The Hour *** spoilers ***

ShandyH

So I see he's openly talking about 16.2 second laps which would have him at 55.55km. And he normally likes a negative split so this might go up.

Also looking forward to heading along. Does anyone know what the pre-hour track activities are from 4.45?

Daz555

disgruntledgoat wrote:

Daz555 wrote:

OnYourRight wrote:

I have an ominous feeling this is going to end up like Wiggins’s last Paris–Roubaix: underperformance. Not that I doubt he’ll break the record, but I wonder about 55 km.

With what Hutch has been saying on twitter about the forecast air pressure on Sunday being likely to cost Wiggo as much as 1km, I'm starting to think that 55km will be too much for him even in full can be arsed mode.

I'll be there to find out though and really looking forward to it.

In a room with sealed doors and climate control, how much does external air pressure matter?

The sealed doors are to control airflow and aids them in maintaining a constant track temperature without the need for air-conditioning. The building is not sealed in a manner which means the outside pressure does not impact the inside pressure - the temp of the track combined with air pressure on the day sets the air density. Temp is relatively constant in the velo so air pressure is the significant factor. Hutch knows his stuff I'd say.

disgruntledgoat

I'm not saying he doesn't, I was asking out of curiosity.

ai_1

disgruntledgoat wrote:

Daz555 wrote:

OnYourRight wrote:

I have an ominous feeling this is going to end up like Wiggins’s last Paris–Roubaix: underperformance. Not that I doubt he’ll break the record, but I wonder about 55 km.

With what Hutch has been saying on twitter about the forecast air pressure on Sunday being likely to cost Wiggo as much as 1km, I'm starting to think that 55km will be too much for him even in full can be arsed mode.

I'll be there to find out though and really looking forward to it.

In a room with sealed doors and climate control, how much does external air pressure matter?

Climate control relates to temperature and humidity, not pressure.
It would be very, very unusual for a building to be designed to control absolute air pressure. Even in pressure controlled cleanrooms for electronics, medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturing the room pressures are set relative to the ambient pressure outside. As the ambient pressure rises and falls the pressure in the rooms does too so that the differential pressure across the doors is always constant.
Given the size and unsupported roof span of a velodrome, I suspect it would be extremely expensive to build it to maintain any significant pressure differential and I'd be surprised if the building is designed to do so. I'd be much more surprised if it is designed to maintain a controlled absolute pressure.

bompington

Ai_1 wrote:

...unsupported roof span... ...significant pressure differential...

What could possibly go wrong??

Paul 8v

ShandyH wrote:

So I see he's openly talking about 16.2 second laps which would have him at 55.55km. And he normally likes a negative split so this might go up.

Also looking forward to heading along. Does anyone know what the pre-hour track activities are from 4.45?

I haven't managed to find out. What time is he doing the record?

I know there is something going on as there was a "Race with Wiggins" event I saw on the BC website when I was entering a race. I couldn't enter though as you had to submit a CV of your track racing which, as I've only just completed my accreditation so it's currently nothing!

ShandyH

Paul 8v wrote:

ShandyH wrote:

So I see he's openly talking about 16.2 second laps which would have him at 55.55km. And he normally likes a negative split so this might go up.

Also looking forward to heading along. Does anyone know what the pre-hour track activities are from 4.45?

I haven't managed to find out. What time is he doing the record?

I know there is something going on as there was a "Race with Wiggins" event I saw on the BC website when I was entering a race. I couldn't enter though as you had to submit a CV of your track racing which, as I've only just completed my accreditation so it's currently nothing!

So you think it's a mix of events?

Well the email from ticketing says it's a 6.30pm start for the hour attempt. This might be getting you in your seats early though. Somewhere between then and 7pm sounds about right.

Daz555

http://thecyclingpodcast.com/latest-episode

Interesting podcast with Obree, Boardman, Dowsett and Wiggo all interviewed.

greasedscotsman

I imagine the events before the attempt will be something similar to what you would see at a revolution meeting. A scratch race, devil, maybe some sprints. That sort of thing.

Oh and don't forget to take proof of purchase and some ID along with your ticket!

JA-Q001

Just thinking.

If they are worried about the ambient air pressure, would it not be better also to keep the audience to a minimum. Ok, more people will increase the room temperature, but would also increase the CO2 buildup in the building. CO2 is heavier and will cause less oxygen to be available. I have read that they would like to heat up the room temp, because this would thin out the air, this will be helped along again with more people in the room.

ai_1

JA-Q001 wrote:

Just thinking.

If they are worried about the ambient air pressure, would it not be better also to keep the audience to a minimum. Ok, more people will increase the room temperature, but would also increase the CO2 buildup in the building. CO2 is heavier and will cause less oxygen to be available. I have read that they would like to heat up the room temp, because this would thin out the air, this will be helped along again with more people in the room.

I'm sure the temperature can be controlled regardless of the audience present. The HVAC system should have been designed to accommodate a capacity crowd. CO2 is a tiny component of the atmospheric composition and small variations would I'm sure have a negligible impact. I doubt very much that oxygen level variation due to the crowd will be significant unless the HVAC is seriously under spec on fresh air percentage.

bompington

Much more important - does it circulate the air clockwise or anti-clockwise?

greasedscotsman

greasedscotsman

forehead

ShandyH wrote:

Paul 8v wrote:

ShandyH wrote:

So I see he's openly talking about 16.2 second laps which would have him at 55.55km. And he normally likes a negative split so this might go up.

Also looking forward to heading along. Does anyone know what the pre-hour track activities are from 4.45?

I haven't managed to find out. What time is he doing the record?

I know there is something going on as there was a "Race with Wiggins" event I saw on the BC website when I was entering a race. I couldn't enter though as you had to submit a CV of your track racing which, as I've only just completed my accreditation so it's currently nothing!

So you think it's a mix of events?

Well the email from ticketing says it's a 6.30pm start for the hour attempt. This might be getting you in your seats early though. Somewhere between then and 7pm sounds about right.

My ticket says Doors open at 3:45, Start Time at 5.00pm.

No_Ta_Doctor

greasedscotsman wrote:

Hmmmm.... not much track slack there....

graeme_s-2

No tA Doctor wrote:

Hmmmm.... not much track slack there....

Isn't that a narrow road chain as well rather than a 1/8 track chain, or am I misjudging the scale?

mrushton

Loving that front fork. How is the wheel secured - clearly a qr is not involved. Is it a thr' axle with hex bolts and if so would using a cap over the bolt head not make it a bit more aero (by some 0.0000000000000001 whatever?)

Omar Little

Yeah looks like a road chain, wonder what the cranks are he's been on sram red on his TT bike it doesnt look like sram omnium on his pursuit bike though

mrushton

Gold tyres!!!!

Yellow Peril

It looks like Stingray. Absolutely superb! I'm quite excited about the whole affair.

johnboy183

Surdave about to go live on sky sports news talking about the attempt

frenchfighter

Looks insanely aero in this photo:

ai_1

bompington wrote:

Much more important - does it circulate the air clockwise or anti-clockwise?

Now that COULD make a big difference! I presume the UCI officals will be out with anemometers and wind vanes?

greasedscotsman

frenchfighter wrote:

Looks insanely aero in this photo:

He looks great on a TT bike. Always has.

slim_boy_fat

Inrng on Twitter saying L'equipe reporting he's already done 54.9 in training.

Yellow Peril

Slim Boy Fat wrote:

Inrng on Twitter saying L'equipe reporting he's already done 54.9 in training.

Yes I saw that. Perhaps the Bike Radar distance predictions are not, after all, as ballsy as some are making out

lancew

Anyone else doing the Rapha my hour at the road circuit this afternoon? I'm having a go at about 12:30.

I'm feeling that I won't be beating Wiggo though.

slim_boy_fat

Lancew wrote:

Anyone else doing the Rapha my hour at the road circuit this afternoon? I'm having a go at about 12:30.

I'm feeling that I won't be beating Wiggo though.

You never know, air pressure might be more conducive earlier in the day

Macaloon

Not so sure about that. On my morning spin passed the velosseum you could cut the pressure with a rapha spoke shaver.