IMH 1987: What is that cable on Allen's bike?

Triathlon Forum
1

I was watching Hawaii 1987 during a treadmill run and I noticed that Mark Allen had some type of cable that ran from his aerobar back to around his seat?? Anyone know what that was for??
HC

2

That sounds like it could have been a Seat Shifter. It bolted on to the top of your seatpost and then the saddle went on top of that. You pull the handlebar mounted lever and your saddle would slam ahead about 3 inches. When you wanted it back in the rearward position you pull the lever then manually push the saddle back with your butt. This gave you the option of forward position for riding fast and aero and sitting back and up for hills and such.

3

Good eye.

A tether first used earlier that year by the Italian Team Time Trial bunch, thought to allow more leverage against the pedals by giving you something to push against. Didn’t work that well in a forward position (where you’re pushing more down and less forward).

4

Hey, Bobo! I met you one year a looong time ago…Crawfishman or New Roads…it was REALLY cold that year!
Thanks for the info.
HC

5

There have been a few tethers experimented with over the years, supposedly to enhance power. Notice none are in use today, with the exception of a slingshot (that being a tether for suspension, not power enhancement).

I have seen tehters from the stem to the saddle, handlebars to the BB, top tube to down tube, and none of them worked!!!

6

Hed made this device and it was indeed a teher that was supposed to facilitate a cyclist being able to push back against a belt worn around the waist to provide extra leverage against the pedals. It was largely a flop. As you may have noticed, the cable reamined largely slack as Allen used it. Those were certainly the formative years of beginning to understand how to use a triathlon bike and we were a long way from having it figured out. -Not that our understanding of it now is the be all and end all…

7

Do I get points to name it, it was the Cinto strap I think. It was banned, but it did work.

8

I still have, and occasionally use a device designed to do the same thing. It was made by a local Cleveland guy, Tom Mcgannon. An “L” shaped thing that bolts to the seat rails, and sticks up about 4 inches. Works great for rollers, slide back a little on the seat, and your tailbone presses against it, gives you something to push off of.