Getting Comfy in the Aero Position

Triathlon Forum
1

Just started riding aero this week, on my newly-built P2K. It’s comfy for awhile, but eventually, two things become rather painful.

  1. Neck. My position isn’t all that aggressive, but looking up takes a toll. Any exercises out there to toughen up the neck/upper shoulders? I’m sure more time will help as well (1 hour earlier this week, 2.5 hours today).

  2. Saddle/body connection. I use a Fizik Aliante for both road and aero. Might need to re-think it for aero. Man, that gets painful after an hour or so. I’m going to try a Mr. Flitie on there, as softness seems to be an issue. Any other ideas? I do a hip “roll” that helps, but only for so long…

2

See my earlier post about possible neck problems in the aero position.

Most likely you need to give your body a bit more time to adapt. I didn’t find an aggressive tri position very comfy at first either but did get used to it fairly quickly.

There are a number of stretching exercises for the neck. I recommend regular stretching as part of your training routine. A good inexpensive book is “Stretching” by Bob Anderson.

3

Take a look at my write up a few days ago on comparing my P3 with a Titanflex.

I think the only neck solution is to get stronger by riding aero for significant hours.

4

Hey Aztec,

Good choice on the bike.

Here’s some ideas, although impossible to diagnose and fix over the INternet.

First of all, look at yourself in mirror. Notice the position and posture of your shoulders, their relationship to you neck, the angulation and tonus of your musculature where your arms leave your shoulders. Get a good mental picture of that in your mind.

Good.

Now.

Get on your P2K. Use a mirror or, perhaps even more dramatic, do this: Get in the aero position. now. from the chest up, freeze! Hold that posture. Don’t move. Now, I know this is hoaky, but hold that posture from the chest up and then sit upright on the bike.

OK.

Is this upper body posture natural? It is similar to your posture on the bike? No, it isn’t is it?

Now, let me guess… When you looked in the mirror your shoulders were about six inches below your ears. Now, your shoulder are only three inches below your ears, your shoulders are hunched upward and rolled inward I wager. There- that is a contributing problem (guessing here…).

OK, you need to obtain that more natural posture you saw in the mirror but now on the aero bars. Maybe a slightly shorter, higher stem, extra spacer and slightly wider elbow pads. Again, just guessing, but that may either be a good temporary solution or even a permanent one. give it a try.

The seat, well, remember, the angle of the seat is important, and the saddle pad is a good idea. Try making sure the front portion of the saddle- just the nose- is parallel to the ground. The Alliante you are using has a lot of “rocker” or curvature as viewed from the side. Not too good in the triathlon posture.

If the Alliante with the saddle pad and a level nose doesn’t get 'er done then try another saddle that has a more padded nose and a flatter profile. I have great luck with the Arione Tri saddle.

Good luck my friend…!

5

I used to thing that aero and comfortable were two mutually exclusive ideas. I went to a bike fitter in Phoenix (Bicycle Ranch) and let them have a go at me. The change was so radical that I was initially skeptical, but today I finished up a 6 hour ride, a significant portion of which was done on the aero bars. So to answer the questions from my point of view:

  1. Yes it takes time for your neck to adapt. When it starts to get tired you just have to sit up.

  2. I use an old Selle Italia Turbomatic 2 and it seems to work great for me now. It was on my old road bike and the tri bike used to have a San Marco Azoto with the big thick nose. While all that gel helped, I realized the rear part of the seat was narrow and hard. Your ‘sit bones’ need to contact the seat and take the weight. If your position puts you on the end of the saddle then you need rethink getting more of your seat under you. A lot of saddles out there are pretty narrow in the rear and pretty hard as well.

  3. Buy a Mr. Flitie. They rule.

Chad

6

Just ride it :wink:
.

7

SAC’s advice has merit, so don’t discard it just because it is pithy and obtuse. As long as you are in a decent position, you need to put in the time. I used to be killed by the aero positioning…neck and upper back. Now, I’d MUCH rather ride in the aero position, and regular road position kills my neck…something about the way my shoulders are rolled more forward while in a road position really freezes up my neck. I do have a road position bike that I ride when in a new group. But, once everyone is used to everyone, I switch over to my tri-bike, unless the ride is uber-short, or my neck will end up killing me.

8

OK, cool. Here are some responses to the above.

I was fitted by a local FIST guy, then a 2nd time by who is known as the best fitter around. I’m confident the position is “right” and “good”, once I get adapted. Guess I’m looking for shortcuts!

Re: the saddle. I use an Aliante because it’s the only saddle I’ve ever been able to handle on my road bike for >2 hours without major pain. Even w/ the Fizik, after 3-4 hours, saddle discomfort is my limiter, not my legs. I had an Arrione, but it gave me the worst sores ever. But that was on the roadie. Is the tri version very different? For one thing, it needs to be SOFTER. I also hope it doesn’t still have those seams up top.

9

“pithy and obtuse”… that is hard, Aztec knows exactly what I meant. He needs to adapt to the position a lot more before changing it.

10

SAC wrote: “pithy and obtuse”… that is hard…

I thought you’d get a chuckle out of it! How about I say, “Your advice to him is spot on.” Just doesn’t have any freshness to it, see what I mean? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

11

“pithy and obtuse”… that is hard, Aztec knows exactly what I meant. He needs to adapt to the position a lot more before changing it.

Yep. A paltry 30 and then 55 miles ain’t enough to go F-ing with it just yet. Well, I’m not so sure about the saddle part… I know from experience that THAT kind of pain doesn’t really get fixed by just riding more.

My neck/traps are mildly sore today. Made holding my head up to the right height in the pool pretty hard today.

12

“pithy and obtuse”… that is hard, Aztec knows exactly what I meant. He needs to adapt to the position a lot more before changing it.

Yep. A paltry 30 and then 55 miles ain’t enough to go F-ing with it just yet. Well, I’m not so sure about the saddle part… I know from experience that THAT kind of pain doesn’t really get fixed by just riding more.

My neck/traps are mildly sore today. Made holding my head up to the right height in the pool pretty hard today.

I’d have to disagree with the approach being advocated by some of the folks here. It’s one thing to have some discomfort as you get used to a new position. It’s another to have trouble the next day holding your head up. That kind of pain could be an indication you are doing something bad to your body, not just ‘break-in’ soreness. It is possible that this position may work out in the long run, but it seems you should ease into it more gradually, either use it sparingly at first, or a better approach might be to raise your aero position up to start (add spacers, flip the stem, or raise the pads) and then gradually lower it to the specified position over a matter of a few weeks.

I’m not a big fan of the ‘one stop/one position’ fitting process. I don’t see tri/tt fit as being a matter of slam-bam-here’s-your-new-position-off-you-go approach, just like fitness, it can take time and evolution and adaptation.