TT Position

markos1963

I saw some pictures of my position on my bike at a TT this morning and was a bit disappointed. I ride an Orbea Onix with clip on bars and whilst I know its not a TT bike I thought with a fairly short headtube and no spacers I would get a fairly flat back. I was wondering if it had anything to do with my long body and short legs. A riding friend who was there had a very flat back riding the same bars on his Allez. The only difference I could see was he had a much shorter body than me.

rick_chasey

Sit further back in the saddle?

Get a longer stem?

AidanR

The Onix is a sportive bike - it has a fairly tall head tube. TT bikes have shorter top tubes than road bikes for the same size, so stretching yourself out by sitting further back or getting a longer stem is unlikely to be the answer. In fact, sitting further back will likely affect your power output. It's not the short body of your friend that will have allowed him to get into a more aero position, it's his long legs and the resulting saddle to handlebar drop. Perhaps get a riser stem and flip it to lower the bars? It's a fudge, but then trying to make a sportive bike into a TT bike is always going to invite that...

markos1963

AidanR wrote:

The Onix is a sportive bike - it has a fairly tall head tube. TT bikes have shorter top tubes than road bikes for the same size, so stretching yourself out by sitting further back or getting a longer stem is unlikely to be the answer. In fact, sitting further back will likely affect your power output. It's not the short body of your friend that will have allowed him to get into a more aero position, it's his long legs and the resulting saddle to handlebar drop. Perhaps get a riser stem and flip it to lower the bars? It's a fudge, but then trying to make a sportive bike into a TT bike is always going to invite that...

Cheers for that. looking at the pictures of my friend I can see its his longer legs lifting his saddle height. I mentioned the bikes because his Allez has a longer headtube than mine and we ride the same size bikes. My Onix is an 07 model which isn't the same as the current one, much more racier position as it comes out of the same mould as the original Orca team bike. I know using a road bike for TT's will always be a compromise and eventually I will get a TT bike(once I crack 25minutes). Like the idea regarding the stem though, will definatly give that a go, any recommendations?

AidanR

Erm, dunno about a stem recommendation. I think something cheap because this is just a random idea rather than something I've actually done. Perhaps an adjustable stem would be best to fine-tune your position?

SteveR_100Milers

I'd reccommend a proper bike fit, I had one done recently and made a huge difference on all my bikes. The first part sets up saddle height and then setback; and finally your handlebar reach. In theory you should be able to set up identical contact points on all of your bikes so that fitting tri-bars should 'work' fine.

disgruntledgoat

I use an Onix with clip ons as my TT set up (and without it becomes my race bike!) and have found the following to be useful in getting a passable position

* Raising the saddle a couple of Cms

*Trying to replicate the flatness of my back when on the drops with my fingers on the brakes on the clip ons. This has involved raising the TT bars above the level of the handle bars to give a position which (frontally at least) looks similar to the one Landis used to use. I found that, due to the long head-tube that pushing the tri bars lower and lower merely rotated my hips and pushed my torso higher, increasing the frontal area.

*Pushing my saddle forward helped also.

Anyway, my first TT of the year was a PB of 1:00:50 for a 25, so I presume I've done something right.

SteveR_100Milers

disgruntledgoat wrote:

I use an Onix with clip ons as my TT set up (and without it becomes my race bike!) and have found the following to be useful in getting a passable position

* Raising the saddle a couple of Cms

*Trying to replicate the flatness of my back when on the drops with my fingers on the brakes on the clip ons. This has involved raising the TT bars above the level of the handle bars to give a position which (frontally at least) looks similar to the one Landis used to use. I found that, due to the long head-tube that pushing the tri bars lower and lower merely rotated my hips and pushed my torso higher, increasing the frontal area.

*Pushing my saddle forward helped also.

Anyway, my first TT of the year was a PB of 1:00:50 for a 25, so I presume I've done something right.

That's a huge amount - sounds suspiciously like the original height is far from ideal. I would caution against raising a saddle this much in one go as its likely for most people to leads to sore knees, tendons etc especialy if it results on over-stretching the leg.

markos1963

I suspect my saddle could be a bit low anyway as it was moved by a mechanic during a service(God knows why) and I put it back approximatly so I have a look at that.

Can a get a bike fit specifically for TT's?

SteveR_100Milers

markos1963 wrote:

I suspect my saddle could be a bit low anyway as it was moved by a mechanic during a service(God knows why) and I put it back approximatly so I have a look at that.

Can a get a bike fit specifically for TT's?

Yes try an LBS that sells TT bikes that offers a proper bike fit service. MOst will do it free with the bike, mine did.