Cardiorespiratory responses to altered rider position with conventional and aerodynamic handlebars

This investigation evaluated the cardiorespiratory responses to three rider positions while undergoing maximal cycle ergometry. The positions were determined by the position of the hands on the handlebars and the posture of the upper body: upright (UP), and drop position (DP) with conventional racing handlebars, and an aerodynamic tuck (AT) using Scott DH time-trial handlebars. Ten well-trained (mean V02max=60.7 ± 3.63 mlkg-1min-1) cyclists underwent three randomly assigned separate maximal ergometry tests using each position. Variables of interest were: heart rate (RR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) , rate pressure product (RPP) , oxygen consumption (V02), pulmonary ventilation (VI)' ventilatory equivalent (V1/V02), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) , and total time to test termination (TT). These variables did not differ significantly between rider positions at each stage of the maximal exercise tests but did change in response to increasing workloads. These results suggest that rider position does not enhance or diminish the cardiorespiratory response to maximal cycle ergometry as the responses to each position are similar.