revchuck 

$44 here and here. The trick is to catch them when they have them in stock, which they do now. Shipping is typically less than, and quicker than, Nashbar.

rideaz

That's also a great list of excuses/reasons to go to when things don't go well in a race!

thechemist

Awesome thanks~!

grolby

Not exactly what anyone's trying to tell you. Obviously you do need a certain amount of power. You're able to do a lot more racing when you're fitter, because one attack doesn't send you out the back door. But what you've been missing is that, okay, you've got a certain level of fitness, it's time to start racing, and you're just saying "well, my ewang for such-and-such distance is X, and for such-and-such distance is Y, so how far from the line should I start my sprint to win the race?" And how well is that working, exactly?

The comments that racing isn't determined by your ewang aren't about saying that power doesn't matter, they're trying to explain that a bike race isn't an algebra problem where you solve for X with your power numbers and win. There's a draft, there's psychology, there's timing and there's almost always someone who's got just a bit more ewang than you. And if you want to do well, you need to figure out how to beat him. I'm a dummy when it comes to racing, but I can tell you that I've landed on or near the podium in races when I was no better than average in power compared to the rest of the field, and I've been pack fodder when I was really strong. More power is great, because it gives you more to play with, but it also becomes really easy to throw away at the wrong times.

waterrockets 

As further evidence that "it depends," this is exactly how I started winning races. My power profile had a spike in the 1' column that I didn't expect. I trained for a few weeks to work on all the columns, and work on testing procedures, and all the numbers went up, but the 1' spike just got bigger, into the top few rows. To that point, I had only been an expert at getting 3rd to 7th in the final sprint.

For my next race, I pre-rode the course and rolled back from the finish line 800m and found a "go" landmark. On the last lap, when I hit the landmark, I ignored everything but my 1' power. There was a break off the front, I was tired, guys were starting to bunch up for the sprint, and it seemed like a stupid move. I launched all-out, discovered that nobody was willing to lay down 1700W at 800m, and I was gone. Flew past the break. Watched my power dwindle to 500W by the time I hit the line. Win -- dozens of bikes passed me 5m after the line. Did that several more times that season.

That strategy was completely dictated by my e-wang, stupidest racing I've ever done (sit in and blindly go at 800m was the entire race plan), and it worked. Finally, people started to figure out how to hold my wheel for the launch, and I had to change up.

That said, I'm the only one I've heard of who has used the e-wang in such a manner, so my situation is unique.

MDcatV

in more ways that one - I've done and seen so many last lap or just inside kilo attempts fail and sitting here off the top of my head, cant think of any from that distance that were successful, but you've made it your winning formula. that you developed the strategy through the power profiling chart is actually a great use of the data. but to be fair, you also had a few hundred races (?) in your legs with lots of mental data points on what worked and what didn't, which is something that someone who is newer to the sport and basing their race day strategy from a power profile chart doesn't have.

waterrockets 

All true. Just saying "it depends." You're right though, everyone needs to go out and get their in-race data points.

I guess the best piece of advise that nobody would follow is to let your first season be completely a learning experience. Every race is a training race. Try some stuff, but not all that stuff should be to win. I think that would make a cyclist of average talent have a more successful 2nd season than most.

MDcatV

I've been using that excuse since 2001!

waterrockets 

ovoleg

so we were in a meeting that was led by a corporate strategic planning coach and he asked the room if they weren't working at this company what would they be doing. I was 2nd in line to answer.

The first guy answers, "Honestly I really love working here and I can't see myself doing anything else". The coach asked again, "but what if you didn't need a paycheck would you still come in to work?" The guy replies, "yes I really love what I do, I would come in either way because I have a warrior spirit to work hard".

Then it was my turn and I simply answered, "I'd be out riding my bike". The room started to LOL.

I'm going to assume the 1st guy was just straight kissing ass because if he has no other hobbies or things he loves to do, I am speechless.

I would of guessed him saying something about spending time with his grandkids, nope, he'd rather work. No wonder no one retires, their work is their hobby.

thechemist

While I would ride my bike as well, I think it is important for people to have a plan when they retire(not that my generation will). Volunteer, work part-time, hobbies etc etc etc

MDcatV

when I retire, I plan to be the 70+ national RR/TT/and Crit champion

grolby

There's something to be said for a few seasons of experience with what didn't work, of course, but point taken. I do think a kilo attack from a rider who has determined from power data that they have pretty exceptional one minute power is a bit different from a rider who has good but not absolutely amazing 20s power making a decision about when to start sprinting. And even when you have a really good trick, like your kilo attack, it only works so many times before people figure out how to deal with it, stay close enough, and wreck you in the sprint despite not having anywhere near the same 1' power numbers.

FWIW, I've been able to use a kilo attack or something like it with some limited degree of success (i.e. not wins, but a couple of 2nds and 3rds in field sprints, a prime or two) in appropriate tactical situations, and while my experience suggests I have pretty good 1' power, it's nowhere near as good as yours. So I don't write it off as uniquely useful to someone with your abilities, the situations where it can be applied successfully are limited, but not uncommon. Based on my own experience, it seems like it can be effective with small fields, when there's an uphill launch point (this is probably because I'm small), when there's a fairly technical finish with at least two turns reasonably near the line, or some combination of those factors. But like any tactic, those ingredients might be unique for me. Someone else is probably going to have figure out their own recipe.

ovoleg

I wouldn't just ride my bike 24/7. I would work on side projects that I find interesting. I would like to work on my own projects that I think would benefit me and others. I would spend more time traveling. I would spend more time with the family. I would go out and do rides in the middle of the afternoon when the weather is perfect.

carpediemracing 

I want to be a full time dad. Well at least until Junior goes to school for a full day.

Oh wait, I am.

Okay, I want to be involved in the cycling scene.

Oh wait, I am.

I'd like to make money doing one of those two things.

Aha. Now I have work to do!

I told the Missus that I wouldn't have a problem not "going to work", meaning going to a regular job etc. At the same time I understand that money makes things happen and I've been living off of savings for almost two years now. I wasn't envisioning spending my savings doing this but I have to end it soon since I'm going to run out of savings (and I want to build them back up since that's retirement money).

If I could get a job as a team director or something like that then I'd be good with it. Scheduling, getting places to stay, dealing with equipment etc, that would be cool. It's a much bigger version of what I do for the various races I work on/with.

Creakyknees

... the local bike shop that sponsors your team / club?

rkwaki

Haven't caught up with all the thread but some of you may have received a similar email from me in the past.
Races are won with two basic things:
1. Patience
2. Power
As you rise through the ranks you have to have both to do well (and a good dose of luck as well). I often refer to Cavendish, he has the most amazing sprint patience I have seen, he doesn't however have the most power but knows exactly when to use it. Watch him sprint, when he goes it is all in, every match in the book at one time.
Climbing is similar. I have so often seen guys start to ramp up the pace far too early only to get passed 2/3 the way up the climb. Patience and power applies here as well. Due to my size I have to be very careful of this but can assure you that when climbing I have the patience (I often don't when I sprint) to ride at tempo for quite some time before really digging in deep.
Power numbers are just that, numbers. The race doesn't care what your e-wang is, stein will post that he has never broken 1500 watts in a sprint but having to go head to head against him would scare the crap out of me because his 1000+ watt sprint is very quick (i.e. he has a violent jump) which I have a hard time responding to whereas a Tour type sprint with a really fast run in suits me much better.

Creakyknees

Not me... more than half the races I've won were via a late flyer... starting back in the 80's before anybody ever heard of e-wangs or powermeters.. hell we didn't even have HR straps. I just was bright enough to realize that I'm never going to win a field sprint and I also can't solo from miles out... so that leaves the crazy flyer as everyone else is looking at each other.

It doesn't always work, been caught more times than it works, but... sometimes it does.

Also:

https://www.bikeforums.net/www.youtube.com/embed/BJNLMYpr2TM

rkwaki

He's a ****ing stud.....

Flatballer

weather here is the suck. Couple inches of snow on top of a layer of ice. Getting home last night wasn't bad, drove slow, traffic was extremely heavy but not many accidents. My back road to the house was an icy ****show and I locked up the brakes a couple times and spun the tires some, but got home without incident.

This morning I headed out, towards the interstate, because I knew they'd be clear. Got to the bottom of the hill on my back road and the people were backed up for a quarter mile. Waited for a while (the light is very fast, so it backs up anyways during rush hour) until I could see. The top of the hill gets steeper, by the railroad tracks, and there were just cars strewn across the hill, blocking everything. Turned around and took the back ways to work. Little slippery, but never really out of control, although the top of one hill stopped at a light would've been very difficult getting going with rear wheel drive. Spun the tires a good bit even with FWD all seasons.

Took my wife's car, obviously, crossover with all season tires. Charlotte wasn't nearly as bad as Atlanta is, that place looks like the apocalypse. If people would just slow down and not abandon their cars, they'd be fine. And probably don't go out in your RWD sports car. FWD or AWD with all season tires with lots of tread left should be able to handle a little ice if you drive slow and are careful about it. It's really not a difficult concept. Slow down, drive carefully, allow lots of stopping distance, avoid hills. If you can't do any of those, stay where you are.

thechemist

I do go there for pretty much everything and I still may for these.

rkwaki

Mark?

thechemist

yea, wouldn't go anywhere else. They are looking at opening another shop I hear

rkwaki

Love that guy. If you see him shortly tell him I said hello. He is an amazing man and does so much for the sport. If you see his son in law (J) tell him the same thing (I've mentioned him before, he is the one who hits my elbows/pulls my seat when we ride together)

Fat Boy

The 150-200 days of travel per year might be an issue. Trust me, race team stuff can wear on you even when it goes well.