Bike Position - Comments Please (Page 2)
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Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() inspiration - 2011-01-12 3:51 PM Righteo... I've got plenty of good advice to follow now - thanks everyone for your patience. I will raise my seat height gradually, lower my handle bars and adjust my cleats. Once I think I've got it pretty sorted, I'll post some updated photos with my new super-dupa, efficient and fast as aero position! I wondered if you might be a kiwi, since you have an old Avanti bike and the scenery in your pictures looks decidedly NZish, and with the "fast as" comment I'm now sure! If you're in Auckland then iBike in Parnell offer a basic bike fit for $60NZ, I'm not sure how that compares to others (I have one of their flyers here from a goodie bag from a recent race), but it could be worth getting one just to get the most out of yourself and the bike in your next race. |
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Member![]() ![]() | ![]() Yip, I'm a Kiwi! Well spotted! $60 sounds quite reasonable for a bike fit, but as there's only a couple of things that can possibly be adjusted (handlebar and seat heights and cleat position) I don't know if it's worth doing that at this stage. Thanks for your suggestion though. I may end up having to do that depending on how much I can learn in the meantime. |
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Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() $60 is just their basic one, which is only cleats and seat - but by the look/sound of it you probably don't have many other parts that can be adjusted anyway. More info here: http://www.ibikefit.co.nz/page6/page6.html Good luck for your next race anyway! I'm new to triathlons too, and wish there were more of them around Auckland I could enter |
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Member![]() ![]() | ![]() Hey there helpful fellow triathletes! Please can you comment about my updated aero position on my VERY old bike. I went to the LBS this morning and had some adjustments made to seat and handle stem. Was told that this was probably the best I can expect. What do you think, compared to my first lot of pics? Thanks so much for everybody's imput. (jsw_pict3873.jpg) Attachments ---------------- jsw_pict3873.jpg (87KB - 10 downloads) |
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Extreme Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Your seat height looks better, your stem looks safer, and you look less stretched out. How does it feel? |
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Member![]() ![]() | ![]() I feel quite high up actually! Haven't gone for a descent ride yet. Comfortable enough and a lot happier that probably all that is possible has been done. Had a good chat with owner at LBS and was so impressed to feel the huge difference in weight between my 20+ year old bike and a 2006 model! I am even more inspired to put some good training in, knowing what my competitors ride. I will have to depend more on my strength and fitness considering I don't have the advantage of riding a wonderful machine! Feeling quite impressed at myself riding my heavy old bike on those mean as hill repeats! I hope to win Lotto soon so I can enjoy the huge gains I would make by riding a newer, lighter, aero bike! Wish me luck!! |
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Champion ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() Definitely looks better. |
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Member![]() ![]() | ![]() Thanks! Looking better = going faster! I'm definitely going to smash at LEAST 5 minutes from my previous time!! |
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Member![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() That looks much better. Have you gone on a long ride yet? How does it compare to riding before the adjustments? |
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Member![]() ![]() | ![]() Just got back from an hours ride. Felt very fast (could've been the meat n veg I ate for tea!) Felt a bit of stiffness in my neck and inner shoulders while on the aeros, but I noticed that when I lifted the seat last time. I'm sure it will become more comfortable the more I ride. So, didn't spend as long on the bars as I normally would. Also felt a bit of tightness in my lower back when I went for a run straight off the bike. But that didn't last long at all, so I'm really feeling inspired |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() People were using road bikes with clip ons for time trialing for years before tri bikes became commonplace. There is nothing wrong with using this a starting set up. Your position in the last pics looks pretty good. Maybe with a little time, lower the bars a bit. It will mean less fatigue if you have total skeletal support from your arms - that means elbows close to 90 degrees. You are almost there. See if sliding forward on the seat a bit helps that out - if so consider moving the seat forward a bit. Edited by nickwisconsin 2011-01-20 10:58 AM |
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Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() inspiration - 2011-01-19 11:35 PM Just got back from an hours ride. Felt very fast (could've been the meat n veg I ate for tea!) Felt a bit of stiffness in my neck and inner shoulders while on the aeros, but I noticed that when I lifted the seat last time. I'm sure it will become more comfortable the more I ride. So, didn't spend as long on the bars as I normally would. Also felt a bit of tightness in my lower back when I went for a run straight off the bike. But that didn't last long at all, so I'm really feeling inspired Way to work with you have. You're looking way better! It's normal to experience some soreness in your shoulders and neck when you start riding in an aero position. It took me like 350-400 miles to get to where I'm somewhat comfortable with staying aero for extended period of times. When I first started it was agonizing to spend more than 10 minutes in the aero position. Some adapt to it way faster than that. Try to remind yourself to relax your shoulders and to not ride tensed up. Your weight should be supported by your bone structure and not your muscles. |
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Pro ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() That position actually looks pretty good! Leg extension looks spot on, and you do look much more comfortable (i.e. the back looks extended as it should, weight over the aerobars would allow skeletal support and not muscular) |
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Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() That does look good for a road bike it is about the best you can do. If you lower the bars anymore your thighs will hit your tummy and that is not fun on longer rides. Enjoy it, and old bikes rock when you show up and smoke someone on a highend ride!!! Sweet! John. |
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Veteran ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() It's threads like this that make BT such a great place. And of course you must be in the Southern Hemisphere with all that sunshine ... enjoy the new bike fit outside for the rest of the summer while us Northern Hemisphere types are on the trainers ! Adrian |
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Member![]() ![]() | ![]() jrm - 2011-01-20 3:56 PM That does look good for a road bike it is about the best you can do. If you lower the bars anymore your thighs will hit your tummy and that is not fun on longer rides. Enjoy it, and old bikes rock when you show up and smoke someone on a highend ride!!! Sweet! John. LOL! I'm so looking forward to SMOKING someone riding a super-dooper bike! After learning how disadvantaged I am by riding on such an old, heavy bike I've become even more determined to kick some of those butts on their expensive bikes!! |
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Expert ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() jsselle - 2011-01-07 8:59 PM "I can only just make out some engraving - part of an arrow pointing upwards to a horizontal line, which I'm guessing I shouldn't see." - Correct-o-mundo "I vaguely remember raising the handle bars a while ago." - A while ago ... hmmmmm. OK, now Google "High Cycle Fatigue Failure in Aluminum Alloys" "The idea of the stem snapping off sure does get my attention!" - It probably won't snap off. "How much do you suggest I lower it?" - Actually, I suggest you conduct a very scientific float test: Remove the stem that you've been riding "for a while" raised too high, and throw in in a deep lake. If it floats, it is fine. Re-install, inserted past the horozonal line. If, however, it sinks, then (please) take the safe route and have a bike shop install a new stem. Stem should cost thirty bucks, and the install about fifteen. (If your stem is installed with the engraved line just above the top nut, you can probably get away with lowering it below the line). WHile you are at the bike shop, go ahead and get new bar tape, and replace shifter/brake cables since you have to unwrap the tape anyways to put a new stem on. New cables is a great upgrade ... you'll tell the difference immediately in shifting precison. And nothing feels better on a bike than new grippy tape. Tip the wrench with a Starbucks card, then ask him if he'd mind taking a look at your seat height while you're there. Happy trails. I work at a LBS, and you sir are a MODEL customer-we thank you! |
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Member![]() ![]() | ![]() Just got back from 1 hour 45 min ride. Made a point to keep relaxed and found myself comfortably on the bars for most of the ride. Yay, it's not going to take me long to get used to this new position, and I do feel so much faster... Have to comment how encouraging I'm finding being part of this forum... a week or so back I felt quite alone in my training and not so determined any more. But, now after reading people's comments to me I have a renewed lease of motivation and focus! So thanks to everyone who has posted back to me so far, and I look forward to communicating with you as often as you have anything to say! |
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