bdcheung

Here are some pics from the Philly Phlyer crit. Any constructive criticism on how I can improve my position?

voltman

Your bike is too aluminumy.

botto 

not low enough.

DannoXYZ 

Looks pretty good to me. Personally I'd raise the bars slighty with a longer stem and bend the elbows more. Will open up the chest more for breathing and give you more shock-absorption. Will also let you get your head lower without getting too bunched up.

bdcheung

I don't know how to get any lower. It takes some serious concentration for me to lower my torso any more, and when I do, my triceps get sore. Solution for this?

ri_us

Looks great. You have a little too much curl in your lower back. You might be able to fix that by stretching your lower back for a while and moving back on yoru seat a touch.

botto 

see danny's post, or get a pro-fitting, stretching, instinct, etc...

the harder it gets, the lower i try to go.

ymmv

bdcheung

I've actually moved the saddle back 1cm since this crit, feels better.

voltman

Actually, the lower you go, shouldn't you be feeling it more in your biceps than you would in your triceps?

Duke of Kent

Ditch the spacers.

EdZ

Smaller frame, longer stem and more bar drop.

San Rensho 

Curl in the middle/lower back is great form. Your back acts like a spring, keeping the weight off the hands and hips rotated back like you have makes for more efficient use of lower back muscles for pedalling.

I'd say you have very good form. Lower the stem for more aero position? If you are riding crits, it probably won't matter and in fact some riders like a more upright position because they can make more power sprinting out of the saddle.

Can't tell from the pictures about your saddle height.

If you feel comfortable with this set-up, leave it. Nothing wrong and many things that are good with your present style.

DannoXYZ 

Part of the reason your triceps gets sore is that they upper-arms are vertical already. If you get your shoulders any lower, your upper-arms will actually aim backwards and you'll use your triceps to carry the weight of the upper body. A longer stem lets you keep the upper-arms aimed forwards when you're low.

Here's a picture of Lance at the 2000 TDF. Note the side-stripe on the jersey is close to horizontal and parallel with the ground & top-tube, yet the upper-arms are still arimed foward:



Other racers with their upper arms aimed forwards:





Here some collegiate racing at Irvine, Stanford and SLO.


Note the two guys in back are blocking more wind and will have more sore shoulders and back due to more road-shock coming through the locked elbows.




Having the back straight relieves a lot of strain in the lower-back muscles. It also opens up the chest for easier breathing. Does require some upper-body strength, so you might want to work on the shoulders and triceps in the gym.


Before...


After with 30-40mm longer stem, 10-20mm higher handlebars, 20-30mm lower shoulders...


I'd start with a 10-20mm longer stem. Good luck!

EDIT: You'll also want to incorporate stretching and back-strengthening exercises on the roman-chair as mentioned here: Developing a more agressive possistion. It'll take some time like 1-year+ to do it. As Richard mentioned, you'll want to practice it in training.

bdcheung

that's some fancy photoshopping. Thanks for the tips, I'll try it out.

ReedZ

bd, I have a Shimano compact crankset that needs a new home. PM me if you are interested.

bdcheung

ReedZ: Thanks, but I'm looking for anything but shimano (since my new Q-Rings are not shimano compatible )

ReedZ

That's why I have it sitting in a closet, I've gone all Campy.

NomadVW 

All this talk of position on the bike, and my daughter caught a good shot of me on the hoods from a good side shot this weekend. 120mm stem, two 5mm spacers above, no spacers below. Take your shots!

bdcheung

^^ frame looks too small.

botto 

not sure if you want to, or if your back could handle it, but you could lower, and lengthen the stem.

botto 

anybody else notice that Bettini seems to have caught a whiff of something he didn't like?

Lithuania

^^^^^
Hahaha

NomadVW 

Never heard "too small". (of course, in Japan I get all sorts of looks from the size of my ride: 61cm 2005 Roubaix, 60cm top tube Center/Center)

I have been thinking about getting lower with a steeper angled/longer stem. I used to have a 130mm stem on but the reach was just getting to me. Maybe I'll go back to the 130mm and a couple degrees lower for a weekend of riding this weekend.

botto 

try lower first.

zimbo

Can you comfortably ride in the drops and bend your elbows? If not, your bars may actually be too low, if you get my drift.

--Steve