The I-Team

[tombeej]

The weather forecast will start to become more accurate now, as we get closer to the day.

 

At the moment, looks like a sunny day but we might be in for some wind.

 

I think we need to start talking more about the technique of riding in an echelon....

[tombeej]

An echelon is basically a rolling pace line, with the only difference being that it's not straight but angled off away from the direction of the wind.

 

That's because the slipstream is no longer directly behind the rider in front of you, but now off at an angle (you often need to almost come alongside a rider in a strong crosswind).

 

We've had some info posted already on this thread, but here's a video of a group of amateurs (like us) working their own echelon. Not super slick, but you can see how they're rolling.

 

The wind is coming from the right, so the front guys stick to the far right side of the road in order to allow as many people as possible in the group to benefit from the side-on slipstream.

 

The riders that swap off and come to the back, do so on the windward side. This is to give the riders moving up the gift of a bit of extra side-wind protection.

 

If a group is too big (like ours is becoming), you eventually run out of road and the guys on the wrong side are what's called "being put into the gutter". Not a good place to be.

 

So we'll probably have to split into smaller bunches with strong riders in each one to organise the echelons properly.

 

[tombeej]

Another one:

 

[tombeej]

More on echelons:

 

http://www.thetallcyclist.com/2013/02/echelons-and-you-riding-smart-in-the-crosswind/

[Patchelicious]

Did someone say gutter?? :devil:

[Wez-O]

Guys, so I've been man-down with a virus for the last three weeks and only feeling human again now. As a result, I'm not going to be racing licensed with the team and was thinking of just riding for for the love of the sport and all that. This group and its morale looks great and assuming I'm okay to ride come Sunday, I'd love to help out you guys out with some echeloning/pacemaking/and such.

[Frosty]

The weather forecast will start to become more accurate now, as we get closer to the day.

 

At the moment, looks like a sunny day but we might be in for some wind.

 

I think we need to start talking more about the technique of riding in an echelon....

 

Pay attention to the wind forecast (if any), and start on the appropriate side of the road. Prevailing winds in this part of the world have N and W in them, be that WNW, NW, NNW or N, so you'd want to position yourself on the right side of the bunch when going up Pooks Hill (Mbendi Drive).

 

Don't know which way the wind is blowing? There should be plenty banner flags flying on the day.

The forecast is currently showing a wind blowing from left to right on the first drag, although not very strong. Best would be to position yourself on the far right side of the road, with stronger guys left of the not-as-strong.

 

Where it will make a difference is up Witkoppen to your "vital checkpoint" where it will be a crosswind from the right and a headwind on Malibongwe.

[tombeej]

Accuweather predicting pretty stiff 40+ kph WNW winds on Sunday.

 

Windfinder for OR Tambo International is showing similar results (actually 50+ kph by lunch time):

http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/Johannesburg_or_tambo_airport

 

We're still a few days away, so the forecast can still change dramatically. But for now, we should be planning for a bit of a blower.

[BarHugger]

In the last 4 days I've spent 9 hours on the idt, that's about 280km....I'm going nuts! I miss the Cradle and the sun and the wind and the hills! 

 

Edit: it's true how they say "don't miss the water till is gone"... Anyone else actually realised how sweet the water is tasting these days? (I'm more referring here to how it seems we are really heading into a water crisis! Appreciate and protect while we still have it) sad

That is an average of just over 31 km/ph .......... you could have pulled this entire group to sub 3 all by yourself 

[Wez-O]

Accuweather predicting pretty stiff 40+ kph WNW winds on Sunday.

 

Windfinder for OR Tambo International is showing similar results (actually 50+ kph by lunch time):

http://www.windfinder.com/forecast/Johannesburg_or_tambo_airport

 

We're still a few days away, so the forecast can still change dramatically. But for now, we should be planning for a bit of a blower.

If thats the case, watch out for head/cross winds for the first half of the race (and Cedar / Lion Park). It also means, your N1 S/Woodmead Drive echelon would need to pass on the right and pull off onto the left (with the wind blowing from the left front).

[BarHugger]

So I hear that The Lawman will be chatting briefly about this group on the airwaves tomorrow 

 

http://cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/114224372-young-man-holding-microphone-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=RSl3fldWlcPLvkQFDPHR44XVRt1D0o90GXnXwDln34I3XBhFYnUjJGmJm6lrcU03

[Fat Boab]

So I hear that The Lawman will be chatting briefly about this group on the airwaves tomorrow 

 

http://cache1.asset-cache.net/gc/114224372-young-man-holding-microphone-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=RSl3fldWlcPLvkQFDPHR44XVRt1D0o90GXnXwDln34I3XBhFYnUjJGmJm6lrcU03

 

This is on the mid-morning show isn't it? 0900 to lunchtime-ish?

[ScottCM]

12H30 "In the Saddle"

[Patchelicious]

12H30 "In the Saddle sore"

[Frosty]

If thats the case, watch out for head/cross winds for the first half of the race (and Cedar / Lion Park). It also means, your N1 S/Woodmead Drive echelon would need to pass on the right and pull off onto the left (with the wind blowing from the left front).

Other way round - a WNW will blow from the right as they head down the N1 S/Woodmead. So that means the echelon/paceline needs to rotate the other way too.

[Wez-O]

Other way round - a WNW will blow from the right as they head down the N1 S/Woodmead. So that means the echelon/paceline needs to rotate the other way too.

Ahh yes correct, my Cycling knowledge is greater than my geography, I promise