Most aerodynamic position

pprendeville

anyone hear David Harmon's comments just now on Eurosport. Hands on the hoods and crouched down is more aerodynamic than hands on the drops and crouched down according to wind tunnely testing by garmin cervelo i think.

nomadic

I've been considering the same recently. I reckon I can get lower (or as low) on the hoods. I can get a bit narrower on the hoods anyway. Probably a personal thing.

Joeyde

Im sure everyone has an opinion on this after the couple of weeks that were in it!

Was pondering it myself battling down clontarf, keep on switching between the two.

Hungrycol

I have experience dover the last few windy days that both hands either side of the stem, close together, in an almost tucked position can give good areodynamics for short periods.

manwithaplan

I presume your average rider can generate a bit more power in the drops, even if it is less aerodynamically efficient? It always feels that way to me.

cdaly_

Elbows on the pads, hands on the aerobars works for me...

cdaly_

Hungrycol wrote: »

I have experience dover the last few windy days that both hands either side of the stem, close together, in an almost tucked position can give good areodynamics for short periods.

I wonder how much of a difference a crouch vs upright in this mode makes?

Beasty

Some of you guys should get a chance to test all this out tomorrow evening;)

The key, as I understand it, is to get the airflow as smooth as possible. You are trying to minimise your frontal area and how your arms are positioned withing your overall "profile" will influence the airflows. What you dont want is to create a hollow with no easy way for the air to flow around you

ashleey

Anyone using aerobars over the last few days has outstanding poise and balance!

SomeFool

ashleey wrote: »

Anyone using aerobars over the last few days has outstanding poise and balance!

probably road rash and bruises too.... :eek:

8kvscdpglqnyr4

When I was watching the Tour of California I noticed a position that you don't see too often. Ben Jacques-Maynes had his elbows on the bars which isn't that unusual but he was still shifting and breaking with his hands ... which I think is unusual.

cantalach

Cayden Wailing Geese wrote: »

When I was watching the Tour of California I noticed a position that you don't see too often. Ben Jacques-Maynes had his elbows on the bars which isn't that unusual but he was still shifting and breaking with his hands ... which I think is unusual.

Nice. That would work fine with Shimano or Sram but not so well with Campagnolo given the position of the upshift lever.

cdaly_

ashleey wrote: »

Anyone using aerobars over the last few days has outstanding poise and balance!

Thank you thank you...

T'was interesting this morning into the teeth of a savage crosswind.

cantalach

manwithaplan wrote: »

I presume your average rider can generate a bit more power in the drops, even if it is less aerodynamically efficient? It always feels that way to me.

I'm guessing you meant that the other way around, i.e. that the average rider can generate more power on the bar tops even if it is less aerodynamically efficient?

On a tough climb, many/most people sit more upright and hold the bar tops. In the drops, the hip angle at the top of the pedal stroke is smaller and this reduces the nett torque you can apply to the pedals. Also, the chest isn't as open when you're crouched low so you can't get as much air into the lungs and the diaphragm has to work a lot harder.