Triathlon Forum
Login required to started new threads
Login required to post replies
Post deleted by Kraig Willett
Re: Critique a Pro's TT Position [Kraig Willett]
[ In reply to ]
I'll take a crack at this from a triathlon perspective. Somewhat different from a time trial perspective since we have to run afterward: The position is certainly nice and low but the reach measurement appears long to me. The entire position appears to be built around higher cadence riding in that the reach is very "open" where the arms and upper body will not exert much leverage against the pedals during low frequency (low cadence) applications of power. To me it looks as if the upper body is siolated from, not unifed with, the lower body to exert pedalling forces. Now, this may be a feature of his pedalling style- but not how I (and most of my customers) pedal. Joint angles around the torso look a bit cramped. In Dan's best FIST vernacular "I think the entire position needs to go forward". I do- crank him forward some, more over the aero bars and cranks. He is adequately low for aerodynamics, but what about power output? Not the typical repsect to "90 degree/90degree" angles we see at the bicep torso and torso femur. My .02, good, but maybe not great. Too long, too far back, maybe even TOO low.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
Re: Critique a Pro's TT Position [Tom Demerly]
[ In reply to ]
When doing normal (non tri-bar) pedaling, do you
use the arm and upper body leverage when
generating your pedal power.
use the arm and upper body leverage when
generating your pedal power.
Re: Critique a Pro's TT Position [perfection]
[ In reply to ]
Perfection wrote: When doing normal (non tri-bar) pedaling, do you
use the arm and upper body leverage when
generating your pedal power.
I would guess most people don't.
This is interesting to me, because I used to be a relatively higher rpm spinner...105-110 always "felt right". On road position or TT positions, I don't think I pulled on the handlebars for leverage unless I was sprinting or going up steep hills. Now, in TT position, and since I've decreased my rpms to 80-85, I find I am often pulling up on the end of the aero grips for more power.
Maybe this new pulling up action is partly responsible for the increased speed I get at lower rpms...or maybe it's just wasting energy needlessly. But, since my HR is lower with the lower rpm technique (even though I'm going faster), it doesn't "feel" like a waste of energy to recruit my upper body strength a little. As long as I don't overcook my quads by pushing too hard at too low an rpm for too long, I have more speed for longer times at lower heartrates, even when pulling up some on the aerobar ends.
I'm still trying to find that optimum rpm level that will allow maximal sustained HR combined with maximal sustained local neuromuscular power...as it is now, if my HR gets too high, I decrease rpms by going to a bigger gear and sometimes gain a little speed when I do this (that's showing up an inefficiency in my pedal stroke that occurs or worsens at higher rpms). If my legs get tired but my HR is still relatively low, I increase rpms by going to a smaller gear...but I usually lose speed...because my legs are simply too tired and have to decrease power at this point.
As my HR increases, so does my Cardiac Output (since CO equals stroke volume multiplied by heart rate, and I'm not doing anything to decrease stroke volume by increasing my rpms, increased HR would result in increase CO). Maybe this increased CO helps to flush out the lactic acid faster...or maybe the increased rpm's helps to flush out the lactic acid faster. I don't know. But, I do know that higher rpm work seems to refresh my legs faster than just decreasing my effort at low rpms. So, something good happens at the higher rpm levels even if I am slower at higher rpms.
Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)
use the arm and upper body leverage when
generating your pedal power.
I would guess most people don't.
This is interesting to me, because I used to be a relatively higher rpm spinner...105-110 always "felt right". On road position or TT positions, I don't think I pulled on the handlebars for leverage unless I was sprinting or going up steep hills. Now, in TT position, and since I've decreased my rpms to 80-85, I find I am often pulling up on the end of the aero grips for more power.
Maybe this new pulling up action is partly responsible for the increased speed I get at lower rpms...or maybe it's just wasting energy needlessly. But, since my HR is lower with the lower rpm technique (even though I'm going faster), it doesn't "feel" like a waste of energy to recruit my upper body strength a little. As long as I don't overcook my quads by pushing too hard at too low an rpm for too long, I have more speed for longer times at lower heartrates, even when pulling up some on the aerobar ends.
I'm still trying to find that optimum rpm level that will allow maximal sustained HR combined with maximal sustained local neuromuscular power...as it is now, if my HR gets too high, I decrease rpms by going to a bigger gear and sometimes gain a little speed when I do this (that's showing up an inefficiency in my pedal stroke that occurs or worsens at higher rpms). If my legs get tired but my HR is still relatively low, I increase rpms by going to a smaller gear...but I usually lose speed...because my legs are simply too tired and have to decrease power at this point.
As my HR increases, so does my Cardiac Output (since CO equals stroke volume multiplied by heart rate, and I'm not doing anything to decrease stroke volume by increasing my rpms, increased HR would result in increase CO). Maybe this increased CO helps to flush out the lactic acid faster...or maybe the increased rpm's helps to flush out the lactic acid faster. I don't know. But, I do know that higher rpm work seems to refresh my legs faster than just decreasing my effort at low rpms. So, something good happens at the higher rpm levels even if I am slower at higher rpms.
Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)
Post deleted by The Committee
[ In reply to ]
Oh, I should set the record straight for any misconceptions: I was a shitty road racer but am an excellent triathlon MOP'er. I am so MOP I culd be considered "elite" MOP if there were such a thing. So, yeah, I was looking at it from the perspective of a customer coming the door with that position and saying "I want to try a triathlon, but I think I need help with position- I copied it out of a magazine..."
That was where I was coming from. And you are right, I did totally forget about the UCI ruling (although I do recall it is realatively easy to get a morphological dispensation from it). No excuse, but I posted that really late at night so I was tired. Probably a good thing I don't fit customers at 1:00 a.m.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com
That was where I was coming from. And you are right, I did totally forget about the UCI ruling (although I do recall it is realatively easy to get a morphological dispensation from it). No excuse, but I posted that really late at night so I was tired. Probably a good thing I don't fit customers at 1:00 a.m.
Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com