"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Embarassing myself with a TT position thread

Sorry my pics aren't the greatest since I was using a camera timer. I flipped the stem and put the spacers on top. Any advice would be appreciated. I have not done a TT before. :o

The only thing that comes to my mind is what my ex-girlfriend said to me in college.


"Futons are for losers".

You're not even in the saddle in that first picture are you? Check out the fitting portion of the Guru website. It's got some really good information on the desired angles for a good tri position.

those Dr. Strangelove glasses are off the chain!

Nickel, you looked way too stretched out. Your elbows should be at about 90 degrees. Shorten your stem and forget the comments about your glasses. You're cool.

TTs are fun. Hammertime from the get-go, and no one to fight in the corners like a crit. Good luck!

the stem is already pretty short, but she would benefit from a forward-facing seatpost

Push the saddle as far forward on its rails as possible, making sure the seat height stays unchanged from your current position.

Then move forward to the nose of the saddle which is where you will most likely be whilst on the rivet and please repost the pic.

Push the saddle as far forward on its rails as possible, making sure the seat height stays unchanged from your current position.

Then move forward to the nose of the saddle which is where you will most likely be whilst on the rivet and please repost the pic.

+1

You're all the way back on the saddle, when you should be all the way forward. I can't offer much advice until you get a shot forward.

Far too stretched out.

>>Embarassing myself with a TT position thread<<

You are not alone (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=336303&highlight=tt).

As a fitter all I can say is:

1. Good Lord

2. Where do we start?

3. Are you actually sitting on the seat?

As a fitter all I can say is:

1. Good Lord

2. Where do we start?

3. Are you actually sitting on the seat?

It's a rough room kid.

>>Embarassing myself with a TT position thread<<

You are not alone.

Heck, compared to this you looked like Zabriski.

Honestly, I've never seen a position this bad. With the sweat pants, I can't tell where she is on the bike. Basically, I think there's a frame size issue without even getting into the bar positioning.

To the OP...I have a suggestion. Lose the aero bars for now. Unless you can ride your TT at a speed above about 25mph, you are gaining nothing with the bars except extra weight on your bike.

Heck, compared to this you looked like Zabriski.

Honestly, I've never seen a position this bad. With the sweat pants, I can't tell where she is on the bike. Basically, I think there's a frame size issue without even getting into the bar positioning.

To the OP...I have a suggestion. Lose the aero bars for now. Unless you can ride your TT at a speed above about 25mph, you are gaining nothing with the bars except extra weight on your bike.

i have (http://bikeforums.net/member.php?u=79129).

i have (http://bikeforums.net/member.php?u=79129).

Nice. I would not have thought to have gone there....

Sit on the seat, move the saddle all the way forward, leave the stem flipped but raise it back up with the spacers, wear appropriate riding gear and take another picture.

LOL - Thanks, obviously if I knew what I was doing, I wouldn't need to ask

- That futon is really comfortable
- Thanks for the website link
- I wasn't sure on saddle positioning. I knew compared to others' pics that it looked pretty stretched out but figured best to get a pic up
- they are actually knickers, not sweatpants.

My frame size is an issue actually. I have a 32" inseam and am only 5'4". I'll have to repost pics tonight when I get back.

LOL - Thanks, obviously if I knew what I was doing, I wouldn't need to ask

- That futon is really comfortable
- Thanks for the website link
- I wasn't sure on saddle positioning. I knew compared to others' pics that it looked pretty stretched out but figured best to get a pic up
- they are actually knickers, not sweatpants.

My frame size is an issue actually. I have a 32" inseam and am only 5'4". I'll have to repost pics tonight when I get back.

ZOINKS! :eek:

Try to emulate Pcad's Textbook TT Position.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/patentcad/April08TTposBF3.jpg

Be sure to put the right graphics on your TT helmet.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/patentcad/IMG_0773.jpg

Get a sexy TT skinsuit.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/patentcad/Pcadskinsuit.jpg

Then go to your first TT and finish in the bottom half of your category. Works for me.

ZOINKS! :eek:

compared to men, women tend to have proportionately longer legs.

Try to emulate Pcad's Textbook TT Position.

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/1537/pcadcrit2mx4.jpg

Be sure to put the right graphics on your TT helmet.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/patentcad/IMG_0773.jpg

Get a sexy TT skinsuit.

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5148/pcadmt4.jpg

Then go to your first TT and finish in the bottom half of your category. Works for me.

interesting.

compared to men, women tend to have proportionately longer legs.

OK, replace " ZOINKS! :eek: " with, " Well, hello ;) "

Nickel,

If you have a little extra cash go to Hollywood Cycles and have "Hollywood" Jay Henderson fit you.
He is the guy to go to here in the Twin Cities for a fitting.

Are you doing Black Dog tonight? How about the Synergy TT on Sat.?

If you can swing it you should try to get to Black Dog tonight. It is the first night of the every other week series.Black Dog TT (http://www.silvercycling.org/bdtt.html)

I told you it was a rough room. Particularly if you fall victim to the botto Graphics Dept.

I've heard great things about him and was actually waiting until the semester was over to go check him out because my road fit is a poor guesstimate. I bought the bike when I even knew less than now...which is possible.

I was going to do Synergy but not the Black Dog.

I moved the saddle forward and put the spacers underneath the stem but I still look stretched out. I think I will just use the handlebars and leave the aerobars for more fun another day. ;)

It sounds like you'll have to look into a forward angle seat post like the Profile FastForward. That's what I use, and I keep an old saddle on it so the swap is quick. It moves your saddle forward 7cm, IIRC. I got mine with a WTB on craigslist for $25.

I guess I missed all the fun, no picture.

yeah, where'd they go?

Ttiwwp

Think of this, but with a much more acute hip angle:

http://www.wolfgang-menn.de/pics/obree7.jpg

How is hip angle measured? Is it between upper leg and torso?

How is hip angle measured? Is it between upper leg and torso?

I'm not a fitter, but I'd guess they'd measure femur vs. spine at the top of the stroke and the bottom of the stroke. I kind of eyeball shoulder-hip-BB spindle.

I'll post up my 'new' pictures when I get home. I'd like to try and understand some of the new info.

According to the video, it looked like hip angle was from the foot to the hip and then through the torso.

I had followed the directions earlier this morning and took more pictures but it was still really stretched out. I flipped the seat post around which allowed me to gain more forward saddle movement and I adjusted the TT bars. I know my arms are still not 90 degrees but if I adjust the bars anymore it starts becoming uncomfortable.

I'm sure you think this is pretty funny but it has been very helpful.

I'll start this off with a straightened/leveled version ;)

http://img363.imageshack.us/img363/4453/postbmprm7.jpg

Depending on your comfort level, that's not too bad. Good work getting the saddle forward.

You're likely going to slide out to the saddle tip a bit when you're really hammering, so that will get your shoulders a bit more over your elbows (good). If you tip your bars up a bit, your shoulders will drop a lot too, while you approach the praying Landis position -- that would probably be quite a bit more aero.

Depending on your comfort level, that's not too bad.

+1

Can you handle taking out 1 or 2 spacers?

I'll try the spacers tomorrow to see. I did 30min in that position and it didn't feel bad except that I noticed I wanted to keep looking at my bars. I tilted the bars a little bit more but there isn't much room for my knees after that. Maybe I can scoot the bars a bit more forward but I will have to see if it makes me more stretched out again.

I initially had the bars pretty close to the stem but had to widen them as my shoulders felt pinched.

And your seat looks too high.

Yeah, saddle still looks too high (it looks like your leg is fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke right now) but that is much improved over the first set.

^
I think as she slides forward as during a TT effort the saddle height is probably fine. It's too much for a pure road position though.

Get a sexy TT skinsuit.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/patentcad/Pcadskinsuit.jpg




damn, dude, ask your buddy O'Donnell... TT skinsuits have long sleeves

damn, dude, ask your buddy O'Donnell... TT skinsuits have long sleeves

I don't have a current photo of Gary, but he kind of looks like this:

http://www.geocities.com/philnietzschean/lotr/gimli.jpg

Only 40 lbs lighter, less hair.

:roflmao:


fixed it, sorry


damn, dude, ask your man crush, O'Donnell... TT skinsuits have long sleeves

:roflmao:


fixed it, sorry

I only have eyes for you my Captain.

(Gary and I have been racing together and busting each other's balls for what? 15+ years? He's faster than me but I have a better dog.)

Gary is one of the toughest guys I've ever ridden with. And he was voted the Guy You Most Want to Have on Your Side in a Bar Fight on the Nyack Ride recently.

for real? I'm 151 soaking wet. Must be those mad buddhist meditation skillz.

the dog to be....

http://members.aol.com/lcarmodyr/buzzsit.jpg

I do pity the fool that Fs with gsteinb. Seriously.

I'll try the spacers tomorrow to see. I did 30min in that position and it didn't feel bad except that I noticed I wanted to keep looking at my bars. I tilted the bars a little bit more but there isn't much room for my knees after that. Maybe I can scoot the bars a bit more forward but I will have to see if it makes me more stretched out again.

Your front end looks fine to me. Sure, people say to try and get your arms at 90deg, but that may not be practical for everyone. I'm male but my geometry is more like many women -- long legs and a short torso. Like you, I need more clearance for my knees.

I can't see the angle of your left foot, but like others have said, I think your saddle may be high. If you lower it, you might also be able to take a few spacers out of your front.

Don't let the critics bug you. Everyone on this board has a photo hidden deep in the bowels of their computer of their first time on a TT bike. They're all shudder-worthy.

Your front end looks fine to me. Sure, people say to try and get your arms at 90deg, but that may not be practical for everyone. I'm male but my geometry is more like many women -- long legs and a short torso. Like you, I need more clearance for my knees.

I can't see the angle of your left foot, but like others have said, I think your saddle may be high. If you lower it, you might also be able to take a few spacers out of your front.


That picture isn't the best because I had 30sec to push the camera button and run on the bike so I wasn't really 'set'. I think I did end up lowering my seat actually. I'll play around with the spacers tonight and see how it feels and make the final decision.

The first picture was really funny. My arms were 150 degrees I think. :o

According to the video, it looked like hip angle was from the foot to the hip and then through the torso.

I had followed the directions earlier this morning and took more pictures but it was still really stretched out. I flipped the seat post around which allowed me to gain more forward saddle movement and I adjusted the TT bars. I know my arms are still not 90 degrees but if I adjust the bars anymore it starts becoming uncomfortable.

I'm sure you think this is pretty funny but it has been very helpful.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2216/2475220966_3f8a14b26f.jpg

much much much better. Try rotating the clip on aero bars so your wrists come up and your elbows go down. Only a very very slight change though. Also lower your saddle about 2cm. It looks very high in the picture. Also helmets are not really necesary on the trainer ;)