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Adrian Setter 
BHPC Member
Joined: 04 March 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 1606
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 Posted: 03 May 2006 at 12:41pm |
 alexjrice wrote:
Well, I'm sure it wasn't entirely psychological. |
Watching the pursuit at the World (well, the UCI part of it) track championships the other week, Chris Boardman - who should know - said that a rider would start to get a slipstream effect once they were in the same straight (50m-ish, I suppose) as his or her opponent.
But, Alex, if you really want to feel what a tow is like you need to ride much closer than I saw you doing most of the time. One caution: only try it with riders you trust not to brake suddenly. You'll be OK with any Ratracer, though, 'cos they've got no brakes to speak of 
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Challenge Hurricane - MicWic Delta (Front half) - Burrows Ratracer
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Andrew S
Admin Group
Joined: 14 March 2005
Location: Hornsea, UK
Status: Offline
Points: 2433
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Posted: 03 May 2006 at 1:16pm |
Also, in the great outdoors you ideally want to be downwind of your draftee, not necessarily directly behind. Edging down one side of someone's tailbox, around the back and back up the other side, trying to keep in the windshadow (and not snarf their shiny (usually red) paintwork) is one of the best bits of racing.
Adrian Setter wrote:
only try it with riders you trust not to brake suddenly. |
...and riders who follow smooth, predictable lines. Denise is good to follow; some others not so good...
Edited by Andrew S - 03 May 2006 at 2:49pm
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antony
Visitor (regular)
Joined: 07 March 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 667
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Posted: 03 May 2006 at 1:33pm |
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Deja mu: The feeling you've heard this bull before
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jes@gcre
BHPC Member
Joined: 22 March 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 556
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Posted: 04 May 2006 at 8:31am |
I was surprised when he said that as well.
But the air is perhaps stiller in a velodrome and possibly this makes a difference?
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Racing is life...
Anything which happens before or afterwards is just standing around waiting to race....
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antony
Visitor (regular)
Joined: 07 March 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 667
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Posted: 04 May 2006 at 9:31am |
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Possibly.
But it would be a remarkable coincidence if, at the exact same point as the following rider gets the opposition in sight, a "slipstream" effect becomes noticable but there is no psychological boost as well.
You could test this by filling a velodrome with smoke and watching the pretty patterns in the wakes.
Although you wouldn't be able to see them for, um, the smoke. And the test rider wouldn't be able to pedal that fast. Hmm. Cough, splutter...
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Deja mu: The feeling you've heard this bull before
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jes@gcre
BHPC Member
Joined: 22 March 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 556
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Posted: 04 May 2006 at 9:34am |
People cough when smoke is called for during theatre shows.
That too is purely physchological because it is entirely harmless.
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Racing is life...
Anything which happens before or afterwards is just standing around waiting to race....
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GeoffBird
BHPC Member
Joined: 20 September 2005
Status: Offline
Points: 2396
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Posted: 04 May 2006 at 11:24am |
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According to Bike Cult, between the wars, it would be so smoky at the velodromes, from the audience's cigarette smoke, during 6-day events that riders were advised by doctors to take up smoking in order to increase their tolerance to the conditions!
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Right Time - Right Place - Wrong Speed
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antony
Visitor (regular)
Joined: 07 March 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 667
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Posted: 04 May 2006 at 12:08pm |
jes@gcre wrote:
People cough when smoke is called for during theatre shows.
That too is purely physchological because it is entirely harmless. |
Just because something is harmless, doesn't mean it can't make you cough...
Hmm, have we wandered off topic?
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Deja mu: The feeling you've heard this bull before
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TimCosten
BHPC Member
Joined: 15 April 2005
Location: SW London
Status: Offline
Points: 69
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Posted: 04 May 2006 at 12:08pm |
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I wondered what that noise was....
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Rob
BHPC Member
Joined: 28 May 2005
Location: Derby
Status: Offline
Points: 1450
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Posted: 04 May 2006 at 6:28pm |
antony wrote:
You could test this by filling a velodrome with smoke and watching the pretty patterns in the wakes.
Although you wouldn't be able to see them for, um, the smoke. And the test rider wouldn't be able to pedal that fast. Hmm. Cough, splutter... |
Ok, who is going to be the first to run with Red Arrows stylee smoke canistors...? Rob
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Rob, Westcountry Recumbents
http://www.wrhpv.com http://mullimages.com http://glydearoundbritain.blogspot.com
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Hayes...