The Hour *** spoilers ***

inseine

As Ferrari (kinda) points out, it's a shame that Boardman isn't still the record holder. The seat post/seat tube area might be outside the UCI rules but i can't see much else and certainly nothing that shouts an advantage over today (in fact today's bikes are surely better).

Macaloon

TailWindHome wrote:

http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=article&id=135

Lovely detailing for anoraks:

Back in the 80's we were convinced that longest tracks were the fastest, and that long straights could favor the speed of the cyclist. As a matter of fact, it is truly the exact opposite.
The banked curves allow the center of gravity of the rider to travel a shorter distance than the measurement line followed by the wheels: in substance, the mass of the cyclist "cuts" the curves, saving about 2-3 meters per lap, depending on the velodrome.
In fact, the longer the curves compared to the straights, the faster the track.

Runtothehills

Macaloon wrote:

TailWindHome wrote:

http://www.53x12.com/do/show?page=article&id=135

Lovely detailing for anoraks:

Back in the 80's we were convinced that longest tracks were the fastest, and that long straights could favor the speed of the cyclist. As a matter of fact, it is truly the exact opposite.
The banked curves allow the center of gravity of the rider to travel a shorter distance than the measurement line followed by the wheels: in substance, the mass of the cyclist "cuts" the curves, saving about 2-3 meters per lap, depending on the velodrome.
In fact, the longer the curves compared to the straights, the faster the track.

Apart from the fact that the comment about ratio of curve to straight makes no sense. The amount of distance saved on a curve depends upon 2 things: the angle swept by the curve and the horizontal distance between the point your wheels contact the track and your center of mass: the length of the curve is irrelevant. In fact for a given length of track you're better off with shorter curves compared to the straights as you will have to lean more into them and so increase the horizontal distance between contact point and center of mass. (On a side note I feel like it should be talking about some combination of the center of drag and center of mass, not center of mass alone but it won't make any difference to the general point).

Of course shortening the track will help by increasing the number of corners. Also going faster will help as you have to lean more and so save more distance (but not by much)

ai_1

Good point about the impact of corner radius on the true distance traveled by different elements of the bike/rider.
It's doesn't look like a straightforward calculation as to which track shape is going to be fastest since there are many parameters to consider. To cover all the bases, drag calculations would need to consider a velocity gradient whereby every part of the bike is experiencing slightly different airspeed. If you're not using the wheel contact point as the measure of distance then the locus of the centre of mass is the obvious alternative but that's not necessarily the most important in defining the effort required since drag and mass are not really linked.

maddog 2

It'd be interesting to know what 'extra distance' the superman position gave Boardman in '96.

Or put another way, what Boardman could have done in '96 on a current bike.

Pross

The_Boy wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

Pross wrote:

My guess is Wiggins graph will start close to Brandle's and be shaped similarly to Voigt's.

I think it will look like Voigt's. Sky love a negative split.

I think that was Pross' point. It'll look the same, but starting from a higher point. Or am I misreading due to the Half Man Half Biscuit induced ringing in my ears?

t

Yep, exactly.

Daz555

inseine wrote:

As Ferrari (kinda) points out, it's a shame that Boardman isn't still the record holder. The seat post/seat tube area might be outside the UCI rules but i can't see much else and certainly nothing that shouts an advantage over today (in fact today's bikes are surely better).

I agree - the 'fake' helmet though is a consideration. The lump of plastic riders wear today would eat up a fair few watts I imagine.

ic.

Daz555 wrote:

inseine wrote:

As Ferrari (kinda) points out, it's a shame that Boardman isn't still the record holder. The seat post/seat tube area might be outside the UCI rules but i can't see much else and certainly nothing that shouts an advantage over today (in fact today's bikes are surely better).

I agree - the 'fake' helmet though is a consideration. The lump of plastic riders wear today would eat up a fair few watts I imagine.

He's loosing a fair chunk by not riding disc wheels though, surely?

me-109

inseine wrote:

I had a pair of those Carnacs. Might even still have them.

xavierdisley

IC. wrote:

Daz555 wrote:

inseine wrote:

As Ferrari (kinda) points out, it's a shame that Boardman isn't still the record holder. The seat post/seat tube area might be outside the UCI rules but i can't see much else and certainly nothing that shouts an advantage over today (in fact today's bikes are surely better).

I agree - the 'fake' helmet though is a consideration. The lump of plastic riders wear today would eat up a fair few watts I imagine.

He's loosing a fair chunk by not riding disc wheels though, surely?

Saddle position is way too far forward for current UCI regs, he may also be breaking the 75(+5cm) extension rule. Double discs would certainly have helped, and different forks.

No_Ta_Doctor

So Rohan Dennis goes today.

There's a live stream on the UCI channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1czalpk4j7E for anyone desperate to know what his playlist is.
Coverage from 12.50-14.15

tailwindhome

Only a couple of minutes in - but he looks super smooth

Should he be aiming to break the record or aiming to ride as far as he can?
I reckon the former

tailwindhome

Jim Ochowicz says he's aiming for consistency and getting gradually faster.
Target 52.4k

No_Ta_Doctor

TailWindHome wrote:

Only a couple of minutes in - but he looks super smooth

Should he be aiming to break the record or aiming to ride as far as he can?
I reckon the former

Both, perhaps? According to his team he's aiming for 52.4, but if he's on that and has something left then I'd expect him to push it as far as he can, see if he can hit 53.

maddog 2

when the commentator says "he's up by 4.8 seconds" what is the reference point? Up on what?

Is it just a simple calculation that he's going faster than the record speed, or...

...is it where Brandle was at this particular lap number?

If it's the latter then it depends on how Brandle paced it as to whether this gap is meaningful.

rick_chasey

You can tell this lot don't watch much speed skating.

Not enough focus on splits.

mm1

Quick question for anyone in the know (Xav?) Is saddle position determined by the regs? Riding on the tip of his Arione with most of the saddle unused looks very uncomfortable.

No_Ta_Doctor

Cadel in the commentary box, but aparently the mikes can't pick up the high frequency whine... ;-)

Yellow Peril

He looks good. Bobridge was starting to squirm a bit by now.

No_Ta_Doctor

Yellow Peril wrote:

He looks good. Bobridge was starting to squirm a bit by now.

Yeah, still very smooth, and looks like he's gradually upping the pace as well.

DeadCalm

Slowing slightly

No_Ta_Doctor

DeadCalm wrote:

Slowing slightly

Still over 52.7, 50s up on the record, but dropping a little.

Yellow Peril

huge margin of 50 secs over Brandle at the moment

DeadCalm

Yellow Peril wrote:

huge margin of 50 secs over Brandle at the moment

Yeah. Still looking like he''ll break the record but thought he might go close to 53km for a while there.

Yellow Peril

his line is starting to suffer

tailwindhome

52.491

Yellow Peril

TailWindHome wrote:

52.491

Tremendous effort. One for the Dowsett/wiggins/Martin camps to pull apart.

Also bike lifting antics showing how well prepared he was compared to Bobridge

gsk82

shows he didn't try hard enough

No_Ta_Doctor

Superb effort.

xavierdisley

Graphs now up:

https://twitter.com/xavierdisley/status ... 4382932992

https://twitter.com/xavierdisley/status ... 0108312577