Road bike or Tri bike on Trainer/When to get a fit

Leslie Sedlak

Some Quick questions about bike fit timing and what bike to ride on trainer in OS.
I typically ride my tri bike on the trainer - no special reason.  Should I be riding on my rode bike or tri bike for the Outseason? 

Then sub question to that - I have a bike fit scheduled for Monday - I haven't been fit since Winter 2015 - on either bike.  Should I get fit on both bikes?  I am doing two 70.3 (June, August), and doing extensive hip flexor release work in this out season.  Should I wait to get fit until Spring-ish time?  Get fit both times?

If there is a better forum to post this - definitely let me know - I'm still trying to find my way around the forums.

Alicia Chase

All things being equal, I guess I’d get fit to the tri bike and put that one on the trainer. You want to be fit to whichever bike you’re going to ride before you start putting the miles on, and if you’re going to race on the tri bike and don’t have any particular preference, why not train on it? Save the road bike fit for when you’re going to start riding it.

Leslie Sedlak

To be honest.  I never ride the road bike unless I'm pulling a Burley with kids-which is rare-and such a waste of a ti road bike:). I
@Alicia Chase do you think getting for now rather than after OS leading into HIM training is still the best timing?

Mark Hickman

Leslie,

For me, it was cheaper to have both bikes fitted at the same time, and fits significantly helped me ride both bikes more comfortably...especially the road bike.  As for the trainer, whatever works really.  I enjoy the break of getting down into aero and off of my arthritic wrists, so that is my preference.

Mark

Derrek Sanks

I agree with @Alicia Chase! Specificity of training. I recommend getting a tri bike fitting now rather than after OS. You want max time to get used to any changes, especially if they make major changes to your bike. 

Alicia Chase

@Leslie Sedlak Yes, get fit now. As @Derrek Sanks, you want time to adjust to the changes, and you don’t want to do a bunch of riding with a bad fit, possibly setting yourself up for an injury.

Paul Hough

I currently have my tri bike on the trainer but rotate bikes several times a year depending on which bike I'm racing next.  However, more often than not, I have one of my road bikes on there.  While the conventional wisdom is to use a tri bike for specificity, I continually refer people to Jordan Rapp's excellent article on why most triathletes should be training on a road bike.  I.e., unless the majority of your out season training is going to be in the aero bars then you should have your road bike on there.  https://rappstar.com/2014/04/10/why-triathletes-need-a-road-bike/

Another piece of conventional wisdom, or at least the bike industry recommendation, is to get a bike fit once a year.  I paid for a comprehensive fit last month - my first in 5 years - and with a different, but very experienced fitter.  Nothing changed except I was $300 poorer.  It will be a long time before I get another fit.

Jeff Horn

Along those lines, I know a lot of places offer the "Retul" fit system.  But I guess "a fool with a tool is still a fool", as the saying goes. Great thread, as I was just thinking about these issues the other day.  I haven't been fit in a long time and probably need to update. 

Al Truscott

I have some personal documentation about the value of a good fit. A couple of years ago, I went to Retul's headquarters in Boulder. Doing rides on the same course just before and just after, what I discovered was not increased speed, but the ability to ride at the same speed and power with a lower HR. I think I bought free fitness with that fit. Same thing happened last year when I bought a new tri bike (previous one was 17 years old). I rode the same course as ten years earlier at the same speed, but with a much lower HR. Again, I bought free fitness. Which is better than nothing, especially with a run to follow...

Derrek Sanks

@Paul Hough - That article made some good points, but it seems like he's assuming riding/training outside during off season. If I did my off season training outside, I'd agree with his reasoning. Riding a road bike with roadies/group rides is a lot of fun and will improve your skills and strength. But, riding on the trainer is a lot different, to me. From my experience (N=1) OS training on the road bike did not transition well to the tri bike. It might be my road bike fit or the position I use on the road bike when on the trainer. My position doesn't look like Fabian's in that picture in the article and that position doesn't look comfortable when on the trainer. The past two OS I trained on a road bike and it took 6-8 weeks to transition to my TT. By transition, I mean get my power/FTP on the TT close and to what it was on the road bike. For example, last year I exited OS with a 276 FTP on the road bike and could only get to 250 on the TT. That's why I'm back on the TT for this year's OS. I'm in the aero position 99% of the time during the "work" phase and sit up during most of the recovery phase. On my TT I'm more comfortable in the aero position than sitting up, as it should be on a TT. Again this is N=1.

Paul Hough

@Derrek Sanks  - I'm a FOP bike rider for my AG and I only bother getting in the bars as I approach a race.  There are a lot of ways to get there and putting in the work IMHO is a lot more important than which bike I decide to stick on the trainer.  I don't worry much about the FTP either...there are some folks out there that will tell you those are vanity numbers.  The power generated for the length of the race you are doing (e.g., 5 hr power) is a lot more important.  Just my 2 cents.

Peter Greagg

I can't see why you should get a bike fit every year?
It's not like your dimensions or the bike have changed since last season?
Like @Paul Hough I don't take much notice of my FTP (it seams to drop a bit every year). What I notice is my ranking in my age group (65-69), as we are all slowing down.
FWIW, I just dropped the front of my Shiv by 4 cm (1.6 inches) - I just got faster at the same watts - winning!

Leslie Sedlak

This is all great info peeps!!  My last fit was before an international race which I trained entirely (other than the January Volume Camp in Florida @PaulHough) on a trainer - But I got to race in New Zealand!  Since then my bikes consisted of when I raced my fun short summer races (obviously not very prepared) and running as I had a baby 9 months after returning from that race.  That all being said - I'm not sure a bike fit is needed every year - but my body has certainly changed over the last 2+ years, and I'm taking in my husband's saddle to see if an ISM is for me (currently on a Cobb, but sore on the trainer already) [side note - I HATE trying to find a new saddle - how does one do this??? - I digress - a topic for another thread....]

I'll keep my fit on Monday and bring both bikes.  Fit guy said I can jump on road bike if we have time.  Since he has fit me on both bikes before, a lot of the admin has already been done.  

Sheila Leard

@Leslie Sedlak I tried five saddles before finding one. I have the Cobb V-Flow on my Road bike and have the Specilaized Body Geometry Power,  size 143. After bike crashes my hips rotate differently. Since you are post baby a saddle can help with comfort. Don't go too wide.

Derrek Sanks

Paul Hough said:

@Derrek Sanks  - I'm a FOP bike rider for my AG and I only bother getting in the bars as I approach a race.  There are a lot of ways to get there and putting in the work IMHO is a lot more important than which bike I decide to stick on the trainer.  I don't worry much about the FTP either...there are some folks out there that will tell you those are vanity numbers.  The power generated for the length of the race you are doing (e.g., 5 hr power) is a lot more important.  Just my 2 cents.

@Paul Hough - Totally agree it's more about growing the 5 Hr or 2 hr power.