I’m a road racer focusing on time trials this year (mostly 40k, with some shorter). I may start doing duathlon & tris next year. I’m pretty new to this, so please don’t hold back.
thanks in advance for any help.
NICE BIKE! For someone new at this, you’ve done a pretty good job. But, give a shot at 3:00 and 9:00.
NICE BIKE! For someone new at this, you’ve done a pretty good job. But, give a shot at 3:00 and 9:00.
Thanks. The bike’s new. I’m still withholding judgement on it as I have been unable to get it to work correctly with a 56T chainring because of the way the front derailleur bracket is set up. When I see the Bicycle Sports guys in person, I’m hoping they can fix this.
–Jens
looks ggod, I’m a fan of getting the front end as low as possible.
I know 2 others that own that same frame, all of you have front derailler problems.
NICE BIKE! For someone new at this, you’ve done a pretty good job. But, give a shot at 3:00 and 9:00.
Ok. here’s some more 
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You really look comfortable to me. If you just take a look at your shoulders, head, you look like you could take a nap. That’s good. Top of your ears lower than the highest point on your back…looks like very close to 90 degree angles with your shoulder/thorax/hip angles. I think your tibial tuberocity is slightly behind your pedal spindle…if you are a masher, with strong gluteal muscles…that can be good. Do you know if your heel drops some just after you clear the top of your pedal stroke? That would be a good thing, too, if you tend toward wanting to activate the glutes.
I wouldn’t change it, unless you feel you are having some problems. Do you break an hour in the 40K? You look like you sure could.
Cerveloguy does a good job critiquing by using a goniometer, maybe he’ll chime in for some more scientific suggestions.
Ok, jackass. . .VERY nice bike, nice shoes, nice Powertap Pro, nice Computrainer, hell. . .everything is damn nice. . .AND expensive!
***But one would think, with your obvious acquaintance with HUGE wads of cash, that you could afford matching socks!!! And don’t even get me started on tires! And holy crap, why are you using that POS Icon seatpost. . .That rig deserves an Alien/FSA/Deda/Look carbon seatpost! If’n yer gonna go whole hog. . .ya gotta finish da job. . . man! Don’t bring that weak shit in here! For shame! ***
;->
Dude, absolutely just having fun with ya. . .
As far as your position. . .looks pretty good in a static pose. . .More interesting would be watching your pedaling action over a period of time, and under load stresses. . .as well as checking out power output response. . .
Your bike position is all wrong…its at YOUR house. Send me your bike. IMHO that would improve your bike position a great deal
Shave your back and chest 
That’s gotta be drag inducing! (or wear a shirt
Pretty nice bike and fairly good position. Elbows might be a bit far forward, bring them back a bit, possibly with a slightly shorter stem. Also, might want to trim your aero bar ends an inch or so to get the levers a little lower and more accessible (this is a commonly overlooked area in my opinion). I have mine cut low so my hands/fingers are on the shifters all the time so no reaching at all. That bit of lever sticking up, right at the first point of contact with the wind, disturbs the air flow fight from the get go, all for no real advantage.
Oh Jeez. . .how could I have missed it. . .that. . .that. . .that, that. . .eeeewwwwww…9-speed drivetrain? What? Are ya kiddin me? That’s so, like yesterday. . .GET WITH THE PROGRAM HERE!!! And don’t give me some lame argument on how you need a 58 TT ring and the 10 speed TT rings aren’t out yet. . .WEEEAAAAKKKKK!!!
Go big or stay at home!
Obviously I need to explain a few things ;-):
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I use the Icon seatpost for tuning my setup, because it’s super easy to tweak the fore-aft position and the angle. Once I get the position dialled in, I’ll put the alien on. Have you ever tried to adjust an alien? First you have to whack it with an unabridged version of the OED to loosen it; then you have to gather up all the tiny little f******g pieces that flew all over the place; and then screw them together with an allen wrench that’s so tiny, it could only reasonably used for skewering cocktail shrimp; and then you get to watch your perfect setup go completely out of whack as you tighten the furschlugginer thing. And that’s if the buttery little heads of the bolts don’t strip under the shrimp skewer.
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I use 9 speed because, despite the noted slope of my indifference curve between cash and hardware, I refuse to pay an extra $50 for one extra cog on a cassette. Particularly when the bollixed chainline of the T2 only allows me to use 6 cogs anyhow
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The socks… I wear different socks because one shoe is just a tiny bit tighter than the other and the different sock brands compensate. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Seriously. Thanks for the feedback. Here’s the story on the power, thus far: I did a 2-hour tempo ride and maintained the same wattage as on my roadbike a few days ago, with an avg. HR that was actually 2 beats lower(!). It felt great. But then, I tried 2x20 intervals yesterday at the normal wattage and completely fell apart half way through the first one. Legs felt like #@$#@. Could have just been a bad day, I guess.
-Jens
Yup. . .I’m well acquainted with USE Alien post mechanisms. . .great posts, and damned if they’re budging once you tighten them down. . .to borrow a concept. . .measure twice, tighten once!
2x20s could just take some time adjusting to the position. . .I did 2x20s yesterday after dropping my stem down by a 5mm spacer (Its now right on top of the headset on my Talon SL). . .definitely different and will take some rides to dial in before I race full on. . .that’s why I did it now. . .two weeks out from my next race. My hams and lower back let me know I was stretching just that little bit further.
You really look comfortable to me. If you just take a look at your shoulders, head, you look like you could take a nap. That’s good. Top of your ears lower than the highest point on your back…looks like very close to 90 degree angles with your shoulder/thorax/hip angles. I think your tibial tuberocity is slightly behind your pedal spindle…if you are a masher, with strong gluteal muscles…that can be good. Do you know if your heel drops some just after you clear the top of your pedal stroke? That would be a good thing, too, if you tend toward wanting to activate the glutes.
I wouldn’t change it, unless you feel you are having some problems. Do you break an hour in the 40K? You look like you sure could.
Cerveloguy does a good job critiquing by using a goniometer, maybe he’ll chime in for some more scientific suggestions.
Thanks Yaqui. I really appreciate the feedback. I am indeed a masher - avg 70 rpm, less on hills. My heel does drop too.
I have yet to do a flat 40K. About 2 months ago I did a very hilly one on my road bike with an abysmal 1:06. With a power output of 290 watts at the time, you can imagine why I’m worried about positioning. Andy Coggan and others somehow manage sub-60 times with only ~230 watts.
– Jens
When you begin to drop power, is it because your quads get fried, or are you out of breath/heartrate too high?
If it is the former, I’d suggest raising your rpms…at least on the downhills…a constant 70 rpms may not allow for enough blood flow through your muscles. If it is the latter, you are out of breath and HR is too high, then, you need to get your cardiovascular system in better shape.
I’m thinking it is the legs that give up on you, though. Right?
1:06 on a hilly course could easily be sub one hour in that position on THAT bike on a flatter course…if you get your rpms right for your particular physiology.
Looks like a good multisport position to me. For time trials, I would probably try to go a bit lower in front - maybe use a negative rise stem.
You don’t show a front view, but if you can’t get lower, you may be able to get narrower with your armrests.
But basically your position looks good.
When you begin to drop power, is it because your quads get fried, or are you out of breath/heartrate too high?
If it is the former, I’d suggest raising your rpms…at least on the downhills…a constant 70 rpms may not allow for enough blood flow through your muscles. If it is the latter, you are out of breath and HR is too high, then, you need to get your cardiovascular system in better shape.
I’m thinking it is the legs that give up on you, though. Right?
1:06 on a hilly course could easily be sub one hour in that position on THAT bike on a flatter course…if you get your rpms right for your particular physiology.
Thanks again Yaqui. With the exception of recent 2x20s done on the new bike, it’s usually the cardio system that gets stressed first. As I raise rpms above 70, power drops and HR goes up. Above 80rpm, it’s pretty drastic. I devoted 2 months last year to raising my cadence, with poor results. I used to be a comptetiive powerlifter, which might account for this.
I’ll respectfully submit that it will definitely take more than 2 months of even the most concentrated effort to reconfigure your aerobic efficiency at a higher cadence. Building a highly efficient aerobic system takes years. . .that’s why you don’t find many 20 year olds winning IMs. I am not surprised you were disappointed with the results of your attempt. In the long, run, especially if you have a real eye toward long course triathlon the dedication will pay off for continuing that effort.
Thanks Yaqui. I really appreciate the feedback. I am indeed a masher - avg 70 rpm, less on hills. My heel does drop too.
I have yet to do a flat 40K. About 2 months ago I did a very hilly one on my road bike with an abysmal 1:06. With a power output of 290 watts at the time, you can imagine why I’m worried about positioning. Andy Coggan and others somehow manage sub-60 times with only ~230 watts.
For a comparison, I’m 6’, 170, and I did an official 40K (flat) on Sunday in 59:43, averaging 279W. After the fact, it was pointed out to me that I should lower my front end, so I dropped it 1.25" (meaning that I probably could have been faster on Sunday with a better position). Did a rolling 19K yesterday in the new position, averaged 24.4mph and 274W, so the new position didn’t affect power.
I don’t know how you can ride at that cadence. My 40K cadence was 102! Then again, my average HR was 161. Andy Coggan did under 53:00 averaging just about 300W; I’m not sure he’s ever averaged as low as 230 in a race.