This is my normal head, body and arm position (photo a bit tilted):
This is with the hands pulled back a bit (as if I had S-bends):
This is with the other leg straight:
Note that my right leg is a bit shorter than my left leg, so it appears that my right leg is straighter than my left leg when extended. Not sure if it’s better to have one leg straighter or the other leg more bent.
14cm drop from top of saddle (where I sit on the saddle, not the highest point) to middle of arm pads; 38mm spacers under the stem; point of saddle ~3cm in front of BB. My knees occasionally touch my elbows when pedaling, if I have my elbows pulled toward the centerline.
Feedback appreciated, as always. Note that it would have been impossible to keep all the leaves out of the photograph, as they are currently falling faster than I can get rid of them.
Not knowing what your goals are, I think your position looks pretty good. Are you flexible and from a cycling background? If so you might try to shorten your stem and bring your seat back for more power. If you aren't flexible (unable to bring the knee into the chest) then I would keep what you have and work on conditioning OR go to the wind tunnel for fine-tunning. From the looks of these pictures you are (in my humble opinion) ok for triathlon.
What does your tune say? Where did you get that cover?
If so you might try to shorten your stem and bring your seat back for more power.
Agreed - stem seems 1-2 cm too long resulting in pads on aerobars being to far forward. Also, the geometric pattern on that disc wheel is in oppositon to the siding on divider between the garage doors.
On the other hand, now that I give it more thought, are you on a 61cm? If so are you using the seat in the steepest position to shorten the top tube? That’s what I do by choice because it is better for me! I usually have one of (if not the) fastest bike/run splits. Many have suggested a smaller frame but I have found that I was meant to ride in a very steep position and it helps me run better and get more power. I come from a running background.
I note also that you are sitting on the nose of your saddle. If you say your elbows touch your knees sometimes this would indicate that your are sometimes very far forward on your saddle.
Question to ponder: Is your bike too big? My thought is no it is ok for triathlon if you plan to run after and you feel comfortable but I bet many would say it is.
My advice is to get a new cycling jersey since that one you are wearing is so 1995. I thought I might have had the only ones still in existence.
Ha! I have at least one that was never worn (team stock, never sold). My long sleeve’s elastic has finally given up the ghost, but my two short sleeve jerseys are in excellent shape.
If so you might try to shorten your stem and bring your seat back for more power.
Agreed - stem seems 1-2 cm too long resulting in pads on aerobars being to far forward. Also, the geometric pattern on that disc wheel is in oppositon to the siding on divider between the garage doors.
Yes, I’ve just been too lazy to try to find a decent, inexpensive non-black stem that’s a bit shorter. I’ve already got the aero extensions brought back quite a bit.
Good thing the outside wall of my house doesn’t come with me on rides…
On the other hand, now that I give it more thought, are you on a 61cm? If so are you using the seat in the steepest position to shorten the top tube? That’s what I do by choice because it is better for me! I usually have one of (if not the) fastest bike/run splits. Many have suggested a smaller frame but I have found that I was meant to ride in a very steep position and it helps me run better and get more power. I come from a running background.
I note also that you are sitting on the nose of your saddle. If you say your elbows touch your knees sometimes this would indicate that your are sometimes very far forward on your saddle.
Question to ponder: Is your bike too big? My thought is no it is ok for triathlon if you plan to run after and you feel comfortable but I bet many would say it is.
It’s a 58; I’m 6’. Without looking it up, I’d think a 61 would be way too long for me. A smaller frame would put the top tube even lower, which means more spacers. I’d never live it down.
I measured your knee angle at 152 deg which is ball park. Last season I went down under 150 deg and picked up a little more power.
My left leg is slightly shorter than my right so I set the angle with my right leg. I’m at 146 deg now. Some people may develop knee problems when you get under 150 so if you decide to do it, do it slowly.
I measured your hip angle at 95 degrees, your shoulder angle at 90 degrees and you forarm angle at 105 degrees.
I find that when my hands are lower than my elbows that I slide forward on the pads a little. If you have that problem you could tilt the bars up a little or drop the pads and raise the stem slightly
is that an extra top tube or just a weapon?
Zefal HpX frame pump size 4, fits perfectly, fills over 120psi (used it on Sunday on the road). No environmentally unfriendly CO2 for me (although it is possible I exhale more CO2 while pumping than is contained in a canister)!
The position looks pretty good to me. One thing I can’t figure, though–even on most euro-pro bikes…why not trim the aero bar extrention down so the shifters are in your hands at all times. Every time you shift in this postion, your shoulders/upper body will be squirmin’ around, losing time.
Also, r.e. the leg length imbalance, I’ve dealt with this by running the cleat further forward on the longer leg. While the Valverde thread going on here suggests that there’s a difference in power output depending on where you put your cleats, I’m done enough 20 minute max tests to be convinced that unless you put the cleat on your toes or your heel, there’s zero difference.
The position looks pretty good to me. One thing I can’t figure, though–even on most euro-pro bikes…why not trim the aero bar extrention down so the shifters are in your hands at all times. Every time you shift in this postion, your shoulders/upper body will be squirmin’ around, losing time.
Also, r.e. the leg length imbalance, I’ve dealt with this by running the cleat further forward on the longer leg. While the Valverde thread going on here suggests that there’s a difference in power output depending on where you put your cleats, I’m done enough 20 minute max tests to be convinced that unless you put the cleat on your toes or your heel, there’s zero difference.
Shifting? We don’t need to do no steenkin’ shifting! I do squats, man, I don’t “shift”.
Seriously, it’s mainly a fear of irreversibility. I cut off a bunch of the ends, and off the ends that attach to the base bar already. With a shorter stem, that should bring the shifters back to my thumbs.
I may try the cleat forward on my left leg, thanks! What would I do with my saddle height as a result?
Looks like you are ready to pass Bjorn and Torbjorn in the race to t2. Like the aformentioned, you appear to have enough cosmetic bulk in those quads to hammer Norman and Faris at 350W for 4.5 hours
Have you tried putting a shim under your cleat on your shorter leg? I have about a 5 mm discrepancy as a result of a leg break, and I’ve got about 2mm of shims under my cleat on the short leg. My wife is a PT and says it’s best to undercorrect. I use shims formerly made by Big Meat, now Lewedge. I’ve also used old credit cards, drilled and with the raised numbering sanded down, as well as a thin piece of plastic over the years, I used to shim more but have settled on 2 mm.
You position looks good to me. Your forearms do look a bit tilted down rather than level, but some very fast people seem to like that as well. If your forearms were straight, you’d need to add a spacer to your stem, since this would lower your elbows.
