Through a series of small changes, my polar power meter tells me Anthony has profoundly improved my cycling performance and also comfort/endurance on the bike. His visits to Wellington New Zealand are announced in cycling club emails every now and then, following recommendation from a friend I decided now was the time to solve lingering questions about my position on the bike.
The video setup follows purple spots drawn on my knees, hip and back, allowing the movement to be slowed and traced. Knee, hip, foot, back, neck, arm angles were compared for ‘most powerful and effective’ positions.
It was a pretty understated affair. We pause for 20 minutes, in a cold garage (mid winter here) so Anthony can crunch the figures and talk me through the computer analysis. I put a top and jersey on. Much of what he is considering is the application of much bigger bodies of knowledge than we discuss.
But the practical outcomes are many and small – and didn’t include seat height, which was right. Changes to bar angle, cleat position, crank length, STI placement and some quietly given advice from a physiotherapists perspective on back shape, hip angle and foot movement.
Its an hour and a half long session. I finish back on the bike. Power feels so direct and unimpeded, right down to the souls of my feet. Bars feel low, in control and the bike extremely ‘balanced.’ I am horribly heavy (Week 15 post surgery to tie my achilles tendon back together) which video analysis documents.
On the wind trainer afterwards, the gain for a similar perceived effort is (conservatively) 14%. My achilles does benchmark perceived effort quite well, its abilities allow only so much effort. The best $200 investment in my bike yet. The change is as big as a full year’s training.
Also for polar users, the polar cs600 power setup is not as effected by the harmonic hum of a windtrainer as many expect, if it is the quieter fluid type. Which are more ‘road real’ anyway…..
The Beehive. Cycling in the middle of the bunch. 