Is my position ok?

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Comments

  • derbygrimpeur
    derbygrimpeur Posts: 822
    Got to agree with Pseudonym to a degree. Most riders in the pro peloton will be on the hoods most of the time. When riding at the front of the peloton (or in a breakaway) then they're on the drops to get the aero advantage. Not necessary in the bunch though.

    As for whether you lose power on the drops, I don't know. But being as it's accepted that you do lose power in TT position (which is more than balanced by the aero advantage), I see no reason why it isn't plausible that you lose power in the drops.
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    Zoomer37 wrote:
    Rule74Please wrote:
    Go read the science.

    The reason for the drops is to reduce drag. Same as TT position where the bttle is to optimise the drag v power drop. Lose 2 watts of drag but only 1 in power and you are faster

    No need for me to read the science, I been riding bikes for years and know id dont suffer any power loss being in the drops.

    Do you own a powermeter?
  • SBezza
    SBezza Posts: 2,173
    I can put out more power in the drops, don't know where this leaves Rule74Please's assumption and science.

    Surely the position youmput out most power in is the position you normally train in. Unlike Pokerface I can spend alot of time on the drops, and sometimes is more comfortable than on the hoods, it is just what I have got used to I suppose.

    For the record, you DON'T ALWAYS lose power in the TT position, at threshold mine is almost identical between all of my bikes. If you don't train in a position then yes you may have lower power in that position, but train in the position you are most likely to use, and you will adapt. The only time this may not be correct is when you have a very extreme TT position, but then sensible people balance the aero with power.
  • Zoomer37
    Zoomer37 Posts: 725
    P_Tucker wrote:
    Zoomer37 wrote:
    Rule74Please wrote:
    Go read the science.

    The reason for the drops is to reduce drag. Same as TT position where the bttle is to optimise the drag v power drop. Lose 2 watts of drag but only 1 in power and you are faster

    No need for me to read the science, I been riding bikes for years and know id dont suffer any power loss being in the drops.

    Do you own a powermeter?

    I dont mate no.
  • Valy
    Valy Posts: 1,321
    Pokerface wrote:
    Rule74Please wrote:
    You lose power and get a stiff neck / back from being to far over for too long.

    Seeing the tour is on watch how little time they spend in the drops


    I'm not sure which Tour you're watching, but in the one I'm watching, the majority of riders spend the majority of their time in the drops.

    In fact, I hate riding in the drops and have always been amazed at Pro's ability to spend hour after hour in that position.

    Wile I'm not sure about the majority of people spending the majority of the time on drops... Rule74 - not sure what you are talking about either. If you see any breakaway, you see people on the drops, people at the front of the peloton - drops.
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  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    The key is keeping a nice open hip angle, manage to keep it open, and get down low and flat, then power won't suffer, start closing your hip angle and power starts to suffer.

    Trouble is, not everyone can do this
  • andrewlwood
    andrewlwood Posts: 224
    Valy wrote:
    Pokerface wrote:
    Rule74Please wrote:
    Wile I'm not sure about the majority of people spending the majority of the time on drops... Rule74 - not sure what you are talking about either. If you see any breakaway, you see people on the drops, people at the front of the peloton - drops.

    Exactly - so when wind resistance is a problem, in the drops. When someone else is doing it for you, hoods. 90% of the peloton is usually on hoods.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    SBezza wrote:
    Surely the position youmput out most power in is the position you normally train in. Unlike Pokerface I can spend alot of time on the drops, and sometimes is more comfortable than on the hoods, it is just what I have got used to I suppose.

    I find no difference in comfort between drops and hoods. So, I'm happily on the drops when descending, when I'm managing to be quick on the flat and against headwinds. That's possibly a good 40% of the time.
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  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    Zoomer37 wrote:
    P_Tucker wrote:
    Zoomer37 wrote:
    Rule74Please wrote:
    Go read the science.

    The reason for the drops is to reduce drag. Same as TT position where the bttle is to optimise the drag v power drop. Lose 2 watts of drag but only 1 in power and you are faster

    No need for me to read the science, I been riding bikes for years and know id dont suffer any power loss being in the drops.

    Do you own a powermeter?

    I dont mate no.

    Then you don't know if you lose any power or not when you're in the drops.
  • Skippy2309
    Skippy2309 Posts: 426
    wouldnt speed be the give away?

    only way to properly test it would be on a turbo where the aero advantage will count for nothing. otherwise maintaining a set speed would lower power output in the drops or aero positions as you need less power to maintain the same speed (depending on how aero you get).i really dont see why you would get less power from the drops,

    aero i can see you getting less due to the position mainly due to the arms being close so you cant crank on the bars for more leverage.....
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