Originally Posted by
chasm54
Can't seem to get on with the IAB position, though, maybe because I don't feel as secure there and am therefore inhibited about putting out as much power. Just practice, or are there tips I should be following?
For a while I set up "knobs" with bar tape wrapped over a couple of wraps of old bar tape to hold my arms in position. I no longer use this but I do use bar tape with a lot of "stick". It's actually easier to do the lower your bar is. And I think a lot of it stems from my TT position where a lot of my weight is borne by my elbows...the IAB feels very familiar.
If you notice I also slide well up on the nose of the saddle which (though not the most comfortable position) also helps change the weight distribution and has me leveraging the pedaling force more into my forearms, which are tilted up slightly. It's actually a pretty secure fit.
There's definitely a sweet spot there...you need the right bar height, stem length, and saddle position to maximize your output. Worth noting that the first picture came from a State crit win where I did 40 or so minutes solo OTF, the majority of it in that position. That ride came from a lot of time going "HTFU" when things didn't feel pleasant. Bottom line is that if you know something will improve your racing, even though it may be tedious or be unpleasant at first you do the work. Or you dismiss it away with some "take a big dump" or "ride lots" oversimplification.