World Championship 2019 - S-P-O-I-L-E-R-S__A-L-E-R-T

[everbeek]

Originally Posted by pdmtong

The longest ride I ever did in the rain and cold the entire time was 75miles.
Absolute misery even at my measly wattage. I just watched the broadcast replay...absolute misery.

When did temperatures in the mid-50s (all day) become considered "cold"? I watched 5 hours on the NBC Gold subscription; great coverage and great race. Rob Hayles even corrected his partner when he said wet and cold by saying that he actually thought it was "muggy" and he wasn't being tongue in cheek. The stopped riders were obviously freezing but isn't that the choice you make when stripping off your warm gear prematurely in order to save a few aero watts? I'd love to see an interview with a rider who is asked this question and whether warmth would have trumped aero but it hasn't been on any of the standard sites (cyclingnews/velonews/cyclingtips/thecyclingpodcast, etc.).
-Mike

[Peter P.]

Originally Posted by everbeek

When did temperatures in the mid-50s (all day) become considered "cold"? ... The stopped riders were obviously freezing but isn't that the choice you make when stripping off your warm gear prematurely in order to save a few aero watts? I'd love to see an interview with a rider who is asked this question and whether warmth would have trumped aero but it hasn't been on any of the standard sites (cyclingnews/velonews/cyclingtips/thecyclingpodcast, etc.).
-Mike

50's in the rain is punishing when you have low body fat and can't generate enough heat. Part of that equation is having eaten enough to fuel the furnace. VeloNews' article on Van der Poel's bonk is a case in point.

Staying warm over rules aero; downhills in 50 degree can make you suffer for sure..

[Hellgate]

Originally Posted by everbeek

When did temperatures in the mid-50s (all day) become considered "cold"? I watched 5 hours on the NBC Gold subscription; great coverage and great race. Rob Hayles even corrected his partner when he said wet and cold by saying that he actually thought it was "muggy" and he wasn't being tongue in cheek. The stopped riders were obviously freezing but isn't that the choice you make when stripping off your warm gear prematurely in order to save a few aero watts? I'd love to see an interview with a rider who is asked this question and whether warmth would have trumped aero but it hasn't been on any of the standard sites (cyclingnews/velonews/cyclingtips/thecyclingpodcast, etc.).

-Mike

When you're soaked to the bone and moving into headwinds for five plus hours.

[nooneline]

Originally Posted by everbeek

When did temperatures in the mid-50s (all day) become considered "cold"?

when you're soaking wet, that's when. it's fully possible to go hypothermic in temps above 50F if you're wet and it's windy. your body just can't produce heat faster you're losing it.

and when you're not physically prepared for it and acclimated to similar temperatures. first 50 degree day of the fall, i'm shivering and adding layers. first 50 day of the spring? i'm bareskinned and loving it.

[everbeek]

Originally Posted by Hellgate

When you're soaked to the bone and moving into headwinds for five plus hours.

Low 40's and six plus hours in the wet. My post asks about the choices you make (clothing/less clothing) and if you regret your choice at the end of the race.
-Mike

[nooneline]

you're probably tougher than the pros though

[KonaSS]

Appears several of those folks have a...more "natural insulation" than pros.....

Originally Posted by everbeek

Low 40's and six plus hours in the wet. My post asks about the choices you make (clothing/less clothing) and if you regret your choice at the end of the race.
-Mike

[everbeek]

Originally Posted by KonaSS

Appears several of those folks have a...more "natural insulation" than pros.....

Is natural insulation a real thing? Does my extra layer, or three, of fat actually keep me warmer or is it just a source of calories when needed? Because cycling is only 20-25% efficient, a pro might be generating 1200 watts of heat (let's call it 300 w average at 20% efficiency) that's approximately 50% more heat being generated than an average rider. The pros race 4 plus hours in temps 10-15 degrees F colder in northern races in March where they also get wet sometimes, so they clearly have the kit and experience to stay warm, if not actually comfortable. My main point, and it is mostly with regard to the reporting, is that being cold and it actually being cold out are not the same things.
-Mike

[everbeek]

Originally Posted by nooneline

you're probably tougher than the pros though

Clever retort. Perhaps you're correct. Admittedly, how I/we perform on the bike isn't imperative to putting food on our family's table, but my experience over 35 years of long, long ago amateur racing but plenty of big days on the bike is that for any hill/mountain/long cobbled stretch/exposed to the wind/just hanging on at the back section I am at my limit longer than the pros because they are so much faster. I'm reminded of the world class marathoner (the name escapes me at the moment) interviewed at the end of a race who said that he/she could never imagine running for 3.5 hours in a race like the runners at the back.
-Mike

[KonaSS]

Dude, you win, you are much harder than the pros.

But.....yes, my experience is that I do get and feel much, much colder when I get very slim, versus having an extra 5 lbs of insulation. I also see this general trend with all of my riding friends who range from carrying an extra 2 pounds to an extra 30 pounds. When we line up for a ride or a race, their clothing choice/# of layers has a direct correlation to the number of extra pounds they are carrying.

So you can do all the math you want, I am just sharing my experience.

Originally Posted by everbeek

Clever retort. Perhaps you're correct. Admittedly, how I/we perform on the bike isn't imperative to putting food on our family's table, but my experience over 35 years of long, long ago amateur racing but plenty of big days on the bike is that for any hill/mountain/long cobbled stretch/exposed to the wind/just hanging on at the back section I am at my limit longer than the pros because they are so much faster. I'm reminded of the world class marathoner (the name escapes me at the moment) interviewed at the end of a race who said that he/she could never imagine running for 3.5 hours in a race like the runners at the back.
-Mike

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by everbeek

Some snipped

I'm reminded of the world class marathoner (the name escapes me at the moment) interviewed at the end of a race who said that he/she could never imagine running for 3.5 hours in a race like the runners at the back.
-Mike

Bill Rogers after Boston Marathon...

[nooneline]

subcutaneous fat definitely provides insulation, allowing people to retain the heat that their body generates.

also, smaller and leaner people lose heat more rapidly than larger people, because they have a larger ratio of surface area to total mass.

[batman1425]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

And SRAM Force eTap no less.

Was he on Force? Shifters look like Red AXS.

Edit: Sram confirms - was on Red AXS 2x

https://www.sram.com/en/life/stories/a-worlds-gone-mads

[Red Tornado]

Originally Posted by nooneline

when you're soaking wet, that's when. it's fully possible to go hypothermic in temps above 50F if you're wet and it's windy. your body just can't produce heat faster you're losing it.

and when you're not physically prepared for it and acclimated to similar temperatures. first 50 degree day of the fall, i'm shivering and adding layers. first 50 day of the spring? i'm bareskinned and loving it.

This, for me.
When I used to commute to work a 2-3 days per week, those first few rides in the low 50's/high 40's at 5:30 a.m. were not fun; and those were dry rides. These riders have all been conditioned to summer temps, so combine 50'ish temps with pouring rain and low body fat, yeah I can see the "cold" coming into play.

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by batman1425

Was he on Force? Shifters look like Red AXS.

Edit: Sram confirms - was on Red AXS 2x

https://www.sram.com/en/life/stories/a-worlds-gone-mads

Crank looks like Force. It's definitely not a production Red AXS crankset.