Assuming I have a good baseline TT position: flat back, flat line between helmet and back. Arms slightly up etc etc.
Where to go next for savings? I’d like to make ~20w savings, and budget exists. I’m limited by uci regs and some equipment is fixed like skinsuit for this season. Helmets is an an obvious choice of equipment to try. Currently running a Lazer Wasp but it fits well.
Are people seeing verifiable gains from saddle height adjustments with outside testing? Hand positions worth diving into?
Ive seen a large gain with raising my hands and lowering the saddle a bit and whatever the fitter done, a lot of my gains will just be from being comfortable in the TT position. I dont know if my back is horizontally flat anymore but it works and is sustainable, however I’m not limited by the UCI regs.
I don’t know if it’ll make any difference but I swapped last week my butyl front tube for a latex one and the Power competition tyre for a specific Power TT Tyre in search of those few more watts, its a fairly cheap gain hopefully
I’ve got a full disc but I have seen some good gains from mates with a cover (they are using EZ disc) and for a fraction of the cost they deliver the majority of the benefits and perhaps even more sometimes (can be lighter).
I’m a little torn about getting a disc, currently running 80mm front and rear, GP5000 with latex inners. Reasonably priced disc wheels that are available are tubulars, so I’m wondering if there are any real world gains for the money. Would that money be better spent on fancy extensions or helmets to test?
A question of trying to be smart with priorities and work my way down the list of wins - big to small.
I have a funny feeling that covers are banned in the UCI regs - them being a fairing. But I could be wrong.
A good fitter might help you prioritise. Bang for buck fitting was definitely the best improvement for me, training got good improvements before that also and a disc got good results too as expected but as you say it may not be the best bang for buck given the outlay. Helmets, extensions etc just seem to me to be tinkering round the edges you might gain improvements but bang for buck are they actually worth it. Perhaps their importance goes up for the genuinely fast riders but I sit in mid field so its not been any more than than tinkering to me. A lot of testing will also be required as to helmets, etc as what makes one person faster might make another slower. Good luck
Well…I would say if you know you typically race in high yaw angle conditions (double digit or low teens) then go for the disk. If you ride in more typical conditions…so let’s say yaw angles less than +/-6%…you’ll probably never be able to measure the difference between a rear disk and a rear 80. Not the same as saying there is no difference…just that it will be too small to measure.
Another hint that is just my personal bias: if you intend to test things like hand pos’n or saddle height TAKE THE 80’S OFF THE FRONT AND REAR. Just run your training wheels. You’re trying to measure very small effects and the aero impact of those wheels in certain wind conditions will swallow up any aero difference provided by hand position or saddle height.
Bar the helmet I’m there with most of these things. Yes there is potential for a faster skinsuit but that’s going to have to wait for next years kit order
I think I’d struggle to get much from a pro bike fit at the moment. Went this spring for a road and CX fit and left having changed my saddle < 5mm. What would help us a lot more time on the bike, more flexible hips more flexible shoulders.
Post C19 the season is going to be a mad 6 weeks so I am taking every opportunity to do testing before as there won’t be much time during it.
Dark blue skin suit is race setup. Other is testing a LG P09 in slightly less aero equipment. GP5000 with latex 25mm, use the 80s for road racing too so nice not to worry about super light tyres.
Vision Trimax bars. Di2 battery and box in the top tube bag, but it’s on its way into the frame when I get a free evening.
It was maybe just me but I found in position similar to that 2nd position the slight kink in the wrist made the things to taught and I developed an ulnar nerve problem. I am much more comfortable with my hands more upright and relaxed which seems to translate to speed. But like I say that’s maybe just me
I have both but not tested. From my research gloves can help with long sleeves to smooth the cuff of the skinsuit, but are hard to measure in open conditions.
I might have to accept that 20W this season is unobtainable.
I think… I would feel comfortable with a disc cover in UCI events if it was attached in a (semi)-permanent manner. Otherwise I think you risk the whims of an official deciding that they don’t like it.
Was there a time when the CTT didn’t like them? Possibly sometime pre 2010?
