Translation by Matt Posh
Triathletes are more aware when it comes to the importance of a good bike fit. All equipment purchases (bike, helmet, clothing, accessories) can be for nothing because 80% of one’s aerodynamic drag comes from the rider.
We typically have athletes asking (me/us?) to recommend a good fitter. There is a common belief amongst many athletes that spending merely an hour with a specialist having THE knowledge behind a perfectly aerodynamic and optimal fit.
It’s not that simple
fitter to some of the best triathletes, like Mirinda Carfrae and Craig Alexander, can show us how it should be done. With the exact same fit coordinates on a bike, it’s possible to have 3 distinct TT positions. And only 1 of these is truly optimized.
In this example, we see 3 of Mat’s variations on 1 set of fit coordinates. In the first picture, by sliding back in his saddle, his aerobars are too long. In the second picture, his head is simply too high and adds to his frontal aera.
The important lesson to retain is that your work as an athlete is not done despite being positioned by a competent fitter, using the newest technologies. Now it’s up to you to work at maintaining this optimum position with practice. You can even take a page from Mirinda Carfrae’s progress by learning to conserve your power with a slightly more closed hip-angle.
The Basics
High Head position » Your neck muscles aren’t strong enough, or you’re not aware of this issue. Practice holding your position.
Meredith Kessler is a perfect example of an athlete who can get free speed with an optimized head position.
Saddle position » You need to have a more open hip angle. This is an issue because most fitters tend to opt more for comfort instead of performance and prefer to place an athlete in a more comfortable position.
Many think that having your back parallel to the ground is the ultimate TT position. In fact, studies have shown that this can actually cause a drop in power. There needs to be a balance.
Learning from the pros
An interesting example is Jesse Thomas. As a former Specialized athlete, the American triathlete is not a stranger to wind tunnel testing. He is very aware of the impact of good positioning. By our observation, he’s a perfect example of an athlete who adapts his position to best suit the bike course. Opening his hip angle in the steeper sections and trying to remain as aero as possible on descents.
Here’s an example of Cody Beals. Even if he was constantly staring at his bike computer, the Canadian tries to maintain the most aerodynamic position possible once he took the race lead. Looking at his choice of materials and attention to detail, it’s easy to conclude that his position took a lot of work to extract the biggest benefit.
