Jun 15, 2015 at 08:45 PM
Vlad,
Take that photog on a date. She does you right.
Take that photog on a date. She does you right.
Watts in the Bank (aka the school of marginal gains)
Jun 15, 2015 at 09:11 PM
the Vlad in the drops is more aero.
Jul 10, 2015 at 09:24 PM
It still blows my mind that riders in big time TTs still wear dangly necklaces and clumsily safety-pinned traditional numbers to their backsides.
I think the next/best thing to do, for, say the grand tours, is to get custom skin suits with rider numbers sublimated onto their kits. Sure, probably expensive, but more expensive than a motor home?
Jul 11, 2015 at 04:40 PM
The problem is timing. The rosters are finalized in the few days leading up to the race and the numbers assigned with about three days to go. Don't know if there's time to do custom suits with each number different for each rider in that time frame. I gather that many of the TT suits these days are one-off and many, despite labels to the contrary, come out of the same factories.Marc Bertucco said:
It still blows my mind that riders in big time TTs still wear dangly necklaces and clumsily safety-pinned traditional numbers to their backsides.
I think the next/best thing to do, for, say the grand tours, is to get custom skin suits with rider numbers sublimated onto their kits. Sure, probably expensive, but more expensive than a motor home?
They can spray glue them on just the way people do here. Cheaper, easier.
Or they can go the Castelli route, which is sewing a flap jus above the shorts that is supposed to cover the leading edge of the number. Though the Garmin team doesn't always take care in using it.
Jul 11, 2015 at 10:41 PM
come to think of it, the Tour has often provided adhesive-backed numbers to the riders.
Oct 25, 2015 at 01:20 AM
JohnMalcolmson said:Aero position. Nice tip to ride ten minutes of every ride in aero position.
http://velonews.competitor.com/2015/10/news/road/video-how-much-faster-is-the-aero-position_388179
Oct 25, 2015 at 01:48 AM
Nov 11, 2015 at 03:02 PM
Velonews did some tire testing.
http://velonews.competitor.com/where-the-rubber-meets-the-road-what-makes-cycling-tires-fast
It's worth a read. However, I'd love to see some comparison of various testing methodologies, as I've never seen Specialized's tires test so well. I wonder if Specialized used the same testing protocol, or test lab, when developing their tires.
http://velonews.competitor.com/where-the-rubber-meets-the-road-what-makes-cycling-tires-fast
It's worth a read. However, I'd love to see some comparison of various testing methodologies, as I've never seen Specialized's tires test so well. I wonder if Specialized used the same testing protocol, or test lab, when developing their tires.
Nov 25, 2015 at 02:05 PM
Seriously, JP, there are some shenanigans going on. Being a fan of Conti's black chili compound, I'm pretty happy to see their GP 4000s II not too far off the top spot. Surprised by how far down Veloflex places along with Vittoria's top offerings.
Nov 25, 2015 at 06:50 PM
I guess they must have done their homework, but not too many alu courses.
Interesting to me that 28 mm's are the hotness for road. The untested Spesh 28's should be the fastest by a couple of Watts. You need to factor rotating weight, drag, rim/tire aeroness to make a proper evaluation, but I like that you can have plush ride and go fast.
Interesting to me that 28 mm's are the hotness for road. The untested Spesh 28's should be the fastest by a couple of Watts. You need to factor rotating weight, drag, rim/tire aeroness to make a proper evaluation, but I like that you can have plush ride and go fast.
Nov 25, 2015 at 07:55 PM
I confess I haven't read the report yet, but whenever these "fatter is better" conversations/articles/reviews pop up, they usually don't answer the question: "How fat is too fat?" Like, are 40mm slicks going to be the best? Or more precisely, at one point does weight, contact patch, drag, aero, etc. outweigh (pun intended) the purported benefits of a 25/28 over a 19-23mm tire.JohnMalcolmson said:I guess they must have done their homework, but not too many alu courses.
Interesting to me that 28 mm's are the hotness for road. The untested Spesh 28's should be the fastest by a couple of Watts. You need to factor rotating weight, drag, rim/tire aeroness to make a proper evaluation, but I like that you can have plush ride and go fast.
Nov 25, 2015 at 08:10 PM
That's rolling resistance only. It doesn't take in to account weight or aerodynamics. The 3mm width increase, and weight that comes with it, seems to tilt analysts to go for 25mm tires. I'd think that the aerodynamics are better, too, as most of the latest-generation deep-dish carbon wheels are trying to keep the leading and trailing edges of the rim/tire combo as similar as possible. The bulb that 28's would create on all but the widest rims should adversely affect aerodynamics.JohnMalcolmson said:I guess they must have done their homework, but not too many alu courses.
Interesting to me that 28 mm's are the hotness for road. The untested Spesh 28's should be the fastest by a couple of Watts. You need to factor rotating weight, drag, rim/tire aeroness to make a proper evaluation, but I like that you can have plush ride and go fast.
I was going through ENVE's offerings recently. Their shallow 2.2 (25mm depth) and deep 7.8 (71/80mm depths) are designed to work best with 25mm tires, though the rest of their line is best with 23mm's. And most of the aero wheel offerings seem to work best with 23-25mm tires, even the extra-wie Hed's.
Nov 25, 2015 at 08:12 PM
The GP400s II tests pretty well across the board, but I've never seen so good. Vittoria and Zipp were lower than I've seen elsewhere, and Michelin was far back, as is pretty typical.David Yang said:Seriously, JP, there are some shenanigans going on. Being a fan of Conti's black chili compound, I'm pretty happy to see their GP 4000s II not too far off the top spot. Surprised by how far down Veloflex places along with Vittoria's top offerings.
Nov 27, 2015 at 02:58 PM
Sounds like the Specialized Turbo cotton 26 mm is the winner....now where can u actually buy them????????
Nov 27, 2015 at 09:35 PM
Yack,twoyacks said:Sounds like the Specialized Turbo cotton 26 mm is the winner....now where can u actually buy them????????
If you're going to go to 26mm tires, you might consider 25mm wide rims. Unfortunately, you may have to forsake Neugent to do so
https://www.hedcycling.com/ardennes/ardennes-plus/ardennes-plus-sl
Nov 27, 2015 at 11:42 PM
Mar 11, 2016 at 05:13 PM
Found that the hub bearings on my race wheels (Hed Jet 4 circa 2011) are rough. Is the wider and taller rim profile worth it over the super smooth hubs on my "training" wheels (Mavic aksium)?
Mar 11, 2016 at 06:38 PM
replace the bearings.David Yang said:Found that the hub bearings on my race wheels (Hed Jet 4 circa 2011) are rough. Is the wider and taller rim profile worth it over the super smooth hubs on my "training" wheels (Mavic aksium)?
I'd have to feel them.
Mar 11, 2016 at 06:41 PM
Mar 11, 2016 at 09:59 PM
Thanks John, I've done that before on other wheels but these Hed supersonic hubs are a PITA and i can't get to the cartridge bearings easily (one side refuses to come apart, either seized threads or I'm totally biffing something). Either way I don't want to be futzing with stuff late at night before race day.
JP, fo-sho, but need a shop's expertise to do it - see above issues with pulling them apart myself. If I see you tomorrow and I'm on the Heds you can feel the grittiness yourself.
JP, fo-sho, but need a shop's expertise to do it - see above issues with pulling them apart myself. If I see you tomorrow and I'm on the Heds you can feel the grittiness yourself.
Mar 11, 2016 at 11:12 PM
In tricky cases, I often try to squirt a little thin lube into whatever crevice I see and then use gravity to hopefully seep the lube into the bearings.
But I'm happy to feel.
But I'm happy to feel.
Mar 24, 2016 at 12:47 PM
http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/article/michelin-power-tyres-how-they-were-tested-46688/
Great review on the new Michelin tire or this is just an infomercial.
Great review on the new Michelin tire or this is just an infomercial.
Mar 24, 2016 at 01:23 PM
Infomercial. Wait a few months for the review.Thierry Bonnaire said:http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/article/michelin-power-tyres-how-they-were-tested-46688/
Great review on the new Michelin tire or this is just an infomercial.
Jun 25, 2016 at 05:32 PM
Cute fish....
B
But screw Finding Dory.....Yacks is FINDING FITNESS !!!! See you cha cha's at a race soon...
https://www.strava.com/activities/620466574
Look at that cadence...the supplease...just the supplease
BBut screw Finding Dory.....Yacks is FINDING FITNESS !!!! See you cha cha's at a race soon...
https://www.strava.com/activities/620466574
Look at that cadence...the supplease...just the supplease
Jul 07, 2016 at 03:47 PM
More tire pressure data! This time from Silca.
Jul 07, 2016 at 04:40 PM
A must read. If your eyes glaze over, just scroll down to the end of 4B.Jeffrey White said:More tire pressure data! This time from Silca.
Aug 03, 2016 at 09:13 PM
Reducing bearing friction by replacing the grease
http://cyclingtips.com/2016/05/friction-facts-how-lubricants-and-seals-affect-cartridge-bearing-friction/
Turns out even cheap, lightly-applied 3-in-1 is better than grease if speed is your goal. Not so great for harsh conditions.
http://cyclingtips.com/2016/05/friction-facts-how-lubricants-and-seals-affect-cartridge-bearing-friction/
Turns out even cheap, lightly-applied 3-in-1 is better than grease if speed is your goal. Not so great for harsh conditions.
Aug 04, 2016 at 03:05 PM
That Silca article is great Jeff. I've always said steel drum tests were BS, but this breakpoint data is amazing. One variable they don't mention which increases your rolling resistance with super low pressure on rough roads is pinch flats (see FBF).
@Mugwump Seems like a lot of work for max 2.5 watts: "Smith’s theoretical 250W rider can gain roughly six seconds over a flat 40km time trial by saving a single watt of friction — and for a few bucks and some elbow grease, that isn’t half bad." — you'd need a separate set of race wheels, top them up with Ceramic Speed TT Grease every 600 miles? For TT bike it'd be worth it.
@Mugwump Seems like a lot of work for max 2.5 watts: "Smith’s theoretical 250W rider can gain roughly six seconds over a flat 40km time trial by saving a single watt of friction — and for a few bucks and some elbow grease, that isn’t half bad." — you'd need a separate set of race wheels, top them up with Ceramic Speed TT Grease every 600 miles? For TT bike it'd be worth it.
Aug 04, 2016 at 07:22 PM
I have a separate set of race wheels. Though yes, removing the dust covers then the bearing seals adds up.JohnMalcolmson said:
@Mugwump Seems like a lot of work for max 2.5 watts: "Smith’s theoretical 250W rider can gain roughly six seconds over a flat 40km time trial by saving a single watt of friction — and for a few bucks and some elbow grease, that isn’t half bad." — you'd need a separate set of race wheels, top them up with Ceramic Speed TT Grease every 600 miles? For TT bike it'd be worth it.
I also think it worthwhile for the track--far fewer miles and just about always in the dry. I'm not going to pull the bearings out of my track bike before the state championships, but I'll probably wax the chain (I did it last a few years ago for the track bike), remove the bearing seals on the bottom bracket bearings, wipe out the excess, and go from there. i think the bearing seals are exposed on my cheap disc, so I'll probably do the same there.
Aug 24, 2016 at 06:33 PM
I've heard of some crazy-ass stuff to save weight but carving out the centers of freehub splines to save weight has to be top of the list...!
http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/08/bikes-and-tech/technical-faq-saving-freehubs-aero-is-everywhere_418864
http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/08/bikes-and-tech/technical-faq-saving-freehubs-aero-is-everywhere_418864