rpenmanparker 

I'm surprised no one has the forum username "Galileo". Now that would be authoritative on the topic.

Doug28450

All of the amateur scientists would challenge the poor soul nonstop.

Velo Vol 

There's more comments in this thread about another thread than there is in said thread. #OverHype

WhyFi

"Spring has not sprung," I told them. "But it's almost 70°," they said. "Don't trust MN weather," I warned.


Told you so.

BillyD

Not referring to you, Doug, or to anyone else with genuine credentials. I'm referring to the masses of "engineers" who've popped up over the years every time there's a heated discussion on a technical topic. BF has been so blessed to harbor all this "expertise" over the years.

datlas 

BTW, speaking of my "physics of descending" thread, the main reason I posted it was to get a sense of how much my co-riders faster speed was related to being more aero positioned vs. being heavier.

My suspicion is that it's mostly the weight. That said, I could probably improve my aero position, but I don't have the guts to tuck my butt under my saddle nose.

rjones28 

purdy

Velo Vol 

It's not just Minnesota.

rjones28 

Sure.

Snowed yesterday. It was 9 degrees this morning. Supposed to be 50 and raining on Wednesday. The sun is out now

#Spring

LesterOfPuppets

A friend from Wisconsin just posted a similar pic, lamenting that she had packed up the winter clothes over the weekend.

LesterOfPuppets

RIP, Tom.

WhyFi

You'd better provision the house - you may be shut in for a while.

rpenmanparker 

Well, it has to be safer and more pleasant that tucking your nose under the saddle butt.

rpenmanparker 

Gorgeous here for a few days. Bright sun and '70s. Oh, sorry...

How you likin' it Herbie?

Makel

Horrible news.

Velo Vol 

The worst will probably be the first or second week in April, when blooms are blooming, and it drops down to 25F or so, freezing everything. #DogwoodWinter

Hermes

Areo for the most part trumps power or weight (going downhill) due to the fact that one has to move a volume of air out of the way. One can look at a riders position and know that there is not enough human power available to materially affect speed for that cyclists. Hence working on ones flexibility and strength and adaptation to improve aerodynamics may increase speed more than increasing power. And one always has the aero advantage even if the human engine is down on power on any given day.

Sitting on the top tube descending is no big deal but try it on a less steep section going slower to get the feel of the handling of the bike.

My wife and I were on a pre-race ride on Saturday and she was on her TT bike. We were on a local TT course and this was the warmup leg. She was on lead and we were going fast but not that fast. A small group goes by led by a fairly large but strong and fit cyclist. He is in the drops just hammering away bouncing in his saddle. As with many of the "passes", they slow and my wife and I go around. He passes us again but one again cannot maintain the power required to maintain speed and she passes him and now we are increasing speed. She easily passed him on the downhill.

We stop at a turn around point and the guys pulls up and says to her, you are really fast. My wife is so sweet and innocent looking pulls out a training card and says, hey I was just warming up and now I am about to start my efforts. You could have knocked this guy over with a wet noodle.

She has one of the lowest CdAs in the TT positions of all the tested athletes by ERO at Velo Sports Center. And she has a 4.XX W/kg. When she puts in the power in the TT position, she is fast up and downhill.

The guy could work to improve his position and improve his speed for the same amount of power.

The other lesson in cycling is rough roads and heavy versus light riders.

Last year, my wife and I were cycling in Mallorca Spain. We did one of the classic routes that takes one to a lighthouse lookout that features a lot of climbing. However, the road are very rough. Normally, my wife is a monster climber. On that day, over the rough roads, she was constantly falling off. I was powering ahead. We got to the top of a climb and she says, you are killing it today. No, my body weight keeps me in contact with the road and I am power through the rough roads. You are so light that you are bouncing so much that it is soaking up all your power and giving me a competitive advantage. We finally his some smooth road and she was back to kicking my ass.

Doug28450

Yes, I understand and there was no offense taken. I've been on enough forums through the years to know exactly of what you speak. In fact, I no longer participate in several forums because of the amateur scientists and engineers. They don't all come here.

3alarmer

.
...on a personal note, today is my 66th birthday. I shall celebrate the day by taking a leisurely ride on my recently up and running, first year evar, 1966 Raleigh Pro, the story of which is too long and complex to discuss right now. I shall take the camera, and there is a good chance of photos later on.

It occurs to me that 66 is only one six sort of the mark of the beast.

3alarmer

...man, those guys must be everywhere.

3alarmer

Pirkaus

In 6 months you will be the devil?

rjones28 

3alarmer

...no way am I going into that wretched thread, but this has been calculated to my own satisfaction in the Science of Bicycling. Also here.

I think that @Heathpack brought it up some months ago. Or maybe someone else ? Think terminal velocity equation, and sub in your own figures for an idea.

3alarmer

...#disturbing