TT Bike position

[kevb]

Hi Team Tbb & Doc,
Im having some real issues with my TT bike, i cant get comfortable, i have tried to change position & saddles, but just cant figure it out, i have attached a couple of videos if you get the chance please have a look, any comments will be greatly recieved

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqpADjNBhlQ


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ITefwAtVoc

[doc]

mate
such things are very individual  and the best advise is
either get your own coach and work with them on what works best
or 2
dont take independant advise from people who dont know you and strengths and weaknesses .

pick what you feel comfortable with , and bloc out all other noise and ride my man  ride

[kevb]

Thanks Doc,
I just wondered if there was something obvious that I'm missing,
Thanks very Much for taking the time to look
Kev

[JamesCunnama]

Agree with Doc. Play with it until it feels comfy (start on trainer, and then tweak it on the road), regardless of how silly it looks, and then train with it until you are strong in that position. And then ignore all the know-it-alls who tell you its wrong (and ride away from them!)

Hard to tell from those vids if there is anything glaringly wrong. Some pics on turbo, of you and bike, and bike alone will help. And where is the discomfort? Neck, shoulders, back, bum ...or balls?

[kevb]

Thanks James,
I will post some tomorrow.
Thanks for your help!
Kev

[kevb]

Hi James & Doc,

Attached are pictures & videos you requested, i have tweaked my postiton a bit this morning, it feels better, but the main issue was saddle area, you know, the no-mans land in between butt and balls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQjZaRhp5R8 Front View

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6to7YCZKs8 Side View

i have 6 week to challenge Barcelona, so i need to sort this out or do the race on my road bike.

[Keith Watson]

Kev, I like you had the same issues several years back. It all came down to the saddle choice. I changed to the ISM (on all my bikes) and no issues any more. In fact, a 10 year old bike that I was about to toss is now a training staple for me. I even raced on it at timberman last weekend. The only think I changed was the saddle. I would recommend going with the ISM or the Vflow from Cobb. Both are excellent and with a little getting used to will give you that good ole feeling back. Start there. After a few weeks you should feel comfortable on it. It won't be overnight so give it a good half dozen rides. Then you can start to tweak other thinks like drop, bar width, etc... This is where a good coach can help you work through these issues.

[endoverend]

Gotta get sitting on the sit-bones or else! 

I've used the adamo podium & currently trialling the Cobb SHC (not the V-flow). Yep, as keith mentioned, you should be able to get comfy on the adamo but you are nose-sitting i.e, you position your sit-bones to the very front of the saddle.
Issue for me was on a hilly 'on/off' type circuit where I tended to come out of aero & slide out of this nose-sit position and thus sitting on the wider parts of the saddle leading to chafing.
I believe the v-flow is narrower so may be a better all-round saddle - the SHC is just a normal roadie type saddle with a cut-out; all good so long as your position allows you to rotate your hips to get onto the sit-bones once again.
Some basic observations which may help you get to 1st base.

[JamesCunnama]

Agree with the above - that seat is doing you no favours, and if you have to angle your seat down that much to be able to tolerate it, it is not right for you. I have never got comfortable on a big cushy saddle nose. Try the Cobb V-flow - it'll allow you to stay in the same position (which looks pretty good) but will provide relief where you need it (http://cobbcycling.com/technology.cfm?seat=v-flow)

Also, play with your seat height a little - I know raising the saddle seems counter-intuitive, but a seat too low adds as much to seat pressure as a seat too high. (Note: play with this by the millimeter, not in big jumps, and if there is no relief, back to where it was ie. one change at a time - not saddle, and seat height and other things all at the same time.)

Good luck.

[kevb]

Once again you guys come through and deliver, thanks for all your help and advice. I wll have a look at the ISM & Cobb saddles.
Thanks
Kev

[jodie]

if u can get someone to take a picture on a level when u r on the turbo, on the bike, in ur riding position then it'll probably be easier to see any glaringly obvious issues.....

[endoverend]

hi Kev, just had another gander at your vids - overall (and in my layman's opinion) your pedal stroke seems very 'snatchy' IOW,not smooth & even (could be the video quality/ my PC playback however).
This could be the fact you're cadence is very high - you seem to be falling into your position too much if that makes sense.
The vid from the front shows lots of body movement - IMO, at that cadence, you should be nice and smooth.
Be interesting to see you again but under some load - I also suspect a rear-view will show this rocking even more.
What's your natural cadence? I find that a lower cadence also allows me to get comfier on any saddle, I guess i'm lifting up a tad.
Anyways, I see that you're a coached athlete - WTF does your coach think?! 

Cheers, Dave

[doc]

one day
ill build a triathlon  machine not a bike , and then  all can see in real terms what i believe in triathlon set up
and i promise it will look nothing like what we do now 

[pantani]

one day
ill build a triathlon  machine not a bike , and then  all can see in real terms what i believe in triathlon set up
and i promise it will look nothing like what we do now 

Please please don't let it be a recumbrent !!!!!! 

[kevb]

Hi All,
Thanks for the feedback,
Dave i tend to sit at 90 to 95 cadence, (i know Doc likes a 85) but it really feels like the saddle might be the main issue, i rode today, and after3 hrs was in agony lower back and ball area was killing me, so had to change bikes, im looking to change saddle but once again concerned that i pay out and get stung again, this is really starting to P**s me off massivley and feel like binning the bloddy thing, i know you cant buy speed and effiency but thought a TT bike would be a start.
My coach said same as you guys but i always know you guys come through so see no harm in second opion, he also said that is a very agressive position and would take time to adapt and felt i shoud race barca on Road bike as my ave spd is higher and work effort is lower,
Thanks Kev
im going to sit on some ice ooooohhhhhh