Originally Posted by stephtu
Timtak, your position is quite extreme.
And there was me thinking that I was being quite relaxed and thinking of ordering a smaller headset cone.
Here are three positions taken just now outside work, sparing your eyes the pain of lycra.
On my hoods where I am most of the time - comfortable
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihonbunka/14301247667/
On my areobars (home made spinachi, to be near the brakes) - comfortable
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihonbunka/14301046159/
On the front of my drops -- this is a bit harsh and I can't hold this except perhaps for a Strava segment finish (not that I have)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nihonb...in/photostream
Originally Posted by stephtu
angling their torso at the hips more than you are?
Very possibly. I can't touch my toes. I have taken up Karate stretching (son's club) in an attempt to do something about this.
I am not keen on bending my elbows on my drops or hoods because it is more effort to keep my body up. I do it a bit on the front of the drops.
Originally Posted by stephtu
If I were you, I would sell the road bike and get a time trial/tri bike instead.
I would if tt bikes were cheap and had road handlebars. They tend to be more expensive, and have the brakes in a different position to the gears. I ride on roads. I want my hands on my brakes (or near). I'd have to buy a tt bike then put road handlebars & levers on it. That would cost plenty of dosh. A forward offset seat post and stem are far cheaper.
I wonder why road bikes are not made with the geometry of a Giant Trinity, or with downwards pointing stems, flat cross bars and short headsets like the used to be made.
Originally Posted by stephtu
Most of us aren't racing or pretend racing time trials all the time, most don't race at all. We'd rather be comfortable and have a nicer view of the scenery than be as fast as possible. We want to be able to see more than just the ground 2-3 meters in front of our bikes without craning our necks to an uncomfortable degree.
I read recently that 60% of riders ride for fitness, and near 50% for weight loss. That is me. Fitness and weight loss. A felling of health. I am not really "racing" but I do push out more watts and burn flab more in an aero position. I do feel comfortable. I can see the view but like when I used to jog, I tend to commute/tt/jog/cycle the same routes so seeing the view is not very important.
Originally Posted by stephtu
People you pass on the road aren't racing you or anyone, it's "riding on their own", not "racing on their own"! Strava isn't really a race either.
It seems to me that quite a lot of people are sort of racing on Strava. I am not saying that I am racing every segment, nor aiming for
PR every time, but it helps to keep me on my toes. One blogger called Strava his "cycling conscience".
Originally Posted by stephtu
Also, most riders aren't looking for optimum aerodynamics at any cost, we value comfort and handling.
Originally Posted by stephtu
it seems really silly for me to prioritize aerodynamics so much.
Well, I am not feeling a cost. The stem was
cheap. I don't feel I am prioritizing aerodynamics over anything. I can see the view fairly well. I do feel comfortable (more so since the longer stem results in more suspension).
I think that I would feel a cost if I were using a brand name frame, and various weight weenie stuff, which folks deliberate and pay through the nose for.
But if I were riding in groups, with drafting, then I would go with the standard peleton designed frame (except perhaps as you say on race days).
I am commuting too, but at the same time it is a bit like a time trial in that I would like to go fast and get a good workout. Not that I am going all that fast.
Timothy Takemoto | Cyclist on Strava
Addendum. "Any cost"!? I see that a Giant Trinity is RRP $10499 (!!) or on sale at
$6750! If I bought one I'd have to spend another $300 to have an ergonomic, practical, fitting road handlebars. A mere $7000! My carbon bike was $1500, plus a couple of stems, a super hollow saddle, seat post, pedals,
trispoon (cut down profile design tribars). Maybe 1800USD. The thing about all the weight weenie, peleton chasing brand -named bike and "fit" is that it costs a lot of money, makes a lot of money for local bike shops, and that imho opinion is why the lBS 'fit' myth persists. There is a fit, for all those that just want to get fit out there, but that truefit is cheap, so you have to read forum posts to find it.