WHO THIS IS FOR
IS THIS YOU?
The rider chasing free speed without buying kit
You've watched the wind-tunnel videos and want the position changes that cost nothing rather than another aero frame.
The time triallist or fast group rider
You hold a low position for an hour but your power sags the moment you tuck — the position is fighting you.
THE ROADMAN VIEW
The Roadman view
Anthony keeps coming back to one point on the aero episodes: the rider is the engine and the brick wall. Roughly 80% of the drag on a bike at speed is you, not the machine. So the cheapest aero gain on the planet is your own position — and the expensive mistake is buying a deep wheelset while ignoring the fact that your back is sitting up like a sail.
But here's the part the wind-tunnel clips skip past. You can fold yourself into a beautifully low position and lose 30 watts of power because your hip angle has slammed shut and your glutes can't fire. Drag saved, power gone, net result slower. When Anthony spoke to David Millar about time trialling, the message was the same one the pros live by: the aero position is only worth having if you can still drive the pedals in it. Position without power is just a nice photo.
The Roadman way to do this is methodical and fixable. Roll the pelvis forward rather than just slamming the stem — more setback and a level saddle drop your torso while keeping the hip open. Bring your elbows and shoulders in, because narrow beats low for a lot of riders. And if the hip starts pinching as you go lower, that's your cue to fit shorter cranks rather than force it. Drop 5mm, re-test your power, and only keep the change if the watts hold. That's how you find your own aero-power ceiling instead of copying someone else's.
EXPERT EVIDENCE
WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY
- Dan BighamHead of Engineering, Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe; former UCI Hour Record holder
The rider is the overwhelming majority of the aerodynamic drag on a bike, so position is the highest-value place to find speed. But a position is only fast if the rider can sustain it and produce power in it — an extreme tuck that costs watts is slower than a slightly higher one the rider can actually drive.
Hear it: He Accidentally Mastered Aerodynamics | Dan Bigham - David MillarFormer professional cyclist with 20 years of experience in time trialling
A time trial position is a balance between cheating the wind and being able to put the power down for the full duration. Riders who chase the lowest possible front end often discover their sustainable power drops more than the drag they saved — the optimum is the lowest position that doesn't compromise the hip angle they make power through.
Hear it: Time Trial Faster with David Millar | Roadman Cycling Podcast
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
DO THIS WEEK
Lower the front end in 5mm steps and re-test power
Remove one 5mm spacer at a time. After each change, ride the same 10-minute effort on the same stretch or turbo and compare average power. If power holds, keep the drop and try the next 5mm. The ride where your power falls is the ride you've gone one step too far — put the spacer back.
Roll the pelvis forward instead of just dropping the bars
Move the saddle back 3–5mm and set it level or 1–2 degrees nose-down so your pelvis rotates forward onto the sit bones. This lowers your torso and flattens your back while keeping the hip angle open — you get the aero benefit of a lower front without the power loss of a closed hip.
Bring shoulders and elbows in before you go lower
Narrowing your frontal width is often a bigger drag saving than dropping height, and it costs no power. On the hoods or in the drops, draw the elbows in toward the top tube and round the shoulders slightly forward. Practise holding it for 20-minute blocks so it becomes your default at speed, not a pose you forget under fatigue.
Use shorter cranks to protect hip clearance
If a lower front end makes your hip pinch at the top of the stroke, a 5mm shorter crank opens that clearance back up and lets you keep the aero gain. This is the structural fix that lets riders go lower without losing the top of the pedal stroke — raise the saddle 2–3mm afterwards to keep leg extension correct.
COMMON MISTAKES
WHAT CYCLISTS GET WRONG
MISTAKESlamming the stem in one go to look pro.
FIXA big drop closes the hip angle and kills power overnight. Drop 5mm at a time and verify your power holds before keeping the change.
MISTAKEChasing aero kit while ignoring your own position.
FIXYou are roughly 80% of the drag. Sort the body first — narrower shoulders and a forward-rolled pelvis are free and beat a deep wheelset for most riders.
MISTAKEJudging an aero position by how it looks rather than what it does to your power.
FIXTest it. Same effort, same segment, compare watts. If a lower position drops your sustainable power by more than a couple of percent, the drag saving rarely makes it back.
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How much power does a lower position actually save?
What is the hip angle and why does it matter for power?
Should I get an aero position assessment or just experiment?
Does saddle setback affect how aero I can get?
Will narrower handlebars make me more aero?
Can I get aero on a normal road bike or do I need a TT bike?
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