Subject: RE: Sitting position slow triathlete - 2010-06-06 6:09 PM
triathlon is a different animal and quite frankly you can sit wherever you feel most comfortable while still generating power.
some folks attempt to sit like they're sitting in a chair but a bike and a tri bike are different and you need to rotate your pelvis so as to sit more forward to generate power effectively and efficiently.
at least that's how I understand it, but I am the uber poseur slow rider.
Actually, that's very well worded.
Think about the way the sacrum/hips are shaped. When you sit "like you're sitting in a chair", your spine points up and forward. However, in a good tri position [like the one you posted, which is the most perfect tri position imaginable], the spine is pointed forward. So, you have to rotate the front of the pelvis down. this means that you have to put weight (and pressure ) on your "taint" - duodenum, perineum, whatever you call it. This isn't designed to be a weight-bearing area, so it's highly uncomfortable.
Certain saddles exist to help with it - see the ISM Adamo Race and any of John Cobb's saddles (esp. the V-Flow ).
Being forward allows you to use your quads almost exclusively on the bike, saving your hamstrings and glutes for the run. Also, it allows you to get into a more compact, and hopefully, aero position. |