The new Triathlete issue (1/05) has a write up on Normann’s Kuota and also a full page picture of him on it. The review states that the top tube is shorter than the average tri bike. It seems that this shortened top tube length contributes to what looks like a less agressive tt position than others. Also, the seat height / stem height vertical distance seems smaller than others. For example, the bikes Tom D has set up, Jan Ullrich’s bike, B Andersson, etc seem to have a greater veritcal distance between seat / stem height and also seem to be more ‘stretched out’ - i.e. a longer top tube. These positions look more ‘aggressive’ to me. Obviously, Normann’s position did not negatively impact his performance, but is this the ideal position? Can you make a generalization about things like this?
One of the reasons I ask is that I have a 56 Cervelo with a 90mm stem and my setup looks a lot more like Normann’s bike than say, Tom’s P3 SL setup on his web page.
I haven;t seen this magazine yet but I will check it out and comment. Stadler’s position is interesting. When I measured his Look bike at Laguna Phuket in 2003 I felt his position was relatively comfort oriented (as opposed to being at least visually more aerodynamic in appearance such as a Bjorn type posture).
In riding with Norman Stadler I noticed he was very stationary on his bike, used a relatively low cadence and seemed to generate enormous power. He could go 28 mph into a headwind. Amazing.
Here’s Norm’s old bike:
And a link to the editorial about riding with him:
Not to be bad but hey Tom D is not a pro triathlete or cyclist nor does he design bicycles or spend his days ONLY setting up the worlds fastest triathletes.
If you look at a lot of the top Pro long distance, draft illegal and fast age group triathletes you will not find that many who have bikes, and riding positions believed to be aerodynamic, that are setup as ‘agressive’.
Again this comes back to marketing by bike companies, what is and isn’t fast and what is or isn’t true!
Yeah yeah guys I will go back to work and shut up now…