I am a long time roadie, relatively new triathlete (2-3 years). I would say my road bike is a fairly standard fit. 6cm saddle setback - fairly aggressive bar drop but nothing insane. My tri bike position is pretty low and aggressive, saddle setback about 0-1 cm. I do my early season training on the road bike and when I get out the tri bike I feel really rotated and forward over pedals. It usually feels fine after an hour or two on the bike. However, what I find when I get back on the road bike, is that I really want to ride the nose of the saddle and lower my bars. This feeling doesn’t go away until I have a few rides on the bike. This never really seemed to be an issue, but I am concerned that I am recruiting muscles differently and maybe not helping myself by having such different positions.
Should I consider sliding my seat forward and dropping my stem on the road bike to get into a more “tri” position?
If you ride your road bike constantly in the drops with your face on your stem, yes.
Otherwise no, think about your hip angles in your typical road bike position when training, You are probably up on the hoods with a nice open hip angle. Move the seat forward and you open up the hip angle even more. This makes the position LESS like your TT position as far as your legs are concerned.
You probably just psychologically want to get “low as shit” like you are on your TT bike.
But you aren’t going to ride around all day every day like you are attacking in a crit (probably!)
You won’t be missing out on any fitness, the muscle activation will always be a wee different with a good TT position but if you ride it once or twice a week in general and a bit more before TT events it will all work out.
Should I consider sliding my seat forward and dropping my stem on the road bike to get into a more “tri” position?
I had the same experience last year. Have a great position n my road bike that has always felt “perfect” for me.
Last year, I got a P2 for Xmas and trained exclusively on it through March. I then shipped it down to FL for Spring Break and hopped back on my road bike. What was once a “perfect” position now felt “high” and “upright”.
It is really just a matter of perspective and what you become used to. This year I have been switching back and forth between my bikes more regularly and don’t even notice it anymore.
I don’t have any issues switching back and forth between my road and TT bike. The only thing is my butt notices the saddle difference.
i don’t feel like that. my road position is very stable (unchanging), i’m very happy with it, it’s pretty traditional, and in fact on the slightly laid back side of traditional. tri, not that way at all. steep, low. i have no issues whatsoever switching back and forth, except for getting my taint and the back of my neck ready for tri bike riding.
that said, i live in a hilly area. i ride hills almost entirely. were i living in a flat area, my saddle would be forward, my bars would be a bit lower. so, i doubt it’s the influence from the tri bike influencing your road position, rather, if you live and/or ride on the flats primarily you’re figuring out that riding “on the rivet” is the way to ride a road bike fast on the flats.
i don’t feel like that. my road position is very stable (unchanging), i’m very happy with it, it’s pretty traditional, and in fact on the slightly laid back side of traditional. tri, not that way at all. steep, low. i have no issues whatsoever switching back and forth, except for getting my taint and the back of my neck ready for tri bike riding.
that said, i live in a hilly area. i ride hills almost entirely. were i living in a flat area, my saddle would be forward, my bars would be a bit lower. so, i doubt it’s the influence from the tri bike influencing your road position, rather, if you live and/or ride on the flats primarily you’re figuring out that riding “on the rivet” is the way to ride a road bike fast on the flats.
Dan,
Interesting that you say this and I think you are spot on. I live near Madison WI but in prepping for Racine 70.3 I mostly road the tri bike on relatively flat roads. My usual riding here however can be a bit hilly and I do sit back on the seat a bit more when climbing. My first ride back on the road bike was on flat roads and I felt like I wanted to be on the tri bike again. I will get out on some hills and see how things feel before I tweak anything. Thanks.