It’s a good thing she’s flexible…
Is she on her big brother’s bike? That bike rides her, not the other way around.
Seeing as how she broke 28 minutes for 15 miles on that bike, I wouldn’t be too quick to criticize.
That is an unbelievable time on that or any bike. She looks awful to me. Makes me wonder if I know anything at all when I see and hear that.
I agree with Art. That time is unbelievable. 15 miles in under 28 minutes is faster than 32.11991 mph or 51.6919844 kph. This is good enough to be competitive in the European male peleton. then again, maybe it was a downhill time trial.
Well, then that bike rides her very nicely. I still wonder if she has been seen by a professional? If she hasn’t, maybe she would even go faster if she sees a good fitter.
I wasn’t going to jump on this one, but I’ll jump in. I have to agree with the last two posts. That is a truly amazing time, expecially considering that position. And yes, that time would make her COMPETIVITE in the mens pro peleton. As others have mentioned the conditions might have played a role; I bet the times would be amazing if the Alpe d’Huez TT went downhill instead of up next summer. 
On the same note, I have ridden 30+ mph for 15 miles…I was headed east, so was the wind at 20-40 with gusts of 50+ (gotta love iowa on those days).
Chris
Some more analysis. Go to Analytic Cycling.comhttp://www.analyticcycling.com/ForcesPower_Page.html An analysis with the following assumptions results in a power output calculation. Weight of rider 115 lbs or 52.3 kg. Speed of 51.69 kph = 14.359 m/s. Assume altitude of 1500 meters for reduced air density (less drag). Power output is 641.2 watts to sustain this speed. Pretty impressive effort for almost 28 minutes!!! Granted the mathematical equation is a model and as such is an approximation, but its error is probably less than 50 %, a lot less.
Hey triiowa:
Great to see a fellow Iowan on the board. Although I’ve lived in NYC for over 15 years, I grew up in Ottumwa (where my mom still lives) and my dad lives in Des Moines. How’s the tri scene there? Good bike shops around Des Moines? Be well.
Wow, I would suggest that very, very little of her torso is being supported by her skeleton in the position shown in this photo.
Also, look at the posture of her hands/wrists. My opinion is they are far too bent. It looks uncomfortable. Also, the elbow pad is hitting her 1/2 way between the wrist and the elbow.
Now, she may be slid back and choked up on the aerobars in this shot so that may be having an effect on her osture here, but the darn shifters are, like, 5 inches from her hands! I notice she is in the big ring, which may suggest she is not climbing in this photo.
Saddle height looks good and she is nice and low though. That’s good.
One problem short people have now adays is getting a bike with a short top tube. I used to be able to get bikes 50cm that had the same top tube. Now everything is 52cm. My daughters bike that I ride in the winter is a 43cm and has a 49.5 top tube. Certainly a foreword seat would help but the frames nowadays don’t help any.
Amen marko16.
There was an article in Cycle sport on Armstrong’s Madone, that he prefers a 58cm top tube but the bike for the public is 60 so that’s what he rode in the tour last year.
The 2004 Valley of the Sun stage race time trial yesterday was 22km (about 13.7mi), not 15miles.
That changes her average speed by a bit. Still moving along though, and it was a very nice day yesterday out here. Even nicer today…currently 64 and sunny.
Dave
Recalculating: 13.7 miles in less than 28 minutes is a speed greater than 29.357 mph or 47.246 kph which is 13.124 m/s. Using the same assumptions as before, weight of rider 115lbs or 52.3 kg and altitude of 1500 meters, power output to sustain this adjusted speed is still 527.2 watts! Still a very amazing achievement!
The matching kit and paint job are pretty cool. Maybe that is why she is so fast.
Competitive in the men? Based on the finishing times, she would’ve been 87th or 88th if she were racing in the pro men.
A friend of mine rode just under 28 minutes in this race. This persons’ threshold power is 260 watts, at 145 pounds. Either there was a big tailwind, it was downhill, or it was shorter than advertised.
Still a nice time, and regardless of time, a horrible position.
Scott
She was probably riding a UCI dictated position. The USCF has now adopted the UCU rules if I am not mistaken. She might be better off with a shorter stem or top tube, but then her knees might bang the armrests while she’s climbing. And remember, that she’s a roadie, not a tri-geek.
I used to criticize other rider’s positions a lot, but then I realized that (1) most of them were quite powerful in their positions (esp. the roadies) and (2) that most of them could wipe the floor with my slow self. So now I try to spend more time riding and less time critiquing.
Not sure about the actual distance but cyclingnews reported it at 15 miles.
…and as crazy as the restrictions and rules seem, you can certainly get a good position within them.
Her position should be banned.
-SD