Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn

Sep 18, 06 18:48

Post #1 of 27 (4486 views)

OK, last week we said that Brightroom and ASI need to take some side picture shots. A friend of mine got these of my Lucero in full speed lean at the hairpin at the Demi Esprit. At one point I was leaning so hard into the corner that I felt both my wheels washing out a bit :-) Nothing like being on an F1 track for a triathlon. If you have not raced Esprit, you have to do the half or Olympic once in your life. This is the same track where Dmitri Gaag, beat Simon Lessing at the ITU World Championship!

The pics really show the speed (...yikes and my seat does look low...)...I'm claiming fastest bike split for 90K on a 48 tooth chainring (actually 88.5K).

The Lucero simply rocked in the corners. I barely touched my brakes. This is one of the best handling tri bikes I have ever ridden. I knew it was good doing switchbacks on Whiteface Mtn in Lake Placid, but nothing like a full out race to really guage how it does. The Stinger front and HED3 rear combo were great too. I think on this course, the ideal combination would be a 3 spoke front, disk rear...but I had what I had and it was great.

I figure that Bjorn Andersson could ride in the range of 1:50 on this course. It is sooo fast

Coming in to the hairpin at the Grandstand where fans over the ages have seen the likes of Gilles Villeneuve, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Niki Lauda and Michael Shumacher.

Coming out

Aero, out of the saddle sprint back to full speed in full Mike Pigg mode:

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 18:58

Post #2 of 27 (4446 views)

DP in full effect!

Dev, do you think it would be possible to take the corners in the bars? Next year, I think you should give'r a try! :)

Sweet pics. I concur on the handling. It was a very pleasant experience on my first ride on technical terrain.

"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:05

Post #3 of 27 (4410 views)

Dev,

Cool pics. Thanls for sharing. Some of the best actions pics that I have seen on this site. Indeed, so many of the race photos are head-on and they all have that static look to them. This is very dynamic and really shows the action and the speed.

Love the old -school minamalist look on the bike with just one frame mounted water bottle and the spare strapped under the seat. What more do you need?

Fleck

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [Rappstar] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:08

Post #4 of 27 (4396 views)

Rappstar, I could and did take a couple of loops in the bars, but the bottom line is that I found it safer to do them in the basebars, then level the bike out and come back to speed in the full Mike Pigg Aero sprint.

Fleck, note the frame mounted pump, which is carefully tucked in behind the bottle. It is thin enough that it cannot be seen from the front, although I suppose that it is not as aero as no pump. That covers the full minimalist kit :-)

Last edited by: devashish paul: Sep 18, 06 19:10

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:10

Post #5 of 27 (4366 views)

Safety? Next year I recomend no brakes and aerobars only. That would be fast... Fear is inspiring!

"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [Rappstar] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:13

Post #6 of 27 (4349 views)

No brakes and aerobars only = Natasha Badmann...40 year old middle aged men should be riding the brakes in fear...

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:16

Post #7 of 27 (4314 views)

Dev, you puttin' on a little weight there? Looking kinda soft and puffy. Perhaps you aren't training hard enuff? Has doughboy season started already? Good thing there wasn't any climbing on that course.

Brakes? We don't need no stinkin' brakes!! All they do is slow ya down.

;-)

float , hammer , and jog

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [Murphy'sLaw] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:19

Post #8 of 27 (4286 views)

"What do I say to complaints that my brakes are no good? I�ll tell you this, anyone can stop, but it takes a genius to go fast!" -- Enzo Ferrari

"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:19

Post #9 of 27 (4281 views)

why no disc wheel and deep dish front?

Also, why no CO2, it is much faster to use than a pump?

Last edited by: DoubleTrouble: Sep 18, 06 19:22

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:20

Post #10 of 27 (4270 views)

Just one word, wicked!

Behold the turtle! He makes progess only when he sticks his neck out. (James Bryant Conant)
GET OFF THE F*%KING WALL!!!!!!! (Doug Stern)
Brevity is the soul of wit. (William Shakespeare)

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [Murphy'sLaw] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:21

Post #11 of 27 (4265 views)

ML, I've bulked up since Ironman LP, trying to work on getting up to the Ted McGregor cosmetic bulk look. I want to make sure that I have enough beef for the arm wrestling smackdown with Paulo in October, but he won't acknowldge the invite :-(

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:21

Post #12 of 27 (4265 views)

"Fleck, note the frame mounted pump. That covers the full minimalist kit :-)"

Dev,

I have to break it to you, but I have gone over to the dark-side - I have gone C02 full-time. I always raced with Co2 years ago and trained with a mini-frame pump, but I was filling up someone elses tire on a group ride earlier this summer, and I threw my back out pumping up the freaking tire!!! No kidding. I have enough problems with my back already. So now I carry C02 all the time.

Fleck

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:36

Post #13 of 27 (4191 views)

Dev, you need to get Speedy to hook you up with an aero lever on the bar ends. I love being able to stay aero and have enough braking control to ride corners like that.

Really cool photos.

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:47

Post #14 of 27 (4141 views)

Sweet pics man, I was there last year and thought it was one of the best races I have ever done--even in the rain! I'm definately going back in '07.

"I really wish you would post more often. You always have some good stuff to say. I copied it below just in case someone missed it." BarryP to Chainpin on 10/21/06

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [etocaj] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 19:50

Post #15 of 27 (4127 views)

he is riding a clincher on the rear and a tubie on the front

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [dvfmfidc] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 20:10

Post #16 of 27 (4075 views)

...nope, I am not that silly. Both are tubulars. HED3's used to come in with an Al surface even in Tubular. Speedy was talking to me about the aerobar brake levers post race...I'll stick to what I have for now!

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 20:18

Post #17 of 27 (4054 views)

Curious what frame pump you use?

I assume it gets high PSI with ease. Thinking about getting a different one since mine takes a lot of "pumps" but maybe that's how they all are.

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 18, 06 20:33

Post #18 of 27 (4023 views)

what kind of tubulars are those?

Dan
www.aiatriathlon.com

http://www.aiatriathlon.com

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 19, 06 4:30

Post #19 of 27 (3890 views)

dev, did they run the bike course counter-clockwise this year?

"Failure is an event, not a person."

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [chickenlegs] [ In reply to ]

Sep 19, 06 5:23

Post #20 of 27 (3811 views)

They ran the bike course counter clockwise. The reason for pump vs C02 is because the pump is a renewable source of insurance. If I mess up the C02, I can't finish the race. As far as I am concerned, the moment, I flat, I am out of "racing for position" and then I am only racing myself, so I want to make sure I finish and do the best I can. I've seen Simon Lessing leading the Nice triathlon by several minutes and have to drop out when he messed up his C02 application. If Simon can't perfect it (and it is his job), then I don't want the risk. Esprit is likely a fine course for a C02 cause you can ride the rim to neutral support which is never more than 2 K away, but in a regular half Ironman, I could be 45K away. Then it is a long wait for the broom wagon to scoop me off the pavement.

I can't remember the brand of pump. I'll check when I get home, but I went through a pretty thorough search in local stores to get one small and narrow enough with sufficient performance that I can get ~100 psi with less than 2 min of pumping. I tried numerous pumps in various stores by brining a wheel with me and most failed the test. This one passed!

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 19, 06 6:27

Post #21 of 27 (3686 views)

That looks like an awesome race. How many laps? I assume they keep track with a timing mat somewhere?

Edit: This answers my question: http://www.esprittriathlon.com/en/raceDemi_course.htm

Your favorite mafia sucks.

Last edited by: bryce_d: Sep 19, 06 6:29

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 19, 06 7:06

Post #22 of 27 (3593 views)

In Reply To:

my seat does look low

It looks fine to me, at least when you consider that you're sitting up and probably leaning the bike a bit more than your body while turning. (The reach to the pedal will be a bit greater when you bend over in the aero position and center yourself on the saddle.)

BTW, that flapping number belt probably negated much, if not all, of the advantage you gained from using all the high-zoot aero gear...

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 19, 06 7:20

Post #23 of 27 (3525 views)

Personally, I find the f1 track agonizingly boring and can't imagine you guys doing the 1/2 or full IM on it. That said, congrats on the win - I realized you were there when they were calling out the podium finishers.

I guess the side shots complaints are in another thread, but the fact is, these kinds of shots are easier to screw up. The last pic is gold.

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 19, 06 8:46

Post #24 of 27 (3391 views)

Dev,

Awesome pics! Looks awesomely fun!

Racing on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve looks totally awesome! I am a huge F1 fan and avid amatuer car racer my self (when not doing Tri, which takes WAY more of my time), so doing a ride on this track really catches my attention. This might have to make it to next years calandar! I did a Duathlon at Watkins Glen this year in conjunction with a vintage race. Car race by day, Duathlon on the race track by sunset. Was pretty cool!

Nice racing of late, its inspirational for a middle aged MOPer like me! :) Keep up the good work!

JL

Re: Lucero Bike Pics from Demi Esprit Hairpin Turn [devashish paul] [ In reply to ]

Sep 19, 06 8:57

Post #25 of 27 (3360 views)

Hey!

I did Montreal in '96 & '99 and noticed that they're going counter-clockwise on the bike now. Doesn't that put the wind in your face after the hairpin?

In '99, the wind was unbelievable and the only relief we had during the bike was in that area.

Jeff

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Naturally Fit Coaching
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