How Important is Aerodynamic Position on Your Bike?
Another interesting fact and a strategy for a 40k time trial.
Easy to infer from the aerodynamic position gives you much more than lowering the weight of the bike, of course on the flat stages. Air resistance is the greatest force that occurs against the rider. This is why engineers working on the bicycle as the most aerodynamic bikes as possible. Example Trek Madone, in which practically no longer see the cables. Given Trek Emond which is one of the lightest frames in the world, it is becoming less popular, because people are becoming more aware of a few hundred grams lighter bike does not offer such benefits as aerodynamic position and aerodynamic bikes.
Relative benefits of an aerodynamic position
| Training | Body Weight -3kg |
Hoods | Drops | Optimized Aerodynamics |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novice | -5:27 | -0:25 | -3:46 | -6:49 | -9:21 |
| Trained | -1:45 | -0:21 | -3:06 | -5:36 | -7:42 |
| Elite | -1:02 | -0:19 | -2:47 | -4:59 | -6:54 |
Conclusion
Being “Aerodynamic” on your bike is crucial, optimizing your position during the time trial and during road races is important to save energy. We can see that lowering your body weight is not helping that much on flat courses like riding in the right position.
Saving even 9 minutes and 21 seconds during the 40K time trial is a significant improvement, but even going to your drops can save you up to 3 minutes and 46 seconds, remember about that during breakaways, road races, and even the group rides.
Talking about optimized aerodynamic positions, the guy in the photo at the top of this article needs to ‘shrug’ his shoulders in order to drop his head and close the gap between the tail of his helmet and his back. At the moment the area of ‘air flow separation’ is just past his neck.
It’s great advice, Stephen! I will mention it to my friend Matthew! Thank you.
Great Article! Can you clarify as to the position on the hoods? Is that with elbows bent, and forearms horizontal? I see a lot of cyclists on the hoods “straight arming it” which wouldn’t be very aero. I have always tried to emulate the pro’s and they typically adopt a bent elbow approach at all times. (best for shock absorption too)
Thanks again for article I am considering using your coaching service to help me with my periodization.
Hello! Thank you for your kind words, hoods position is on the top of your shifters if it makes sense?
Happy to help you!