Aha! Now see why your outdoor times don’t match your Zwift ones
I’m not gonna mince my words here;
To me, your saddle looks low.
Your stem is too high
Your arms are too far apart
Your head looks like an ostrich surveying the savannah.
All of the issues you mention can be solved by slow, gradual changes whilst on Zwift indoors.
Get a mirror next to you and/or in front.
Practice “turtling” the head.
Shrugging the shoulders up should help with that tightness.
Saddle height should be about (roughly) leg fully extending with ball of foot on pedal.
Second photo you look cramped.
Fourth photo show what your leg should be like, but with pedal/crank at that angle on the Downstroke (you’re on the upstroke there)
I agree with most of what you said except this. At the bottom of the pedal stroke his leg is well extended and foot is pointing down which indicates the opposite. I think if possible, a shorter crank and maybe raise the saddle a little but not with the current 175 on there.
Look at the angle of the crank - he’s on the backstroke there (pulling up with that leg), so the heel should be raised, as it’s in the “sweep” position.
Saddle could do with coming forwards a little, perhaps?
Your stem is too high - Think half spaces are out… did try removing more last year but put them back in. Can’t remember why.
Your arms are too far apart - Not sure I can bring them in. Used to get horrible shoulder pain. Tho that has subsided swimming; so maybe I can try that again.
Your head looks like an ostrich surveying the savannah. - I do try and tuck but never lasts long. Think fatigue just gets me very quickly.
I deffo tend to sit more foward (pic 2) when in skin suit. Don’t feel cramped, only time I have issues is when go to stand and smash my knee into the end of the aero bars.
Back pain, probably.
Solved by more time in the aero position whilst on Zwift
RE: Shorter Cranks
It’s sounds bizarre and a bit placebo.
But my cranks for IMUK last year were 170mm on my 50/34 chainrings.
I then swapped to 175mm 55/42 for Outlaw and didn’t notice a shred of difference
I’ve NEVER enjoyed riding TT bike inside; don’t find it comfy in any sense (aero or otherwise). I fully get spending more time there would improve power, position and make me a bit faster… BUT…
Do I want to spend 8 months of the year, not enjoying riding inside for a marginal gain outside? Ultimately no; I’ll have fun racing and just do what I can come summer.
The Irish guy following me has some aero work to do… at least he is 12m back. I picked him up pretty early on first lap, and he followed me for about 170km
I’m giving myself the most amateur bike fit ever trying to get a decent position with clip on bars - how high should the seat be in relation to the pads?
I think I read something about a first height of difference on top of the pads? Pretty sure my legs aren’t long enough for that, and my back doesn’t look flat/parallel to the ground where it is at the moment, definitely sloped up. Is that much of a big deal? Will it still be decent enough?
Is the answer to my first question basically ‘as high as you can get it without extending your legs too much at the bottom of the pedal stroke’?
Might get a picture or video another day but I can’t at the moment. It will be laughable compared to some of the above pics (on that point, when I used to come on here 10-15 years ago didn’t there used to be way more noobs like me about?).
If you can’t get low, you are at least getting narrow, the position you can achieve is hugely dependent on the bike, with a road bike that fits you, it’s very hard to get a position with a flat back as you need to lower the bars (so then no longer work as a road bike)
It may well be that you can compromise (or actually just make your road bike more race set up as it’s probably set up for leisure riding) and lower the road bike proportion too which will help.
Hi everyone! New here and I love the idea of this topic.
Pic from yesterday’s test runs, that’s the setup I currently train with on open roads and I’m having a clear view ahead.
However I think the helmet position could be better and I’m not sure about the extensions position.
Should I reduce the reach? I see a lot of pro setups where the front of the helmet is level with the wrists, that’s not the case for me. And the armpads are closed back, so my elbows sit at the rear edge of the pads.
Should I increase the angle? Pads are 15° on this picture but I can go a little bit more and I have other aerobars with more or less stack height.
Reach and pad angle has to be mostly about comfort - are you suffering to hold that position for the period you need to? I suspect not, so I wouldn’t change it, but I prefer a vertical upper arm.
Helmet position, you’re training on open roads and mention visibility, so yes you can tuck the helmet in but the price is viz. search Roosters position upthread.
Lower the front - not sure lower front means better aero anymore, if it ever really did.
I will be lowering the tone of this thread from its currently lofty heights with my own pic soon. Fair warning.
