I don't quite understand how a bike shop could measure your speed, unless you own a powermeter, in which case you can do your own measurements.

It can take days, if not weeks, to adapt to a new position and have an accurate reflection of power production, not just a single session.

I would look to a fitter that can actually go out to a TT course with you, using a powermeter, and try a few positions over a period of time.

Either this, or go to a wind tunnel camp.

- gary

You've got a great point and if you're ever in Florida then check us out as we do this service all the time!

---

Lee Zohlman, Lead Coach/President
BodyZen Multi Sport Coaching
http://www.bodyzen.com

I haven't been here but they seem to offer a wide range of services:



http://www.trivantage.us/Services_Page.html

Pointless!

You just cannot make conclusions about power generation from minor position tweaks in a single session. If you change something, you need to then go ride for a few days or weeks and make a judgment over time. Even if a position change is good for you, your power might drop in the short run.

I think what Slowman did with Bjorn is a great example of how not to conduct a bike fit experiment. They learned nothing and proved nothing.

I would like to agree that it is rare that an already well positioned rider can show a repeatable power increase during a fitting session. Certainly, a new rider that is pretty far off and doesn't have good form can see a measureable improvement by getting corrected to the basics. A very good way to plot changes is to go to a velodrom and ride at a constant power or speed and plot the changes in H/R or watts, distance traveled and time. Doing power measurement in a wind tunnel is a huge waste of money and valuable aero testing time. Who isn't going to pedal harder with some huge fan feeling like it's pulling you toward it for a big snack. I think doing an Oxygen uptake test would shed some quick and meaningful information, being able to breathe better almost always makes more power.

LOL! ;-)

Reminds me of the article about Peter Reid in a recent tri mag. The put a shim under one of his shoes and -- voila! -- a magical increase of 35 watts!

So that was why Normann rode away from him.

I've gotta get me some of those shims.... :-P

"put a shim under one of his shoes and -- voila! -- a magical increase of 35 watts"

hey, don't judge, I heard his left leg is 3" shorter than his right leg - so there ...

;)

-g

Save your money. You'd be better off doing your own field testing with 20-60 minute efforts rather than riding for a couple of minutes indoors, changing something, and repeating. Shorter efforts could potentially be dominated by AWC and bias some changes based on where they fall in the protocol.