Why are aero drills a key part for adapting to a new bike fit?

The initial Bike fit is just the beginning. I get people come for their bike fit with me and have a game changing fit, especially if they have been suffering with pains and discomforts which inhibit their performance on the bike or onto their run off the bike in triathlon.

So they see instant results which is great and what I want to see and hear. I love nothing more than seeing them smile on the bike when they are no longer in pain and you see their excitement and motivation build into their upcoming events.

There is so much I can do with upgrading to new parts such as cockpits for TT bikes ranging from Ride Sync, 51 Speedshop, Profile Design, D2z Gen 1 all the way up to the brand new Drag2Zero .66 & .44 systems, absolute gold standard with the comfort and support it offers. To the saddle pressure mapping system I use from Gebiomize to get their saddle into the correct position. Or in fact prove their current saddle isn’t the one for them and where the pressure points are, to then find the correct saddle for them. We often find the Gebiomize Stride saddle is a great fit and solves a lot of saddle issues.

We also have the custom Sidas footbed machine. Something as simple as a custom moulded (to your feet) insoles can in fact change / improve so much. From lower back niggles to leg discrepancy along with cleat positioning can make huge improvements to those who suffer on the bike with these. I have an eye for it now and can see just from a few simple movements off the bike.

Once I’ve got the athlete into the position for them, for comfort and aerodynamics it’s then over to the client to train in the position. As this is where the real work begins. Being able to sustain and hold the position for as long as possible, ideally in TT the whole race but obviously in longer events such as 70.3 - Ironman there’s going to be levels of sustainability, but again you’re wanting to achieve at least 90% in position. As the more efficient the bike leg is in Triathlon the better the run will be.

Some people can take longer to adapt especially if they aren’t spending the time on the bike and do their training on a different bike, example a lot of people have turbo bikes that they do their sessions on but they don’t mirror the race bike. This is when people will notice more aches and pains since the fit as they haven’t had the time on the bike to adapt as initially you can get niggles in the neck for example whilst learning to hold the head in the new position. It takes time for the muscles to adapt and strengthen.

In our MBPC bike fit report I provide a set of drills for the client to incorporate into their own training and I recommend that you’re doing these at least 3-4 sessions a week. I also work closely with some other coaching companies who send their athletes to me for fits so they can then implement these sessions into their training for them.

These include interval sessions on the turbo and out on the road. I can’t stress enough about actually getting out on the road and riding the bike in position in the real world. Nothing beats it come race day. It can feel totally different on the turbo to the road. This is part of the adaption process, bike handling skills as you’re having to take so much into consideration such as weather, wind direction, traffic and road surfaces. The more you do in training the easier race day will be. It becomes second nature.

Once you have adapted to the position, especially if this was your first fit and even 2,3 down the line, you will always be able to get more from each session. This is because you’ve trained the body in each adaption. It’s really noticeable to see when a client comes back and they have put the work in and they can get even more aerodynamic. I just love the process.

I always say it’s takes a couple of months to fully adapt to a new position, sometimes sooner if it’s smaller tweaks. The biggest jump is going from your road bike to a TT for the first time. This obviously takes longer as they are two very different bikes and handle totally different. I fit a lot of triathletes going onto their first TT from a road bike it’s a fantastic transformation. Then great to see them year on year improving.

It’s now coming up to the time of year where people start to consider plans for next years races etc and preparing for winter training. This in turn is a perfect time to get a professional bike fit as you have a good period of time to train in the position and make them upgrades needed to smash next season.

Want to get booked in for a bike fit with myself then get in touch via our website www.mattbottrillperformancecoaching.com hit any of the contact buttons and Kate will get you booked in.