Ask your small, random, track-related questions here
#4926
Senior Member
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Location: Boise, ID
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Bikes: S-Works Venge Dura-Ace DI2, KTM Strada 4000, Fuji Norcom Straight 1.3 (TT), Fuji Track Elite, BMC Trackmachine TR02
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#4927
Lapped 3x
Definitely no reason to buy those expensive gels. Same for electrolytes. People spend thousands on that stuff and you can make it in your own kitchen with salt and lemon/lime juice. For in-race fueling (not just recovery), I know many guys on the road side who just use dextrose, which I mention above as a simple sugar that absorbs quickly. I have a hard time eating and breathing on the bike, so I tend to just put my fuel in my water. I do the math on what my carb needs will be and put that much dextrose in my water. Honey is good too, which is a combo of fructose and dextrose (which converts to glucose in the blood). So dextrose is your most efficient "main line" carb to restoring glycogen in the muscles. You can buy these little squishy, re-usable bottles that will hold about 5oz of liquid and put both honey and dextrose in them. Bam! There you go.
#4928
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Well, I did mention electrolytes, so I should probably follow through with my philosophy on them. I don't use them. I've done centuries in 95-100 degrees, 40K TT at 103 degrees, and didn't need them. I've never cramped once on a ride, workout, or race. Most of the stuff that is in those electrolyte powders you can find in "real" food. So between a good diet and proper hydration, I've have no need to take electrolyte supplements.
#4929
Lapped 3x
Well, I did mention electrolytes, so I should probably follow through with my philosophy on them. I don't use them. I've done centuries in 95-100 degrees, 40K TT at 103 degrees, and didn't need them. I've never cramped once on a ride, workout, or race. Most of the stuff that is in those electrolyte powders you can find in "real" food. So between a good diet and proper hydration, I've have no need to take electrolyte supplements.
If you don't need to supplement with them, then you don't need to. It's still a good read to know what and how electrolytes work in the body.
On the same note, just because not taking something doesn't produce a negative effect on you, doesn't mean that you wouldn't benefit from taking it. Look at how many supplements you're already downing that can all be basically had from "real food". In other words, you would be fine not taking the stuff and just eating real food, but you take it because you see a benefit from it.
#4930
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Wrexham, UK
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Bikes: Cannondale Caad8, Claud Butler Roubaix, Raleigh Equipe
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Can I use an alloy stem with carbon bar or would I be better going for carbon/carbon?
#4931
Senior Member
#4933
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Pursuit grips for 3T Vola LTD Bars
I just picked up a new set of 3T Vola LTD bars for my Fuji Track Elite...lovely bars. The handles on these pursuit bars are not long at all, and using normal, even thin bar tape is sort of awkward. Is anyone using or can recommend a rubber of silicon bar grip that will basically roll on the bar and not require wrapping? Same on the aero bars, though I'm using very thin Fizik tape that looks and feels decent.
#4934
Senior Member
I just use electrical tape on my bars (base and extensions) and find it plenty grippy. If you wanted something more tacky than that a roll of Hockey tape works well. (and is cheap and comes in lots of colors/designs.)
#4936
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Also consider Lizard Skins (or another brand) baseball bat tape. That's what I'm currently using on my Scattos. They come in varying thicknesses and can be found at most big sporting goods stores (Dick's, Hibbets, etc...). Someone here turned me on to it.
It's shorter than normal cycling grip tape.
It's shorter than normal cycling grip tape.
#4937
Lapped 3x
#4938
Lapped 3x
Use the white tape. The glue on hockey tape will creep through the fabric, and the black tape will get black glue all over your gloves.
I used the tape on my bars, and it's my favourite behind proper Keirin grips. I wrapped once from the top, pulled out a length and twisted it into a "rope", the wound that around back up to the top, the another layer of tape over that down to the corks for bar plugs.
I used the tape on my bars, and it's my favourite behind proper Keirin grips. I wrapped once from the top, pulled out a length and twisted it into a "rope", the wound that around back up to the top, the another layer of tape over that down to the corks for bar plugs.
#4939
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Location: Boise, ID
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Use the white tape. The glue on hockey tape will creep through the fabric, and the black tape will get black glue all over your gloves.
I used the tape on my bars, and it's my favourite behind proper Keirin grips. I wrapped once from the top, pulled out a length and twisted it into a "rope", the wound that around back up to the top, the another layer of tape over that down to the corks for bar plugs.
I used the tape on my bars, and it's my favourite behind proper Keirin grips. I wrapped once from the top, pulled out a length and twisted it into a "rope", the wound that around back up to the top, the another layer of tape over that down to the corks for bar plugs.
#4940
Lapped 3x
#4941
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#4942
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I tried and quite like adhesive stair tread for pursuit bars. Since the grip area is so short I don't really want any margin for error and that stuff is basically just adhesive backed sandpaper, definitely no slipping!
#4943
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Also consider Lizard Skins (or another brand) baseball bat tape. That's what I'm currently using on my Scattos. They come in varying thicknesses and can be found at most big sporting goods stores (Dick's, Hibbets, etc...). Someone here turned me on to it.
It's shorter than normal cycling grip tape.
It's shorter than normal cycling grip tape.
#4944
Senior Member
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It's the combination of the shortness (length) and narrowness (diameter) of the pursuit bars that gets me given my large hands. I'm not sure at what point in time these short pursuit bars came into vogue. The pursuit bars on my TT bike don't have this issue and they are long enough to get my entire grip on them. And the diameter is an issue because by the time I wrap my fingers around them, there is overlap...meaning I can't actually grip them with full force...yet putting super think tape on a 4 inch bar is awkward.
#4945
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Profile aerobar tape? Aerobar grip bar tape
#4946
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
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Profile aerobar tape? Aerobar grip bar tape
#4948
Senior Member
#4949
Lapped 3x
I never had my bikes set up identically, as I did do enough road racing to warrant a slight change from my primary position which was track.
My road position was 1cm shorter from BB to saddle, and 1.5cm further back. For track I was higher and more on top of the BB. This was cadence related. I would still spin at 105-110 rpm on the road when cruising in the pack, but being further back allowed more glute and hamstring recruitment at lower RPM for climbing and also kept a little more weight on the saddle so my arms wouldn't tire over longer rides. Being over the BB for sprinting allowed better high RPM pedaling. My track position allowed me to apply power effectively from about 2-o-clock down and through to about 5:30, and allowed for a strong upstroke from 7-o-clock to about 10-o-clock. My road position was more effective from about 1:30 through to 4-o-clock, and allowed for more back and up from about 5:30 to 8-o-clock.
It all boiled down to needs for the specific type of racing. I would regularly race crits that were 40-60km in length, and occasionally a few road races that were 60-100km long. This was enough to warrant a change for me. I could've deviated more, but I didn't want to throw off my pedaling mechanics that much when it came to track and sprinting.
#4950
Senior Member
Sounds about right Taras. My roadbike is only for recovery and commuting, so I'm gonna stay same set up as track. Climbing??