Reminded me of the aerobars Walser developed in the mid - late 90's when Ullrich was riding one of their bikes in TT's.

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David T-D
http://www.tilburydavis.com

What is the word on bike power/overall improvement for Lange from last year Kona. Its one thing I've not really factored in how the race plays out. Can he keep the gap to the sanders wurf kienle train similar to last year? I was thinking probably not originally given pretty easy wind conditions on bike last year (mind you this year is looking very calm based on current weather patterns stuck in and around the big Island with light winds), but perhaps some gains have been made on his set up and bike fitness. Views?

Well, he already is, so no pressure indeed.

Except that Jan was riding them pointing down big time if I recall.

Those were sweet bikes. Couple of pro triathletes ride then as well. I want to say Lothar Leder and Timo Bracht?

nice bars I would say they look more like the xentis bars farris used to ride than the walser. bars but anyway they seem to fit fantastically well
i'd like to know the reason why his trisuit fits the way it does .

Oh, I thought you were saying he is on the Incremental gains plan that Sky is on. Then I open this thread and its about aerobars.

Interesting that they did all that engineering and testing w/o the garmin in place??

Haha! True...wrinkles negate the cool extensions......

Are these the same bars?

you could start tribar investigation.com

Do not appear to be so. This had foam the length and the profile was a lot different in the video of the tunnel.

Yes, that was an intentional homage to Sky’s use of 3D tech to optimize a TT cockpit.

Also found it intriguing in the sense that it says something about Patrick’s support system and related approach to improvement. Professional is a word that comes to mind. I find that inspirational.

There is more here than just aerobars.

Scott

Found a few better angles in static images here. Very Team Sky.

https://triathlonworld.com/...-cockpit-fuer-kona-7

Or its just a Marketing stunt for the companies involved. While for Patrick it might be the most stupid thing he could do.

Why?
In any case it is a slight change in aero position during the late pre-Kona season. And we do know athletes who suffered heavily due to such late changes in the past. Prime example being Michael Raelert after the BMC change in 2012, where he dropped out of IM Frankfurt prior to the race.

So basically an additional risk for Patricks race performance.

What is the gain of such a change?
Let us assume Patrick saves 4 Watt due to this change. In sheer numbers that would save him about 5-6 minutes on the bike. Truth be told it will be a pack ride for Patrick, most likely for the whole bike part. Therefore the aero advantage might not even drop in at all. Instead it may ease the bike impact for his run. Meaning he *may* feel more fit on the run by maybe 1%. Yet it doesnt mean he is running faster, only that he may get up to race speed faster on the run and have it easier to keep race speed.
Yet Patrick already prooved he can do that in 2016 and 2017 - delivering a stellar run after the bike part.

Questions: Did Patrick take a risk? Was it really worth a risk taking late in the season - pre-Kona?

4 watts is around 85 seconds over 180km... it would take a 20 watt savings to see 5-6min over 180km

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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.”

Taking Patricks weight into account at something like 62-63 kg the impact of 4 Watt is much higher than 85 seconds. (plain numbers, which do not 100% relay to race perfromance)

I think you are misinformed as to how this all works....

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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.”

I think I simplified it to make a point obvious. It leads to nothing to include increasing drag at higher speed as well as crosswinds since we lack the numbers here. To make it obvious I believe taking 3.8 - 4.1 W/kg plausible and plain neglect increasing drag and any other factor we dont have numbers for. As well as a potential strategy of just staying at the planned race speed and maintaining it with less effort during the race due to such a change.

Apart from that it imho doesnt matter here simply since 85 seconds is an even less potential gain for Patrick from this optimization late in the season.

PS - Edit: Am not an aero expert and you for sure know more about it than me.

You are suggesting that the Ironman world champion and a team of expert engineers spent the day in a wind tunnel - and Patrick Langer came out less areo and slower as a result?

Cool story bro............

I think you have to give credit where its due - and these people are not going through that process to make Patrick slower. Sure its mainly about marketing, but come on. I think Patrick knows whats good for his Kona finishing time and whats not.

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He who understands the WHY, will understand the HOW.

Errr nope. Please read again. I point out that its a risk. Example Michael Raelert in 2012 who did the same and dropped out before IM Frankfurt apparently due to the optimization late in the season.

Like I said, please read again.

even if there was a tiny bit of change in position imvolved the pads were made custom for him and its very unlikely to be less comforable and i think the hand positon is no more to his liking
while late changes have always a bit of a risk this is very likely a change for the better from the first ride onwards. and if it saves just a tiny amount of energy this could be the difference of 1 place up in ohter words with a similar good fitting and a bit faster aero extension the 2nd place guy could have won hawaii last year .... there cerainly a potential that this will save a few watts.
of course you could arguee would it have been better to sleep than spending time in the tunnel and testing but if you have a team around i guess not if you do most of the stuff yourself than the answer would be sleep more ...
at the same time yes no harm to make the change earlier but of course there is alsoa bit of messing with the minds of other athletes . and we saw one athlete spending loads of time in front of jans bike at oceanside so it could work again ...
I have to say it looks class ( a good bit better than my home bent extensions with the help of a plumber lol )
with all the commitments that come from winning hawaii it can really not hurt to save a few watts from gear after missing training over the winter.

i sti

Am 100% with you on the potential benefits. Yet how tiny or big is the risk really?

Michael Raelert 2012 is an extreme example. And its a given that extensive torso training may or should compensate a (slightly?!?) different aero position. We shall see. Its just I recommend my athletes to postpone such changes that late in the season.

Well if you take the time to read the blog, Patrick has had the front end available to him since 24th August, and the wind tunnel testing was done 16 weeks prior to that.

If one of my athletes asked me if they should take up on an opportunity like this my only question would be if I could go see the testing with them.

https://www.swissside.com/...1-betherecordbreaker

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He who understands the WHY, will understand the HOW.