What price a wheel?

It has been a busy month, trying to get hours in on the bike, get back into track shape, and some paying work done :-)

Last night was the 2nd Friday night race of the year. I'm racing with the A group this year so that I can race in my 93" gearing.

What was interesting about was the difference between the last week and last night. A week ago we did a 40 Lap Scratch race and a 4x10 Points race. In both races I was getting spit out the back, then going up to the blue line and when the pack came around jumping back in. Last night we did a 25 Lap Scratch race and a 6x10 Points race. I managed to stay on the pack for the 25 Lap scratch and didn't get lapped in the points until lap 30, and even then was working well with smaller groups who where also down one lap.

Speedwise last night was about the same as last week. But there was something different about last night. Suddenly I was able to stay on the pack, at the back of pack, not working in the rotation. But still much better than last week where I simply couldn't hold on (in many cases couldn't even get on.)

The difference was the rear wheel. Last week I was on a loaner training wheel with some no-name training tire. This week I had my Zipp 900 with a Vittoria Pista EVO CL 22.  Gearing remained unchanged at 50x14 (about 93.6" for the 700x22 Vittoria.)

If you look at the scatter plot on the right, The green and yellow points are from last weeks race. Blue and Red from this week. This is power at speed. And you can see a clear trend for higher speed at most power levels for the red and blue points.

At a guess, between 2-3 kmh for most power levels. An that makes the difference of hanging in at the back and getting spit out.



So what is the price of a wheel? Call it about 2 kilometers per hour. For whatever power output you have you'll be able to go about 2 kmh faster.

Or more pragmatically, something like an extra 50 watts to push around the training wheel at speeds between 46-52. You'll need to produce those extra watts if you want to use the training wheel.

BVC Friday NIght racing - winter series started

Last week was the BVC Maximum Entry weekend series... Total bust up.... I was tired, TSB negative and was racing on my training wheels (mega-spoke mavix with Tufo tubular...) Legs felt like lead pushing a concrete bike around... Only did two races on Saturday... One in the B group and then one with the C's (to get the number of B's down to 20, I was going so slow anyway...) And then I had a flat on the training wheel in the C race so didn't even race on Sunday. Just did the results.

Friday was the first night of the Winter Friday night track series. Felt a lot better... Had the disc back with a new Vittoria tubular.. The B group had a huge turnout, full field of 20 riders Did the first two races, 30 lap scratch and 4x5 Win and Out just cruising using a 52x15 (90.5") gear. Switched to 51x14 (95") for the last race, 4x10 Points. That felt a lot better. Managed to take fourth by taking the second sprint. Same old same old, big jump over the field, push the big gear, get a huge gap with about 3 laps to go. Then just ride it through.

As always, huge difference in racing success once I get back into the big gear. Although it also needs legs that can turn it minimally.

Other than that I have been attempting with some success to push CTL back up with copious amounts of L2/L3 on the Computrainer. From a low of 44 in early December I'm now (today) back to 60.

Spring Series is only about eight weeks away....

BVC Friday Racing - 3rd and nothing and nothing

Elimination to 15 Lap Scratch - 3rd, then 20 Lap Tempo and Unknown distance..

I really tried in the Elimination... stayed at the front.. worked hard. Then in the scratch race portion jumped from the blue with three laps to go.. Got a good gap, I thought sufficent. 

But Deluca and Roorda managed to get over the gap and come around me in turn four in the bell lap. And just at the point they caught me my front wheel decided to exhibit a really bad case of "speed wobble".. I have no idea what causes this, but when it happens it feels like your front wheel is about to fall off.. I suspect that it is setup from hittling a "bump" on the track (our track has lot's) that sets up a sympathetic vibration at sprinting speeds (> 55).

Anyway, worst possible time, I'm being overtaken and don't know if the front wheel is about to fall off.. Well I was pretty sure it wouldn't... but still the 2-3 seconds it took to decide that was all it took for them to get over top and around me... Good chance they would have anyway, I was slowing down.

The result though was a very hard push at the end of the race.. and for some reason, possibly low humidity, my lungs felt like they would fall out... I had used my puffer, so it didn't turn into a coughing fit... but I literally didn't get my breathing back to normal for about an hour..

And the next two races where a total write off. Simply off the back in the 20 lap tempo. Did get sort of get going in the Unknown distance... but that's always a crapshoot and only managed like 6th...  

I did two fairly hard workouts earlier this week, Tuesday morning was the structured Workeout (Points race drill) and Wednesday I did some short L4/L5 intervals.. I suspect that this was a bit too much intensity and didn't help tonights performance (i.e. lack thereof...).

Anyway, it's always a matter of balance... keep CTL up, good (long term)... but if you move ATL up too much, too close to race night... not good (short term..)

BVC Friday Night - Kierins zip, Scratch 1st

Kierins and a 20 Lap Scratch...

Thought a smaller gear, 51x15 might be appropriate for the Kierin... it wasn't.. spun out chasing Anselmo and Scott around the last half lap... Cadence about 139, speed just over 60. Scott about 4 bike lengths ahead, Anselmo at least that much and a bit more in front of Scott ( think I was just rounding turn four when Anselmo was crossing the finish line). Note to self, leave the 51x14 on next time...

Made up for it in the 20 lap scratch race. Normally I don't do well in a short scratch... I stayed at or near the front from the beginning. first on the rail, first aound for the neutral lap, instead of moving to back, just drop back a few riders and get a shoulder draft just above the red. When possible find a hole and drop in.

Fast paced... except for one slightly slower lap. Average speed for 15 laps about 48km/h. Anthony King then jumped with about 4.5 to go and I managed to get onto his wheel. Followed him around until the bell rang. Went over to easily get 1st.

Finished the night trying out the 52x14. Still feels sluggish. Up to a point as I move the size up I can spin lower to push out whatever watts are required for a specific speed. But too high and I can't quite get on top of it and get to an appropriate speed. Instead of spinning too high, spinning too low. It felt better tonight than the last time I tried (about a month ago). Might be interesting to try in a Friday night race. Especially if I can get a bit more strength into my legs. 

BVC Bare Bones - Sunday - 50 Lap Scratch

50 Lap Scratch Race

The leading omnium racers sprint for podium position in the final scratch race of the Omnium.

A fairly sedate 44km/h race for the first 40 laps... With the occasional bump up ... Stayed at the back for almost the entire race. Only 11-12 riders.

With about 10 laps to go I moved towards the front and high on the blue looking for Steph Roorda and David Gerth. 

I could do no worse then 2nd overall in the Ominium. David could take 1st if he beat me by more than a couple of places and Steph could move into 2nd if she took 1st and David finished well down.

With about 6-7 to go we where all lined up, Steph, David and myself... With about 5 to go Alex Pope lead us all out getting us very quickly from 45km/h to about 54km/h... With about 2 to go Steph lead us over Alex getting our speed up to 60km/h. David and I followed her around and managed to get over her for the final sprint. 

Finishing David Gerth 1st, myself 2nd and Steph Roorda 3rd. Gerth had almost a bike length, I had at best inches over Roorda.

BVC Bare Bones - Sunday - 6x10 Points

6x10 Points Race

Took the 2nd sprint. After the third sprint had a very minor close call on the blue, rubbed shoulders. I moved up and back-pedalled. That caused my chain to pop off..

Coasted down while Jeremie instructed all the other rides to neutralize and go high up to the blue line. With some help from Bruce Denis, got stopped in the pit zone. Put the chain back on and got back in with about 1-2 laps to spare.

Took the last sprint with a nice jump over the top. NIck Smit had taken enough points to get 1st. I got 2nd overall.

First half of the face had a reasonable pace, about 46.5km/h. The group was a little slower after the mechanical and never quite got their momentum back, averaging about 44km/h.

.

BVC Bare Bones - Saturday - 40 Lap Tempo

40 Lap Tempo Race

Worked at the back of the group for the first 16 or so laps. Then worked to get one, almost had a second but someone (I think Nick Smit) got me at the line.

I jumped at about lap 25. Steph managed to get on my wheel. So we traded sprints for about 5 or 6 laps before we got caught.

Waited until the end, mini-jump, took the second last lap and managed to carry through and take the last as well (which had been the plan.. double points.)

Good enough to get me 1st (with I think about 16-18 points) as the rest of the points where apparently well spread out (40 laps, 2 points for 1st, 1 for 2nd for each lap, double for the last lap, so a total of 123 points available...)

Average speed was 47.9kph. My average power 294 watts, NP average a bit higher at 313. The big jump in the middle was +800 with speed a little over 56kph.

BVC Bare Bones - Friday - Elimination to 10 lap scratch

Elimination to 10 lap Scratch Race

Sixteen starters, eliminating down to eight riders.

I managed to jump to the front and maintain a good solid +45kph pace for about 10 laps.. Michael Walker jumped over me at that point to lead for a few laps.. Then Alex Pope jumped over both of us (both where escaping the scrum at the back...) I followed Alex to the end of the eliminations (2 more I think).

I then sat at the back sucking wheels and getting my heart rate down for a few laps. Then moved up to the blue (reasonably easy going with only eight people on the track.)

Steph Roorda jumped over me from way up by the rail with 3.5 laps go to... Good gap, 40m... I bridged up to her (I don't think anyone else did, there didn't seem to be anyone behind me) with about 1 lap to go... Followed her to finish... But simply could not quite get past her.  She took it with about 1-2 inches...

The final sprint was 3.5 laps. 44 seconds. Hit +60 and +800 watts. Trailing down to about 55kph and 440 watts at the finish. 

BVC Bare Bones - Friday - 40 lap Scratch

40 Lap Scratch Race

Sucked wheels at the back for about 30 laps. Moved up and over to get positioned towards the front.

Anthony King jumped over me with 3 and half to go (he had apparantly come from way back, and had already been going hard for 2 laps at that point). 

Got his wheel....

Stewart Bowner managed to bridge up to us, went over, with about 1 lap to go... Followed him to finish and took him at the line (he was getting tired from bridging over.)

A fairly fast pace too, 45.8kph until the final sprint and then 53.4kph for the last 3.5 laps...

BVC Bare Bones - Friday - 5x10 Points

5x10 Points Race

Sucked wheels at the back for 25 laps... someone got off the front, bridged,  got the sprint at the line.

Next, went over top with 2 to go for the 2nd last sprint. Big gap... easily got 1st for that sprint.

Sat up, hoping 2 (of 5) 1st's would be enough for 1st or 2nd overall... it was.

This is the jump over the top for the 2nd last sprint... On the home stretch with about 2.5 laps to the sprint finish. Nice numbers... You can see even see the 2m elevation drop (although there is a little latency while it registers the change.)

Initial VO2Max jump, six second burst with 2m drop, accelerate from 45 to 54kph, just under 100m. Power peaks at 843 watts.

Tuck into sprinters lane, fourteen seconds with power falling down to 690 watts, speed topping out 60kph, 220m covered. Carry through another 11 seconds, 170m to sprint line, power dropping to about 400w and speed to 53.. 

Total time about 30 seconds with average speed 55.  Assuming the rest of the group got their average speed up to 50, the time differential should have been about 4 seconds (and if I recall, that was about correct.) 

In this sprint I had to moderate my effort so that my heartrate didn't blow up totally...doesn't do any good to take a sprint, but then blow up so bad that the field laps you (down 20 points...)

It almost did, 191 for over ten seconds... But those where with at the end while coasting through the sprint finish... And I had enough time to get it down just enough to tag on ...  

It's helpful to run the numbers on these  (preferrably in practice sessions so you know them.) I can do this from 2.5 laps out (~500m)... but at my present form, if I tried from say 3.5 laps out, my average speed would drop back down to 51kph and the extra time would allow the chasing group to get their speed UP to 51kph... I.e. catch me at the line or before it.

My two weaknesses in exploiting this tactic are not being comfortable getting out of the saddle; in theory (and in practice) if my bike handling skills where better, I would be able to get up and off the saddle and push some higher watts. And second, weak anaerobic system, it would be nice to have another 4-5 seconds at max output and another 10 seconds as I average down... Either would get me another lap before getting caught. Both would get me more.

And finally, it does require some co-operation from the rest of the group... By preference I look for a late sprint, something after 30-40 laps, where the group is getting tired, and hangs back a bit going into the 3-4 lap before the sprint. Then try and move up and get into position just at the right time to go over.. Of course it doesn't always work, if someone at the front lifts the pace it may not be possible to get over or if you do they may be able to stay on your wheel.

BVC Bare Bones - Sunday summary

Three races, down to the wire. 

With the top three B Omnium riders sprinting for 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall... in the last sprint of the last race..

Sundays races:

1. Unknown Distance - 8th
2. 6x10 Points - 2nd
3. 50 Lap Scratch - 2nd

Final result:

1. Stuart Lynne 107
2. David Gerth 106
3. Steph Roorda 93
4. Nick Smit 70

Full results are here.

Steph Roorda pushed us hard every day, with great tactics, and always giving a shout to let me know to drop in..

David Gerth was amazingly consistent, placing mostly in the top four (except for two races today) and with a 1st in the last race today. This was his first B group race series, he was doing the C group until last Friday...

If we had another day of racing Nick Smit probably would have caught us... he got better every day and managed to take a lap (and the win) in Saturdays 60 lap scratch race and two 1sts today... very (very!) good endurance.

I had one mechanical today, a slight shoulder bump in the 6x10 Points race, moved up with a bit to much back pressure, popped the chain... Luckily no problems getting off the track and was able to get back in (you have 10 laps to get back in without penalty for a mechanical). But even though the heart rate was down, the adrenalin was running and it took me about 10 laps to get my rythm back.

Details to follow

BVC Bare Bones - Saturday - 5x10 Points

5x10 Points Race

Took the first, fourth and last sprints for 1st overall.

Overall average speed was down a bit, just over 45km/h.  The speed during the middle section was higher, but there where 2+ laps  after the 2nd last sprint where the group took a bit of a rest at about 39km/h. 

BVC Bare Bones - Saturday Summary

Long day... long races

1. 3x15 Points - didn't place
2. 40 Lap Tempo - 1st
3. 60 Lap Scratch - 9th
4. Elimination - 5th
5. 10x5 Points -1st

See saw battle all day between Steph Roorda and Dave Gerth for first in the Omnium... the spread was only 5 points all day with Steph taking the lead early on, then Dave catching up in the Tempo and Scratch and Elimination... But I managed to vault back up into first with the final Points race.. Ending up with:

• Stuart Lynne 80
• Dave Gerth 73
• Steph Roorda 71

Three more races tomorrow morning... it could be any of us to win overall.  It will probably go down to the last race. 

I'll post race details later... off to bed now, up at 7:00 

BVC Bare Bones 3-day - First night....

Three races, B-Group, 1st, 1st and 2nd by an inch...

Leading the Omnium by 1 point (58 to Steph Roorda's 57).

I'll post individual race overviews later (have to get up and do be back at the track in ten hours, no time to cut and paste to get the jpgs) , but overall:

1. 5x10 Points,  took 3rd and 4th sprint
2. 40 lap Scratch, followed Anthony King's, then over top of Steward Bowmer wheel to win...
3. Elimination to 10 lap scratch, Steph Roorda beat me to the line...

Other than a two hour L2/L3 Computrainer workout on Tuesday, and some of the Power Meter Ramp tests, I took most of the week off ...  a bit of a mini-taper going into this weekend. Which gave me about a 15 TSB... Which certainly helped. Both of the wins and the almost win where at the far end of RPE for the sprints... 

The power numbers (and ATL, CTL, TSS etc above) are with the new and "improved" re-calibrated track Ergomo... Moved up in the end from 181 to 186. Which makes it match the CT reasonably well in the 175-350 watt range... Interesting to see how lowering FTP and re-calibrating the track Ergomo starts giving me much higher TSS points for the Intensity you see in track racing.

BVC Friday Racing

First race was a 30 lap Scratch race. Went out on a 51x15 (about 88"). Pace was not quite as bad as last week (A's had their own race tonight) but still found I was struggling to keep up. Gear too low and race to short...

Next was an Elimination, again, too small gear and was an early volunteer at the back when I couldn't find a hole...

Final was a 4x10 Points race. Moved up to 51x14 (about 93"). Felt much more comfortable. Took 2nd in the first sprint.  And did a good effort at the end... but unfortunately I didn't realize a small group had got off the front at the second last sprint... So I was sprinting for 5th... :-) But the bigger gear definitely felt more comfortable.