Originally Posted by
Kaben
Fitting opinions from experienced sprinters would be appreciated. What do you think of this fit position? ( for sprint). It’s long but actually surprisingly comfortable and keeps my head below my shoulders. It also leaves room for how I pull myself forward on the saddle when I push on really hard. Have a tendency to try and open my hip angle as I fatigue which scrunches me up. This position should keep me more aero when this happens.
Any problems from going for arms extended this far forward that I should be aware of? On a Dolan DF4 this will likely have my hands about 3 cm ahead of the axle( also I think the camera angle not being perfectly side on may make this look slightly longer than it is).
That position looks fast as hell...especially if you train yourself to (safely) drop your head* on the straights for extra significant aero gains.
*This is an advanced technique that I'd only advise using on a track that with which you are completely familiar and with the best of judgement. You can see top riders doing it all the time when you look for it.
(this is not a bike throw):
Be very careful trying this...turns 1 and 3 can come up
very fast on you at high speeds and you can run up track and maybe wreck and take others out. It requires
lots of practice. I never got good at it such that it became habit. My head was in the wind like a dog out of the passenger-side window...floppy tongue and all
Originally Posted by
queerpunk
Heh, yup, that's me.
Faster? It depends. I've done a bit of rough testing for me, personally, and it tests faster than riding in the drops. This is not the case for everybody. Not everybody needs or wants this, or is good at it, or has the physiology, riding style, or flexibility for it. That's okay. I've seen some terrible sphinx positions out there that make me cringe, but hey, there are plenty of drops positions out there that make me cringe too.
I find the sphinx to be a way to combine high cadence and output pedaling with a relaxed upper body. It's a wide-elbow pursuit position. Unlike sprinters, our enduro races aren't just the length of a half decent yawn. In 40km, we pedal in a lot of different ways - and there are a lot of dynamic needs on the bike. Setting up handlebars is all about balancing different needs; the drops need to be an a position that optimize a sprint, and cruising, and we also need a position to accommodate moments in races when we are essentially pursuiting.
I could set up drop bars that mimic my sphinx position but then I'd miss out on the lower, torquier position and the greater stability that comes with where I put the bottoms of my drops. I have daydreamt and sketched the perfect enduro handlebar - nobody makes it. Nobody comes close.
Great insights there.