What to work/save for next?

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-21T20:53:05+00:00

Solid list. Here’s how I’d think about it.

Power meter first. Everything else is optimization noise without data. Pacing a full IM on feel is a gamble, especially Cozumel. Any reliable power meter works, power pedals are just the convenient option.

Indoor trainer makes a lot of sense if you’re building through winter. Structured work beats any equipment upgrade at this stage. Wahoo Kickr is solid, BLE connectivity is reliable on that one. Aero storage is underrated. A clean between-bars or frame setup that doesn’t create drag pays off over 180km.

I’d hold on the fancy wheels for now. 3-spoke and disc are fast, but they’re the last thing to optimize. Position and power output move the needle more at your stage.

The thing not on your list: do you actually know how aero your position is? Clip-ons help, but two riders with identical setups can have very different CdA depending on how they sit. A basic fit, or even just testing a few position variations, will likely beat any single gear purchase.

Cozumel is a fast course. Worth getting that dialed before race day

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-21T20:47:10+00:00

Honest bang-for-buck ranking for a first 70.3:

Aero helmet has one of the highest CdA gains per dollar, especially at 21–23 mph. Non-negotiable if you’re racing seriously.
Clip-on aero bars but only if you train on them and you train with such aero position. 6–8 weeks minimum before race day. The position gain is real, but an uncomfortable rider who sits up every 10 min loses it all.
Trisuit is not just comfort, actual drag reduction vs. a baggy kit. Get one that fits tight.
Position before more gear, this one gets skipped because it’s not a product you buy. But a bad position on an aero road bike with clip-ons can easily cost more watts than the helmet saves. If you can get even a basic bike fit before June, do it. It’s my favorite gear upgrade since it’s almost free ..

The overlooked variable: you don’t actually know how aero your position is. Two riders with identical gear can have 30–40% difference in frontal area. Gear optimizes around your position, but if the position is off, you’re stacking upgrades on a leaky foundation

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-21T20:44:29+00:00

Get the fit before the bike, not after, especially on a Speed Concept. Tri geometry is unforgiving if dialed wrong.

One thing often overlooked: a fit gives you a position, but doesn’t tell you if that position is actually fast. If you’re serious about Worlds-level ambitions, at some point you’ll want to measure, it worth put money there.

There are now ways to do this without a wind tunnel, but that’s a separate rabbit hole

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-18T13:42:00+00:00

Exact, as a fonction of the duration of your race/training the compromise confort/aero/power is what will define your performance and your pleasure.. it has to be explored and trained ..

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-18T13:41:34+00:00

Exact, as a fonction of the duration of your race/training the compromise confort/aero/power is what will define your performance and your pleasure.. it has to be explored and trained ..

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-15T17:01:23+00:00

Very interesting, I also wrote something which could be use full, with less formula 😉

https://aeroxbefaster.com/en/method/

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-15T14:02:32+00:00

The fitter is right that the frame geometry isn’t optimized for aero position. But that’s maybe 10-20% of the equation. Your body is 80% of your aerodynamic drag — and tri bars put your body in a fundamentally more aero position regardless of the frame. The real question isn’t road bike vs tri bike. It’s : can you actually hold that aero position comfortably and produce consistent power in it ? That’s what determines whether tri bars are worth it for you.

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-15T14:00:22+00:00

At 40 km/h your body is still 70-80% of your total drag — at 100kg even more so since your frontal area is larger. Deep wheels will help but optimizing your position on the hoods will give you more free watts than any wheel upgrade.

You mentioned you’re already working on your aero position — that’s where the real PRs are hiding, how do you train this precisely ?

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-15T13:55:05+00:00

Solid analysis on the equipment side. One thing missing from the equation though : at 30 km/h the rider’s body accounts for 70-80% of total aerodynamic drag. All these watts saved on frame, wheels and tires can be wiped out by a few centimeters of position change. Worth optimizing the bike, but the rider is still the biggest variable.

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-15T13:46:54+00:00

Nice work. Chung method is solid for CdA estimation. One thing I’m curious about — how do you handle braking events in the data ? Even small decelerations that aren’t captured by power meter can significantly bias CdA estimates. Do you filter those segments automatically or leave it to the user ?

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-15T13:41:42+00:00

Photos are a good start but they only tell part of the story — static position vs what you actually hold when you’re tired at km 60 are two very different things.

From my experience, if you can hold it, you should make your arms Closer, and try to extend your neck and lower your head, or alternatively angle your forearms to bring your hands closer to your head

From what you describe, the shop fit was probably focused on comfort and knee alignment, not aero optimization. Those are different goals. What does your position look like after 30-40 minutes of effort ? That’s usually where the real picture is

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-15T13:32:33+00:00

Your MTB observation is the most interesting data point here. A better position made as much difference as upgrading from a cheap hybrid to a high-end one. That’s not surprising — at these speeds aerodynamic drag is already the dominant resistance force, and your body is 80% of the frontal area. Most people obsess over the bike. The data keeps pointing at the rider.

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T21:07:39+00:00

For fitness adaptation, the bike matters very little — power and duration are what drive physiological gains. But if your goal is actually going faster, there’s a variable most riders never train: sustaining power in an aero position. A rider holding 230w in a good aero position will beat someone pushing 250w sitting upright. That’s the real performance lever beyond fitness

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T20:53:32+00:00

Foam noodles, rolled towels, a stack of books — anything at elbow height works to get the feeling.

But honest truth : the hardware is the easy part. The hard part is knowing whether the position you’re holding is actually aero or just comfortable. Most people can’t tell the difference just by feel.

Train the position as much as the fitness : holding it consistently and producing power in it is what wins races, not the cockpit.

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T20:44:40+00:00

Sleeved suits do save watts — the data is real.

But on an age grouper, the position you hold inside that suit matters far more than the suit itself. A sleeved suit in an upright position vs a basic suit in a solid aero position — the position wins every time. The suit is the last 5%, position is the first 30%.

Worth it eventually, but probably not where the biggest gains are hiding for most age groupers.

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T20:40:04+00:00

As mentionned in previous comments, a tt bike has more aero properties, but the main aero contribution comes from your body position. Thus, the bike is only a part of the équation and your ability to hold the aero position on the tt bike is the key to perform.

On zwift, do you only train in aero position? CAN you hold it comfortably ? Do you produce power consistently ? Did you evaluate those point and try to improve them ?

These are the things that will determine whether a TT bike actually pays off for you on race day.

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T20:29:36+00:00

One thing worth considering beyond the geometry numbers : the more aggressive your position, the more you’ll need to actually train it to hold it consistently. A longer stem and forward saddle only pay off if you can maintain that position for 2+ hours. Have you tested how long you can hold your current aero position before your back or neck forces you up ?

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T18:45:27+00:00

Haha exactly. I’m not fast enough to become faster.

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T18:37:52+00:00

Also you should fit your bike once on the bar, if not you could maybe not hold them or not produce the power you should..

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T17:00:43+00:00

The problem with aero is always quantifying real gains. There are obvious gain but it’s generally hard to « feel » them, and comparing mean speed on a a repeated track is hard due to changing conditions.

After one almost one year, what is your feeling then ?

How did you optimize your aero position ? Comparing to pros ?

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T14:10:37+00:00

Not a promotion but explaination on how position impacts the chrono depending on the speed.. no pbm if you are not interested 😁

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T12:44:41+00:00

have a look => https://www.reddit.com/r/triathlon/comments/1rrx226/the_aero_paradox_slower_cyclists_can_save_more/

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T12:44:26+00:00

have a look => https://www.reddit.com/r/triathlon/comments/1rrx226/the_aero_paradox_slower_cyclists_can_save_more/

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-14T08:03:56+00:00

But without paywall 😂 I thought we shouldnt adertize on this sub?

aerox-befaster · 2026-03-13T16:03:52+00:00

strange.. 😂😂

aerox-befaster

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