How do you connect your Dura-Ace chain?

Paulo reincarnated....

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Kiwami Racing Team

He’s asking baiting/leading questions. If your are going to do molten wax, you need a chain that is easy to remove and reinstall. Wippermann gives you this. IIRC, the DA’s link is single use, which is a bad choice for molten waxing.

Wippermann and any wax for the win. But, there is very little incremental performance difference in designer waxes so it is hard to argue against basic wax. So, Wippermann and gulf wax for the real win.

I use a wipperman link on my shimano chains, no problem!

Wipperman links on shimano chains for me.

I tend to keep 2 pots of wax. One with regular paraffin one with additives. I do chains for others too so it depends on the quality of beer they offer. Leffe Blonde gets you additives

I've reused Shimano links at least 10 times, probably more. 105 through Dura Ace/XTR

Why baby powder on latex tubes?

It very much helps with pinch flats. I like to pour some in my hand and coat my tubes all the way around each time I do a tube install. It helps by having a friction barrier between the tire and tube.

Interesting! And very good to know. I’ll start doing that.

I do tt and not tri, but bought a fancy made for my bike front hydration system to use in training. That thing is sweet (despite missing parts in the box). I could see it being amazing for a triathlete.

At my pace of riding a single fill-up of it would be enough for folks doing a 1/2 IM. A full would need refills.

So, having a NICE and aero hydration setup is something that seems really tangible for the triathletes.

I have no direct data to support this, but I think baby powder reduces friction internal to the tire/tube system and reduces rolling resistance as a result.

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Dr. Alex Harrison | Founder & CEO | Sport Physiology & Performance PhD
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I haven't seen this mentioned yet. How is your current fit? Depending on your current fit, you could make the biggest gains just by getting fitted by one of the more reputable fitters (not all fitters are created equally).

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blog

I cannot understand the obsession with having no bar tape on a tt or tri bike. How much difference can it possibly make aero/weight wise for this to be called an upgrade? I think the whole remove bar tape thing is stupid. If you wanna do it for looks, great I have no problem with that, but let's not pretend it's an upgrade that's going to make you faster. And it's a detriment to comfort, without question.

It *may* if you run mechanical shifting or Di2 and don't have the brake shifter buttons. If you have Di2 and do have remote shifting on the brake levers......ain't no damn way it makes a difference. The diameter actually more closely matches the transition of brake body to bull horns with bar tape IMO.

On my old mech setup with open mold bars, sure. Bar tape would stick up above the brake hood/body. But Di2.......no way.

I just don't buy this making any difference. On the marginal gains podcast josh at silca I recall said that not covering the valve hole on a disc wheel has no aero penalty, and how something like that seemingly should have an effect. Surely, the tiny, tiny difference in diameter of the brake lever vs basebar with or without bar tape can't make a measurable difference. Not apples to apples comparison I know, just saying. Im not an expert but I am a dedicated listener to that podcast and I just don't buy that something this insignificant would make a difference. And even if it did we're talking fractions of a watt with the downside of not being able to grip the bar if your hands are sweaty, and just general comfort and ergonomics. Which could be worth many whole watts in power transfer out of the saddle, or save you from crashing. Or both.

I just went and checked my bike, I have TRP mechanical levers, and with the base bar wrapped with tape the diameter of the lever where it meets the bar is still greater than the bar plus tape. So if the tape wasn't there the diameter difference would be even greater which theoretically should be worse aero, right?

This whole no bar tape thing is silly, I tell ya!

I don't know...I do not think that the marginal improvement would be completely due to the reduction in size/diameter. It would also have to to with a reduction in surface friction. Furthermore, you referenced the newly accepted thought that covering the disk wheel cutout does not have any effect. That may or may not be. At any rate, the two parts of the bike see the wind resistance very differently. The disk wheel is rotating and is in "dirtier" air. Whereas the bull horns or aero bars are static and are among the first parts of the bike that needs to pierce the wind.

Though I don't personally think that makes a difference, I'll indulge it. If we accept that theory, what are we talking about, fractions of a watt? How much do you think it would actually be worth, watt-wise? At the expense of being able to grip the bike out of the saddle (which could make up and exceed any aero difference), and possibly to prevent a crash under braking or something?

I actually just left a message for the podcast to address this, so maybe a true aero expert can weigh in. Josh if you read this, please consider this question!

That would be awesome to have a true aero expert weigh in on that issue. I am just trying to justify the thinking in my layman's mind.