After a season filled with win after win, beginning with the Tour of California and culminating with a National Championship victory, Levi Leipheimer spent 2007 going very fast. His time trial win in Stage 19 of the Tour de France got people wondering how to mimic Levi’s time trial prowess and success. We asked Levi to send us down his race bike (yes, this is the bike he raced in the Tour de France) so we could get our hands on it and see what we could learn.  We got a chance to talk with Levi to find out how he does it and what makes his TTX so special. Then, we called Trek’s Scott Daubert to get some insight into the bike setup and Levi’s success.

RBA: Levi, can you describe your TT position changes from say 2006 to last year on the TTX?
Levi: My TT position in 2007 was definitely more aero than my position in 2006. Together with Trek and Steve Hed, I spent two days in the San Diego Low Speed Wind Tunnel. The position we ended with brings my arms very close together and my forearms pointing up with my hands more in front of my face. This position was well within the UCI rules at the time, and it proved to be very fast. In fact, it was so fast that it was the lowest drag recorded by that wind tunnel.

RBA: What happened before the Stage 19 of the Tour last year when the UCI decided to modify your position? How much did they change it and what was it like to have to modify your position right before the event?
Levi: The UCI decided right before the start of the Tour that the riders’ forearms had to be flat. They never gave any reason as to why. This made my hands drop down and created a less aero position. We know this from the testing in the tunnel. It was frustrating to be forced to change my position for no good reason at all. In the end, I had to race my best and focus on the job at hand.

RBA: For enthusiast or amateur racers, what are your three tips for position on their bike and for going fast in a TT event?
Levi: My three tips to amateur racers that want to improve their position and TT skills are:
1) You have to train on your TT bike regularly and with intensity.
2) Spend some time with someone photographing and filming you on your TT bike to analyze your technique and position.
3) Save up for a session at the wind tunnel!

RBA: How much do you change your position during the course of a season?
Levi: I only play around with the tilt of my saddle; I don’t touch my bars or extensions unless I am forced to!

RBA: What advantage will your TT skills have in this year’s Tour of California and TdF?
Levi: My TT skills showed in both the Tour of California and the TdF in ’07 and I plan on continuing to post great TT results next year.

RBA: What are your thoughts on the TTX?
Levi: The fact that the TTX and the components I ride can be bought by anyone is a good thing for the consumer, but surprisingly it’s a great thing for me since I can trust the technology and reliability of the bike. There has been a tremendous amount of time, money and energy put into creating the TTX. It is on of the most victorious TT bike in history.

TREK’S SCOTT DAUBERT
As Trek’s Road Brand manager, Scott is an encyclopedia of bike setup knowledge. Formerly the liaison to Team Discovery, it was Scott who riders like Lance Armstrong turned to when they had bike and setup questions. Scott gave us some insight into the TTX and Levi.
 
RBA: What’s it like getting a bike set up for Levi?
Scott: We knew he was a time trial specialist, so we spent two days with Levi in the San Diego Low Speed wind tunnel last year, as he mentioned.

RBA: What did you learn there?
Scott: We tend to gravitate toward the front of the bike and the thing we walked away with was his elevated hand position. In his case it works well. He has a short upper arm, so he can get his head tucked down by his wrists. We tried the same position with other riders, but in most cases their upper arms were longer and they couldn’t emulate it. In this position, Levi set the fastest drag number for that day, so we knew it would work for him.

RBA: Then you get to the Tour de France and right before the race, the UCI changes Levi’s position…
Scott: I think there were some grumblings before that at the Dauphine. The UCI didn’t like the way it looked and claimed it didn’t conform to the rule. They asked him to put his hands down a little bit. It was a confidence-shaker, but in the end he overcame it.

RBA: In your experience, what are some position tips for the average TT rider?
Scott: You need to be comfortable and displace as much air as you can. It’s really important not to lose track of comfort. Steve Hed’s (of Hed Wheels) big thing is to drop his head—not bring his shoulders up but bring the head down. Levi does this really well. Be still—find a comfortable spot and stay there. Pay attention to the details—things that flap in the wind, get rid of them. Relax—it’s important to relax your hands.

RBA: We heard you found out some interesting water bottle info in the wind tunnel…
Scott: Yes, we found the worst combination for drag is no bottle at all, the second worst is a round bottle and the best was a slender bottle filling in the main triangle of the bike.

RBA: You also sponsor Chris Lieto on the TTX (sixth in Kona IronMan in ’07); how is his setup different?
Scott: As far as setup, they are similar, but tri events are longer, so there is still the focus on power, but comfort is more primary for the longer distances.

RBA: So, how does Chris accomplish that?
Scott: His elbows would be wider, his overall handlebar height would be higher, and unlike a pure time trialist he wouldn’t have so much weight on his arms and hands; he is sitting more on his saddle. His head is also more upright because of the time spent on the bike in a long distance triathlon [Kona Ironman bike leg is 112 miles].

RBA: Scott, how did the vibe at Kona compare to the Tour de France?
Scott: Kona is a pretty powerful event, especially late in the race when it’s starting to get dark and people are coming in. You can see how badly they want it, how much they are hurting and watching their family and friends support them. The Tour is big business, it’s one big rolling money-making machine. It is hard to watch the race, to get a clear picture of what’s going on as opposed to Kona. Kona’s just a little more relaxed, you can get involved and understand what’s going on. Plus, it’s a one-day event with a huge emotional charge, and then it ends. They are similar as spectacles, though, as far as the human effort involved.