The Bike. It is the central tool in pursuit of our craft. A Velominatus meticulously maintains their bicycles and adorns them with the essential, yet minimal, accoutrement. The Rules specify the principles of good taste in configuration and setup of our machines, but within those principles lies almost infinite room for personal taste.
It seems in some ways like a kind of Stockholm Syndrome, the way we honor our machines. We love them to a point that lies well beyond obsession. Upon these machines upon we endure endless suffering, but also find an unending pleasure. The rhythm, the harmony between rider and machine, the outdoors, the wind in our faces and air in our lungs.
The Bikes is devoted entirely to our machines. Ours, The Keepers, and yours, the Community. It features articles devoted to our bikes, and proves a forum for uploading photos of your own machines for discussion. We will be harsh, but fair; this is a place to enforce and enhance our observation of The Rules.
If you’d like to submit an article about your own beloved bike, please feel free to send it to us and we’ll do our best to work with you to include it.
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@davidlhill
Be interesting to see where fit ends you up! All the best!
The trend in TT at the moment is to get the arms close to the chest and head, even it means bringing them up and to some extent back.
If you look at front-on photos of the people winning the top TTs they aren’t scooping up air between the head, arms and hands. Everything is as close together as possible.
The ideal is to do that in as low a position as possible, but if lower means more space then it’s better to be higher and closer.
@sthilzy
@davidlhill
FWIW, in those pics Cadel Evans is riding the fucking weirdest TT position I’ve ever seen.
I’d use Wiggins as a model for position. But yours looks fine.
Here’s mine!
@robsandy
what throws me is that Cadel Evan’s knees seem to be going inside the arms. It just looks all scrunched up to me.
However, I’m loath to criticize because he’s Cadel Evans and I’m……… not!
My fitting is the 13/10.
@davidlhill
Head to high, arms too low, it’s just fucked up. Don’t copy Cadel!
Your fitting should give you a good place to start – but something simple you can do is practice hunching your shoulders and dropping your head down.
What is throwing me about modern TT positions is that guys (and gals) seem to have their saddles pretty low. I was watching the Vuelta ITT and most people seemed to have their legs much more bent than I’d think normal at the extension of their pedal stroke.
Anyone got any insight on the reasons for this?
re aero helmets: As I need one I have been researching and seen these two:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B06XCWDMLF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B018XXH8ZK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A16J4O44X54MX5&psc=1
Does anyone have any views on these? Or indeed another suggestion at around £100?
@RobSandy
That does seem counter productive as it also means the hip angle will be more closed at the top of the stroke. For most people (amateurs) it will be hard to produce maximum power with a very closed hip angle. I’d surmise that if they are lowering their saddle to get more aero it’s more than offset by loss of power in closing their hip angle.
But what do I know.
@davidlhill
No experience with them, but please share your experience if you go for one.
Caveat emptor etc. etc., and I’m sure you’re a smart guy, but make sure there’s relevant safety stickers inside (CE and such) – probably fine, but the Amazon listings look potentially a bit sketchy.
@RobSandy
Saddle further forward?
In the 80s I had a classic Cinelli aero helmet – a la Hinault. No vents, hot and sweaty – but stylish! No safety validation/testing cert anywhere in sight.
@wiscot
I fixed your post!
@Teocalli
I think it was this helmet I had. https://photos.grahamwatson.com/Print-Gallery/Badger/i-62d7qTf
My latest for PEZ …
https://www.pezcyclingnews.com/technspec/mixed-depth-aero-wheel-combo-comparo/
Lowe
@Teocalli
Sometimes longer cranks change the regular fit and create issues for the hip angle at the top of the stroke. This is straight guess work though, might explain the lower saddles.
@minion
Though as I understand it the Pros are going more for shorter cranks to open up the hip angle but otherwise you are correct re longer cranks.
@davidlhill
How did this go? Any update?
@Teocalli
@davidlhill
Can I add something? There is some talk (it was in Cycling Weekly) that CTT will add a distinct road bike category to time trials in the UK.
I’d be really keen for this – messing about with aerobars is quite irritating especially when I don’t have a TT bike, and it’s impossible to be sure the position you’ve achieved is efficient without access to a wind tunnel.
It’d simplify TTing a lot for me.
@Teocalli
My fitting is 13/10!!
@davidlhill
@Teocalli doesn’t know what date it is
@RobSandy
What month is it?………..
PS When is Christmas this year?
@davidlhill
For reasons utterly boring I had to postpose my fitting. I know, I know – a crushing disappointment. However, it is erely postponed, not cancelled.
Looks like OnTheRIvet.net will get the ‘after’ pics!