SBR Utopia - OPEN (Page 156)

I know this has probably been discussed a million times over (and probably even in here), but can someone explain to me how latex tubes are faster?

I get that they have lower rolling resistance than butyl tubes, but what I don't get is that it's the tire that's rolling on the ground, not the tube.  Further, if the tube is blown up such that you can actually ride on it, it shouldn't be shifting within the tire, so lower resistance doesn't seem like it comes into play.

Just confused and curious

Bleh.  I got the aero helmet, the wheelcover, the hed 3 front, the faster tires... but I'll be darned if I was able to put one of those condoms tubes on my bike and get it inflated without tearing it....

The tire doesn't actually slide on the ground, inside the hub of the wheel is where the that happens. The tire does deform when it makes contact with the ground. Some tires deform more easily than others. More easily deformed, less resistance. The tube does not move around inside the tire, but it is pressed right up against it. So it will also deform with the tire as the tire makes contact with the ground.

There is also the return to shape after leaving the ground. The more energy it returns, the less rolling resistance it is considered to have. We tend to just lump all this together as rolling resistance. Think of Taffy vs say a rubber band or trampoline material. All take energy to stretch, but taffy doesn't really return anything.

What about a P3 with a straw sticking up?

Thanks for the perspective.  I think I could eventually go as low as the P3 would allow, but having sat on one and mucked around with it on the stand/trainer, I can get pretty dang aggressive in the fit with the P2, so it's likely going to be as much as I can ride for a season or two (read as, more work on the engine will yield results more quickly!).  So, the decreased cost is worth it to me.

I think I'm going to go with the bike and wheels rather than bike/power meter, as I can either swap the meter over or add one over time.  I am developing a sense of just how deep in the pain cave I can get, but I honestly find that I can sometimes bury myself but not blow up better NOT knowing my power on a race day.  Sometimes...  

Argh - now I can't wait to get, fit and ride a tri bike!!!!  

It'll be interesting to see if any Strava PRs fall to a new rig (at least the TT ones - the hills, I wouldn't expect to so much).  There's a ~10 mile segment in a big loop from Concord center that a bunch of folks TT every thursday, and there are some SICK times on that leader board.  I hope I see at least SOME difference between my Venge on stock Rovales and a P2 on uber-wheels.  I suppose we'll see...

Thanks again.

Matt

Nice! It's sooo good to start seeing gains being made. Of course it always seems to happen after those really rough bouts. 

I'm a local superstar, LOL.  My buddy Ken who is 73 and was the other swimmer from our club at the meet must tipped them off.

ETA: they don't mention that 2 of the records were simply because I was the first in my AG to do the events at a meet.  

(newspaper1.jpg)

Congrats!!!!!   I know a world record holder!!

But they spelled meter wrong

Same strategy as some in my Masters group, Hit 'Em Where They Ain't!

I've been to the island.  I know exactly how local that is.... 

Fixed

Gotcha, thanks for the explanation.

I bought a bunch of the GP 4000S tires from PBK.com when they were on sale....wasn't sure if buying (and attempting to install them without puncturing them!) was really worth my time.  Are they really that much harder to use?  I don't want to spend money on something that I don't even get to use!

I'd keep a butyl for spare(s) if needed during the race.

Curious (and I know this has been debated at length elsewhere - just looking for the local sample): do you all run clinchers in races or anyone run tubies?

If the latter, anyone also run tubies in training (as in, all the time) or just on race day?

(I tri to conform to local tribe practices… except when I don't)

Matt

Had a run outside today and was actually HOT!  I forgot what that felt like.  

I'm in a taper week for a 10k this weekend, and I'm going through my usual "I hate tapers" agita.  I did a 6x400 at the track today (half last week's) and was able to run better than target times at target efforts, but I always feel just a little off during a taper...

Now I'm waiting for all the niggles and wonks to show up and get in my head right before the race! 

Should be fun, though.  It's the first time I've raced a 10k in almost 20 years (and it's the same race I did waaaay back when), and I'm hoping to beat my 20-something-year-old's legs' performance…  It's my A race for early spring, which has been interesting doing the short course, run specific speed work to get ready for it.  

Definitely feeling faster, just hoping the legs soak up all the training (after feeling like cement the last couple weeks, which were big ones for me) and are "fresh" for Sunday!

Matt

I've got the Michelin ones, and I do find them just a little bit harder to install than Butyl - then again, I was probably a bit paranoid of pinching the tubes.

Masters was fun. We've been on meters for a bit and will be for a while because of a change in season or something. Actually able to control a descending set of 100's. Hit about a second faster each time from 1:29 down to 1:24, and still felt in control on the last one (didn't have to kill myself).

Also found out that I've been put in a relay for Saturday, 200 free. I'm easily the turtle of the group as the other 3 are some of our fastest swimmers, but somehow it works out best to put me there with age groups. Another faster guy wants to relay, but is 29 which puts the group into a much more competitive field (2 others are 35-39, and 1 is 41). I only drag it down to 30-34. Another set of our guys are doing it, but all are over 40, so somehow this all makes sense in trying to get us the most points. 29 yr old is going in an entirely different relay type.

Well, there was this guy sitting at the table beside me that had a giant bag full of cookies that I couldn't take my eyes off of.  At some point he asked my wife to check the score of a hockey game on her iphone and she requested a cookie for me as payment.  That was shortly before the 1500 and I went faster than expected so it was probably laced with something.  

Do you normally eat cookies? There is a good reason I eat them rather frequently.

I linked to a long ride a good ways back. I seriously only ate cookies and string cheese provided at the stops and ended up being 1st around at that distance.

There are two things that I have uncontrollable urges to eat if they are present in the house.  Cookies and chips.  For that reason, they are rarely present in the house.

My new bike is ready! The guys at the LBS stayed late last night to put it all together. It weighs 14.2lbs! They were texting me update pictures as they built it.

I really don't want to go to work today, but luckily I get off at 1:30 and I'll head straight over to the bike shop!