How to fine-tuning your TT position during lockdown?

So it’s easy–you just do a bike fit and you’re all set up. Right?! 

Not always. 

I’ve been writing about the importance of saddle hight and how much it could affect your performance. This time I will give an example how fast and how easy that could be if you have popper tools and some basic (or just above) knowledge. 

In times of COVID-19, when options of seeing your athletes on the bike are very limited, data is serving a double purpose–it lets you see what really happens even if you cannot see your athlete riding. 

I remember when back in the days I fitted my bike just by using a plumb bob, to see my “knee over pedal” and just by placing my heel on the pedal with fully extended leg. That was the premise of how bike fit worked about 15 years ago.  

Now when we have technology like Leomo at our disposal, it’s far more complicated you may think. But I would argue it’s quite the opposite. Yes, there is much more data involved and by using it you are cutting out a lot of guesswork which is a considerable part of the fitting model I described before. Therefore, using Leomo we can now quantify what athlete is feeling on the bike and find a cause-and-effect relationship. 

My subject in this example is above average cyclist and a capable runner. His aim is to compete in TT’s and do IM distances. As he recently bought a TT bike and (of course) was complaining about how uncomfortably it feels to be in his aero position and how he is loosing power. So we agreed to use Leomo to fine-tune his position. 

Athlete’s in-season FTP is about 370w, which is about 4.8w/kg for him. 

Athlete’s 10km pace is about 4:10 and half marathon about 5:30. 

Measuring the baseline 

In order to understand “where” he is with numbers, we did initial test just to collect the data. This time we’ll be looking only at his Dead Spot Score (DSS)* 

*Dead Spot Scores (DSS) pinpoint the magnitude and locations where pedaling velocities lack smoothness along the left and right pedaling cycle.

Lack of smoothness is a secondary symptom of sub-optimal pedaling motions.

Looking at the right and left DSS values provides insight to the left/right movement imbalances.

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As you can see by the results–not awful but not good either. For somebody with such a good overall power numbers it would not be wise to “waist” his energy on sub-optimal pedal stroke. 

DSS score of 8.1 on his left leg is high compared to his 0.8 on his right leg. I already know that he has some asymmetry, which shows in DSS score.

I need to stress that DSS is NOT your typical L/R balance you can see from your power meter. Leomo is measuring movement of your leg every hundredth of a second, not just dividing your pedal stroke in half. 

As you can see in screenshot from TrainingPeaks, his L/R balance is 51/49 which does not show any abnormalities or problems. 

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Testing different position 

In order to cut the guesswork and any bias towards either athlete’s “ideal” position (which usually is just the way one looks in the photos anyway) or my bias as well, I use a very simple way how to test things. I throw a bunch of things against the wall and see what sticks. Simplifying it down I believe is a big part of almost any process at least at the beginning because it lets you see cause and effect of any adjustments you make. 

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I use a simple matrix of measurements, where I use a current setup as a starting point of measurements, and then move saddle high and for/aft in whatever steps you like. I start with big steps, about 2cm, so we can distinctly see what works and what doesn’t. And the for athlete it’s quite easy because position changes are quite pronounced, so it’s much easier to have feedback on the effect of those changes. 

In this manner you can test 9 position in one training session. Doing this indoor is easier just because of the ease with what you can do any changes to your bike position. You always have your tools at your disposal and don’t have to worry about traffic or potholes. Yes, position indoors could differ from the one you will be holding when riding outside, but this is a topic for another blog post. 

This is how one such session looks like. It takes about 1h50min with all the adjustments, so not very time-consuming given that he tested 9 different positions. 

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Lap number six clearly provided the best results despite having I would say big position changes on his bike.  

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DSS for both legs decreased substantially from 8.1 to 0.5 on his left leg and from 0.8 to 0.2 on his right. So he went lower and further ahead. 

Not bad to have such significant changes from only one transgression! 

Then we repeated the same testing protocol but with a new baseline (our values from Lap number 6) and changed adjustment step from 2cm to 0.5cm. This will allow to fine-tune the results from the first session. 

Although 0.5cm may seem not that significant, I already answered why it’s not true in my previous Leomo case study. Here it provided almost as significant as in that case. 

It’s not that pronounced as with 2cm changes, which should be logical, but it still gave quite a good idea which should be his new baseline. Funny enough, this time it was lap number 6 as well.  

Although DSS score didn’t change significantly, but Pelvic Rotation went further down from 6.3° to 5.6°. This means he is more planted and more stable in his saddle. 

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Next we’ll be adjusting his front end. This will be more tricky and more time-consuming, but it will happen in the same manner we did it with his saddle high.

Most probably I’ll do some short write up on this process as well so it gives you a full picture of what goes into fine-tuning one’s position on TT bike during lockdown.

Be safe and train smart!

You can find out more about Leomo TYPE-R Coaching Service from our certified coaches there.

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Author,
JANIS MUSINS
Train2Win Endurance Coaching Head Coach

 Find out more about Train2Win Endurance Coaching

1 bike adjustment for the most efficient pedaling power.

Why bike fit maybe not enough? Why even when you do top-of-the-line pressure mapping and motion analysis with good fitter you are still no 100% optimal on your bike? And how much fluctuations in your bike set-up may influence your pedaling efficiency? Well… you are about to find out!

As a endurance coach, I'm a great believer in data. And that everything that can be measured can be improved. This can (and honestly should) be applied to everything related to endurance sports. Your diet, your power, your performance on the bike and without a shadow of a doubt your bike-fit as well. So, with the same mentality, I've approached one of my athletes, who were about to come back after 2 years off the bike after having a child.

“I’ve approached one of my athletes, who were about to come back after 2 years off the bike after having a child.”

— Coach Janis

Cycling in camp after 2 years off the bike after having a child.

ATHLETE BACKGROUND

To give you a brief insight into her background:

• Over her carrier she has several national champion titles in 3x TT, 2x XCM, 1x XCO

• She has been ranked Nr.5 in the world in XCM ranking

• Finished 12th in European Championship in XCM

• Raced semi-professionally in Belgium for 3 years

• Won Belgian regional Championship two times

So she was quite an accomplished rider by the time she had her first child. Getting after 2 years almost entirely off the bike is a tough task as there are a lot of variables that have changed and needed to take into account. Her goal was to race time-trial nationals and without a shadow of a doubt race only to win. And if everything went well, then to race European Championships and maybe something else…

“Her goal was to race time-trial nationals and without a shadow of a doubt race only to win. ”

 At the start of the year, we sat down to map out the training plan for the whole racing year. This is not very typical, because I usually do it as soon as the current season has come to a close, but this time was a bit more special. One of the big things to take into account was her bike fit. After having a child, women's body is subject to change, and her's was no exception. We had to find an appropriate saddle and change shoes, swap the cranks for shorter ones, and just let her be comfortable on the bike.

ADVANCED BIKE FITTING

Leomo Type-R motion analysis sensor on road cycling shoe

We had planned on a big build training block where she was supposed to go for a training camp for 4 weeks. Briefly, before that, I managed to find an excellent fitting specialist in Berlin, who used 3D motion capture system as well as a pressure mapping system. All this and excellent credentials would serve as an excellent basis to have an appropriate bike fit. So she flew to Berlin taking her bike with her, so it could be assessed and adjusted by the fitter. After 4 days she came back with a new bike fit, new saddle, and new insoles and good feeling about the fit.

Bike Academy Berlin fitting session.

“The saddle was right, insoles were working great, and the overall feeling was on pair with that.”

Using the best-in-business pressure mapping system on the saddle and in the insoles of the shoes, the fitter was able to clearly identify that she was sitting too high.  She was producing the most significant power in her pedal stroke at the bottom of it (about 5 o'clock), which is sub-optimal, to say the least. By lowering her saddle quite considerably, he was able to make significant changes, and she was producing the biggest power at her 1 o'clock in no time. Everything was measured and evaluated, so everything should be excellent, right?! Nope or only in part. After about a week she took off and went to Spain for a training camp. As almost all the sessions before that were done indoors, this was the first time we could see how new fit works in real-world conditions. The saddle was right, insoles were working great, and the overall feeling was on pair with that.

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DEAD SPOT SCORE PROBLEM

Almost straight from the get-go, we started to use Leomo Type-R. The first week was just to collect data, so no prescriptions were made, which could have altered her pedaling style or position on the bike. Besides that, she just had to ride her bike for a bit to get used to riding it outside. I did have data from indoor sessions, but like everything – it was not specific to what she was preparing for. From indoor sessions, I already knew that she had a very "clean" pedaling technique – dead spot score was very low.

On the second week, we started to perform different tests to get good benchmark numbers.

Data from the hill climb test showed that the right leg is completely off at an average of 31.9 DSS score. Usually, when riding with a higher power helps to clear the pedal stroke because the ride is more focused on pedaling and applying constant pressure. Therefore I typically look at segments of the ride where the athlete has gone at least at his or her threshold. As you can see in her case, the difference is massive. She is "losing" power on her most important part of the pedal stroke. We need to take into account that the DSS profile can be different for one rider when an athlete is climbing or riding on the flat. Even on a relatively simple and long endurance ride, her numbers were bad, and something needed to change.

Looking at this and other similar rides, it was clear, that when she "soft-pedals" or is riding below her threshold right leg is producing more DSS that left leg from the test. It gave a clear hint that the body was self-adjusting at more significant power outputs and become as economical as possible. But DSS scores from longer endurance rides and the point of the pedal stroke where they occurred showed that the problem was current most probably in her saddle height.

How much difference can 5mm make?

After about a week of riding, I suggested her to make slight changes to her current saddle height to see how this effects numbers. She raised her saddle exactly 5mm not changing anything else. This is what happened!

“We would need to play around the saddle high to find where she is most effective in her pedal stroke.”

— Coach Janis

Even when we look at the whole training and not just the part that has a higher power, the picture has changed dramatically.

DSS score for the whole ride has gone down to 0.9 for left leg and 1.0 for the right leg. Besides that, with this small tweak, we ware able to change the allocation of dead spots. Now there are more inline of the baseline we had at the beginning. In her case, we would need to play around the saddle high to find where she is most effective in her pedal stroke. In the future, this will come very handy when she starts to ride her TT bike, where DSS will have to be optimized as well as her and torso and hip angle.

Takeaway

• Leomo is indispensable for verifying athletes bike fit position outside when racing or in a real training environment.

• Saddle high using static fitting, even when using pressure mapping, can lead to a significant DSS when riding outside or when in the racing position, therefore Leomo can play an important role when it comes to finetuning one's bike fit.

• Type-R can be used for injury prevention no only for increasing performance. I'll talk about this in my next blog post.

You can find out more about Leomo TYPE-R Coaching Service from our certified coaches there.

Author,
JANIS MUSINS
Train2Win Endurance Coaching Head Coach

 Find out more about Train2Win Endurance Coaching

How smooth pedaling can give you more free watts?

Want to be more effective? Trying to save extra watts here and there? We have an answer where you can get ones! If you are a triathlon or cycling athlete LEOMO motion analysis can improve your cycling & running economy which will reduce the total energy costs for Ironman distance, that in turn will make you faster.

LEOMO Type-R motion sensors head unit

For example, take a full Ironman bike course, which is 180km long. If you can find 10 free extra watts from smooth pedaling and body movements, torso angle an so on, you can cut up to 10 minutes from the bike course. Just imagine - the right pedaling and body position doesn`t cost you extra money, but can drastically improve your performance on the bike. We have experience with athletes, who are struggling with different cadences and power transfers from their body to bike. LEOMO Type-R can help you and together with coach specially prepared test workouts, we can find your weak points and give you another unseen dimension on your performance.

You can watch your deadspot score in real time and improve your pedaling technic, also other sensors movement. For example your lower back angle.

LEOMO Type-R is a wearable motion analyzer that allows you to get more out of your powermeter, and to begin to understand how your body is working out on the road! Up to now, motion analysis has always required a fixed lab setting which is often elaborate, costly and usually requires a specialist to setup, run, and analyze results. LEOMO Type-R breaks this limitation, enabling us to analyze athletes motion anywhere in the real world. LEOMO is also the world`s first modular wearable device. As a wearable motion measurement tool for athletes, the LEOMO breaks down the potential inefficiencies of your body movements during cycling.

1 of 5 motion analyze sensor goes on leg, just below knee

LEOMO Type-R is a wearable motion analyzer that will enable you to:

• maximize your power

• generate power more efficiently

• improve your aerodynamics

• reduce injuries

• improve your pedaling technique

LEOMO TYPE-R provides very detailed and specific metrics. Our coaches are certified and will help you to understand the interconnections between power, time, and different LEOMO metrics. New wave electronic record hundreds of data points in one second and that gives us much more precise data to analyze. 

LEOMO TYPE-R motion data analysis. You can see how much data are acquired and how different pedaling power impact on leg movements.

The big 3 items that a coach tries to optimize are:

• POWER,

• ENDURANCE,

• TECHNIQUE.

The first 2 are both common data items that the cyclist captures, and the coach evaluates then optimizes the plan so the athlete can achieve their goals. LEOMO Type-R allows you to capture and analyze the technique in the field. So, by knowing the big 3, coaches and athletes can:

• Perform an in-depth analysis of movement versus power, cadence, and fatigue

• Establish baselines for various physical conditions and situations

• Discover clues to improve both fitness and technique

LEOMO TYPE-R motion sensors and shoes adapter to attach sensor to cycling shoes

LEOMO TYPE-R comes with five small, lightweight, rechargeable Bluetooth® sensors, each with its own three-axis gyroscope and a three-axis accelerometer. Worn on the thighs, feet, and pelvis, the TYPE-R`s motion sensors record the rider`s movement at 100 data points per second, sending the data in real-time to the TYPE-R`s display. All values can also be shown as graphs, giving the ability to track trends over time. Upload your activity data from the TYPE-R and access LEOMO`s powerful activity analytics web app to review all your rides. Analyze your motion data with power, cadence, speed, heart rate, elevation, and more.

By improving and training your aero position on the bike, you will ride faster. Optimizing your pedaling technique by improving deadspot score you will be able to improve your power on the bike. Also, it can prevent knee and ankles injuries in the long term. Because, if your pedaling is wrong or lacking of smoothness that can harm your ankles and muscles. Especially if you gonna run after your bike course, that`s vital! You don`t wanna be that one who does not finish!

Find more about Leomo Coaching Services

You can find out more about Leomo TYPE-R Coaching Service from our certified coaches there.