Aero Position Vs loss of power
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JohnieTri posted 1 year ago.
Could be the bike fit, could be you're just not used to the aero position(don't know how long you've been riding aero), could be inefficient pedal strokes, or the muscle imbalance/flexibility issues. I would start with the fit.
-Johnie
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Anton posted 1 year ago.
Yup...same here...Check your fit. The more comfortable the fit the greater the power output. I'm far more comfortable on a road bike...so that's what I use all the time.
Oh...and get fit by someone who knows what they are doing...
"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" - Vincent Van Gogh
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RunnerTri posted 1 year ago.
Thanks Johnie, the fit seems fine, insofar as I've had a number of proffestionals look at it and give me their ok. Maybe there is something they are missing that is ususual. I've had the bike around two years, and ridden about 10 olympic races on it, my main concern is that i seem to have way more power on a road bike, its certainly less aero but I feel stronger on and take a long while more to get to the same level of fatigue.
In short im looking for a quick fix, but alas there are few in this sport!
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stewarba posted 1 year ago.
Are you only riding your tri bike on race days? I would think you should incorperate more training rides on your tri bike if that is true.
Pain is the sensation of weakness leaving the body!
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RunnerTri posted 1 year ago.
No I try to ride intervals at least once on a week on the tri bike, but longer rides I usually do on my road bike, as it is easier through traffic, braking and generally safer on busy roads...
Thanks for the feedback
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eric.flecher posted 1 year ago.
Is it common to train exclusively on a tri-bike? I just purchased a new tri-bike and am thinking about selling my road bike. Any thoughts and opinions would be much appreciated.
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indygreg posted 1 year ago.
common? not really sure, but it does happen. Truth is a lot of people cannot swing two bikes . . . so they have to decide:
tri bike for best race performance or
road bike for more comfort and more flexibility as far as when and where you ride.
Some get a tri bike when they are new to this and that is all they ride.
I am going to be adding a tri bike over the winter. I have a road bike that I have had for a year and I will keep them both. I ride a lot of group rides so a road bike is essential. That said, locally I have a lot of good group rides to go to. If that was not the case and I trained solo all the time, I might consider a tri bike only.
There just is no right or wrong answer. If you go with just a tri bike and you ride socially, understand that many will not want you on their group rides for safety reasons.
I tell my friends: the entire world has always been in high def - get out there and enjoy it
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UFTriGator posted 1 year ago.
eric.flecher;76374 wrote:
Is it common to train exclusively on a tri-bike? I just purchased a new tri-bike and am thinking about selling my road bike. Any thoughts and opinions would be much appreciated.
I've been training exclusively on my tri bike for the past couple months, but I could never do that during base. I'm just not comfortable on my tri bike for more than about 3 hours, which is no problem right now, but during base I'll go much longer and I'm only really comfortable on a road bike. I love having both and think it's totally worth it. It's definitely possible to not have a road bike at all, but I just don't think it's as much fun.
______________________________________________
-Matt
Not fast enough.
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vanjames posted 1 year ago.
Also..
With regards to fit - you may have the right size etc ... but is your set up right to balance power vs HR? Try toggling the seat position fore/aft, height of post, reach etc - you may have a tri position that is not as flat backed as some but generate more power at a lower HR.
I am similar, I have a Cervelo Soloist that i can flip the post on to increase the angle but I generate more power in the road position with a slacker aero position at lower HR.
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OzTriGuy posted 1 year ago.
I have a Tri bike and a mountain bike. I find I can ride my tri bike all day in the aero position (180km training rides) Which comes in handy as I do long course triathlon. In my opinion alot of people are too aero focussed in their setups and it can lead to great discomfort and or injury. I recently followed a guy in a HIM race (legally...non drafting) and we were sitting on 38kph on the way out on and out and back course. He was cranking it, but after 15k he kept having to sit up all the time due to the discomfort caused by his bike position being too aggressive. I don't know how he was doing near the end of the bike leg as by the 30 k mark I had gone around him. He could not hold his pace due to the obvious discomfort his bikeposition was causing him. If your bike positionn is good it will be a blend of good power and aero...don't just drop the bars right down and think that will make you fast.
Hi,
I am an experienced runner (3hr marathon) and relatively experienced triathlete and have a tri bike(Trek Equinox) and road bike for training. While the tri bike did what was promised and made the legs feel way better for the run I can't help but feel a loss of power when in the tri position as my quads are engaged, while my hamstrings are pretty much resting. In a road bike in an upright position I feel way more power and it takes far longer to get tired especially when at 80% HR, whereas the increased workload on my quads on the tri bike means that my HR is higher far quicker and as a result my legs get tired way easier, resulting in my times on the bike being quite slow and the bike sections being pretty gruelling affairs every time. It seems my quads are doing 100% of the work and the pull from my hamstrings isn't being engaged at all. Anyone know if this is normal and just show an imbalance in muscular development between hamstring and quads, or is there something else I should be looking out for? Sometimes I feel like I have more power with less pain while sitting up on my tri bike, which is odd.
I find doing a similar rolling circuit on a road bike far easier than the tri bike, as I feel I am able to call on my hamstrings to do some of the work, the "coiled" tucked over position seems to negate this. Any ideas? (Apart from a year in the gym building my quads!)
I am aware of some hamstring/glute/hip flexibility issues and sometimes get slight sciatica following a tough race, but this is eased by glutes stretches post race.
On the upside, running has been way easier since changing to the tri bike.
Thanks!