I did a ride two days ago on a flat, wind-sheltered packed dirt path (Augusta, GA Canal). There's a Strava segment that encompasses most of the up and back on the trail. It's about 16 km total distance. On my second "lap" - after my first, hard PR-attempt lap didn't get timed because my device wasn't actually recording - I rode at a modest pace.
On the out I was in the hoods. My hands hurt a little from the road buzz - the Domane isospeed and 32c tires help a lot but they aren't magic - so on the back I switched to the drops. Now, we all know there's a speed difference between different riding positions but it's interesting to actually experience it. In my case, my average speed was 27.5 kph on the out and 30.0 kph on the back.
The point? Uhh... I guess it's that with a good enough bike you can ride easier and faster in a better position.
Last edited by guachi; 07-26-19 at 08:40 PM.