Aero position, the indoor trainer and threshold intervals
Seven weeks in, and I seem to be adapting to the haus rules and the OS program except for one thing. I find holding my aero postion during threshold intervals impossible. I can do the zone 3 work without feeling weird. My bike fit "seems" confortable when I am hammering on the road. That said, I plan to have my fit re-assessed.
The "weird" sensation is that I feel like I have hold my aero bars tight, and force myself down onto my armrests (creating tension in my upper back) to apply the required force to the pedals. In Newtonian physics terms, this would make sense, as an equal and opposite force to that applied to the pedals is required to prevent lift-off.
So the questions are:
- Is this a common sensation that should be considered normal, yet not experienced when riding on the road because more muscles are engaged for balance?
- If not, does it suggest an obvious fit issue? ie Should I be more forward, with lower front end, and more body weight applying down-force.
I realize that it may not be too important to get the work done in the aero position, but I would like to see if I can tweak my position before getting re-fit.
Comments
I rode 95% of the Ironman Wisconsin course in the aero position and can't last 5 mins in the aero position on the trainer. My fit is great. Its just not comfortable, you'll have plenty of time to adapt to the aero position when the warm weather returns and you return to the roads, imo.
By all means try to get as much of your work done in the aero bars as you can, but you can be really happy that your position will be much more comfortable when you get back outside.
Purely from a vanity perspective, I like riding the road bike, because the numbers are bigger. Makes me feel better about myself.
@Bernie, I have heard a lot of reasons proposed for why the trainer is less comfortable, but you get credit for being the first person to suggest lack of wind taking weight off the elbows!
Like others have said we spend all summer and all of race prep in the aerobars so I like to at least sit up during the OS.
The way I see it your aero FTP is your worst case scenario. It is almost always lower than when you sit up and open the hip angle. I want to be using that lower number as my base so that in races I'm not expecting more watts than I can reasonably produce.
Last year I sat up all the time not knowing better. And by that I often had my hands on the pads, not the bars. So I was sitting up really straight. Had an early season race and hadn't been riding in the bars much and was really disappointed with my results.
So I ride aero now.
Another thing, at least for me, last year, was my tri bike indoor FTP was about 250w, tri bike outdoor FTP was 300w+. So, it was really disheartening to see such low watts when I knew I was capable of so much more.
This year I'm on a road bike for the OS, same indoor trainer. MUCH easier to hit and exceed targets - as well as easier to see the TV for distraction.
So, whether it really matters in the long run, I don't know, but since I'm comfortable working in my aero position, that's what I'm doing. I do sit up for rest times (after all, just catching my breath) and often a bit here and there during the 85% time.
I've been lurking and listening here for a while and dicided I should toss in my 2 cents.....
Let me start by saying I am new to power and new to the trainer so my thoughts are based on logic and not experrience.......
If everyone agrees there is a loss of power when in aero when compared to upright, then it beggs the question to I want to look at bigger numbers or train-up my lower numbers? It seems to me that lower watts in aero is due to ineffiency in biomechanics. Isnt it easier to grind up a hill sitting as compared to staying in aero? If that is true, doesnt it also make sense to train the body in this weaker position? The longest portion of the day is the bike, and being aero as much as possible improves the split, why not train to improve the aero watts?
Like I said - no experrience here... just logic
Run Strong
Sorry to derail the thread ... but thats impressive drop especially to ride 100% on the trainer. I'm at 13.5 at 5'8" and thought I was steep. I can hold the position all day long outside with no issue, but inside jsut seesm so much harder.
Personally I don't think there is a whole lot of benefits to go aero or not but I like the cue that when I am in the aero position then it is go time! i.e. time to focus and do work...
Prolly a little silly but whatever you need to get the work done, right?
@Matt, just a brief response. I am very flexible, well above average and it took 3 years to arrive at that position, with a specific saddle. I could not do this with many saddles. Now, it is a joy either out or on the trainer. I am a nose rider though.
Did not mean to take away from the thread. More than happy to share fitting experience to arrive at this.
The effectiveness of training on aerobars vs base bar is dependent on how you are positioned on your bike, and therefore varies greatly from person to person. Ideally you need to assume the same hip/pelvic angle "sitting up" on the trainer as you would in the aero position. The easiest way to accomplish this is to ride a slack angled road bike while on the trainer, but as other people have mentioned, the best way is to do your hard intervals in the aerobars.
Bernie