Author Archives: hippy

Tyranny of the Turbo – Simon Wicks

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Simon’s a Willesden CC club mate and has written a miserable (ie. accurate) post on turbos..

thefixedfactor.wordpress.com – tyranny of the turbo

Speaking of turbo training, I’ve just got a CycleOps Jet Fluid Pro from The Bike Whisperer. It’s a snazzy fluid trainer unit and I used it last night for a 2x15min session and to compare my wired and wireless Powertap units. Bad news, since my Wired PT appeared to be reporting below that of the Wireless unit. So, I’m not going crazy, they are different. No wonder I struggle to hold my FTP on the Rubble!

I set both PT power averaging for 30 seconds (the slowest updating option) and the speed averaging to 5 seconds. The rough results are below:

39×17 Stealth TT machine

26kph 200W

30kph 260W

40kph 460W

39×17 Ribble Winter/Audax

26kph 170W

30kph 225W

40kph 450W

So, unless I’ve missed some variable (I forgot to even out tyre pressure), it wasn’t in my mind that the Wired PT is reading lower. So when I’m trying to do FTP at 270W I’m actually around 300W. Although, it could be the wireless one reading high.. hmm..

Jack Bobridge – Fastest Pursuit

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Bring on 2012!

Jack Bobridge – defending national champion in the discipline – rode the third fastest time ever in a sizzling qualifying ride over four kilometres. He posted a time of 4:14.427, knocking six tenths off the time set by Welsh cyclist Gerraint Thomas at the Manchester round of the World Cup in October last year.

It’s also faster than the 4:16.304 time set by Britain’s reigning Olympic Champion Bradley Wiggins during his gold medal ride in Athens.

The only rider who has gone faster than Bobridge over the distance is Boardman, who set the world record time of 4:11.114 at the 1996 World Championships in Manchester. That mark was set using the aerodynamic ‘Superman’ position that has since been banned, which means Bobridge is effectively the fastest rider in the world over four kilometres under the current rules.

www.cyclingnews.com

How Cycling Pro's Defeat Anti-Doping Control

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Some interesting articles I’ve been meaning to link to for a while now. Insider doping info from ex-racer Joe Papp.

Joe Papp’s Blog

This Guest Post by none other than ex-racer Joe Papp (also a blogger) describes at length how racers subvert and escape doping control. Joe needs no special introduction. He’s been there, done that and I think he’s a fine candidate to tell us how slippery the pro’s can get from the system. How are athletes tricking our intelligence into believing illegitimate sporting performances? Well, find out by reading the following eye-opening article.

cozybeehive.blogspot.com – How Cycling Pro’s Defeat Anti-Doping Control

A few weeks ago, PEZ ran an interview with Joe Papp; one of the very few riders to admit, face up to and openly discuss the fact he failed a drugs test. Like most folks, we’re sick of the drugs scandals, but then the Tom Zirbel situation pops up and we to have accept that it’s still a problem and we need to understand it better. Here’s what Joe had to say – and it’s scary !

www.pezcyclingnews.com – PEZ Talk: In Depth With Joe Papp

The London Classic

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www.thelondonclassic.org

From the site: The London Classic is an urban cycling event run entirely in er?London. It features some climbs, some famous places, some infamous places and lots of cobbles ? as many as we can pack in! The event takes place on Sunday April the 11th 2010

For now we are busy finalising the route, designing some cool T-Shirts and setting up a large screen so you can relax with a beer and watch Paris-Roubaix live and direct after conquering Londons pave.

Our mission is to raise awareness and funds for the Evelina Childrens Hospital (part of Guys and St Thomas?s NHS Trust). The event partners are Brixton Cycles.

For we are young and free…

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Free? Free to read what some bloke tells you you can damn well read!

www.internetblackout.com.au

The Federal Government is pushing forward with a plan to force Internet Service Providers to censor the Internet for all Australians. This plan will waste millions of dollars and won?t make anyone safer.

It won?t protect children: The filter isn?t a ?cyber safety? measure to stop kids seeing inappropriate content such as R and X rated websites. It is not even designed to prevent the spread of illegal material where it is most often found (chat rooms, peer-to-peer file sharing).

We will all pay for this ineffective solution: Under this policy, ISPs will be forced to charge more for consumer and business broadband. Several hundred thousand dollars has already been spent to test the filter ? without considering high-speed services such as the National Broadband Network!

A dangerous precedent: We stand to join a small club of countries which impose centralised Internet censorship such as China, Iran and Saudi Arabia. The secret blacklist may be limited to ?Refused Classification? content for now, but what might a future Australian Government choose to block?

Guilty Turbo

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To make up for an almost total lack of weekend cycling I hit the turbo tonight after swapping cassettes and wheels on the Planet-X TT machine. I’ve now got the wireless Powertap on it.

The last attempt at a turbo session was dismal – failure to hold anywhere near 75% FTP – dropping to 50% for 10min. I have a feeling there’s actually something wrong with my Wired unit since this time I managed a 2 x 20min with relative ease. First 20min at .75FTP, 5min rest, second 20min at .80FTP with the last minute around 300W.. for fun.

The wired Powertap was out of action for ages with suspected water penetration due to a cracked cover. I swapped the cover for a new one but wonder if it’s possible that the new cover is on too tight or something?

Willesden CC Club Dinner

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Willesden Cycling Club Dinner Awards

photo from Ron & Gladys Purdy

Me with 2009 Willesden Cycling Club Hill Climb Champion & New Years Green Lane Sportive Cup. I also received four medals for these two cups and two TT medals (I need to find out how the TT handicapping system works). I didn’t realise how many other members we had not to mention there were four current National Champions amongst us! Well done to everyone and thanks to the organisers for a great night. Big thanks must also go to Simon and Jayne for the GT85 winning ticket and driving in circles to get us home.. ๐Ÿ™‚

92.7kg this morning, by the way, Simon. That weedy little Hoy bloke ain’t got nothin’ on my physique.. ๐Ÿ˜€