Free speed, Cheap Watts and Marginal Gains!

Triathlon Forum
1

In light of a recent bike purchase, and inspired by a thread regarding race day chains, I want to ensure I do everything I can to leave no speed on the table.

I have just purchased an IA10, and I also run a Zipp 808 FC up front with a covered Powertap on the rear, none of these are cheap purchases, and the last thing I want to do after this latest investment, is tape a load of gels to the top tube and strap two big bottles on the frame negating any advantage there is to having a ‘super bike’.

So, I am looking to compile a list of cheap / free / easy ‘things’ we can all be doing within a reasonable budget (Yes, I know its relative), looking to save a watt here, half a watt there, so on and so forth. I’ll start with a few -

Well lubed, clean drive train
Race day tires
Latex Tubes
Good position
Toe covers (?) - thinking long course using a road show, specifically Velotoze
Aero helmet
Bottles behind seat as opposed to down tube
BTA / Aerobottle (Torhans is a favourite of mine)
A reasonable quality pedal and cleat for maximum power transfer

Any more cheap / free speed out there?

2

Type of chain lube is very important. Wax or Squirt.
Disc cover on rear wheel and decent (wide) aluminum or cheap carbon front.
Skinsuit or at least tight clothing.
All bearings properly adjusted, clean, and broken in after bearing replacements.

3

Type of chain lube is very important. Wax or Squirt.

THIS. Probably the best drivetrain lube one can get. Doesn’t attract dirt, makes cleaning easy, and keeps parts quiet. I wouldn’t consider anything else having used it.

4

In light of a recent bike purchase, and inspired by a thread regarding race day chains, I want to ensure I do everything I can to leave no speed on the table.

I have just purchased an IA10, and I also run a Zipp 808 FC up front with a covered Powertap on the rear, none of these are cheap purchases, and the last thing I want to do after this latest investment, is tape a load of gels to the top tube and strap two big bottles on the frame negating any advantage there is to having a ‘super bike’.

So, I am looking to compile a list of cheap / free / easy ‘things’ we can all be doing within a reasonable budget (Yes, I know its relative), looking to save a watt here, half a watt there, so on and so forth. I’ll start with a few -

Well lubed, clean drive train
Race day tires
Latex Tubes
Good position
Toe covers (?) - thinking long course using a road show, specifically Velotoze
Aero helmet
Bottles behind seat as opposed to down tube
BTA / Aerobottle (Torhans is a favourite of mine)
**A reasonable quality pedal and cleat for maximum power transfer **

Any more cheap / free speed out there?

Speedplay Zeros with aero cleats.

Laceup shoes (no big straps/buckles in the wind…even under Velotoze).

5

I thought on certain frames, bottles on the downtube were faster than behind the saddle.

6

I had heard that, although I thought that was more pertinent on ‘older’ bikes. Any of the aero gurus want to chime in?

7

I thought on certain frames, bottles on the downtube were faster than behind the saddle.

This is useful information on bottle placement.
http://mx.cervelo.com/en/engineering/ask-the-engineers/hydration-and-aerodynamics.html

8

try this link: http://mx.cervelo.com/en/engineering/ask-the-engineers/hydration-and-aerodynamics.html
for the Cervelo test on hydration… horizontal bottle between the bars is the best in their testing, better than no bottle at all, behind seat no penalty nor was a bento box behind the stem.
bottle mounted horizontally between your arms (but it must be between your arms, not too high or low) makes you faster- faster than no bottle at all! - See more at: http://mx.cervelo.com/en/engineering/ask-the-engineers/hydration-and-aerodynamics.html#sthash.7lnEs1TN.dpuf
bottle mounted horizontally between your arms (but it must be between your arms, not too high or low) makes you faster- faster than no bottle at all! - See more at: http://mx.cervelo.com/en/engineering/ask-the-engineers/hydration-and-aerodynamics.html#sthash.7lnEs1TN.dpuf
bottle mounted horizontally between your arms (but it must be between your arms, not too high or low) makes you faster- faster than no bottle at all! - See more at: http://mx.cervelo.com/en/engineering/ask-the-engineers/hydration-and-aerodynamics.html#sthash.7lnEs1TN.dpuf

9

Some stone cold locks that work for most everyone and that I’d stand behind:

THE RIGHT SADDLE
SHORTER CRANKS
Tight-fitting LG speed suit
Giro Advantage 2 or LG P-09 helmets
Disc cover
Latex tubes
Stans rim tape
Conti Attack/Force tire combo
Lower PSI
Higher hands
Flat base bars
Slammed stem
BTA and BTS bottles vs. on bike frame bottles
Torhans or DSW bento
Torhans Aero 30 flush or Profile FC35 low
Rock ‘n’ Roll Extreme squirt lube

In light of a recent bike purchase, and inspired by a thread regarding race day chains, I want to ensure I do everything I can to leave no speed on the table.

I have just purchased an IA10, and I also run a Zipp 808 FC up front with a covered Powertap on the rear, none of these are cheap purchases, and the last thing I want to do after this latest investment, is tape a load of gels to the top tube and strap two big bottles on the frame negating any advantage there is to having a ‘super bike’.

So, I am looking to compile a list of cheap / free / easy ‘things’ we can all be doing within a reasonable budget (Yes, I know its relative), looking to save a watt here, half a watt there, so on and so forth. I’ll start with a few -

Well lubed, clean drive train
Race day tires
Latex Tubes
Good position
Toe covers (?) - thinking long course using a road show, specifically Velotoze
Aero helmet
Bottles behind seat as opposed to down tube
BTA / Aerobottle (Torhans is a favourite of mine)
A reasonable quality pedal and cleat for maximum power transfer

Any more cheap / free speed out there?

10

Recent wind tunnel testing of the aero penalty of shoes have me intrigued by this piece from SK’s toolkit:

http://www.orca.com/us-en/aero-shoes/

Scott
.

11

How does the rolling resistance interact with the aero factor of PSI?

12

How do you put velotoze on during a triathlon?

13

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INBQTf7KFG8

Carefully
.

14

They do three versions. The one I was referring to was the toe covers which I would have ‘pre installed’. Like I said, more specific to a long distance tri where I am more likely to be wearing my road shoes as opposed to quick access tri shoes.

15

I believe that it is related to the tires contiuous contact area with the ground. On a micro level, a higher PSI will cause the tire to bounce over the ground, whereas a lower PSI will mean small microscopic bumps are rolled over as opposed to bounced over. If you exrtraporlate this, if your putting power down and your tire is not in contact with the ground, you are wasting energy. If you watch BMX riders, or motocross riders, for the most part when going over small jumps, they look to spend less time in the air, and get there tyres back on the ground. If your in the air, your slowing down.

16

Wow. Sitting around in transition for a minute fighting those with shaky post swim hands doesn’t sound real ideal. Yikes.

17

Big one you missed is clothing of course. Also varies very much from person to person, as does the helmet. If you have a stock IA 10 you could look into aero brakes such as TriRigs or something like that.

Velotoze… maybe for a TT yes but anything else I doubt it will save more time than it takes to put them on and take them off properly. Also I’ve never seen any consistent numbers quoted on savings from shoe covers. Maybe Orca did it on those tiny tri specific ones?

If you want to get really pedantic you can look at bearings, pulley size (think Berner cages, things like that) and you could even look at your gears (for a specific course) and look at the chainline you will most likely ride in. Also look into X1 (although that might be counterproductive to an effective chain line, but might save more aerodynamically) to eliminate FD and a second ring. Might need bigger RD though!

Of course, none of this is free! Probably best money spent is going to a windtunnel :wink:

Edit to add: one of the positives of Velotoze of course is if you’re going to pee on the bike, you don’t have to wash your shoes afterward :wink: Win!

18

Some stone cold locks that work for most everyone and that I’d stand behind:

THE RIGHT SADDLE
SHORTER CRANKS
Tight-fitting LG speed suit
Giro Advantage 2 or LG P-09 helmets
Disc cover
Latex tubes
Stans rim tape
Conti Attack/Force tire combo
Lower PSI
Higher hands
Flat base bars
Slammed stem
BTA and BTS bottles vs. on bike frame bottles
Torhans or DSW bento
Torhans Aero 30 flush or Profile FC35 low
Rock ‘n’ Roll Extreme squirt lube

That’s a pretty good list. I’d probably add the new Giro Aerohead to the list which is apparently very fast on most people.

19

This is true but I haven’t personally seen one and the A2 is really cheap used :slight_smile:

Some stone cold locks that work for most everyone and that I’d stand behind:

THE RIGHT SADDLE
SHORTER CRANKS
Tight-fitting LG speed suit
Giro Advantage 2 or LG P-09 helmets
Disc cover
Latex tubes
Stans rim tape
Conti Attack/Force tire combo
Lower PSI
Higher hands
Flat base bars
Slammed stem
BTA and BTS bottles vs. on bike frame bottles
Torhans or DSW bento
Torhans Aero 30 flush or Profile FC35 low
Rock ‘n’ Roll Extreme squirt lube

That’s a pretty good list. I’d probably add the new Giro Aerohead to the list which is apparently very fast on most people.