In the grand scheme of aero....how much is the body a problem for us?

Triathlon Forum
1

I think I have heard this discussed, but can’t recall any data.

I was thinking after my ride tonight on my least aero rig I have ever owned. I have never been so comfortable and so fast in my life. It’s an ugly round tubed compact road frame, but how can that be fast? I can only guess it’s that my position is the best it’s ever been and in the past although I was on an aero frame, my position sucked? The head tube on this monster is 19.1cm and not an aero tube to be found.

Is a good aero position the biggest component of aero?

2

I think I have heard this discussed, but can’t recall any data.

I was thinking after my ride tonight on my least aero rig I have ever owned. I have never been so comfortable and so fast in my life. It’s an ugly round tubed compact road frame, but how can that be fast? I can only guess it’s that my position is the best it’s ever been and in the past although I was on an aero frame, my position sucked? The head tube on this monster is 19.1cm and not an aero tube to be found.

Is a good aero position the biggest component of aero?

Yes…as in 70-80% of it.

3

I think I have heard this discussed, but can’t recall any data.

I was thinking after my ride tonight on my least aero rig I have ever owned. I have never been so comfortable and so fast in my life. It’s an ugly round tubed compact road frame, but how can that be fast? I can only guess it’s that my position is the best it’s ever been and in the past although I was on an aero frame, my position sucked? The head tube on this monster is 19.1cm and not an aero tube to be found.

Is a good aero position the biggest component of aero?

Yes…as in 70-80% of it.

That’s good 'nuff for me Tom. That position I have been working on with accepting nose riding was an awful lot of fun tonight for 90 minutes of complete and total comfort AND speed. I’m loving it. Thanks for the help and education with Dev.

4

De nada.

5

If you can’t put down the power…the aero frame don’t matter. Fit is the most important…then look at aero…

6

You may want to look at the watts you are putting out in a non-aero position vs watts in an aero. If you are sacrificing 40W sitting upright in the wind you may want to consider the loss of 20W by staying down and riding in the aero position. Until you figure out your power gains and losses you won’t know if it makes sense for you to be aero.

7

on the other hand if your body isn’t aero all the power in the world can still lose

you must have both!

aerodynamic position, and power are both MUST HAVES

an aero frame, wheels, are a big help too.

now…where mah power???

If you can’t put down the power…the aero frame don’t matter. Fit is the most important…then look at aero…

8

When you say non-aero do you mean up on my drops? That isn’t happening. It used to, but now I can stay in the bars indefinitely. For the first time ever I stayed in my aero position w/o moving for 30 minutes last night! Only reason I came up was to suck down H2O and went right back. This is a revelation for me, but not for some I know.

As far as watts go, I’m as low as is comfortable in my position, but faster speeds at the same ~ HR for the same course and conditions, but have only been at this position for a week now. I can’t afford a power meter, but do use my buds CompuTrainer from time to time. Will check it out, but know I’m going faster! My computer tells me so as does my out and back time for my ride:)

I can only ‘guess’ that I’m going faster due to my position…