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My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe
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I've had a few sessions with my local bike fitter. He specializes in bike fitting (not sales), although I think he fits far more road bikes than tri bikes. Awhile ago I was experiencing neck/shoulder pain while in aero. I overcame this by putting more of my weight on my aerobar pads, and releasing all the tension in my hands. In this position, my hands are very relaxed and usually on top of each other, resting over the ends of my aero bars, and generally not doing much. In this position, my elbows (and weight) are squarely on the pads. My fitter says this position is unsafe and compromises my ability to make quick turns. He suggests moving my elbows off the back of the pads and gripping the ends of the aero bars with my hands. I suppose he has a point about control (although I've ridden countless hours without an issue), but if I do what he suggests it seems likely my neck pains will return. Is my fitter crazy or am I?
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Celerius] [ In reply to ]
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Get longer extensions so elbows are on the pad?
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Celerius] [ In reply to ]
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Pics or video
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Celerius] [ In reply to ]
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I say your fitter doesn't know too much about riding in the aerobars.

What's your CdA?
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [G. Belson] [ In reply to ]
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x2. I'm pretty sure that your hands are supposed to be pretty relaxed when riding in aero... There are no "quick turns" to be had when you're down...

Is your fitter in your AG?

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
Last edited by: cloy: Jan 6, 20 15:43
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Celerius] [ In reply to ]
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I've been riding with my elbows on the aerobar pads and relaxed hands as you describe since 2003.

At this point in this video you can see how I hold my fingers under the aerobar tips and then hold on when I have to

https://www.youtube.com/...pwwMZnVrk&t=623s
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [jaretj] [ In reply to ]
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I've been riding with my elbows on the pads and relaxed hands since 1986.
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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cloy wrote:
x2. I'm pretty sure that your hands are supposed to be pretty relaxed when riding in aero... There are no "quick turns" to be had when you're down...

Is your fitter in your AG?

+1


Wiggins setting the hour record.


Andy Potts at Kona (2019)


Rinny (Kona '19)



To be fair to your fitter, this isn't ideal for control of the bike (it could also be argued that aerobars in general sacrifice control vs. being on the basebar with a wider grip and access to the brakes). Being in aero isn't really designed for things like pack riding or high traffic situations....stick to the "hoods" for that.

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Celerius] [ In reply to ]
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Your fitter has no idea the most important part of a fit is comfort... You can only make quick turn with your hands on your base bar and be going slow enough.

Can you have your fitter send Kienle that memo?

https://www.slowtwitch.com/..._male_Pros_6639.html
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Shambolic] [ In reply to ]
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I agree with the others about relaxed hands.

But could your fitter be referring to not having a finger or two loop around the bar even in a relaxed manner? You could hit a bump, elbows come up and off the pads, and don't land where they should if you don't keep your arms in the right position if you hit a bit enough bump.

The inability to make rapid turns comment from your fitter is really ah...ahem...have you ridden tri before kind of question! :)
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Celerius] [ In reply to ]
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Your fitter is making a perfectly valid point about being in full control of your bike.

I would avoid some of the previous comparisons with pictures of riders in a velodrome (seriously!!!) and pros in general. They have nothing to do with your joe average rider (no offence meant)

We have to deal with traffic poor road conditions and bare in mind the most dangerous thing, other triathletes.

There's no question that resting your hands above your aero bars will reduce your control and increase your reaction time.

A very light grip on the bars maybe with the bare min a couple of fingers hooked round is probably best.

Bit of practice on the Turbo might help.

As for the elbows, they should deffo be on the pads and not hanging off like he says.
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Celerius] [ In reply to ]
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Your fitter thinks triathletes are douche bags.
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [mdtrihard] [ In reply to ]
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mdtrihard wrote:
Your fitter thinks triathletes are douche bags.

Don’t we all?

Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Celerius] [ In reply to ]
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Celerius wrote:
I've had a few sessions with my local bike fitter. He specializes in bike fitting (not sales), although I think he fits far more road bikes than tri bikes. Awhile ago I was experiencing neck/shoulder pain while in aero. I overcame this by putting more of my weight on my aerobar pads, and releasing all the tension in my hands. In this position, my hands are very relaxed and usually on top of each other, resting over the ends of my aero bars, and generally not doing much. In this position, my elbows (and weight) are squarely on the pads. My fitter says this position is unsafe and compromises my ability to make quick turns. He suggests moving my elbows off the back of the pads and gripping the ends of the aero bars with my hands. I suppose he has a point about control (although I've ridden countless hours without an issue), but if I do what he suggests it seems likely my neck pains will return. Is my fitter crazy or am I?

you are doing it correctly, your fitter is wrong.

The thing I counsel my clients on re: safety is riding outdoors... you're in a new position after seeing me and your orientation to down is different and your field of view is different. Always ride with high-lumen white blinky lights up front day or night.

Eric

Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Darren325] [ In reply to ]
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Darren325 wrote:
I agree with the others about relaxed hands.

But could your fitter be referring to not having a finger or two loop around the bar even in a relaxed manner? You could hit a bump, elbows come up and off the pads, and don't land where they should if you don't keep your arms in the right position if you hit a bit enough bump.

this is prevented by ski bend extensions

Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [G. Belson] [ In reply to ]
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x 3


G. Belson wrote:
I say your fitter doesn't know too much about riding in the aerobars.
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Celerius] [ In reply to ]
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Do you need to make quick turns in aero?


Celerius wrote:
My fitter says this position is unsafe and compromises my ability to make quick turns.
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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [Celerius] [ In reply to ]
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Whatever you are doing is probably better than this guy...

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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [bloodyshogun] [ In reply to ]
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bloodyshogun wrote:
Do you need to make quick turns in aero?


Celerius wrote:
My fitter says this position is unsafe and compromises my ability to make quick turns.
When you need to make quick turns you come out of aero, like this guy. He's very safe according to most fitters.

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Re: My Fitter Thinks I'm Unsafe [T-wrecks] [ In reply to ]
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Very smart. he's got the thick part of the helmet protecting that precious forehead!
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