Thread: "Experts"
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  #34  
Old 04-02-2024, 09:19 AM
Tandem Rider Tandem Rider is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Bend OR
Posts: 1,937
I think fit is the most important part of a bike. For some people, fit is a moving target as their body ages, they move things around. I think some people just want to follow the latest trends set by the "experts". There was a study done at the OTC in the 80s, the "experts" of the day had established the ideal seat position due to a bunch of body measurements. They tested everyone in their current position with an ergometer, adjusted the bikes to the "new and improved" position, gave everyone some time to adapt, re-tested and found that almost everyone was just as powerful in their old position as the new one. My takeaway was to establish a painfree, powerful, aero position and leave it there. I still use the same position from the 80s.

Look at the positions of guys racing from the 70s, 80s, 90s, etc. they are all still pretty close to what we are seeing now in the 2020s, but their positions are being poohpoohed just because of some tweaks here and there.

My gravel bike came with 172.5 cranks instead of my usual 175s, I'm still trying to make friends with them, but it is getting better.
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