Fat Boy

I do all my interval work in the drops, but I've never done an interval in the invisibar position. That's something I'll have to work at as I've only ridden like that for short periods playing around. The thing I do concentrate on it keeping my knees and elbows narrow. I also run narrow bars (40's) because I'm not a big guy and I feel it helps squeezing into small spots during a race.

After everything that people have posted, I wonder if my FTP isn't a little higher than I've claimed (I'm trying to not be 'that guy' who claims to just cruise around at 35 mph). I'm getting the number by using a power calculator to recreate a long climb I did this summer. It was about an hour climb which I averaged my LTHR. I was going hard, but I don't know if it's a valid calculation technique. To do the climb how I did it would take the power I've claimed as FTP. One big caveat is that it was hot as the coals of hell that day, so power at LTHR had to be a little down. It's a rare thing for me to get shelled from a race or even a very hard ride, so maybe I'm not quite as DOP as I think.

Having said this, my limiter is my limiter and that is long breakaway-time trial power, there's no way to get around that. Even my teammates have commented on it when we weigh each others relative strengths and weaknesses. FWIW, one of my workouts I call a 'breakaway' interval. It's 30 seconds of going like hell (just short of a full sprint) followed by 3 minutes of zone 5a-5b HR work followed by 5 minutes of high zone 4-zone 5a work, followed by a 20-30 second sprint at the end (this time a 'real' sprint). I started doing this interval to help address the problem at hand. The first 30 seconds is to 'establish the gap', then 3 minutes to discourage chasers, then 5 minutes to maintain the gap and bring it home with the ending sprint. I do about a 10 minute rest between intervals. They suck, but they're fairly representative of a real breakaway. I wish I had power numbers to put on the work portions, but I think you can get the idea of what I'm going for here. Maybe someone else can stick %FTP numbers on it.

I genuinely appreciate everyone's input on this thread. It's been very informative and I feel what we've kicked around here will make me a stronger next year. Thanks, guys.

fly:yes/land:no

you would look more pro if you photoshop'd your biceps to be smaller. awesome pic.

Hida Yanra

yep - that sounds like the right kind of drill... keep it up and you'll improve for sure.

ldesfor1@ithaca

IAB's:


https://jamiewade.zenfolio.com/p25178...632f#h2921d971

waterrockets 

I did all my SST today in the elbows-on-bars position. My training partners did not enjoy the lower wind shadow and higher speed.

Fat Boy

I wasn't SST'ing today, at least not in a structured sense, but I did do about a 1/2 hour in the invisibar position. I had a couple thoughts.

A. The aero gains are pretty impressive. You can feel it right away.
B. It really closes down the hip angle and will take a while training in that position to feel like I'm 'strong' while doing it.
C. I'm glad I've got a couple months to practice riding that way, because I'm definitely not steady enough all hunkered over to use it during a race right now.

All in all, it's a good tool to have available, though, and I'm glad you guys brought it up.

mike868y

I tried using the IAB position today at certain times during my ride. A large part of my ride was on pretty major roads, adn I am not entirely comfortable in this position yet, so I wasn't able to use it as much as I'd like.

However, some things I noticed
A. aero gains are noticeable but not huge (I am very small to begin with)
B. I had a hard time orienting my hands w/ my cables. "holding" the derailleur cables was more stable but placing my hands underneath seemed more aero
C. I like this position and I am def. going to practice it more.

Racer Ex 

I give credit to Davey Sprocket for making me aware of the possibilities. On his way to a Vuelta stage win:

waterrockets 

Captain Aero himself. Holy crap.

It's interesting, I can get lower in the drops than IAB, but I think a huge portion of the advantage comes from the narrowing of the arms. Besides, if I go much lower, I might be showing too much back to the wind and increasing drag.

ridethecliche

Sprocket looks so suave in that picture.

Fat Boy

On B.

I ended up with my forearms fairly narrow on the bars (which pulls my shoulders in) and in kind of a 'Praying Mantis' type position. I was thinking that the Shimano guys would probably hold onto their cables. If your arms get sweaty and slip off the bar over a bump or something, you are F'd in a big way.

carpediemracing 

Ever since Steve Bauer used the position after he double flatted in a TT in the Tour de Trump, I've always wanted to use it. But I just can't. I don't feel stable, and, like Fat Boy said, you are totally F'ed if your arms slip.

I'm not sure if Cane Creek Speed bars or Scott Rakes are legal, but since I have both, I may try those again. I always take them off because I realize at some point that being aero + time trialing at 240 watts doesn't get me anywhere. I need to sit in instead.

cdr

ldesfor1@ithaca

yup. this is why I went with Shimano, not SRAM. I loop the cables between my middle and ring fingers. A certain margin of safety.
Also tape on the center of the bars and some wristbands (WR's suggestion) could help.
I find the cables are good enough.

See my photo....

Racer Ex 

On one of my rigs I built up two "knobs" out of double wrapped tape to keep my arms from sliding outwards.

waterrockets 

That's a good idea. I've also been over-wrapping the bar tops for more padding (a bit more overlap than the rest of the bar).

slim_77

What about "bargel" type products for the tops? That could take some of the "shock" down a notch or two.

btw, I've been practicing the IAB and it is an amazing difference.

fly:yes/land:no

i took a pair of cheap flip flops, cut out the heel, and crafted several thin cushions. i then taped those on top of the bars. after about two weeks, i took them out. honestly, i have found that using the iab doesn't really hurt my arms the day of the event, but the next day, i have some moderate pain.

marsh283

These are snazzy

https://www.thenew3t.com/details.aspx...=zefiro&d=TEAM

Hida Yanra

yeah- they have been on my wishlist for a single-bike omnium setup ever since they were announced... Then again, given the price, it isn't likely to happen anytime soon

still, cheaper than a 2nd bike, and they are rocking bars.

Fat Boy

I'm not sure I like how they look, but it's make the IAB setup a lot safer. Maybe talk to BDop about making the extension piece on it's own. That coupled with a set of normal flat-topped bars would be enough. to make me happy.

waterrockets 

Pads under your tape plus this?

Racer Ex 

Trying to cover up that bar tape so no one sees it is going to mess up your arm position.

Fat Boy

https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...1&category=888

It looks like Cane Creek also makes (made?) some hideous thing to stick on your bars to help tuck. They all look ugly. The 3T one is barely acceptable. The Cinelli one is bad, but the Cane Creek is just awful. I bet they all help, though. Function over form, I guess.

Bullseye

is this one of those things that's legal until some governing body makes it explicitly illegal?

-bullseye

audiojan

It one of those that's already illegal... at least in a road race. TT's... different story, I would think they're still ok