Main page article on fit - this may end poorly for me

Triathlon Forum
1

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/The_GURU_system_4136.html

Slowtwitch wisdom says to get the bike that fits, but it seems like a lot of bikes “fit”. The Aero Camp thread (great thread, by the way) really highlights what I’m looking for in a bike fit: I want to go faster on fewer watts. I can’t make that many watts and I’m not that small, so I really want a position that squeezes all the speed I can out of the watts I do make.

If I go out on my tri bike, road bike, cx bike, or commuter, I feel that each bike fits me. While the seat heights from BB are similar, each bike has different dimensions. Without some sort of aero testing involved, I just have a hard time justifying paying for a fit when I feel like tweaks for comfort can be made on my own.

My preference would be to spend that time and money doing some aero testing so I can find a “fast” position and as long as I can hold it for 40k/56mi/etc - and then run - it doesn’t matter to me if it’s the “right” position.

2

Hopefully any one of the dozens of fit experts on here will chime in with more useful information for you, but consider:

  • Getting a bike fit is NOT about being aero. It’s about balancing your unique biomechanics and establishing the parameters within which you will be most able to generate the most amount of power the most comfortably. If you’re not comfortable on the bike, you’re going to fatigue in some way (think “hot spots”).

  • If you’re not routinely cruising at 25MPH+, you can do all the aero testing and spend shitloads of money on all kinds of aero-y thingamabobs, but in the end, you’re still going to be going uphill at pretty much the same speed you normally do, so you’re not going to see huge dividends.

  • You can spend a $1000 to get your bike 1 lb lighter, or you can just lose 1 lb. Same same.

Take care,

Brian

3

I totally get the comfort/power argument. But if I can save 50 watts in drag and that position costs me 25 watts I power production, I’ll take the lower power position 10 times out of 10.

I didn’t mention anything about weight, but all things being equal, lighter is better (rider and the bike). All things not being equal, pick aero savings over weight savings. Totally agree.