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aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? (Page 4)
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 2010-03-26 10:24 PM in reply to: #2751922 |
Expert 701   Boise |  Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one?Sprint_DA - 2010-03-26 10:15 PM crazyquick23 - 2010-03-26 10:05 PM Sprint_DA - 2010-03-26 9:50 PM crazyquick23 - 2010-03-26 9:21 PM the bear - 2010-03-26 9:17 PM crazyquick23 - 2010-03-26 9:05 PM Wouldn't you get more benefit from increasing your flexibility and slamming your basebar and aerobars as low as you can comfortably tolerate while still producing about the same power. This would decrease your cross sectional area and wind resistance. This would then increase your speed. Just seems to be an easy truly cheap way to gain speed. Sure then after you do that, you chase the next marginal benefit. Eventuallyyou run out of free, run out of cheap, run out of expensive, and finally run out of "worth it." Every individual defines these levels for himself. Yea I agree. I feel like a lot of people chase the "speed demon" by throwing money at the problem when more time training could gain them much more speed. Just my 2 cents. As has been said several times in this thread, why not both? I'm putting in considerably more time in the saddle this year and also picked up a new aero helmet. The new helmet didn't make me put the bike to the side. I mean, it doesn't even have dimples. My argument is essentially this. For the $1500-$2000+ for wheels, aero-helmet and all sorts of aero goodies is it really cost effective at all for those of us not competing for a podium finish? Moreover, there isn't very good bang for the buck for most things. I think an aero helmet and a rear disk cover has some of the best bang for the buck out of the aero enhancements besides either getting a tri bike or putting aerobars on your bike. It just doesn't seem like there's that much speed to be gained by everything else for how much you have to spend. Now that being said I don't see anything wrong with having great training and aero gear. I feel like the attitude sometimes is that if I get all this great aero gear then I don't have to work as hard to go fast. That's more of the vibe I get sometimes when people ask aero questions. Not all the time but sometimes. Yes. That was an easy answer for me. Your priorities and mine appear to be different. I want to do everything I possibly can to go fast. I want to train a lot, train well, and be as efficient as possible. I figure that's the best way to a podium finish. Then that's awesome. It's more of my opinion that people are looking for an aero advantage so that they can go faster without training as hard and it seems like this board sometimes plays into that by hyping a lot of aero stuff and creating a lot of aero lust. If a little more aero advantage was the difference between me podium finishing or not then I would go out and get it no doubt. But that's not the case for me and the majority of people who do Tri's Edited by crazyquick23 2010-03-26 10:28 PM |
| 2010-03-26 10:35 PM in reply to: #2751934 |
| Davenport, IA | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? crazyquick23 - 2010-03-26 10:24 PM Sprint_DA - 2010-03-26 10:15 PM crazyquick23 - 2010-03-26 10:05 PM Sprint_DA - 2010-03-26 9:50 PM crazyquick23 - 2010-03-26 9:21 PM the bear - 2010-03-26 9:17 PM crazyquick23 - 2010-03-26 9:05 PM Wouldn't you get more benefit from increasing your flexibility and slamming your basebar and aerobars as low as you can comfortably tolerate while still producing about the same power. This would decrease your cross sectional area and wind resistance. This would then increase your speed. Just seems to be an easy truly cheap way to gain speed. Sure then after you do that, you chase the next marginal benefit. Eventuallyyou run out of free, run out of cheap, run out of expensive, and finally run out of "worth it." Every individual defines these levels for himself. Yea I agree. I feel like a lot of people chase the "speed demon" by throwing money at the problem when more time training could gain them much more speed. Just my 2 cents. As has been said several times in this thread, why not both? I'm putting in considerably more time in the saddle this year and also picked up a new aero helmet. The new helmet didn't make me put the bike to the side. I mean, it doesn't even have dimples. My argument is essentially this. For the $1500-$2000+ for wheels, aero-helmet and all sorts of aero goodies is it really cost effective at all for those of us not competing for a podium finish? Moreover, there isn't very good bang for the buck for most things. I think an aero helmet and a rear disk cover has some of the best bang for the buck out of the aero enhancements besides either getting a tri bike or putting aerobars on your bike. It just doesn't seem like there's that much speed to be gained by everything else for how much you have to spend. Now that being said I don't see anything wrong with having great training and aero gear. I feel like the attitude sometimes is that if I get all this great aero gear then I don't have to work as hard to go fast. That's more of the vibe I get sometimes when people ask aero questions. Not all the time but sometimes. Yes. That was an easy answer for me. Your priorities and mine appear to be different. I want to do everything I possibly can to go fast. I want to train a lot, train well, and be as efficient as possible. I figure that's the best way to a podium finish. Then that's awesome. It's more of my opinion that people are looking for an aero advantage so that they can go faster without training as hard and it seems like this board sometimes plays into that by hyping a lot of aero stuff and creating a lot of aero lust. If a little more aero advantage was the difference between me podium finishing or not then I would go out and get it no doubt. But that's not the case for me and the majority of people who do Tri's On what have you based this opinion? That's definitely not what I've seen. I've seen lots of threads weighing pro's and con's, comparing data, discussing different options. We do all drool over people's new aero bikes, but why not? They're sweet aero bikes. If people were really wanting to go as fast from point A to point B as possible by spending money and not training, they'd buy a rocket instead of doing triathlons. |
| 2010-03-27 12:38 AM in reply to: #2751407 |
Veteran 295 | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? mrbbrad - 2010-03-26 3:19 PM jsiegs - 2010-03-26 1:43 PM not worth it, IMHO, aero helmets look wicked dorky, nuff said. This, except not in the sarc font. I do think they look silly, but I'm sure people think I look silly much of the time. Exactly...I don't care if they are aerodynamic and make you a little bit faster...they look retarded...same with compression socks, never understood that trend either, but if it works for you, hey, go for it. |
| 2010-03-27 12:41 AM in reply to: #2751913 |
Master 2372 | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? crazyquick23 - 2010-03-26 10:05 PM Sprint_DA - 2010-03-26 9:50 PM My argument is essentially this. For the $1500-$2000+ for wheels, aero-helmet and all sorts of aero goodies is it really cost effective at all for those of us not competing for a podium finish? Moreover, there isn't very good bang for the buck for most things. I think an aero helmet and a rear disk cover has some of the best bang for the buck out of the aero enhancements once you are already riding in an aero position. The thing many don't realize is that you don't have to spend a fortune to get most of the way there. Aerobars: $70 Low Crr tires: $90 Latex tubes: $10 Aero Helmet: $60 Wheel Cover: $90 So $400 or so gets you most of the way there, from scratch. An aero front rim will double that (which is why I don't have one). An aero frame is obviously big $$$ (or, ahem, you could get a Kestrel Talon for a reasonable "both worlds" approach). A lot can be done for a little if you're willing to search and scrounge a bit. |
 2010-03-27 4:54 AM in reply to: #2751876 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2010-03-27 4:58 AM in reply to: #2749009 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2010-03-27 5:03 AM in reply to: #2752017 |
Elite 3658 Roswell, GA | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? PennState - 2010-03-27 5:54 AM Only 70 of those 2,200 bikes went faster than me on my entry level Specialized transition that day. Aero stuff seems to make people faster and improve their time, but improvements in placing come from the engine.
btw, nice bike leg at IMLP. |
| 2010-03-27 5:09 AM in reply to: #2752022 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2010-03-27 6:06 AM in reply to: #2751994 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? meblack - 2010-03-27 12:38 AM mrbbrad - 2010-03-26 3:19 PM jsiegs - 2010-03-26 1:43 PM not worth it, IMHO, aero helmets look wicked dorky, nuff said. This, except not in the sarc font. I do think they look silly, but I'm sure people think I look silly much of the time. Exactly...I don't care if they are aerodynamic and make you a little bit faster...they look retarded...same with compression socks, never understood that trend either, but if it works for you, hey, go for it. Gee, in a sport where we wear skin tight lycra in bright colors, guys shave their legs as a rule, and people practice peeing on the bike, you're going to single out aero helmets as a fashion faux pas? |
| 2010-03-27 6:33 AM in reply to: #2752044 |
| Champion 7595 Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? the bear - 2010-03-27 7:06 AM meblack - 2010-03-27 12:38 AM mrbbrad - 2010-03-26 3:19 PM jsiegs - 2010-03-26 1:43 PM not worth it, IMHO, aero helmets look wicked dorky, nuff said. This, except not in the sarc font. I do think they look silly, but I'm sure people think I look silly much of the time. Exactly...I don't care if they are aerodynamic and make you a little bit faster...they look retarded...same with compression socks, never understood that trend either, but if it works for you, hey, go for it. Gee, in a sport where we wear skin tight lycra in bright colors, guys shave their legs as a rule, and people practice peeing on the bike, you're going to single out aero helmets as a fashion faux pas? x2. Now, peeing INTO your aero helmet is a different story entirely... |
| 2010-03-27 9:26 AM in reply to: #2751922 |
| Member 195 Akron, OH | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? "My argument is essentially this. For the $1500-$2000+ for wheels, aero-helmet and all sorts of aero goodies is it really cost effective at all for those of us not competing for a podium finish?" Unless you are winning money, none of this is "cost effective" in which case you should ride whatever you've got, and buy only the necessary equipment to prevent injury. But how much fun would that be? This isn't a business. It's a sport, a passtime, a hobby.... The rules are different and relatively simple. 1. Do you want it?? 2. Can you afford it?? Two questions that can only be answered by each individual. |
| 2010-03-27 11:22 AM in reply to: #2752165 |
| Champion 7233 | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? dscottmd - 2010-03-27 8:26 AM "My argument is essentially this. For the $1500-$2000+ for wheels, aero-helmet and all sorts of aero goodies is it really cost effective at all for those of us not competing for a podium finish?" Unless you are winning money, none of this is "cost effective" in which case you should ride whatever you've got, and buy only the necessary equipment to prevent injury. But how much fun would that be? This isn't a business. It's a sport, a passtime, a hobby.... The rules are different and relatively simple. 1. Do you want it?? 2. Can you afford it?? Two questions that can only be answered by each individual. that last bit is really the only part of this that matter,s just like our houses, cars, the bikes we ride, we dont NEED 99% of this stuff or at the cost we get it. What do you want, and can you afford it? Yes it will make you faster, how much is that worth to you? only you can answer it. Yes i race with every aero bit i can reasonably afford. because in the end, if i train and race the same as the next guy, but he doesn't wear the helmet because it looks dorky, i beat him by however much the helmet saves me. |
| 2010-03-27 11:46 AM in reply to: #2749009 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2010-03-27 11:46 AM in reply to: #2749009 |
| Master 1325 Lake Oswego, OR | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? Riding with an aero helmet is MUCH faster. I have a picture of me wearing mine on the wall, and when people see it, the first thing they remark is how fast I look. They never said that when I had a picture on the wall of me riding with my Helios on. However my aero helmet does seem to slow me down a bit on the swim leg. |
| 2010-03-27 12:12 PM in reply to: #2752294 |
| Champion 7595 Columbia, South Carolina | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? E=H2O - 2010-03-27 12:46 PM Riding with an aero helmet is MUCH faster. I have a picture of me wearing mine on the wall, and when people see it, the first thing they remark is how fast I look. They never said that when I had a picture on the wall of me riding with my Helios on. However my aero helmet does seem to slow me down a bit on the swim leg. You're supposed to wear it backwards for the swim part, silly. |
| 2010-03-27 12:42 PM in reply to: #2752022 |
| Expert 701 Boise | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? brown_dog_us - 2010-03-27 5:03 AM PennState - 2010-03-27 5:54 AM Only 70 of those 2,200 bikes went faster than me on my entry level Specialized transition that day. Aero stuff seems to make people faster and improve their time, but improvements in placing come from the engine.
btw, nice bike leg at IMLP. This was the point that I trying to make over and over again. I'm not against aero gear and I'm not critical of those who use it. I use some of it, aero water bottle, rear disc and a borrowed aero front wheel for my races. I just feel like the benefits are sometimes exaggerated especially for short course racing. Edited by crazyquick23 2010-03-27 12:46 PM |
| 2010-03-27 12:50 PM in reply to: #2752335 |
| Master 2460 | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? Experior - 2010-03-27 12:12 PM E=H2O - 2010-03-27 12:46 PM Riding with an aero helmet is MUCH faster. I have a picture of me wearing mine on the wall, and when people see it, the first thing they remark is how fast I look. They never said that when I had a picture on the wall of me riding with my Helios on. However my aero helmet does seem to slow me down a bit on the swim leg. You're supposed to wear it backwards for the swim part, silly.[/QUOTE  ] |
| 2010-03-27 12:57 PM in reply to: #2752370 |
| Expert 701 Boise | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? agarose2000 - 2010-03-27 12:50 PM Experior - 2010-03-27 12:12 PM E=H2O - 2010-03-27 12:46 PM Riding with an aero helmet is MUCH faster. I have a picture of me wearing mine on the wall, and when people see it, the first thing they remark is how fast I look. They never said that when I had a picture on the wall of me riding with my Helios on. However my aero helmet does seem to slow me down a bit on the swim leg. You're supposed to wear it backwards for the swim part, silly.[/QUOTE ]No comment |
| 2010-03-27 12:58 PM in reply to: #2751526 |
| Champion 8540 the colony texas | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? newbz - 2010-03-26 4:20 PM patricia7 - 2010-03-26 2:22 PM just on the helmet front, 2 mile very smooth round loop course, dead flat, sheltered, testing with a LG rocket got me roughly .2-.4mph tested 4 diff times at a steady 250 watts and again at 200 watts ( approx 24mph and 21mph )
^^^ I think this shows the difference in a persons weight and aero position on the bike.. I'm now where near 21mph on the bike at 200 watts, I know I weigh more than "newbz" and he is more aero on the bike than me |
| 2010-03-27 1:23 PM in reply to: #2752360 |
| Champion 9407 Montague Gold Mines, Nova Scotia | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? crazyquick23 - 2010-03-27 2:42 PM I'm not against aero gear and I'm not critical of those who use it. I use some of it, aero water bottle, rear disc and a borrowed aero front wheel for my races. I just feel like the benefits are sometimes exaggerated especially for short course racing. Why do you think aero benefit is exaggerated for short course racing? The faster you go, the larger the proportion of your power needs to go into overcoming aerodynamic drag so percentage wise, aero should benefit you more the faster you are travelling. A typical rider who can cut down their CdA by .05m^2 would save close to 2 minutes on a 40km bke leg. Simply from a training standpoint that would require raising FTP by 25W (which for the model I was using would be a 10% increase in FTP). Shane |
| 2010-03-27 2:19 PM in reply to: #2752399 |
| Champion 7233 | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? gsmacleod - 2010-03-27 12:23 PM crazyquick23 - 2010-03-27 2:42 PM I'm not against aero gear and I'm not critical of those who use it. I use some of it, aero water bottle, rear disc and a borrowed aero front wheel for my races. I just feel like the benefits are sometimes exaggerated especially for short course racing. Why do you think aero benefit is exaggerated for short course racing? The faster you go, the larger the proportion of your power needs to go into overcoming aerodynamic drag so percentage wise, aero should benefit you more the faster you are travelling. A typical rider who can cut down their CdA by .05m^2 would save close to 2 minutes on a 40km bke leg. Simply from a training standpoint that would require raising FTP by 25W (which for the model I was using would be a 10% increase in FTP). Shane considering the last 4 races i have won (all short course), the top 5 places were sperated by no more than 3 min total. the last 3 HIM's i have done, no one was within 3 min on either side of me. those little % points can be huge in short races. |
| 2010-03-27 2:19 PM in reply to: #2751896 |
| Expert 1053 Culpeper, VA | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? the bear - 2010-03-26 10:47 PM So are you faster with just "better more productive time in the saddle and maybe more of it"? Or with "better more productive time in the saddle and maybe more of it" and all the aerodynamic benefits one can buy? That's a softball question IMO, improved fitness with a better tool is the ideal choice, so I'm going with B. Whether the helmet (or any other aero addition) is worth it will be a relative thing. An aero helmet is on my list of things to acquire, but not a must have. To the thread starter, if you have the means to spring for a helmet I'd say go for the Giro Advantage 2... seems to be reasonably priced and provide good aerodynamics from my research into the aero helmet market. |
| 2010-03-27 2:27 PM in reply to: #2752448 |
| Champion 7233 | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? xeon - 2010-03-27 1:19 PM the bear - 2010-03-26 10:47 PM So are you faster with just "better more productive time in the saddle and maybe more of it"? Or with "better more productive time in the saddle and maybe more of it" and all the aerodynamic benefits one can buy? That's a softball question IMO, improved fitness with a better tool is the ideal choice, so I'm going with B. Whether the helmet (or any other aero addition) is worth it will be a relative thing. An aero helmet is on my list of things to acquire, but not a must have. To the thread starter, if you have the means to spring for a helmet I'd say go for the Giro Advantage 2... seems to be reasonably priced and provide good aerodynamics from my research into the aero helmet market. i'm going to agree with this minus one part, if you can try and AND the LG rocket on, have had both, both about hte same price, but fit very diff. i love the rocket, hate teh giro, my g/f is the other way around. |
| 2010-03-27 3:04 PM in reply to: #2750699 |
| Pro 3804 Seacoast, NH! | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? dgunthert - 2010-03-26 11:45 AM - Even after 5 years of doing triathlons, I don't understand people who say they're not going to buy aero equipment until they've improved their fitness so that it's "worth it". It's absurd to say I should train more before I go get an aero helmet or wheels or whatever. Why can't I train more AND buy the aero stuff? They're mutually exclusive and BOTH will make me faster. The aero stuff will actually make me faster RIGHT NOW. YEEEEEES!!! THANK YOU!! I love using this argument. I also like using, "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go!?" I'm going to buy two, one black and one white, depending on the sun on that given day. |
| 2010-03-27 3:07 PM in reply to: #2749009 |
| Davenport, IA | Subject: RE: aero helmet? worth it? who wears one? You can pick up the new Rudy Project pretty cheap too with the proper discount code. |
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