shovelhd

Not that I know of. Bar ends must be plugged.

ShutUpLegs

I've been considering the osymetric rings myself. Been looking around for a pair I could get real cheap in case I don't like them. I used to have Q-rings, which I liked (shouldn't have gotten rid of them). Although my TT bike is currently set up 54/42. I've read a lot about the osymetric and they seem pretty legit, even heard some say they can feel a positive difference in sprinting, which surprised me

Ygduf

I got them and I like them. I'd ride them on my road bike too, if they shifted better. They shift rough for sure.

wens

Track guys run skateboard tape or nothing routinely, so I surmise that's kosher.

revchuck 

Noob question. I'm having a problem with my butt sliding forward on my TT bike when on the extensions. I'm guessing it's an issue with figuring out how weight should be divided between my forearms and my butt. I consciously let my butt settle on the saddle (see what I did there?) towards the end of today's ride and it seemed to help. Am I thinking in the right direction, or just all ate up? Thanks.

tetonrider

if you scan the net for pro bike photos, you'll notice that guys like tony martin have, in the past, used tricks like grip tape on the saddle to keep them from sliding forward. he was going through a skin suit per race. the UCI banned its use.

point is that an aggressive, forward position can cause people to slide forward.

some companies have made saddles with features to reduce sliding--there's one that is escaping me right now but it had rubber dots on it.

couple of thoughts:
1) your front end may be too low. the lower it is the more you will tend to slide forward.
2) moving your saddle down/back may help reduce the weight on your forearms and reduce sliding, but it can introduce some other issues.
3) some people find a slight saddle tilt UP to be helpful.
4) how strong is your core? core strength in a TT is huge. shifting back or just shifting in general can be a sign of compensating for a core that is not as strong as an aggressive position demands.

there's no universal right answer as it is about balancing aerodynamics and ability to make power, and being as aggressive as one can for the specific (length) events one rides. in other words, your position for a 7' TT might be different than for a 40k.

experiment. not sure how experienced you are with TTing but if you are new then you may find your position changes a fair bit over time as your ability to ride the TT bike improves.

Ygduf

specialized sitero has a rubberized/grippy nose.

OP, you can also tilt your extensions up a tiny bit to let your elbows kind of bite into the pads. there are limits as to what rise is legal, but I'm talking a degree or two.

tetonrider

the prologo is the one i was thinking of, with the raised/textured surface. i don't use it, but some might like it.

revchuck 

TR - Thanks. As far as experience, I was fitted to the bike about a month ago and started riding it soon after, so I'm pretty new. My coach is aggressively getting me used to it, including a 2-1/2 hour ride at the end of last week's 18-1/2 hours of riding. If I had come upon a wood mulcher towards the end of that ride, I would've been Merckxing it this year. She's been harping on core workouts too, so your comment just adds weight to that. As for tipping the saddle up...well, the boys ain't too happy as it is, so I don't think that's feasible. Going to the Sitero is a possibility, since I work at a Specialized LBS and can get it cheap, but that would entail another (albeit free) trip to the fitter, as would changing the saddle position with the current saddle. Looks like core work and saddle time are the answer at this point in time.

TT length is strange in our LA - the first is 20km, then the rest are 5-8. All are part of stage races. I won't see another 20km TT unless I do the state Senior Olympics in September.

tetonrider

so... if you are doing TTs that are 25-30' (with most in the ~15' range), i (personally) don't see much point in riding for 2.5h on the TT bike at a clip. in fact, unless one is doing ironman type of stuff i don't normally advocate that.

it sounds reasonable but it tends to mean that one winds up (a) noodling around, which means one shifts in position on the bike to a position you're unlikely to ride when putting out a 15-25' max effort, and (b) can just mean getting sore.

i'd advocate shorter workouts with more intensity (with the intensity done in full aero and increase the amount of recovery periods that you spend in the extensions as you can). 60, 75' sessions are a ton in an aggressive position.

also, tilting the saddle up is somewhat counterintuitive but for some people really relieves pressure on the arms/shoulders/neck.

FWIW, my saddle is flat, even a touch down at the nose and i don't use any tape or other retaining mechanism. my bars are flat. i just point out the above because trying various solutions is the only way to figure out what might work for you. also, IME a fitter is great BUT.....they tend to get you in the ballpark, and fine-tuning (even a mm or 2) is something only you can do as you ride. since at this point every ride for you is a high % of your total time on the TT bike, you may even find that you are stronger and more capable of riding a position after a few weeks or a month. a fitter can't always predict that. i'd rather see someone be fit for how they are now and then slightly modify as they become stronger/more flexible rather than fit them aggressively and hope they grow into it.

different ways to get to the same point.

revchuck 

Okay, I just did that 20km TT last Sunday. The pavement was notably horrendous. I've seen it recommended that one should drop one's cadence on rough pavement on a road bike; does this also apply to a TT bike? I was getting bounced off the saddle and only maintained my position by keeping a death grip on the extensions.

ETA: how do you dry out the pads on the armrests after a four hour drive home in the rain?

Ygduf

I paid for a TT bike fit from a local legend yesterday. Some minor changes, mostly confirmation and peace of mind that I was on the right track. Pictures will be forthcoming eventually.

Probably the best part of the fit was him talking about the race we overlapped in last weekend. He called me an aggressive racer and that brightened my day a little.

Hermes

Does that mean you want a BF critique of the legend's work or accolades of how good you look?

Ygduf

I was thinking more "this before/after is what my $250 got me"... for interest's sake, but maybe you know me better than I know me.

Ygduf

https://youtu.be/qsfgnz0FOow this was the fit I ended up with after the aforementioned pro fitting. I bought a pic from Alex from this day, hopefully he doesn't mind me poaching the side view for this purpose. @<a href="https://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=211793" target="_blank">acu</a>aura

shovelhd

Looks really good.

Ygduf

if only it were fast. I'm seriously considering riding my road bike in races only for the next month or three.

TheKillerPenguin

Dope position, that dude dun you good.

Ygduf

omg he changed so little. This slots right into my fit-yo-self!!! theory of bike fitting. I paid for peace-of-mind, mostly.

Doge

I would like to see a picture with your foot at the bottom.

Different positions for different events.

Doge

I've been spending a lot of time looking at the riders and their results. These are among the better juniors. I would expect few have had professional fittings. Most are fast.

Ster van Zuid-Limburg Rit 1a Tijdrit 04/04/2015 | cyclingsite.be

Ygduf

those kids had the good times? there are some good but many bad positions in there

Doge

No doubt. My son's position didn't look so good (or like his normal setup). As you know its everything and not just position.
As posted in other places the team things complicate the results, but the fastest guy on each team - was fast.

shovelhd

It's gotta be tough to fit Juniors, with all the changes going on as they grow.

Doge

Very much so. Without even changing size the transition from local crits short races to longer races, rough roads, etc. , positions change. Its not just growth.
Same for TT position vs. road position. The position that gives him the most power is not the fastest. For the road, we position for power, for the TT for speed.