[HAMR] Riding a day with Steve?

[Bianchi Boy]

Is this a bonkers idea?

I was wondering if it would help Steve if some people were to ride a day, or part of a day with him? Steve would set the route and the schedule and the others would pay for the food and ride on the front as much as possible.

So would this help Steve or is it just a bonkers idea?

BB

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Sounds good to me, though I suspect on some days that Steve's legs will tend to settle into a cruising pace and might not appreciate being dragged round significantly faster. Absolutely a good idea to be able to chat while riding together. Steve'll be alone on the bike for most of the year.

Aunt Maud is helping with GPS tracks for Steve to follow and I think Steve's daily plans will be publicly visible beforehand.

[Fidgetbuzz]

You can begin to get a feel for where he might be if you look at calendar on his web site - because some days in 1st Q now have defined hosts for some nights. I might try to meet up in those mid Feb visits to lowestoft. Roger

[Manotea]

Sounds like a great idea. Especially if riders paid - I mean , make a donation - for the privilege, donchathink?

As LWaB says through, Steve would need some protection from the throng, to make sure his ride wasn't disturbed.

[Bianchi Boy]

Hi,

What I meant by this was not that a throng would join in but you would need to takes the lead and the pace from Steve. It is his ride. Go where he wants and stop when he wants and pay for the food.

Sort of giving time to help. I will not be able to host so a sort of compromise.

BB

[Fidgetbuzz]

Steve is "twitchy" about having a pacer -in his view it is a skilled job, as he likes to keep his output constant , meaning for example he is slower uphill but faster down than many would anticipate.

[Ray 6701]

Imagine the disaster & shame brought upon yourself if for some reason you managed to take him out 

I'll stick to bunging him a few bob each month.

[zigzag]

Steve is "twitchy" about having a pacer -in his view it is a skilled job, as he likes to keep his output constant , meaning for example he is slower uphill but faster down than many would anticipate.

could do that with a powermeter if he fancies. i had another thought/query - let's say Steve's tyre goes flat and instead of him faffing trying to fix it someone lends him a wheel so he can carry on, then fixes the tyre for him, catches and at the first stop swap wheels back. is that kind of support allowed?

[nuttycyclist]

Steve is "twitchy" about having a pacer -in his view it is a skilled job, as he likes to keep his output constant , meaning for example he is slower uphill but faster down than many would anticipate.

I can understand that, and would never want to ride with anybody for that reason.

I had a friend who rode at the same pace as me.     We did several long rides together, including PBP qualifiers where he went on to complete the ride and I chose not to enter.      We rode at the same pace but......

I was faster downhill, and he was faster uphill.

We always met at traffic lights/junctions, but if we physically tried to ride together, he killed me uphill and I killed him downhill.     It was more effort to ride together and our joint pace suffered.    It was faster for us to ride solo rides in our own worlds, and then continue conversations at the stops.

[rogerzilla]

If Steve is riding fixed, anyone will be off-pace unless they're also riding fixed, since fixed is very fast uphill but limited downhill.  I agree with the above though - and riding below pace can be just as tiring as riding above pace.  Tommy Godwin had pacers though, at least for the first months.  Bit more of a cheat than when running, because you rarely have to pedal on the flat if you're good at drafting, and the 1/3 power saving is real.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Steve is using 3 identical, upgraded Raleighs with barend shifters for the attempt.

Maintaining a constant power uphill and down when riding in front on rolling terrain does not translate to constant power for the person drafting.

The front person uses most of their power to overcome wind resistance, shifting some of that to gaining potential energy when riding uphill. The drafting rider has to increase their (lower) effort on uphills just to stay on their wheel.

[Frank9755]

It shouldn't be hard for someone to ride as Steve's domestique, and punch a hole in the air for him, at the right sort of speed, responding to calls to speed up and slow down until they have it. 

Unfortunately, Steve will have seen plenty of shocking group riding on UK audaxes, so I can understand his reticence.  And, given that this is a mental challenge as much as a physical thing, the most important thing is for him to feel comfortable with all aspects of his ride.

[Bianchi Boy]

It shouldn't be hard for someone to ride as Steve's domestique, and punch a hole in the air for him, at the right sort of speed, responding to calls to speed up and slow down until they have it. 

Unfortunately, Steve will have seen plenty of shocking group riding on UK audaxes, so I can understand his reticence.  And, given that this is a mental challenge as much as a physical thing, the most important thing is for him to feel comfortable with all aspects of his ride.

I agree that group riding in AUK is shocking and I can manage much better than is seen on most Audax rides. Most rides involve people ridding together and this is not the same thing, you need to give pace rather than ride with.The flat is the problem for most group riding and I suspect Steve will not be riding up and down the Chilterns. Steve will be very strong and you must be able to sustain the pace required for long periods. If you get dropped then you are on your own - Steve gains nothing, if you can keep the pace required then you will have to give it all, well because that is why you are there. You probably will not last the whole day but long enough to have given him some 30% energy saving through drafting. Having paid for any food consumed on the way.

BB

BB

[matthew]

I would agree, your job is to give Steve some shelter, sit on the front and ride pace at the pace Steve asks for.

More importantly your job is to get the shout that the lunch cafe is X miles up the road and to get off the front and Steve's order placed such that his food is waiting on his arrival.

Personally on my fixed I cruise on my commute at 17-20 mph but I doubt I could sustain that very long. More important for me would be to know where Steve was going to eat and getting his food ready for the arrival, a saving of ~10-15 minutes, rather than seeing how long I could pace him after lunch.

[Pete Mas]

Steve is "twitchy" about having a pacer -in his view it is a skilled job, as he likes to keep his output constant , meaning for example he is slower uphill but faster down than many would anticipate.

could do that with a powermeter if he fancies. i had another thought/query - let's say Steve's tyre goes flat and instead of him faffing trying to fix it someone lends him a wheel so he can carry on, then fixes the tyre for him, catches and at the first stop swap wheels back. is that kind of support allowed?

Interesting points! I suppose all the rules and regs he must obey (eg re support) for the attempt can be read somewhere?

[Fidgetbuzz]

Rules here

http://ultracycling.com/sections/records/max-mileage.php

Roger

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Its hard being a good pacer - that's why the guys that look after the top sprinters such as Mark Cavendish are in such demand.  On the rare occasions when I've ridden with Steve (such as on a Bryan Chapman) his ability to ride with constant power was impressive - so the points above about having to work harder than you expect on the downhills/flat are well made - if you are proficient with aerobars then that can make you more efficient downhill and on the flat but you will punch a slightly smaller hole in the air, unless you are CET-sized.

[matthew]

I've sent you a reply, I did look at things like when he might be in the area before making that offer. A couple of times a month won't break the bank but too frequently and my nipping out from work for 30 minutes to get there and order for him will be commented on.

Also if work decide to post me away then I will have to withdraw the offer but I will warn you if that happens.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

HK and Drew rode with Steve for a while on New Year's Day. Not as pacers but just to chat.

I think he appreciates some social interaction out on the road, it makes a nice change from hours of mileating silence (and you might bring along a bidon of hot milky tea for him on a cold winter's day...).

[simonp]

The only time I ever paced Steve he complained that he hadn’t expected a 200km interval training session.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

No need to pace him most of the time, just ride with him.

[Basil]

How does Steve like his tea?
Sugar? One?  Three? Nine?
Milk? Lots? A little? Un nuage du lait?

[Kim]

How does Steve like his tea?

In a mug the size of his head, evidently...

[LittleWheelsandBig]

During the 24s, it was guessed quantities of milky and sugary in bidons.

[thing1]

We were wondering about this too, specifically for the route to/from or first day or so of PBP. Entirely depends if a tandem wheel would help or hurt. When we rode with Steve before it was either at touring/social speeds, or we found him too fast for us uphill, and I don't remember downhill. (Against that, we're a bit fitter now, but no doubt he will be too by August!)

Anyway... riding together during PBP would also depend on what start time he's choosing.

i had another thought/query - let's say Steve's tyre goes flat and instead of him faffing trying to fix it someone lends him a wheel so he can carry on, then fixes the tyre for him, catches and at the first stop swap wheels back. is that kind of support allowed?

Note he's on tubeless tyres and using disc brakes, so the loan isn't simple swap, and the repair takes some practice.
Variation: on a major part failure, could you loan a whole bike, and arrange for his to get shipped back to base? (bit like what TransAm race call "conjuring ‘trail magic’")