Since you brought up the op ed response in triathlete, I’ll address the answers for you as well as answer your "concerns’. First, you say we were “got called out in Triathlon Magazine this month in numerous letter” I ass u me that you mean numerous letters, yet there was only one (1) op ed written.
We were thrilled that Hank from Hi-tech sent in his op-ed. It gave Bjorn and HED another photo in the mag.
Adressing his issues that he has-
He talks about people taking a tour of a wind tunnel, a tour and spending time honing in on your position are two different things. 15 years ago, Inside Triathlon ran a story on how Paul Huddle can shave 30 minutes off of his Ironman bike split riding in an Obree Egg position. Innovation is part of why our sport is so great. We do not have governing bodies in triathlon restricting us from thinking outside the box too much.
Concern #1-people do not have the “muscle adaptability” or “time” to be comfortable in a new position. This is called training. You go out in a new position, and train, adaptations occur. Obviously you do not change positions close to a race, but in the off season (this particular article was published in Feb issue) you have time to adjust your position. Muscle adaptability- thebody reacts to stress, provided you give the body time to react. Over time, the reaction will be positive in nature, that stressed system becomes stronger and capable of handling more stress- training the un-natrual to become natural.
Concern #2- Humps in your back. They are not caused by hip flexors being pushed too far forward. Natural kyphotic postures are quiet common in people and THAT hump will aide in their aero position. John Cobb calls that a “B” back. We suggest in working on a ‘slight curve’ in your spine. Your spine is a made up of 27 vertebrae- 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral (fusesd), and 4 coccogeal that are usually fused into two. It is designed to curve (as well as twist) in natural kyphotic movements. Look at any person picking up a light object, you will notice a natural kyphotic curve throughout the lumbar and thoracic spine. This natural ability of the body to go through stable ranges of kyphotic movements allows you to produce and absorb force, then why not train them to become more natural, by not training what your body can naturally do is a sure fire way of getting injured.
Concern #3- Tipping the bars- we discussed in the article that angling the bars up slightly MIGHT enable you to narrow your shoulders more comfortably- comfort being the issue- we did not at all say that angling up the bars will make you faster.
Concern #4- There are as many studies out there saying that narrow elbows decreases air supply just like there are numerous studies that say that an H3c performs poorly in some forks and better in others- read NONE- sarcasm off- Much of this misinformation is based on personal experiences and second hand opinions but not on science.
We have performed gas exchange tests during fittings and have never seen decreased air supplies while narrowing elbows. As far as having rounded shoulders which Mr. Montrose condones, we agree to disagree with him as well. Rounded shoulders makes a huge difference aerodyanimcally and those who pay attention to it see its dividends. The proof is in all of the cycling pictures that I attached in the earlier thread. They are all paying attention to what is going to make them fast and take time work on it making again, the “un-natrual” natural.
Here are some pictures for you of guys who are and do pay attention to shoulders. Amongst them there are multiple 70.3 winners and podium finishers (Bjorn Andersson) as well as Ironman winners (cam brown, Marcel Zamora) and podium finishers (podiums at IM Wisconsin and Korea, Paul Fritzsche)
