drivetrain of the fixed that is letting me climb better on shallow climbs?
thanks,
Ed
_________________________________________________
LLLEEEEEEEEEEEERRRROOOYYY JEEENNNNNKKKIIINNNNNS!!!
I have a bike with tri geometry adn 650c wheels, I haven't measured the actual seat angle, but I'm pretty sure it's around 78. I also have my aero bar pads about 4 inches lower than my seat, so it's a relatively low position.
I also have a Surly Steamroller, set up as a fixed(46 x 17) that I use mostly for commuting but also for some training. This bike I have set up with a much different position from my tri bike. I have the seat much more rearward and lower.
Here are some measurement comparisons although I don't know how relavelant they are. Tri bike: seat height-30", setback-1/4" behind BB, basebar to seat nose-21". Fixed: sh-28.5", setback-2",basebar to sn-22".
Anyway, there is a short climb(2km maybe 5-6%) that I do fairly often(If you live in the Phoenix area, it is 5th Ave from Chandler Blvd to Telegraph Pass in Awatukee). Usually on my tri bike, riding in the aero position I can ride up at about 14mph without pushing too hard, the best that I've averaged with my tri bike was 18mph with a little tailwind. But on my fixed gear I can usually do 19-20mph up this hill in similar wind conditions. In general I've noticed that I climb better on my fixed than on my tri bike.
One thing that I did notice doing on my fixed was that I put my hands on the back side of the bar near the stem and push back. I can't do this on my tri bike because there isn't room on the base-bar with the aerobars mounted.
Also, the fixed feels like it actually weighs more and I'm using velocity aerohead wheels on the tri bike and a Campy Scirocco front(around 30mm deep, 20 spokes) with a 32h box section rear on the fixed.
I would like to get your opinions/ideas on this. Do you think it is simply the lower frictional losses in the drivetrain of the fixed that is letting me climb better on shallow climbs?
thanks,
Ed
_________________________________________________
LLLEEEEEEEEEEEERRRROOOYYY JEEENNNNNKKKIIINNNNNS!!!