[music]
Manon: Welcome to the GCN tech show.
Oliver: This week we've got new bikes, affordable
carbon wheels, new bar tape, your upgrades,
the bike volt, plus our main talking point-
Manon: How Denmark broke the team suit world
record on off the shelf kit.
Oliver: Last week at the track cycling World
Championships the Danish men's team pursuit
squad absolutely obliterated the world record
for the team pursuit, not once, but thrice.
Manon: They did, and their record was an astonishing
3:44, first team ever to go under 3:45 and
their average speed from a standing start
with over 64 kilometers per hour. It's insane
Oliver: Is absolutely outrageous. I've got
their lap splits here, so it'd be really good
to see what you think of this, Manon, because
you are someone who's raced the team pursuit
at the highest level. What do you make of
those times?
Manon: It's some crazy fast times and as you
can see they're all in the 13-second laps,
which is a really consistent pace, that's
what you want in a team pursuit. You don't
want to be going really fast and really slow.
I think probably they were really disciplined
in their ride to get 13 twos in there. That's
insane.
Oliver: That's insane lap split. If you compare
that to what is in the hour record, that seemed
like 18-19 second laps, and that felt like
the hardest thing in the world, and this is
so much faster.
Manon: [crosstalk] [inaudible 00:01:24] them.
Oliver: Yes, and they're only doing it for
three and a half minutes. Nonetheless, you
would have thought that to go that fast, they
would have been using some of this really
exotic, custom Olympic tech that we've been
seeing coming out over the last few months.
Actually, no, they didn't. They used off the
peg stuff, which from a tech perspective is
really quite fascinating, so here is what
they used.
Starting with the bike frame itself is an
Argon 18 Electron Pro track bike, been around
for about four years now, was used at the
previous Olympics in Rio and has been used
by the Huub Wattbike team and the Danish national
team and also the Australians as well.
Manon: They also use the Vittoria Pista Speeds,
very quick tires, and you used them at hour
record, Oli?
Oliver: I did yes and I used off the peg pedals
as well, so just standard Dura-Ace pedals
Manon: They also used the Mavic, Cosmic wheels.
Oliver: They did, yes. The way you used those
at GB and I used them in the hour record nice
and I scooped those, but off the peg. For
the drivetrain, they'd optimize that so they
had a big special custom peak chainring on
the front and then also one of the CeramicSpeed
UFO optimized chains, and then they have SRM
cranks on there. This is an important detail
for track riders. Quite interesting, because
SRM power meters are really good at measuring
the first pedal stroke, which when you're
getting off the line to do a 22nd, first lap
with a massive gear to be able to measure
that initial power production, really important.
Manon: For clothing, they used the Parentini
skin suits and fusion Aero socks.
Oliver: Yes, and the helmets were POC TT ones
they borrowed from the Rebel Alliance.
Manon: They were using, obviously, the same
bikes as they used at the Rio Olympics with
the same paint job.
Oliver: Yes, which is a little embarrassing
for the Australians who were competing on
the new improved version of the same bike.
[unintelligible 00:03:17].
Manon: What have they changed? How did they
go so fast?
Oliver: From what we understand having spoken
to Dan Bigham who's consulting the Danish
national team, and as part of their setup,
the biggest area of improvement has been optimizing
the aerodynamic position of the riders on
the bike.
Manon: There are so many gains to be made
from optimizing positions. It's not just marginal
gains, it's big gains.
Oliver: Yes, and it all boils down to doing
lots of aerodynamic testing in the wind tunnel,
and also on the track itself and determining
the most aerodynamic position for those riders.
Then once you've got that, you need to train
the riders to be able to put out the power
in that position, which is easier said than
done.
Manon: I think it's the hardest thing in power
in that position.
Oliver: Yes, it's something that I'm all too
aware of now having how to go at the hour
record. If anyone at home wants to try, trying
to do put out the power in a position like
that it's significantly harder.
Manon: It's hard.
Oliver: It's also something that if I were
to do an hour again-
[music]
-that is probably the first thing I'd look
to improve, will be tweaking my position.
The take-home message from this and it's a
nice one because it kind of applies to all
of us, no matter what level you're at, is
optimize your position and you on the bike
first because that will elicit a bigger performance
game than expensive upgrades and wheels and
things that you put on your bike, although
we like those two.
Manon: Yes, we do. Very interestingly, we
can see the Danes go even quicker once they've
got some new fancy tech on their bikes. New
cockpit, new Speedplay pedals that works for
Tokyo.
Oliver: Yes, you can imagine that the other
national federations are going to be a little
bit scared at the thought of that, but we
want to know what you think as well so we're
going to put a poll in the app. There'll be
a link down below. Do you think that all of
the teams should be using off the peg kit
that we can all go and buy at the supermarket
or do you like the innovation in the arms
race for tech that happens for the Olympics
and all this really exotic stuff that we're
supposed to be able to buy, but we can't really?
I don't know. Let us know in the comments
under the poll.
[music]
Manon: Now it's time for some hot tech. First
up, new bike alert. We spotted a Swiss National
Time Trial Champion, Stefan Küng, on a mysterious
white bike.
Oliver: That's right. While competing at the
Volta ao Algarve in Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
at the weekend, he was seen aboard the new
machine. Now, Stefan Küng rides for Groupama–FDJ
and they're sponsored by Lapierre, so we can
pretty confidently assume it's a new Lapierre,
possibly a new Lapierre Aircode as it appears
to be an aero bike. It's got fully integrated
cables through the stem and also disc brakes
but any more details on it, they don't exist
right now, so I guess we're going to have
to stay tuned.
Manon: Oli, what's one thing every cyclist
wants?
Oliver: A tailwind.
Manon: Yes but no.
Oliver: Cake?
Manon: No. Bar tape, obviously.
Oliver: Oh yes.
Manon: Check out this new bar tape from SILCA,
the new Nastro Cuscino bar tape. It says it
provides the same cushioning as double wrapping
your bar tape does, just in one layer.
Oliver: That's pretty impressive. When you
said that, I thought it's going to be a really
chunky, thick bar tape but it's just the thickness
of normal bar tape. It'll be interesting to
see if people use this on cobbles this year.
Manon: It feels quite thin. It doesn't feel
like double wrapping a bar tape does. In case
you're wondering what Nastro Cuscino translates
to-
Oliver: I was.
Manon: -it's pillow tape.
Oliver: Cool.
Manon: Yes. It's a good point to note.
Oliver: Yes, I was. Going back to the World
Championships track tech, we have to talk
about the new bike that the Australian team
were using, a new Argon 18 Electron Pro track
bike. Rather embarrassingly for the Australians,
they did lose the Danes using the previous
model.
Manon: Imagine how fast the Danes used to
go on that bike, another world record?
Oliver: Yes, because I think it's fair to
assume that the new bike is slightly faster
than the previous one. It certainly looks
that way. It's got an incredibly nice front
and very slender. More slender than the previous
one and some really cool interesting tech
features on there.
One of my favorite is that they've integrated
the timing chip into the bike. On previous
track bikes, all they do is you have this
amazing bike that's been optimized in a wind
tunnel CFD and the rest of it, and as soon
you get to the world championships or the
Olympics they zip a tire sensor onto the front
fork, presumably ruining the aerodynamics.
It's amazing that they've put that. Someone's
finally thought to do that and design that
into the frame.
Manon: It has taken a while for them to think
about that. I thought that'd be one of the
first things to think about.
Oliver: [laughs] Also, the cockpits from the
bikes are fully customized, and the drop handlebars
on the spring configuration is really interesting.
They've got that shrouded design to the drops
that shields your hand and makes it more aerodynamic,
that we're starting to see on pretty much
all the track bikes, now are starting to use
that bar. Pretty cool.
Manon: Not to forget the custom Zipp Super-9
Tubular Track disc. Argon say the sprint and
pursuit configuration their drag has been
decreased and the stiffness has been increased
compared to their previous models which the
Danes rode and won the first round.
Oliver: Sorry, Australia. Finally, on hot
tech this week, we've got some hot new carbon
wheel tech. Check out these. These are from
Fast Forward. They're called the TYRO 45 millimeters
deep, the latest carbon clinchers, that are
specifically designed for disc brakes, and
they have this cool rim shape which is unique
to Fast Forward called the Double Arc or DARC
and it's said, according to Fast Forward,
to reduce drag in both headwind and crosswind
situations.
Manon: Priced at €999, it's expensive but
a competitive price for a premium brand.
[background noise]
Oliver: It's now time for Screw Riding Up
Grades Buy Upgrades, where you submit the
upgrades that you've made to your bikes, equipment
or cycling lives for a chance to win the ultimate
prize, a GCN cup. Now, Manon, I wasn't here
last week.
Manon: You weren't. It was me and Hunk.
Oliver: Yes, I was in Belgium. What happened?
Manon: We had Alexander's LeMond and Humski's
Bianchi.
Oliver: The winner?
Manon: The winner is, with 79%, Alexander's
LeMond.
[applause]
It's a big win there.
Oliver: That was a pretty crushing victory.
Get in contact using Facebook and we will
get your cup sent out to you, Alexander, well
done. Who've we got this week? We've got this
submission from Iterum which has come by the
app. He's repainted an old frame and rebuilt
it with modern components for adventures.
He looks like he's sort of tried to create
an old Dax-style bike.
It's a really big mile munching machine. He
started with this Salsa frame which is beautiful
and it's made from Reynolds 853 tubing very
nice and with a nice carbon fork on there
and a Cane Creek headset. A great starting
point and then he's completely resprayed it
into this burgundy color.
Manon: I really love that color.
Oliver: Yes, it's like the cabbage roses coffee
cream wrapper color, it's how I'd describe
it. Also, gold chain on there, nice, but that
color goes really nice with the [unintelligible
00:10:31] sidewalls on his tires. They're
28 millimeters, again ideal for long-distance
adventures. He's got mainly an Ultegra drivetrain
on here. A nice long rear cage on the derailleur
so that he can put big cassettes on there
for easy gears and his chainset is a bit unusual
because you've got 46-36 on there for his
chain-rings. I didn't see too often but for
big miles that's good especially when you're
loading up the bike and he's got his nice
power bag on there. His shifters are intriguing
me because they're Giovanni shifters.
Manon: I've seen them before.
Oliver: Yes and then paired with the Ultegra
derailleurs, that's quite an unusual choice
but unfortunately, Iterum hasn't submitted
many details in the description. When you
submit your bikes, put as much information
as you can because we love to hear about the
details and everything, all the little nuggets
that you put in and why you've made the choices
to your upgrades you have.
Also, how much you spend on it as well. It's
all really interesting because otherwise,
we're just left guessing like we are now but
that is a really classy submission and I love
your bottles as well.
Manon: They're really nice.
Oliver: They look wicked, don't they?
Manon: Yes.
Oliver: I've never seen those before. Don't
know what they are but they look wicked.
Manon: Custom-made bottles.
Oliver: Yes, they go with the bike. The whole
package is-- That's a beautiful bike but who
is Iterum up against this week?
Manon: It's not going to be easy, fam.
Oliver: No.
Manon: He is up against Robert and he's had
this secondhand Raleigh for a couple of years
now and he's had some really amazing rides
on it but he obviously upgraded his bike.
He got a new bike and this Raleigh was left
neglected. He basically went about transforming
it from this blue frameset here and he transformed
it. He did all the paint jobs himself to yellow-greenie--
Oliver: Yes. I'm colorblind so don't ask me.
Manon: Actually, yes.
Oliver: Yes, true story.
Manon: [chuckles] Then transformed it. Now
it looks like a brand new bike. Is it single
speed?
Oliver: Yes, it is.
Manon: Yes, gold chain?
Oliver: Yes, he's converted it into a single-speed,
but then he's--
Manon: Gold chain.
Oliver: Oh yes, sorry, left you hanging there.
He's converted it into a single-speed and
this was a question we had in the tech clinic
a couple of weeks ago, is how to convert a
single-speed and get chain tension. He's got
a chain tensioner there, where the mech hanger
was, that's where that little thing is there
that's dangling down. That's very nice. I'll
tell you what I really like on that, and that's
the fade that he's put in the Raleigh logo.
It's like a subtle detail.
Manon: I think that's awesome.
Oliver: Do you see how it changes from black
to white and then fades in the E? A really
subtle paint detail, that's really cool. I
really like that. That's great.
Manon: It's going to be a tough one.
Oliver: That is great, isn't it?
Manon: Yes.
Oliver: Single speed conversion versus the
coffee cream from Iterum. What do you think?
Which one's going to win? It's not up to us.
Vote in app.
Manon: It's now time for the Bike Vault, where
you submit pictures of your bikes and we vote
if they're super nice or just nice.
Oliver: Yes, and if they're super nice, we
ring the bell and they are forever committed
to the Bike Vault. Remember you guys can play
along at home as well and vote on the bikes
and have your say if you think they're nicer
or super nice using the app. First up, this
week we've got-- Oh wow I believe that's a
Kawasaki BK 117 twin-engined medium-utility
transport helicopter. First produced in 1979,
power plants on this particular model is the
Textron Lycoming LTS 101-750B-1 turboshaft,
engines which produce 442 kilowatts, about
593 horsepower each in the twin-engined model.
Max speed, 250 kilometers an hour. Max hover
height, interesting even more, 3565 meters
and a rotor diameter of 11 meters on that
particular fantastic piece of helicopter engineering
there, brilliant.
Manon: You're done?
Oliver: Yes.
Manon: Personally, very nice track. I do like
the wheels, big and small set. Voted online,
super nice. [rings a bell] Next.
Oliver: Okay, what? Go, on.
Manon: This is a bike vault, not the helicopter
vault.
Oliver: Okay, that's a lot of helicopters.
Got a Canyon Grail next which has been submitted
by Markwalraven. What do you think of that,
Manon?
Manon: I like that.
Oliver: I like the orange.
Manon: It's nice.
Oliver: I've not seen that particular paint
job before. I think it's one of the new ones
for this year, but that's a really nice paint
job.
Manon: Nice sets sprockets on the bike.
Oliver: On the SRAM Force one by. Massive,
huge SRAM Eagle cassette on the back there.
Manon: I really want to try out these handlebars.
Oliver: The Hobo Bar?
Manon: Yes, I haven't tried them.
Oliver: Interesting design.
Manon: The valve is up, nice.
Oliver: Front one's a little bit off, but
I think we can forgive it. I like the use
of the stick to prop the bike up.
Manon: What else are you going to use in the
forest?
Oliver: I think that's a super nice for me.
Manon: It is a super nice. [rings a bell]
Oliver: [unintelligible 00:15:45] All right,
next we've got this from Dan Ilois. What do
you make of that, Manon? It's this Giant Propel
aero bike.
Manon: The first thing that stands out is
the chimney.
Oliver: The chimney? You're so harsh.
Manon: I'm sorry. That needs cutting. I'm
sorry. That's the first thing that stands
out.
Oliver: That's just so not yet. There's a
lot wrong with this.
Manon: First, this scares me if you crash
and somehow hit your chin on that.
Oliver: Geraint Thomas famously crushed on
one and had his thingy damaged.
Manon: Heart?
Oliver: No, spleen. He had to have his spleen
removed.
Manon: Oh really?
Oliver: Crank arm. What's going on there?
We're not in Biggie Smalls' room. Biggie--
Manon: Big?
Oliver: Just less than big. Valves, not aligned.
The uncut steerer. The fact that he's midway
through tiling his house and he's just left
a pile of tap tiles there.
Manon: He hasn't thought about the background.
Oliver: When you've cut your steerer, submit
your bike when it's in its optimum thing.
Manon: Get the cranks in the right position.
Oliver: It's a nice Giant Propel.
Manon: Oh, wow. Hello.
Oliver: That's a nice one. This is from a
Bicycle_ABQ and he says he's on the banks
of the Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico,
which is where Better Call Saul is set, which
I'm watching currently on Netflix.
Manon: I like that.
Oliver: What you make of his Inflite AL?
Manon: Biggie Smalls?
Oliver: Yes.
Manon: No chimney. Pedals are lined up. I
like the paint job.
Oliver: I love that you've coined the term
the chimney. We're definitely keeping that.
It's a good one. I think that's a beautiful
aluminum cross bike, isn't it?
Manon: Yes.
Oliver: I do like the Inflite.
Manon: That's a pink bottle-? [crosstalk]
Oliver: It's got this quark power meter on
there.
Manon: As these brakes.
Oliver: I think the reaction we had at the
start says it all. That's a super nice.
Manon: Super nice. [rings a bell]
Oliver: Finally, here we've got Harts this
week with his upgrade from a Cervelo S3 which
he says he swapped out for a brand new giant
Propel Advanced SL 1 Disc, which is in that
rather nice black paint job.
Manon: Look how well he's lined the wheels
up. Please take a moment to appreciate that.
He nailed that one down.
Oliver: Biggie Smalls, yes.
Manon: [unintelligible 00:18:20] [crosstalk]
Oliver: [unintelligible 00:18:21]
Manon: No, no, I had gotten excited then.
Oliver: I like those bottle cages. They're
really sleek looking bottle cages.
Manon: That cassette looks so shiny. It hurts
my eyes.
Oliver: He's ticking the boxes, cranks in
three o'clock position. It's a very clear,
well-done photo.
Manon: That's how it needs to be done.
Oliver: Super nice.
Manon: [rings a bell]
Oliver: Super nice. That's all for the bike
vault this week. Sorry, Manon.
Manon: [unintelligible 00:18:53]
Oliver: Keep your submissions coming in. We
love getting them and remember the rules.
If you've not seen the rules, if you're not
familiar with the rules, we do have a video
explaining how to get in the bike vault.
Manon: That's all for this week. Thanks for
watching. We hope you've enjoyed the show
and if you want to support us and everything
we do, please give us a like and a follow
on social media.
Oliver: If you'd like to get your hands on
some merch, then head over to the GCN shop.
We've got the greatest hoodies and t-shirts
available to humanity and we've also got a
competition running in this week's GCN show
to win my skinsuit from the hour record in
opens.
Manon: Have you cleaned it?
Oliver: Not yet.
[buzz]
Manon: Been a hell of a job. It's pillow talk.
Oliver: Pillow talk?[unintelligible 00:19:38].
[laughs]
[00:19:44] [END OF AUDIO]
