Today's Bike Ride

[nikalas]

In a large motivated and skilled group (such as the pro peloton) it's amazing how little you have to do as long as you're on the right wheels. I remember reading that on one the flat TDF sprinter stages a few years ago the average pace was 44kph but one of the mid-pack wheel suckers (probably a domestique on a day-off) only averaged 150 watts of power output.... my gran could manage that! That said, it takes an immense amount of skill to sit in a pack like that and it all changes once the road kicks up.

[emmilou]

25mph is not great guns in a huge pack on the flat Daz. You'd be suprised how much you can get away with by sitting in a pack.... ask Cavendish, he does it very well.

I think he was meaning to give the time etc for riding alone. Yes you can draft along nicely at those speeds but going off on the front and maintaining it on your tod is a different matter, well it is round here, it's always bloody windy

[Al Fowler]

What we could do is all do a 40mile ride say undulating and give our times roughly , add them all together and see what our forum peloton would be.
You could all PM me them if you dont want the times to be known
Mine would be 20mph on a not to steep a course with say not much wind.

Id be very surprised if we was more than a Cat 3 peloton.

If you have a garmin try and cycle at 25mph and see how far you get. God its serious after a few miles and it certainly doesnt become fun anymore does it.

Quality idea that Daz.

Im planning on riding again on monday (if the weathers good!)....my legs will still be a little trashed from racing on saturday and im not quite up to 40 miles either but i'll give it my best shot......i might avoid rivington as well because that hill is a b&&tard!!!

[Man from Del Monte]

well i will be making my second attempt at the Milnthorpe 10 tonight to try and beat 30 mins which is only 20 mph

[(notsomuchofa)Fellrunner]

Thanks for the feedback on cat A, B etc. That's cleared it up for me .

I think.

[Hanneke]

Thanks for the feedback on cat A, B etc. That's cleared it up for me .

I think.

It really hasn't lol Cat A, B, C etc are the categories in vet's and masters racing... where we are divided up in 5 years slots... A = 40-44, B = 45-49 etc etc In masters it is divided into 10 year slots if I am not mistaken...

[Hanneke]

In a large motivated and skilled group (such as the pro peloton) it's amazing how little you have to do as long as you're on the right wheels. I remember reading that on one the flat TDF sprinter stages a few years ago the average pace was 44kph but one of the mid-pack wheel suckers (probably a domestique on a day-off) only averaged 150 watts of power output.... my gran could manage that! That said, it takes an immense amount of skill to sit in a pack like that and it all changes once the road kicks up.

Quite... when I first expereinced this in my first proper road race I was completely bowled over... I was sat towards the front/middle of the bunch and was drafted along quite happily, while taking a break, at over 50 km/hr Never knew I could go so fast on the flat... and it felt so effortless... But as Nik says, you need to sit on the right wheel and in the right place in the bunch for this to work... and don't take your hands off the brakes... as the pace surges rather a lot...

[Ady In Accy]

LVRC age groupings. Some fast VETS out there, much cheaper than BCF events.

[daz h]

Forgot to mention that yes you can be demoted from Cats

So many things affect speed on the bike though. I did mean solo and we could just have a rough guess at were we are.

Nikalas your right
In Milan San Remo , Cavendish was certainly carried too and over the Poggio.
He now is so famous that he commands a whole team under him. BUT he has had to get there. The hardest thing is keeping winning. So much at stake.

In the old days this was a forgone conclusion
A rider like Rik Van Looy could afford to buy the peloton. No one dare go against him , if they did their career would be ruined. Armstrong used this ploy to good effect as well. And if someone comes along then why not jus buy there services.
It only changes when another exceptional rider comes along.

In Van Looys case it was Mercyx. Armstrong it is Contador and I personally feel thats why he has come back. He cannot resist taking on the spaniard.
So the very best Riders
Anquetil, Coppi, Armstrong, Maertens, Bobet, Hinault all at some time controlled the bunch in more ways than one.
Thats what fascinates me about this great sport. So many variables.

You just dont get that so much nowadays
Look at Boonen at Roubaix, no one would work for him, So would that be
1, They all realised Cancellara was too good
2, They let him go to teach Boonen a lesson
3, Boonen didnt offer enough to chase
4, Cancellara attacked when Boonen was feeding
5, Cancellara offered more to them not to chase
6, Cancellara defeated Boonen last weekend in his head

You could go on forever.

[daz h]

I think he was meaning to give the time etc for riding alone. Yes you can draft along nicely at those speeds but going off on the front and maintaining it on your tod is a different matter, well it is round here, it's always bloody windy

yeah a tail wind