Over the 12 or more years I've been bike fitting I've noticed how different types triathlon and time trial riders have a tendency to visit me for bike fitting at different times of year. I would roughly categorise these athletes as "Planners" and "Panickers" ;-)
The "Planners"
Consistently I see athletes with a genuine desire to perform at a high level use the off season to make important changes either to their training regime, equipment or riding position to enable them to improve on their previous performances. "Planners" are generally those athletes who look into the details of WHY their performances might not be as good as they'd expect (or hope) and WHAT actions they can take to improve. ALL Pro athletes are "Planners", the best Pro athletes also tend to be exceptional "Planners" as well as exceptional performers. These planning traits also show themselves in faster age group athletes
The "Panickers"
I see more "Panickers" than "Planners" as race season approaches with the biggest "Panickers" often leaving things until a small number of weeks (or even days) before their key event of the season to visit for a bike fit. By then, they're typically either looking at a desperate attempt to get some last minute time gains, or have injured themselves in training sufficiently to put finishing their key race in doubt. With Ironman athletes this very frequently includes a last ditch attempt to find a saddle that doesn't leave them crippled (or at least speaking in a very high pitched voice) after a couple of hours on the bike.
Adaptation
Your bike fit (particularly when it comes to the aero position adopted for triathlon and time trial events) should be seen as an iterative process. It's a task that when undertaken with an experienced professional fitter can see vast improvements in performance. In order to reap the benefits of your fit, your body WILL need time to adapt to the new position. The process of adaptation should be planned with the fitter with re-visits undertaken at appropriate times as your key events get closer. With riders new to the aero position often big changes are needed to allow the body to adapt. These changes take time. This of course means that being a "Planner" rather than a "Panicker" is likely to see better results and better "bang for your buck" when it comes to seeing the real benefits of a good bike fit.
So, if you'd prefer to be a "Planner" and give yourself the best chance of success in your 2022 season, book a bike fit today.
If you're a "Panicker", I'll see you next summer ;-)