Maybe an aficionado of SlowTwitch like
Bah Humbug knows more about this....just thinking out loud....
I think it's obvious to all of us that a more open/larger hip angle (ie slightly more upright position on the bike) gives a higher power output, but at the expense of more wind resistance, so less aero. That's why most of us get lower on descents and/or pulling at the front, and sit up more on climbs and/or when in a draft or going at a lower intensity.
So is there a more analytical way to find the right compromise/sweet spot for how low to bend at the hips??
I know TT/Triathletes have tried (and to a great extent, succeeded) to have their cake and eat it too, by changing the position on the bike to make the body more aero but keep the hip angle relatively open by rotating the whole body forward. I even see it's documented that cyclists will have a higher FTP and V02 max on their road bike than their TT bike, but of course the aero advantages of the TT bike should more than outweigh the modest improvement in power on a road bike.
So for a road cyclist, other than go by "feel," (which is what I do, and I suspect most of us do, consciously or not), I wonder if there is a better way to measure the tradeoff here and help find the optimal position for various riding situations? I am afraid the only way to know for sure is to use both a wind tunnel AND a power meter at the same time, and I expect that this information is both proprietary and may vary by rider.
Comments??