I tested the Giro Aerohead with and without visor (it was faster with the visor). I have to wear prescription glasses, so the visor really is a PITA for me. Anyhow, the Spec helmet was much much faster for me. We had to re-test it because she was worried about the results being so much different just for a helmet. That Spec helmet is really small though, don't think it's a MIPS helmet (not 100% sure on this), it may just have a lot less surface area than the Giro.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

I'm all about drive-by assholeness but that was a bit over the top and totally unprovoked.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

Is that the Dash Gretchen Clincher disc, that was announced and sort of disappeared from their website? Doesn't look like they still do wheels.

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ZONE3 - We Last Longer

Yes, I don't think they make it anymore. Or right now, anyway.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

does dimond make a bike smaller than the XS? it seems like - looking at the IMLP pic - you are being mildly restricted by wheel size.

Restricted how? I have 1 or maybe even 1.5cm of spacers on my pad height and am in the middle on the pad fore/aft location, so am not constrained from getting shorter or lower. But no, nothing smaller than XS from Dimond, it would have to be 650c if they did. Not sure the demand would be there for such a product.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

just seems as though if you rolled around your BB a little bit you could get your head from up out of the wind. so, longer and lower. i understand your ERO session did not suggest that doing that was a good idea, but doing something to get that head out of the wind would be paramount in getting more efficient. it also looks like you don't roll your hips a whole lot, which is - when you're going hard or long - putting a lot of tension in your lower back. going longer could help you roll.

Could have safely went for a Zoolander “What is this? A chainring for ants?!”

I run a 50t big ring, which I can spin up to 40mph. Some people ride high cadence, so the smaller ring makes sense.

I feel like I remember reading Kevin Metcalfe used a 50t as well, and I don’t think people really question his bike speed.

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Alex Arman

Strava

This course is 2 miles short, but I did 2:13:50 in Boulder 70.3 last year on only 216W NP at 158 pounds. 24.2 mph - add the 2 extra miles at the same speed and its a 2:18. (highlight the graph to get the actual time because the clock was running since after I left setting up the bike).

http://tpks.ws/...UYWV457XMHGYBUNN57EM

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Ed O'Malley
www.VeloVetta.com
Founder of VeloVetta Cycling Shoes
Instagram • Facebook

Thank you for your thoughts. So you think going longer could not only help my head position, but possibly also help my back situation? The latter definitely grabs my attention. I am not maxed out on the length, though perhaps I only have 1cm to add on the TriRig bar. More would require a different bar. I can experiment with going lower as well and see how that affects my back in practice, can't hurt I guess. I'm sure it would help with the head. One thing about that ERO session was that it was my first time on the track. She kept chastizing me for my head position, but since I hadn't been an active racer in years and wasn't too comfortable on the track, I just couldn't put my head down. This is partly why I'm skeptical about the conclusion from the testing that lower is not better for me. OTOH, if going lower were to worsen my back issue it's a non-starter regardless of how much faster it makes me. Anyhow, thanks again for your thoughts, very appreciated.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

dan managed to say in one line, what took you 2 posts lol its showes what struggle smaller riders have. on the upsite jordan would have had to worry little about a slipping seatpost in this setup ( pink)

btw thats an impressive looking bike !!!!!

Hopefully someday we can build a community where no one will ever excuse assholes simply because they were born with genetic gifts (or because they've convinced themselves that they work 'harder' than someone else). We can probably start by ostracizing people like this as soon as they reveal what they are, and by constantly reminding them that if they want to participate in our community, they'll have to behave in a civilized way.

The Zwift/Specialized team had the same mentality. :x

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Alex Arman

Strava

Probably still bitter about not making the zwift tri academy

I would agree in a general sense that this fit is not "done". You do seem to go very fast for your power, so tread lightly.

But yeah, the head. I think you need to roll at the hips more, perhaps extend the front, and maybe play around with going a little wider at the elbows to give the head some space to actually drop down into. And playing around with your crank length would probably help to make all of that possible. Crank length can really tie the room together. 170mm at your height is verging on "massively over cranked". One of the bodies responses to cranks too long can be posterior pelvic tilt, exactly as you display.

That is one of the best looking Dimonds I have seen!!

yes that

Great, but that really doesn't tell us much of anything. All good if you are satisfied with your current performance but I think the point here is that you may be underperforming, meaning, you could be doing better given the power you say you're putting down. The general sentiment here so far seems to be that low 2:20s is not "ridiculously fast for such low wattage", which suggests that your times are actually comapritively slow for your wattage. Great that Dan has given your fit his blessing but that doesn't necessarily equate to aero optimization. You could have a good fit from a mechanical/physiological efficiency perspective but still have a lousy CdA. Of course there needs to be a balance but maybe you have some "free speed" still to capture in your position or gear.

You're the one who started the discussion but you seem surprised that nobody agrees with your take, yet also seem unwilling to consider that you might need to be doing some reflecting on your own position/gear.

Maybe the OP thinks the guy had to be drafting to go that fast for that many watts

He posted thinking people would agree but what happened is the thread turned on him

Nah-You are just too short...

In my own N=1 experimentation, that has exactly been the case. Aerobars literally can't go any further forwards, a touch of upwards tilt to the bars, shorter cranks (I ride 170, but my bike's an XL...) and a change of saddle all resulted in my head dropping "into" the shoulders naturally and my pelvis rotating to give a nice, flat profile from helmet to ass. But the real killer? All of that aero improvement came with a remarkable improvement in ride comfort and run performance off the bike - I no longer "strain" into the aerobars, but rather "hang" myself between bars and saddle much like a hammock.

Thanks Re: the Dash disc. Shame they're not being marketed these days.

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ZONE3 - We Last Longer

Just as a follow-up to this thread, you all motivated me to get a new bike fit. I went to Dean Philips at Fitwerx (he posts on this forum). I've only ridden the new position on the trainer so far (I do most of my training on the trainer), but early signs are that it has been a good change for my back. I definitely notice that my head is naturally sitting lower because I can't see my TV anymore, it's too high! Anyway, overall changes were slight . . . moved saddle a fraction forward and a fraction down, reduced crank length to 165 (I'm guessing people here will say I should have gone even shorter), lowered pads 1cm, and increased tilt a few degrees. I don't remember if we left the pads in the same position or moved them back/forward. Here's a pic of before/after.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

What trainer are you riding your Dimond on?

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Let food be thy medicine...

Not a direct answer to your question per se but Dimond now makes an apparatus that allows trainer use. It mimics seat stays.

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Favorite Gear: Dimond | Cadex | Desoto Sport | Hoka One One

I have a trainer bike that I put the same bars and saddle on and just replicated my position more or less exactly. That bike is on a Tacx Neo. I have an InsideRide I can use for the Dimond, but I like having a dedicated trainer bike. I do so much heat training that everything up front just gets corroded and gross. Also note, Dimond has an 'adapter', for lack of a better word, basically some metal bars that run from the rear drop out to the seat post and allow you to ride the Dimond on a regular trainer. I don't have one of those, and I'm also not sure whether it is just for clamp style trainers or works with direct drive trainers. I'm sure the Dimond people could help you out with any questions.

I didn't want to bump this thread again, but since it's getting bumped anyway, here's a race day before and after. Head position looks much better. I will say I did have some back tightness at Ironman Chattanooga off the bike last week, which was disappointing, but it wasn't overwhelming to the point I had to walk or slow to a jog, which has happened in the past.

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Dimond Bikes Superfan

Thanks for the info. How did Choo go for you? I raced there also.

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Let food be thy medicine...