All aero all the time?

Jeff Braaten

 I should know this but I am not sure. When doing our Z4 intervals I assume we should do these in the aero bars as much as possible. I am having trouble doing this for all the intervals and will often sit up to finish, especially the 20' intervals. Would it be better to lower the power and stay aero or sit up and power through when I "hit the wall" so to speak? As a side note,  I have recently had my bike position changed by Todd at TTBikeFit and know some of it is a new position but not the only reason. I am not having any real problem when going at the 80-85% level of staying in the aero position. 

michaelgasser17

I have been slowly working my way into all aero all the time except rest intervals. I'm a little more focused on being able to stay aero for the Z4 stuff because I'm starting the season with a couple sprints and olys. It took me a while after my last bike fit, expecially when on the trainer. For 2.5/2.5s I do 45 secs of the interval sitting up. I'd wait for a WSM to chime in to confirm, but I'd say work is work and if you can do it aero then great.

mancona

In the past, I did the OS testing and workouts iin wath ever position I felt like, which typically meant sitting up where I could put not more power and see the TV instead of looking at my front tire.

This worked fine as I then transistioned to all aero the same time I started riding outside (about march/april). Typically the gain in power from being outside vs inside eneded up being pretty similiar to the loos in power from being all aero... therefore meaning that after just a a few weeks outside I could hold the same power outside aero as inside sitting up.

As long as you have at least 4-8 weeks before your first race (or 8-12 weeks before an A race), I wouldn't worry too much and just ride however you want.

This year I'm racing a 70.3 in April and therefore I have been 100% aero since Feb 1st on the trainer inside. It sure does make the workouts more difficult and my first FTP test in the aero bars was a shock, but in 4 weeks I have already adapted, can tell my FTP is moving up and have no problem doing 2 hours on the trainer with my elbows on the pads for 100% of it.

CharlieH

I try and go aero all the time except for recover. But on the rollers I have to do the z4 bits on the horns or it just ends up nasty!!

henrysacco

I've often asked myself the same qustion. Sitting up definitely seems easier when i'm on the drainer. I've been professionally fit, but it was when i first started out in triathlon. Maybe its time for an update.

Al Truscott

I follow Matt's original plan. Outdoors, I'm all aero all the time. Indoors, it's hard enough, I just whatever it takes to get it done, in terms of cadence and position.

mancona

Just to add one more thought... my fit is also very dialed in and I have rode 5 hours outside 100% aero with no discomfort, but indoor is much harder to hold the aero position. Personally I feel that most days 30 minutes aero on the train feels like 60 minutes aero on the road.

Chris M.

Other than maybe some of the recovery intervals, I have been all aero all the time since November 1.  I have my front wheel propped up about 3 inches which helps if I'm watching something.  

Wiseman

Don't worry about it when on trainer. When you transition outside there will be 3 +- weeks of adaptation ( my neck is usually really sore for first 2 weeks), but then you're good to go.

Coach Patrick

X2 what Matt and others have said. Do the work indoors at the hardest levels you can and then just plan on 2-3 weeks outside to get all dialed in!