Leinster

Seat-to-bar drop is definitely more aggressive among racers now than it used to be. The common statement now is that riding the hoods is more aero than the drops, but I would say that the truly aero position is with forearms parallel to the road; the difference being that for most modern pros the horizontal-forearms position is achieved on the hoods, whereas back in Eddy/Anquetil's day, it was on the drops and riding on the hoods was a relaxed/upright position. It's been pointed out that this virtually eliminates the drops as a modern riding position.

To my mind, the only advantage with the aggressive drop is that it makes Invisible Aero Bars more practical. If Anquetil rested his elbows on top of his bars, he'd raise his shoulders and open up his torso to the wind. If Cancellara rode in the drops all day, his arms would be stretched at a 45deg angle down into the wind.

waters60

Andy is living the dream, running and leading tours in Italy. Nice reward for surviving the pro circuit. He must love riding the Gavia without getting frozen!

BoSoxYacht

Former pros "competing" on Strava is a little silly.

I like seeing what Pros can do, but a retired Pro that actually tries to KOM every segment in their area is pathetic.

kbarch

I think calling them tools is like the old "pick on someone your own size" complaint. While I doubt there's much ill will or intention behind it, I do sort of agree. I mean, if someone is (or was) getting paid to compete, and their extraordinary performance is "in the books," they're sort of hogs, and a little unsportsmanlike if they maintain records and take up top spaces on something that's really more appropriate for amateurs. like Strava.

gregf83 

You could use that same argument and start dividing up the Strava KOMs to the fastest Cat 3 in the Northeast corner of the city.

I appreciate when pros post their data on Strava and don't mind if they hold the top spots on Strava. They are picking on someone their own size as the riders holding the top few spots in a popular area have world class power/weight.

DXchulo

Levi Leipheimer has a ton of KOMs, but he's not being a tool. He still likes to ride hard and he just happens to still be very, very fast. He's nice to his followers, too. Say what you want about his past, but I think he's a good ambassador for the sport.

He's done a little riding around here and I'm glad he posted those rides to Strava. How else would I know what a pro could do on Mt. Rose, for example? There are old rumors about Greg LeMond, but who knows how true those are.

If anybody's a tool, it's me. I took the steepest section of a longer climb, went as hard as I could, and beat Levi's time on a segmet that he probably didn't even know existed. For some odd reason I felt good about that. Tool.

karenashg

He does--I did his Alps and Dolomites tour last summer (short version: if you have the chance, DO IT! I'm going back this summer!!), and he was disgustingly chipper on Gavia day. He dawdled at the back for a while, and then rode through chit chatting with everyone (he talked, we panted), then got to the top and waited and eventually greeted us all as we straggled in. It was a great day. And it is pure beauty to watch him ride a bike.

gamby

^
That's so rad.

redlude97

There is more to aero than just the forearms, from what I've observed even for those such as Fabian who run alot of drop that when they go into the drops their overall head and back position also go down. So their normal position on the hoods is just as aero as the older generation while the drops are probably even more aero. I'm sure they've done wind tunnel testing to optimize that as well. Combine that with compact bars that have less drastic change in hood to drop position, and the modern drop position is now set up for something you can ride for moderate periods of time for an increase in aero positioning that is not as comfortable, whereas previously you didn't have a position that low

Campag4life

Basically you described how they were riding. Hands on the hoods, very bent arms and almost a flat back. So yes, they were riding into the wind aero and your points are well taken. I too ride with bent arms on the hoods as you describe with forearms piercing the wind for aero benefit but my back isn't as flat because my handlebar is higher. I will just say what I see with many that sport a low handlebar and I would say most I ride with are sporting a fair amount of drop...some little drop and some a lot. Most don't use the drops. They just don't. I sometimes even mention it to them and they so nope...don't use 'em. To me, the drop position if the bar is in the right place is the most comfortable position. That is where I want to be and yes, if I had my bar as low as theirs, the drops wouldn't be comfortable for brisk riding mile after mile. What I like about a drop bar is the versatility of moving around on it slightly changing my position to ward off fatigue. Many amateurs I ride with ride a drop bar like its a flat bar.

Campag4life

Only thing to add...in bold above...is...not you....but 'they'. This is quite apparent out on the road. In the groups among better riders I ride with most don't use the drops...or very rarely. So this position goes unused and it is a waste to have the bar set lower than flexibility of the rider permits. And good amateurs don't have the flexibility of a 20 something pro...flexibility being part of an ingredient of what makes them a pro...ability to ride under the wind for hour after hour.

SimonSan

I don't get your point.. If you are retired pro you are no longer a pro, so you have every right to use the Strava app.... I think If you are a former pro and you are not KOM you are a tool. Personally I don't care who is KOM, you train and ride for your own goals. who is to say half of the KOM's are not done on a vespa?

Lazyass

You know it's 2015 when there's drama regarding Strava.

a77impala

I bought my LeMond Zurich from a guy that rode on a cycling team of a major sporting goods chain. He was selling all his bikes and equipment. He had witnessed a friend have a serious accident and was no longer going to ride. He practically gave me the bike and spare parts etc.

BoSoxYacht

Where's the drama?

BoSoxYacht

Read my post again.

RJM

Y'all who are complaining about ex pros taking KOMs need to HTFU and work at taking them back if you care so much.

I'm more interested in their rides. Pulling a dog on a trailer is awesome....I have to do that sometime.

Lazyass

In your keyboard. A grown man actually insulting a retired pro because of what he does on....... Strava? Really?

BoSoxYacht

I'm not complaining. I just think if you are a retired pro cyclist trying to "win Strava", that you are ****ing tool.

Congratulations, you are faster than a bunch of wannabe racers and weekend warriors.

BoSoxYacht

Exactly who am I insulting again?

RJM

Me? No way...I'm slow as hell...the quest to win strava is lame no matter how you slice it. I just think that if you really care about winning that KOM and it matters, you aren't winning it until you beat out those pros. You just have to work on it a bit harder.

TMonk

As other's have mentioned, riding the hoods is supposed to be more aero than the drops, for a given body position.

I'm a competitive cyclist with a lot of saddle to bar drop on my race bike. Having said that, I ride the drops in two situations:

1) Any time I need to really handle the bike: sprints, jumps, cornering
2) Any time safety is a concern: descending, or in close quarters with other riders.

Having said that, I can spend a 60min crit entirely in the drops no problemo. But, if I was just trucking down a straight road and rotating with one or two other riders, I'd probably be on the hoods.

BoSoxYacht

This has nothing to do with you or I being fast or losing KOM to retired pros.

It's about some retired pro in The Netherlands that spends a lot of time trying to "win Strava". If he were really fast, he'd still be racing professionally.

RJM

We are kinda agreeing....it's very lame to do what that dude is doing.

It doesn't surprise me that an aging pro, current strava junkie would be showing signs of narcissistic personality disorder. We have a local dude who is like that......very weird.

Stucky

It'd be like seeing a former pro baseball player take awards for playing with Little Leaguers!