How difficult is it to adjust to riding in a TT position?

ajmitchell

Hi

I am pretty used to riding on a mtb, hydrid and road bike but not a TT bike or a road bike in a TT / triathlon position, at least not an aggressive one that really helps aero. Even getting low on clip on bars can be tough *to maintain*. To give an example, I tried this week to keep riding in the classic tuck position (with no cheating by sitting up) on the turbo under safe controlled conditions. My first attempt managed only 8mins at 80% of normal power, 2nd attempt 10mins at 85% power.

I'd like to hear from other TT or triathlon riders who can remember starting to ride in the TT position for more than a few minutes. Any tips? Any comments on power loss? BTW I also fine it hard to look forward rather than down at the floor in this position.

Thanks alex

danowat

Practice, you will adjust to it.

When I first started, my body was literally screaming at me to get up, but you just have to stick with it, I can now stay in the TT position for hours on end, it took me about 18 months to full adjust and become comfortable enough to maintain the position for hours, I can't stress how important a decent saddle is, because that will be the defining factor before long as to how long you can still down.

As for power, I don't measure power, so I don't know.

Monty Dog

It's a process of adaptation over time - improving your flexibility and increasing your core body strength to hold yourself in that position. There is a law of diminishing returns - go too deep and you can start reducing your ability to generate power and the question is whether the increased aero benefits outweigh the power output loss. If you want the ultimate S+M experience, try riding a fixed gear in a deep aero position for long periods...the pain from the nethers due to 'pulling' yourself onto the saddle nose is often worse that the screaming quads.

ajmitchell

btw, by not cheating, I mean with the elbows on the pads and hip at a 90-120 angle not just holding on to those extensions at a slight bend; and then keeping there.

Matt the Tester

some get it easily (i did) and others have to work on it.

you should get more descriptive answers then this lol.

cyco2

When bought a proper TT bike I couldn't ride it properly until I raised (eased) the bars a little for 25's and 50's and kept them low for 10's. Then with experience I was able to assume the best position for speed. Your position over the peddles is important as well. It took a lot of concentration to keep my head down at times but in the end everything worked well. Bloody well in fact.

Team4Luke

should take any length of time. TT bike should not be too dissimilar from you road bike in terms of shape, size and angles, only difference being you have TT bars for comfort and will be in that position longer, if your TT bike is extremely different from your road bike then it will take much longer to adapt to and given most riding is on road bike this wouldn't be suitable for random TT events for the purposes of adjusting to for the event each time. Majority ending up going too low, losing power and silly seat angles, it's all about comfort and sustaining a good output for longer.

ajmitchell

thanks for your replies so far. Is anyone else doing turbo sessions in a TT position?

SBezza

I do my turbo session on the TT bike in the TT position, and sometimes it is difficult to maintain the position, but on the road in a race no problems whatsoever. When on the road you get a bit of relief from just natural changes in position and getting out of the saddle for hills, or when you accelerate out of a turn etc.

As for the amount of time getting used to it, that depends on how often you train in the aero position, who flexible you are, and how different in terms of bar height your aero bars are in relation to your road bike. I can spend most of a 2 hour road ride in the drops without too many issues, some riders find it diificult to spend more than 10 mins. As for power drop off, that will again be purely individual, some lose a fair amount, other don't lose hardly any between positions, again the more you get used to a position, the more you should adapt, and power differences can be minimised.

danowat

SBezza wrote:

I do my turbo session on the TT bike in the TT position, and sometimes it is difficult to maintain the position, but on the road in a race no problems whatsoever.

+1, although it has been said that riding on a turbo can highlight any positional problems much quicker than on the road.....

John.T

Are you using a proper TT bike with a forward saddle position or a road bike with clip-ons. The road bike will probably give a much tighter hip angle due to the rear set of the saddle. The general basic set-up for a TT bike is to rotate your road position forward about the BB thus preserving the hip angle. Thus the only change that would give more discomfort is when rotating your pelvis on the saddle. Tilting the saddle down at the front brings it's own problems. Using a turbo will increase this discomfort over riding on the road.

RoadMeridaBen

I did 2 hours on the turbo earlier about 1hr 45 mins in aero position its a new bike and my position is alot different, neck aches a little now but thats from tucking my head down apart from that its fine, but i think alot of it as said before comes down to flexibility, I am very flexible and find the change from road bike to TT bikes very easy.
Though that does depend if you have a crazy setup on your TT bike :P

ajmitchell

John.T wrote:

Are you using a proper TT bike with a forward saddle position or a road bike with clip-ons. The road bike will probably give a much tighter hip angle due to the rear set of the saddle. The general basic set-up for a TT bike is to rotate your road position forward about the BB thus preserving the hip angle. .

I am using a road bike with long clip-ons. To simulate the TT bike position I have a high saddle height, low stack at front. Presumably if I measure the same same distance from the bottom bracket to the saddle and the handlebars then the set-up would be identical to a full TT bike (shape of the bars not withstanding).

boggybrn

I found that if I just fit clip on aerobars and drop the front end as low as possible then it is really uncomfortable. What seems to help is to move the saddle forwards (and then up to correct the distance to the cranks). This seems to be more like a TT bike position i.e. rotated forwards about the cranks.

Team4Luke

ajmitchell wrote:

I am using a road bike with long clip-ons. To simulate the TT bike position I have a high saddle height, low stack at front. Presumably if I measure the same same distance from the bottom bracket to the saddle and the handlebars then the set-up would be identical to a full TT bike (shape of the bars not withstanding).

There is no such thing as a TT Bike Position, only, a position that suits your requirements, don't try and copy something you have seen. It does sound like you too low, put some pics up for general comment. Riding the Rack is mentally and physically harder than road, you have no scenery, conditions, wind, no hills or any muliple opportunities to shift about on the saddle to releive numbness, don't worry about not being able to hold it for long on the turbo, go and do it on the road instead.