Critique My Road Bike Position - How Can I Improve It?

buckmulligan

So I participated in the Windsor Triathlon in the blazing sunshine at the weekend and for once the course photographers have actually managed to capture a few decent shots of me on the bike. I was doing it on my standard road setup for a variety of reasons, so I figure it's a good opportunity to throw it out there and let you guys assess my position. I live in the flatlands of Essex, so spend most of my time riding in the drops as shown below and it's the setup I've been riding quite happily for the last 12 months or so.





Apologies for the rubbish resolution thumbnails

At a first glance, I feel as though I look a bit too bunched up and could do with shifting the saddle back and/or getting a longer stem; I'm currently running an inline post and a 110 mm stem so there's a bit of room for manoeuvre in both directions. My stem is as low as it will currently go, but the headset cover is a good 20 mm tall, so finding a shorter alternative is a possibility to get the bars a bit lower.

I'm a big believer in that you adapt to changes in your bike setup over time and have done that fairly easily with small incremental changes in the past, so I'm happy to shift things around if it'll make me more aerodynamic, comfortable, allow me to put more power out, reduce injury risk etc etc etc.

What do you guys think, how can I improve my position? Thanks!

webboo

Stem looks too short or the frame is too small. Also you need to bend your elbows.

napoleond

Try some pics in an aero position, hands on hoods, elbows at 90°

Bobbinogs

If you're doing a triathlon then you need to get much more aero because that position on the drops is miles away. You would be better getting flatter on the hoods with a longer stem...or just doing it properly with some clip ons and a bike fitting session.

buckmulligan

Thanks for the replies.

The reason for my using a road bike setup in a tri is because I'm doing Ironman UK in a few weeks where comfort is going to be paramount; holding a TT position for 112 miles and being able to run properly afterwards just isn't a realistic proposition for me at the moment, so I'm going with a road bike setup. Same goes for riding on the hoods with my elbows at 90 degrees, that's fine for a few minutes hard effort in the wind, but I'm not going to be able to hold that position for 6 hours.

I have some pictures of me in various positions on the turbo trainer from a while back that I could dig out, but I feel with those it's easy to hold the position that you know you should be (e.g. slide back on the saddle, bend elbows blah blah blah) and look good, but the reality is, when I'm out riding and stop focusing on exactly how I'm positioned then this is where I end up.

Obviously this is only one snapshot and I'm not sure if this was a flat/uphill/downhill section; in my defence I think photographers like to position themselves on uphill sections as the riders are going slower and easier to shoot. I'd like to think that on the flats and downhills I have slightly longer, more aggressive position, bent elbows etc but I'm not sure if that's the case in reality.

So do you guys think adding +20 mm of stem length, adjusting the stem position and/or adjusting saddle position would make a big difference?

supermurph09

I honestly don't think anyone can critique this with any certainty (as NapD said basically). The reason for this is that the positions above are unlikely the positions you held constantly throughout? If you were on a TT rig you'd be in that position 99% of the time so easier to give opinions. Frame does look a bit small though..

vrsmatt

Bike is too small

pippi_langsamer-2

If you're serious enough to enter an Ironman, then I can't see for the life of me why you wouldn't entertain the use of "Tri", bars/ extensions and take it seriously?!!

Other than vastly improving your position/ time, it gives you another positional option to switch between even if you can't hold the tuck position on the extensions for the majority of the route. Reckon you'll be more fatigued/ sore from 112m on the drops and hoods than you would be if you were alternating between the Tri-bars/ drops/ hoods....

Are you going to d the run in tracksuit bottoms and the swim with a pool noodle too?

mpatts

my 2 very basic tips:

1) Get a bike fit - will make a huge difference
2) When you ride bend your arms. Short distance hands on hoods and arms bend 90 degress at elbow. For more comfort trips bend them a bit less.

bobmcstuff

BuckMulligan wrote:

The reason for my using a road bike setup in a tri is because I'm doing Ironman UK in a few weeks where comfort is going to be paramount; holding a TT position for 112 miles and being able to run properly afterwards just isn't a realistic proposition for me at the moment, so I'm going with a road bike setup. Same goes for riding on the hoods with my elbows at 90 degrees, that's fine for a few minutes hard effort in the wind, but I'm not going to be able to hold that position for 6 hours.

The Ironman UK course (Pembroke) has a lot of sharp hills so a road bike over a full on TT bike is a good shout - but clip on aerobars will give you an additional hand position. You will be able to switch between hoods, drops and aerobars which should lead to you feeling better at the end compared to sticking in the hoods for 6 hours.

dinyull

BuckMulligan wrote:

Same goes for riding on the hoods with my elbows at 90 degrees, that's fine for a few minutes hard effort in the wind, but I'm not going to be able to hold that position for 6 hours.

In the drops with at least some elbow bend would be better than what you have.

dannbodge

I wouldn't go adjusting the saddle too much as it is there to control your fore/aft position, not reach.

joey54321

Personally the saddle looks a bit high/forward and stem perhaps a bit short.

However, if you are comfortable/injury free I wouldn't change anything so close to doing an Ironman event.

slowbike

1) get some TT clipons - 112 miles is a long way and whilst you may not be able to hold a TT positon for most of it, even doing so for a bit of it will improve your time - even if you're not used to TT bars (although I guess you are?) - you've got enough time to get some practice in.

2) first impression is that the bike is too small - your eyeline to the front hub is forward of the bars - but the rough guide is for when you're on the hoods - not in the drops.

3) get a smaller headset cone thinghy - the ones on the Allez are just massively tall (I know - I've got one) .

JesseD

Saddle too far forward, and maybe a touch too high, stem looks too short and maybe could go lower as has been mentioned.

Don't think the bike is too small for you if I am honest, but that's just my opinion, going bigger would increase the stack height which raises the bar height.

burnthesheep

For TT/triathlon even on a roadie instead of TT bike.....saddle forward is common. Some triathlon people do it to attempt to bias muscle use in the bike leg vs the run leg of the event.

They may have photographed you during a "rest" in the drops.....but if it is a TT or triathlon (which is essentially a TT on the bike leg) then you aren't using those arms anymore in the race after the bike leg. In other words, bend those elbows and get lower.

If you don't want to use clip on TT bars for your roadie in a triathlon, if the road is smooth you can teach yourself to rest with your forearms on the bartops for a few minutes then get back to the bent elbows in the drops. GCN had one of those 2 or 3 minute youtube videos about this once. Then after the rest, back with the bent elbows in the drops.

fenix

IMUK= Bolton ? Not Pembroke - thats IM Wales.

OP have you tried tribars ? They can be very comfortable. I've known someone to nod off on theirs - temporarily. You're basically using your skeleton to support you so saves the muscles.

Tri bars even on a road bike will give you an extra 1 mph for the same effort. Maybe even 2.

Looking at the pics you are tall and wide at the front. Tri bars will make you lower and narrower.

I did an Iron distance at the weekend and was probably on the tribars for >90% of it - only for the climbs or tricky bits did I come out of it. Its worth paying for a fitting to get this sorted.

bobmcstuff

Fenix wrote:

IMUK= Bolton ? Not Pembroke - thats IM Wales.

My bad, I got confused by the fact that Wales is part of the UK...

So the Bolton route is even hillier with twice up Rivington Pike which is a proper climb, although there are a lot of flatter or rolling sections where tribars would come in handy.

buckmulligan

Thanks again for the replies, very helpful. How did the race go this weekend Fenix?!

Indeed, IMUK is Bolton, so not exactly flat but not as bad as Wales overall.

I've experimented a lot with clip-on aerobars (e.g. running shorter stems, higher stem position, shifting saddle around, trying different saddles) and felt like I could only get to a point where both the road and TT position were a poor compromise. For a decent position on the aero bars I felt like I really needed to push the saddle even further forward(!) and run a much shorter stem (70 vs 110 mm) and this left me bolt upright on the drops or hoods; it seemed like the worst of both worlds if you're planning on actively switching between positions.

From prior experience in training and races I think I'm going to find a full-on TT-position too unforgiving for the distance (especially on the glutes, back and neck) and would likely end up sabotaging the run, which is usually my strongest discipline; whatsmore I find it difficult to get anywhere close to my power targets in a solid TT-position especially as the fatigue sets in, so for me a good portion of the time gained on paper would be offset by that. I have tried and it's something that I want to work towards, but I figure going for a straight-up road setup is the simplest and safest bet this time round, knowing that I can still run well off a 6 hour session in this position.

dwanes

Bike is certainly not too small otherwise there would be a lot more seatpost showing.

Try a longer stem, they are pretty cheap to try, see how you get on. Wouldn't change your saddle position.

Do not bother with a bike fit, waste of money. Try things yourself.

imposter2.0

Setup looks basically ok, maybe a 10mm longer stem, or a deeper-drop/longer reach bar - main issue is with how you are riding (with your arms locked), which is always going to give you a more upright position. With elbows bent either on the drops or hoods, I think that position would be pretty good.

bobmcstuff

BuckMulligan wrote:

Indeed, IMUK is Bolton, so not exactly flat but not as bad as Wales overall.

It's not as much elevation gain as Pembroke overall but Rivington is a relatively significant climb, which is missing from the Pembroke route (which is more rolling).

BuckMulligan wrote:

I find it difficult to get anywhere close to my power targets in a solid TT-position

Most people experience a drop in power (of varying degree) in their TT position compared to their regular position but this does not mean you will be slower, due to the comparatively larger reduction in drag you should be able to achieve.

imposter2.0

Pembroke - do you mean Tenby?

darkhairedlord

Too close to the kerb

DeVlaeminck

Bike is not too small.

I think your saddle is too high and too far forwards, I'd be getting it back a couple of cms and lowering it. You might then want to try a longer stem but that can wait.

Do this after your ironman if you are getting by injury free so far.

buckmulligan

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Bike is not too small.

I think your saddle is too high and too far forwards, I'd be getting it back a couple of cms and lowering it. You might then want to try a longer stem but that can wait.

Do this after your ironman if you are getting by injury free so far.

Thanks, this is exactly what I was thinking!