If at my current fitness level and on my current bike (old Trek 2200 aluminum) my average MPH looks like this.
10 mile ride 19-20mph
20 mile ride 18-19mph
30 mile ride 17-18mph
30+ levels out around 16-17mph
what type of gains are possible with the much debated aero bars, helmets, wheel covers on current bike?
secondly what type of gains are possible on a tri specific bike?
I realize every person/bike situation is different but just trying to get an idea of real world improvements through those changes. Any and all comments welcome thanks
In general, a tri/TT bike will get you around 2mph over a road bike for the same effort. There are a bunch of “depending on…” exceptions in that statement that everyone will now harp on incessently.
Whether you get a tri specific bike or “upgrade” your current bike probably wouldn’t make that much difference. My best TT ever was on a converted road bike with tri spoke wheels and Syntace C2 aerobars.
I do not know nearly as much as…well anyone else on this board about cycling, but I can tell you that when I first clipped on some aerobars to my road bike years ago, I found I got roughly 1 mph for free. That was my best estimate at the time but it proved itself out on many rides. That’s probably the biggest and cheapest speed gain you’ll make. Of course that assumes you can arrange things so you’ll be comfortable in that aero position.
My experience has been that aero bars are worth 1 - 1.5 Mph
On a real tri-frame that goes up to about 2 Mph
( I think the steeper (more aero) body position has more to do with that than tube shapes )
I have not been able to to separate out the Helmet & Aero wheels benefit 'cause I only
ride those on race days … but I think diminishing returns…maybe another .5 Mph total
Maybe I’ll take me Great Gazoo helmet and Zipps out to the local TT on my road bike
and see how that compares to riding the Tri bke. You’ll have to wait’ May though.
look at video of greg lemond in the drops going hard.
he gets as low as any time trialist on his road bike
by his own words aero bars were a very minor improvement for him because of that. It didn’t get hiim lower, it just brought his elbows and shoulders and hands in.
My first sprint on a 1970 something Atala Record professional my avarage was around 18 mph on bike w/pedal cages. After getting tri bike QR Kilo with keo pedals, FP60’s, aerobars, and lots of training for a year average went up to 22.5 for sprint and I am now averaging that on a oly.(onetime) other was around 18.5 @ NYC tri bike time was 1hr20min. I also had a sort of aero helmet on that did not that big of a tail. I might add my fastest time home from work 10 miles is still on the old Atala. I did have a heavy tail wind at my back.
Thanks for all the answers and advice. Very busy forum with almost instant feed back. I have registered for 2 HIM Mooseman and Timberman this year and I havent even done any. LOL I never said I was smart but those are my goals none the less. I will at the very least be adding clip on aero bars to expirement with but also have the bug to buy a new bike so who knows where that is gonna go. Lotsa good deals floating around.
Tim check out the devilman lite half in south jersey would make a nice warm up.
That looks like a really cool event. However I am doing the Big Lake Half Marathon on 5/9 the following week. I am more concerned about the run than anything so would like to make sure I can make it 13 miles. I also work weekends which makes it a pain in the a$$ to get time off for all these events. Mooseman and Timberman were planned far enough I could get the time off. Still working on getting time off for Lobsterman. Maybe next year for the Devil!
look at video of greg lemond in the drops going hard.
he gets as low as any time trialist on his road bike
by his own words aero bars were a very minor improvement for him because of that. It didn’t get hiim lower, it just brought his elbows and shoulders and hands in.
but then he won the tour by 8 seconds!
Wind tunnel tests proved that on the drops, Lemond had a lower drag than most people today on their tri bars. He was a genetic freak of nature.
Lemond himself said he didn’t think he gained as much aerodynamically, but the gain was having another leverage point on the bike.
For the rest of us ordinary mortals, aerobars vs. drops can add 1-2 mph.
why someone would rather use the setback seatpost and sit on the nose of the saddle instead of the straight up seat post and sit on their sit bones is beyond me
.
http://www.bikeradar.com/...w-aero-is-aero-19273
That was a great post laying out some general rules of thumb I was looking for backed up by data. Thanks. Now I gotta figure out how to ride at 40kph to get the full effect! LOL
