Wheel sucking debate

[blondeonabike]

I think it is also very important to know what type of a rider you are, where your strengths and weakness lie.  Combine that with a careful study of the race route and profile, you will know where to ride more conservatively and where you can attack confidently.  

 

For example...I'm not the strongest climber but I know that if I'm not in the front third of the bunch by the time we start a long twisty descent I'm in trouble.  I'm conservative on the descents with corners and if not at the front, I'll end up falling off the back of the bunch, especially when riding with men, they descend like kamikaze pilots So if an attack happens up a hill with a dodgy descent afterwards, Ill always go with.

[jimmycool]

I think it is also very important to know what type of a rider you are, where your strengths and weakness lie.  Combine that with a careful study of the race route and profile, you will know where to ride more conservatively and where you can attack confidently.  

 

For example...I'm not the strongest climber but I know that if I'm not in the front third of the bunch by the time we start a long twisty descent I'm in trouble.  I'm conservative on the descents with corners and if not at the front, I'll end up falling off the back of the bunch, especially when riding with men, they descend like kamikaze pilots So if an attack happens up a hill with a dodgy descent afterwards, Ill always go with.

Sorry, but I can't bring myself to use the brakes when going downhill.

When gravity tells me to go faster, I obey.

[Patchelicious]

Sorry, but I can't bring myself to use the brakes when going downhill.

When gravity tells me to go faster, I obey.

But its only a theory.

[Mamil]

[snip] 

Which bunch are you seeded in again?

The higher your ranking, the less fragmented bunches are.

 I'm down in M - was lucky enough to start with JKL on Sunday and I finished 6th in that group so I'm wondering if I might get slightly better on Saturday.

 

 

I think it is also very important to know what type of a rider you are, where your strengths and weakness lie.  Combine that with a careful study of the race route and profile, you will know where to ride more conservatively and where you can attack confidently.  

 

For example...I'm not the strongest climber but I know that if I'm not in the front third of the bunch by the time we start a long twisty descent I'm in trouble.  I'm conservative on the descents with corners and if not at the front, I'll end up falling off the back of the bunch, especially when riding with men, they descend like kamikaze pilots So if an attack happens up a hill with a dodgy descent afterwards, Ill always go with.

 

That's very interesting - I'm not a great climber at all so if I see there's a hill coming I guess I must try to be close to the front

['Dale]

 I'm down in M - was lucky enough to start with JKL on Sunday and I finished 6th in that group so I'm wondering if I might get slightly better on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good going, roadie

[carbon29er]

Sorry, but I can't bring myself to use the brakes when going downhill.

When gravity tells me to go faster, I obey.

 

 

But its only a theory.

They don't make brakes that handle 125kg beasts on fast descents so why bother trying to stop I'd imagine is the Jimmy theory.

[blondeonabike]

They don't make brakes that handle 125kg beasts on fast descents so why bother trying to stop I'd imagine is the Jimmy theory.

Thats it

There is no stopping the Karkloof Bullet on a descent. 

[Frosty]

Sorry, but I can't bring myself to use the brakes when going downhill.

When gravity tells me to go faster, I obey.

"Leave your brakes - they only slow you down." ~ Anonymous

[jimmycool]

.

[jimmycool]

But its only a theory.

 

 

They don't make brakes that handle 125kg beasts on fast descents so why bother trying to stop I'd imagine is the Jimmy theory.

 

 

Thats it

There is no stopping the Karkloof Bullet on a descent. 

 

 

"Leave your brakes - they only slow you down." ~ Anonymous

Lol, you guys know me too well. 

The way I see it, I had to haul my extra 35kgs to the top of the climb so I am going to enjoy every second of speed that extra muscle is going to give me. 

 

Oh yes, I need to look for some new rear brake pads - I see they have worn down quite a lot....I'm not sure how since I don't use my brakes ever????

[Cheese]

Thought I would not comment on this threat.

Most races I will wheelsuck untill I can the suction is gone and then I will look for mates to share the workload and will not have an issue working upfront.

 

But this weekend at the rooiwal race made me think of the thread.

 

Did the 90 km race and with wind blowing lost the leaders at around 35 km . Started my time trial untill we were about 6-7 guys together with 3 of us doing the work, not normally bothered by this as some people just hang on they can not do more. Carried on like this until about 75 km mark and then it was just me and another guy working, there was one guy with us that you could see was getting ready for the sprint from about 5 km out. At that stage we were 4 guys left and as we rotated he would move to second wheel and then drop to last wheel.

I could see he had strategy and also we were 20-30 years older than him.I did the last pull from around 1km to go and with 200 m to go he came past me and took the 28th place by 50m. However his parent congratulated him and he could show his sprinting skills, I just smiled and went to get a cold drink at the finishing table.

He played his hand well so who am I to complain.

[Skubarra]

 

He played his hand well so who am I to complain.

 

Had a similar experience a while back with a strong youngster excellently sucking wheel within a small dropped group for half the race and then expertly breaking away a kilometer from the line to finish 40th in C bunch. Also saw some big high 5's big from club members/parents(?) at the finish line.

 

Yes, you can only smile - I'm certain eventually he'll get it as well and maybe cringe a little thinking back...

[s14phoenix]

I try use a spotter rider on the descends. Someone going really fast about 20-30m ahead that seems to know the course. Generally it helps especially since most of the races I ride for the first time and don't know the actual route.

 

This worked great at Amashova. There was once when I tailed a guys that nearly overran a corner and the extra 30m was enough to slow down sufficiently not to overcook it. I love the decends though.

[Pure Savage]

Had a similar experience a while back with a strong youngster excellently sucking wheel within a small dropped group for half the race and then expertly breaking away a kilometer from the line to finish 40th in C bunch. Also saw some big high 5's big from club members/parents(?) at the finish line.

 

Yes, you can only smile - I'm certain eventually he'll get it as well and maybe cringe a little thinking back...

 

You just get funny looks when you start playing cat and mouse in the last 400m of a funride with a 17 year old and then dropping it into the big ring and hammering it and then thumping your chest. 

[Patchelicious]

You just get funny looks when you start playing cat and mouse in the last 400m of a funride with a 17 year old and then dropping it into the big ring and hammering it and then thumping your chest. 

You should top it off by shouting "loooooooooser!!!!" at him in front of his parents too.

 

[Tubehunter]

Thought I would not comment on this threat.

Most races I will wheelsuck untill I can the suction is gone and then I will look for mates to share the workload and will not have an issue working upfront.

 

But this weekend at the rooiwal race made me think of the thread.

 

Did the 90 km race and with wind blowing lost the leaders at around 35 km . Started my time trial untill we were about 6-7 guys together with 3 of us doing the work, not normally bothered by this as some people just hang on they can not do more. Carried on like this until about 75 km mark and then it was just me and another guy working, there was one guy with us that you could see was getting ready for the sprint from about 5 km out. At that stage we were 4 guys left and as we rotated he would move to second wheel and then drop to last wheel.

I could see he had strategy and also we were 20-30 years older than him.I did the last pull from around 1km to go and with 200 m to go he came past me and took the 28th place by 50m. However his parent congratulated him and he could show his sprinting skills, I just smiled and went to get a cold drink at the finishing table.

He played his hand well so who am I to complain.

 

You guys are too polite. If I'm in a small group like this and worked to get there, everyone better participate in the pull at the front! If you're gassed out do a shorter pull on the front until you've recovered. If you refuse to do a pull, I'll make sure the rest of the group gets a short chat that gets us to sit up and take it slow going into the next tight turn so that the baggage rolls through and when he slows down for that turn and then sits up on the exit waiting for the group to roll by, everyone else is prepped with doing a sprint interval as you blow by and take turns doing a big effort to shake him off and then go back to normal pacing efforts.