Kevin
12-04-2008, 10:24 AM
Carmichael On Training
Lance Update: Cutting the Drag
By Chris Carmichael
Following the excitement of Lance announcing his comeback and the subsequent flurry of press conferences and all manner of races in October, the main comeback event for November was the aerodynamic testing we did in southern California.
Prior to getting into the wind tunnel in San Diego, Lance raced the Tour de Greune individual and team time trials in Texas. During the individual time trial he rode a position he and Steve Hed had been working on, and though it looked fast Lance discovered he had trouble maintaining his power output. Of course, that was partly due to a calibration problem with his SRM – it was reading about 100 watts low – which prompted Lance to ride at what we estimate to be close to 500 watts for the first five minutes of the race. He clearly paid for that effort later in the event, but even accounting for the inaccurate numbers, after 15 years as a professional cyclist Lance was absolutely certain the new position prevented him from generating maximum power.
For Sunday’s two-man time trial, Lance and his mechanic, Dave, adjusted his time trial bike so it more closely resembled his 2005 time trial position, and after the race he reported that he felt Sunday’s position was immensely better than Saturday’s. Now, I don’t want anyone to think Steve did anything wrong with the modifications he made; there’s a very thin line between an optimal position and one that doesn’t work. And you’ll never find the line unless you’re willing to cross it now and again.
http://www.trainright.com/assets/newsletters/nutrition/200811/lawindtunnelclicktoplay.jpg (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001YAFg704geeDfItxeIejZ7g8ZjzW9gIG0canR6y UPLMXgtV8XnSq5HceFPyOAzR6wGD1Gb2ZOLNZpEIslI3vT6pxl Ke6kgHvBPphUHRc_J3no6kh5sqkPlAuCsb_dJbnGFlkBSCehYN JfE4G5eqrrLOH8rY0se5Rds2U9LSGjcKO1ZdFXp6WIWgJIMn0R 0SaXRQbGFhLiU6uxgFy8mR2r7jrgveYCZ4fJ)So, when Lance, Steve, Bart Knaggs, Dean Golich, and I all got together in the wind tunnel in San Diego (with reps from Trek, Giro, and Bontrager), we started with Lance’s 2005 time trial position to establish a baseline aerodynamic profile. Then we tested his position from the two-man time trial at the Tour de Greune. As is often the case, there were aspects of each position that we wanted to keep, so after several hours of testing the end result was a 2009 position that relies heavily on his 2005 setup and incorporates a few new updates.
**Go to the videos section of http://community.trainright.com (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001YAFg704geeAxfMsB1dG0y6Aiux3q4fSSgrubKA 03-mTCoulczNCSNpavXvk11vrpZQUuBRbqGXcMBwnRZdE1GxxUHXH NrUHqRpXUInyCK7Pw0-xJR2N_7TTXlAoOoF67) for larger, clearer versions of these videos.**
For instance, we’ve all seen riders bring their heads down and their hands up in order to close the gaping hole formed by the arms and torso. Levi Leipheimer is an extreme example of this position, and way back in the Project ’96 days we found that keeping a rider’s chin down and forward moved the head in-line with the body and resulted in a better aerodynamic profile. The hump in Lance’s back prevents him from bringing his upper body down far enough to completely achieve this position, but with some focus on bringing his down and in-line with his body, and angling his arms up a few degrees, we were able to gain some of the advantages of this “hiding behind the hands” setup. Overall, the data suggested that in a one-hour effort, Lance’s new head position could save him 30 seconds and his hand position could save him another 10.
And though I like the answers you’re able to get from wind tunnel testing, I’ve really grown to value the subsequent real-world testing we do on the ADT Velodrome. Daniel Gillespie from SRM brought the laboratory-version SRM for unparalleled accuracy. It’s not merely the scientific model with 8 strain gauges (Pro road versions have 4), this one has an astounding 20 strain gauges. It’s not waterproof and can’t be used outdoors, but when it says you’re putting out 400 watts, you really are. Why was absolute accuracy so important in this application? Because when we’re testing on the track we’re looking for a position change to result in a savings of a handful of watts – like 6 – over the course of eight laps (two kilometers). 100% accuracy is important because with 99% accuracy, a 400-watt reading can be off by as many as 4 watts.
http://www.trainright.com/assets/newsletters/nutrition/200811/cts_lavelodrome1.jpg (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001YAFg704geeDe-IaCMBqqyTe7QX2_awNh6STpZ1hx2_w_lhLCz7-sxdAnRYERlgpomPp7UNWEbhaslMNsuLNQNsW8IBte7rV773zxT dYNgxc5MjQ2_wXnJC56dYb4fo726jy30BuSnnynuVKz5d0HwGl AtoVPCbSKyTAAcEva9NmPuYAvDRoIx-InEkghnHvw7bjIHvPAo74YtB62IXHaGRAgj46gYqpVhc03Ohvy AbdkYta3lQ-cAg==)For velodrome testing, we hold the athlete’s speed constant and see how changes in position impact the power necessary to maintain the pace. Over the course of velodrome testing with Lance, we were able to demonstrate that his new position reduced the average power necessary for Lance to maintain 31mph (50kmh) by 21 watts. Out on the road, though, Lance will gauge his effort by maximizing his power output, which means his new positions will allow him to use those 21 watts to go faster.
The next logical question is: “Why did we have Lance keep his pace constant instead of keeping his power output steady and observing how much faster he went?” Well, although an indoor velodrome is highly-controlled environment (temp, humidity, wind, etc. are all constant), the corners make it nearly impossible for riders to keep their speed or power output completely constant. If you really wanted to build the perfect testing environment, you’d have to find a smooth, straight, level, temperature- and humidty-controlled, indoor runway long enough to land a 747. Since that’s not available (yet), it’s easier for an athlete on a velodrome to hold a relatively constant pace than a relatively constant power output.
There’s an important caveat to all of this data, though. If you add up all the potential savings you can gain from position and equipment, the data indicates that riders should go minutes faster than they actually do - because neither positions nor conditions are ever static in competition. The testing shows that certain positions and equipment choices are better, but exactly how much better – on real roads with real wind in a real race – is still somewhat of a mystery. Still, better is better and faster is faster, even if you only reap a fraction of the potential benefits on race day.
Next step? Lance has to go out and train in this new time trial position. More on that next time.
And remember, you can get more frequent updates on Twitter:
Lance Armstrong: www.twitter.com/lancearmstrong (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001YAFg704geeBWSyCKv8LABCc6-6ab5XYEyDIIlWwcc1fa-WklaVeO7BTDT72GhKzHYkbyN2jXP-r0c0ssicz3Sqiq1nO_rv-shsws2iFQ5hJT07b9nBYcmnyEfkAPOPRSeaqU0BbFK48=)
Chris Carmichael: www.twitter.com/trainright (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001YAFg704geeAk0-jn1tTf3o9pBIT1IsHQDO5N0dEI1zgxF-erGVkX55YGmkoaMzm2hnd-vjIRHsJDzcyWpeYLJGB_xOcyHezITbSKxks-q6jXk1haATgJ_JOI_lPE2n6m)
Lance Update: Cutting the Drag
By Chris Carmichael
Following the excitement of Lance announcing his comeback and the subsequent flurry of press conferences and all manner of races in October, the main comeback event for November was the aerodynamic testing we did in southern California.
Prior to getting into the wind tunnel in San Diego, Lance raced the Tour de Greune individual and team time trials in Texas. During the individual time trial he rode a position he and Steve Hed had been working on, and though it looked fast Lance discovered he had trouble maintaining his power output. Of course, that was partly due to a calibration problem with his SRM – it was reading about 100 watts low – which prompted Lance to ride at what we estimate to be close to 500 watts for the first five minutes of the race. He clearly paid for that effort later in the event, but even accounting for the inaccurate numbers, after 15 years as a professional cyclist Lance was absolutely certain the new position prevented him from generating maximum power.
For Sunday’s two-man time trial, Lance and his mechanic, Dave, adjusted his time trial bike so it more closely resembled his 2005 time trial position, and after the race he reported that he felt Sunday’s position was immensely better than Saturday’s. Now, I don’t want anyone to think Steve did anything wrong with the modifications he made; there’s a very thin line between an optimal position and one that doesn’t work. And you’ll never find the line unless you’re willing to cross it now and again.
http://www.trainright.com/assets/newsletters/nutrition/200811/lawindtunnelclicktoplay.jpg (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001YAFg704geeDfItxeIejZ7g8ZjzW9gIG0canR6y UPLMXgtV8XnSq5HceFPyOAzR6wGD1Gb2ZOLNZpEIslI3vT6pxl Ke6kgHvBPphUHRc_J3no6kh5sqkPlAuCsb_dJbnGFlkBSCehYN JfE4G5eqrrLOH8rY0se5Rds2U9LSGjcKO1ZdFXp6WIWgJIMn0R 0SaXRQbGFhLiU6uxgFy8mR2r7jrgveYCZ4fJ)So, when Lance, Steve, Bart Knaggs, Dean Golich, and I all got together in the wind tunnel in San Diego (with reps from Trek, Giro, and Bontrager), we started with Lance’s 2005 time trial position to establish a baseline aerodynamic profile. Then we tested his position from the two-man time trial at the Tour de Greune. As is often the case, there were aspects of each position that we wanted to keep, so after several hours of testing the end result was a 2009 position that relies heavily on his 2005 setup and incorporates a few new updates.
**Go to the videos section of http://community.trainright.com (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001YAFg704geeAxfMsB1dG0y6Aiux3q4fSSgrubKA 03-mTCoulczNCSNpavXvk11vrpZQUuBRbqGXcMBwnRZdE1GxxUHXH NrUHqRpXUInyCK7Pw0-xJR2N_7TTXlAoOoF67) for larger, clearer versions of these videos.**
For instance, we’ve all seen riders bring their heads down and their hands up in order to close the gaping hole formed by the arms and torso. Levi Leipheimer is an extreme example of this position, and way back in the Project ’96 days we found that keeping a rider’s chin down and forward moved the head in-line with the body and resulted in a better aerodynamic profile. The hump in Lance’s back prevents him from bringing his upper body down far enough to completely achieve this position, but with some focus on bringing his down and in-line with his body, and angling his arms up a few degrees, we were able to gain some of the advantages of this “hiding behind the hands” setup. Overall, the data suggested that in a one-hour effort, Lance’s new head position could save him 30 seconds and his hand position could save him another 10.
And though I like the answers you’re able to get from wind tunnel testing, I’ve really grown to value the subsequent real-world testing we do on the ADT Velodrome. Daniel Gillespie from SRM brought the laboratory-version SRM for unparalleled accuracy. It’s not merely the scientific model with 8 strain gauges (Pro road versions have 4), this one has an astounding 20 strain gauges. It’s not waterproof and can’t be used outdoors, but when it says you’re putting out 400 watts, you really are. Why was absolute accuracy so important in this application? Because when we’re testing on the track we’re looking for a position change to result in a savings of a handful of watts – like 6 – over the course of eight laps (two kilometers). 100% accuracy is important because with 99% accuracy, a 400-watt reading can be off by as many as 4 watts.
http://www.trainright.com/assets/newsletters/nutrition/200811/cts_lavelodrome1.jpg (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001YAFg704geeDe-IaCMBqqyTe7QX2_awNh6STpZ1hx2_w_lhLCz7-sxdAnRYERlgpomPp7UNWEbhaslMNsuLNQNsW8IBte7rV773zxT dYNgxc5MjQ2_wXnJC56dYb4fo726jy30BuSnnynuVKz5d0HwGl AtoVPCbSKyTAAcEva9NmPuYAvDRoIx-InEkghnHvw7bjIHvPAo74YtB62IXHaGRAgj46gYqpVhc03Ohvy AbdkYta3lQ-cAg==)For velodrome testing, we hold the athlete’s speed constant and see how changes in position impact the power necessary to maintain the pace. Over the course of velodrome testing with Lance, we were able to demonstrate that his new position reduced the average power necessary for Lance to maintain 31mph (50kmh) by 21 watts. Out on the road, though, Lance will gauge his effort by maximizing his power output, which means his new positions will allow him to use those 21 watts to go faster.
The next logical question is: “Why did we have Lance keep his pace constant instead of keeping his power output steady and observing how much faster he went?” Well, although an indoor velodrome is highly-controlled environment (temp, humidity, wind, etc. are all constant), the corners make it nearly impossible for riders to keep their speed or power output completely constant. If you really wanted to build the perfect testing environment, you’d have to find a smooth, straight, level, temperature- and humidty-controlled, indoor runway long enough to land a 747. Since that’s not available (yet), it’s easier for an athlete on a velodrome to hold a relatively constant pace than a relatively constant power output.
There’s an important caveat to all of this data, though. If you add up all the potential savings you can gain from position and equipment, the data indicates that riders should go minutes faster than they actually do - because neither positions nor conditions are ever static in competition. The testing shows that certain positions and equipment choices are better, but exactly how much better – on real roads with real wind in a real race – is still somewhat of a mystery. Still, better is better and faster is faster, even if you only reap a fraction of the potential benefits on race day.
Next step? Lance has to go out and train in this new time trial position. More on that next time.
And remember, you can get more frequent updates on Twitter:
Lance Armstrong: www.twitter.com/lancearmstrong (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001YAFg704geeBWSyCKv8LABCc6-6ab5XYEyDIIlWwcc1fa-WklaVeO7BTDT72GhKzHYkbyN2jXP-r0c0ssicz3Sqiq1nO_rv-shsws2iFQ5hJT07b9nBYcmnyEfkAPOPRSeaqU0BbFK48=)
Chris Carmichael: www.twitter.com/trainright (http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001YAFg704geeAk0-jn1tTf3o9pBIT1IsHQDO5N0dEI1zgxF-erGVkX55YGmkoaMzm2hnd-vjIRHsJDzcyWpeYLJGB_xOcyHezITbSKxks-q6jXk1haATgJ_JOI_lPE2n6m)