Marginal Gains TV - Need your Topic Ideas and Questions

[joshatsilca]

We have started a YouTube channel to bring Marginal Gains Podcast topics to video.. format is much shorter, <20 minutes per episode with a vision of covering topics more concisely and also allowing for graphics and the like.

The first 6 episodes are live now with the first 10 to be complete by next week.. all of them covering concepts and language common in my world: Cd, Crr, Reynolds Number, asymmetry, nonlinearity, impedance, damping, etc.. so that we can get REALLY GEEKY in the following episodes!

As we get to the end of the intro/ground laying episodes and look to the future I would love to have your ideas for both topics and questions to be covered in the episodes to follow.

Marginal Gains TV (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCQwC0wAMVmCASWoMJbqlNuCM-reYdCqy)

Thanks in advance!!
Josh

[dustyrider]

Thanks for being a sponsor! I gave it a shot like the podcast. Maybe if we both just got done with a long ride and were drinking a cold beer in front of a warm fire...I’m just all about the smiles and experiences. If you ever make headway into increasing those, I’m all in!

Is the old “would you work for a penny a day if it doubled each day” question an example of nonlinearity?

Keep up the good work!:banana:

[Black Dog]

How about rider comfort? Small things that reduce fatigue can add up at the end of an event physically and psychologically. They may not give you a few extra watts in the wind tunnel but they may allow you to generate a few more watts near the end.

[kramnnim]

Love the podcast. Don't watch much youtube since I can't do it while riding but will have to make time for MG!

[joshatsilca]

Thanks for being a sponsor! I gave it a shot like the podcast. Maybe if we both just got done with a long ride and were drinking a cold beer in front of a warm fire...I’m just all about the smiles and experiences. If you ever make headway into increasing those, I’m all in!

Is the old “would you work for a penny a day if it doubled each day” question an example of nonlinearity?

Keep up the good work!:banana:

Thanks for the kind words and I think if you bear with us through the first 10 episodes on theory, you'll find a lot of stuff that relates more to fun!

When I talk to groups on these topics I always open with this slide, for me it speaks to the core of marginal gains philosophy.. go faster for the same effort, or the same speed on less effort, not to mention that a properly tuned bicycle will be more comfortable and silent running as well as fast!:

[echappist]

I've posted this on slowtwitch before but didn't receive a concrete answer.

Perhaps the CdA difference btwn sprinting in the drops vs sprinting on the hoods?

[wernerherzogsid]

Have you considered a narrator with a German accent for your online educational films? I believe they lend gravitas and a certain authority to any subject.

[Mark McM]

I've posted this on slowtwitch before but didn't receive a concrete answer.

Perhaps the CdA difference btwn sprinting in the drops vs sprinting on the hoods?

And in a related matter:

CdA differences between hands in the drops or on the hoods, for the same upper body position (this would generally mean elbows straighter and forearms more vertical when hands on the drops, and elbows more bent and forearms more horizontal when hands on the hoods).

And ..

CdA differences between wider and narrower handlebars (it seems narrower handlebars are becoming a trend these days).

[echappist]

And in a related matter:

CdA differences between hands in the drops or on the hoods, for the same upper body position (this would generally mean elbows straighter and forearms more vertical when hands on the drops, and elbows more bent and forearms more horizontal when hands on the hoods).

And ..

CdA differences between wider and narrower handlebars (it seems narrower handlebars are becoming a trend these days).

Pretty substantial, IIRC. Something like at least 10 W at 25 mph for every 2 cm reduction in width.

Edit: more like 10 W at 45 kph, so not as substantial.

I'd also take the findings with a grain of salt. Aero handlebars save ~5 W at 25 mph, or ~7-8 W at 45 kph. On this chart, it's credited with a whopping ~20 W...

http://www.aeroweenie.com/assets/img/data/tour-road-bars.png

[BRad704]

Some super-specific marginal gains topics that come to my mind:

- Pedal bearing smoothness. Are my non-freely-spinning pedal bearings slowing me down?
- Does the trend to larger cassettes (having larger jumps between more cogs) really affect my riding?
- Do different pedals really make a different in power transfer?
- Bottles and cages. Lightweight or Aero, what's the best on race day?
- Excess brake and shift cables. How close can I trim the cable after the clamp?
- Aero bar wrap. Around the Bend or Stop it Short?

[Hellgate]

Clothing type and fit would be interesting. From the trigeek with the flappy tee shirt to skinsuit, and different configurations in-between.

Helmet drag could be interesting too.

[weaponsgrade]

Big fan of the podcast. I like podcasts b/c I can listen to them while doing other things. A little harder to do that w/ videos, but I'll certainly be checking out the videos too. Here's a few things I'm interested in:
- MTB geometry, how it's evolved, what were the drivers for the evolution, what's still unknown, and where's it going. Are people tinkering w/ road geometry?
- MTB tires and tread patterns: what's the science behind all these different tread patterns? Is there any science? How do you trade-off width, tread pattern, weight, and rolling resistance.
- To what extent is machine learning/artificial intelligence being used in the bike industry to achieve better, faster, and lighter whatever, e.g., analyzing power data, suspension tuning, bike fit, bike design, etc.

[benb]

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/16/98/ef/1698eff8873e0d9192f1456876386dd7.jpg

Assymetry is an important one. Injuries are not marginal.

I don't care about handlebar width games. There's not really a watt value that is worth risking a wrist injury by chasing aero using too narrow handlebars.

I'll have to check out the podcast. In general I am not real interested in marginal gains for non pros, especially the ones that involve thousands of dollars and/or life/family disruption and/or align with big bike co marketing.

More interested in the ones that should be common sense that generally don't cost anything.

[weiwentg]

...
Edit: more like 10 W at 45 kph, so not as substantial.
...

I don't know about the rest of the people here, but if I was cycling at 45 km/h, then I don't really have 10 watts in reserve.

[benb]

I wonder if that handlebar test was done with the flappy jersey shown in the picture..

Does the wider bar rob as many watts if you're wearing tighter clothes?

Also they even negate the whole thing by showing the error bars which make it look like it's all a wash unless you compare an aero section bar against a round bar...

[superbowlpats]

A sure fire way of removing tubular glue :help: