[HAMR] Current thoughts on the record attempt?

[LMT]

Steve carries on not cos it's good strategy but cos he's an audaxer, it's just what he does - like scorpion and frog.
If he is calling it a day he might as well at least see the year out, there's only ten or so days left now, even if the chances of breaking the record are minimal.

Agreed, hopefully he'll break through the 100k barrier.

[Ben T]

Unless breaking the record wasn't really ever that important compared with just having a year or two off work cycling all day.....

get the impression seeing how far an audax style strategy could go towards breaking the record is an important part, possibly more important than actually becoming the record holder.

Although to be fair Kurt would probably have been able to do even more miles if he'd simply ridden a velodrome for 15 hours a day, so in effect even he has sacrificed miles added onto the record for the trade off of doing the type of cycling he wants, just - crucially - not quite as much as Steve.
It's quite possible that Kurt's record will stand until someone  ruins themselves on hallucinogenics and literally does do a velodrome.

[Mr Larrington]

You don't need hallucinogenics to drive yourself bonkers riding a velodrome - twenty-four hours straight will see you most of the way there.

[mattc]

Mike, this isn't a coaching manual, it's a conversation.  There's no-one on here who doesn't wish Steve well, or think that he is more important than a record.

Peter

Peter, there are one or two posting on here for whom Steve appears to matter little.

Peter,
One of your many flaws is that you inisist in seeing good in people. 

After spending time on the internet, it becomes clear that there are many reasons for giving advice; concern for the recipient is not always a feature.

[TheRedEyeJedi]

Mike, this isn't a coaching manual, it's a conversation.  There's no-one on here who doesn't wish Steve well, or think that he is more important than a record.

Peter

Peter, there are one or two posting on here for whom Steve appears to matter little.

Peter,
One of your many flaws is that you inisist in seeing good in people. 

After spending time on the internet, it becomes clear that there are many reasons for giving advice; concern for the recipient is not always a feature.

So how do you think Steves second attempt is gong?  What do you think he should do differently , if anything?

I've seen the very worst of Internet forums ... And this thread is a Godwin away from that!   Apart from maybe one post I don't think there is anything over the top in here and for the most part it is respectful, constructive and comes with an overwhelming emphasis on Steves well being and success

[Ben T]

You don't need hallucinogenics to drive yourself bonkers riding a velodrome - twenty-four hours straight will see you most of the way there.

My point exactly - you'd only even consider deliberately driving yourself bonkers if you were *already* bonkers through (possibly semi accidental) means.

[TheRedEyeJedi]

You don't need hallucinogenics to drive yourself bonkers riding a velodrome - twenty-four hours straight will see you most of the way there.

My point exactly - you'd only even consider deliberately driving yourself bonkers if you were *already* bonkers through (possibly semi accidental) means.

Im not sure why a fast, repetitive day, week or month of cycling is being seen as such a hard thing for a rider to cope with during this attempt.

There must be enough tough miles, out on the road by yourself to welcome the easy repetitive miles.

I would argue that a few weeks of fast, easy, no traffic miles would be a massive mental boost to any rider in an attempt like this.    From Kurts videos it appeared his attempt was on a knife-edge before Alicia convinced him to go onto the closed circuit and arranged riders to give him a tow.   I would love to see whoever is running Steves attempt try to arrange similar conditions for Steve over Christmas - it might just get the attempt back on track - at the very least it would give him maximum miles before the year end without putting him out in the wild on his own again.

[red marley]

Kurt's Flatwood loop is around 8 miles long. A velodrome loop is about 0.2 miles long. I don't think you can extrapolate Kurt's recent experience at Flatwood to suggest anyone could mange repeated 200 mile+ velodrome days without going completely bonkers.

[TheRedEyeJedi]

Kurt's Flatwood loop is around 8 miles long. A velodrome loop is about 0.2 miles long. I don't think you can extrapolate Kurt's recent experience at Flatwood to suggest anyone could mange repeated 200 mile+ velodrome days without going completely bonkers.

Just to be clear I am not suggesting he rides around a velodrome .... I am suggesting Steves team or the community locate him a suitable loop close to home, or close to the home of someone who could be a host for him.   Get some riders he trusts or just local riders to ride for him and lets see him get some 'Godwins plus a bit' knocked off at 18-20mph on a faster bike, without the touring gear....without taking as much out of himself.   Maybe get some local clubs on board - with people who are used to riding fast and safely in a group.

Most of us have a local 10 mile loop that we know is fast and flat - there must be enough knowledge on here to provide a suitable location to mirror Kurts fastest month.

[Ben T]

Im not sure why a fast, repetitive day, week or month of cycling is being seen as such a hard thing for a rider to cope with during this attempt.

There must be enough tough miles, out on the road by yourself to welcome the easy repetitive miles.

I would argue that a few weeks of fast, easy, no traffic miles would be a massive mental boost to any rider in an attempt like this.   

Yes but surely the best* way to beat / improve the record would be to have a strategy that doesn't include ANY tough miles.

*For values of "best" that are solely bothered about number of miles.

[Ben T]

Kurt's Flatwood loop is around 8 miles long. A velodrome loop is about 0.2 miles long. I don't think you can extrapolate Kurt's recent experience at Flatwood to suggest anyone could mange repeated 200 mile+ velodrome days without going completely bonkers.

...thus highlighting the point that this is a sport where the world championship final is effectively a condition game.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

It might be worth noting that Steve's bikes aren't exactly stock, with faster and lighter wheels and aerobars that put him in quite an aero position. I'm not sure that a lighter bike is a huge advantage on flat ground and an a aero frame is only marginally useful at speeds below 19 miles/ hour. Using a fast loop and drafting strong riders would make a noticeable difference though.

[yanto]

Being a biased velomobile rider I would suggest using a good aerodynamic model, especially on a lot of roads Steve rides.

An example being that a typical long distance cruising speed of 23-25 mph on the flat only requires about 120 watts, a 20 mph head wind will only knock about 2 mph off that cruising speed. Plus lots of food/drink can be carried easily reducing the need for repeated stops. A real time overall average speed including stops of 20-21 mph is easily achievable.

This means that 10-12 hrs out on the road would give sufficient mileage and rest time,

[Wowbagger]

And it would keep the worst of the winter weather out, so you wouldn't get so cold, and therefore so knackered. I wouldn't fancy it in summer though.

[clarion]

Are fairings allowed under UMCA rules?

[Arry-R]

Unnecessary waffle as Steve is most unlikely to switch from a proper bike!

[LMT]

Are fairings allowed under UMCA rules?

nope.

[offcumden]

Meanwhile, Steve is riding a favourable wind to good effect; 80+ miles in just over 4hrs.

I assume he must be feeling better - let's hope so.  Recent problems must have been hellish for him.

[notlobgp14]

I am fairly sure the information will be classified, you ex MOD people will know what I mean, but; is this the day for Steve's first lift back home by car / van / motorhome?

Wind assisted up recuperation whilst coming back. 😊

[Arry-R]

I think it will be his first lift all year  (on the challenge ) I know that he isn't a happy passenger always on other occasions preferring to ride on his bike than partake of a lift.  However I am sure this approach must be for the better.

[TheRedEyeJedi]

Has there been some communication to suggest there will be a motor transfer?

[mattc]

I've seen the very worst of Internet forums ... And this thread is a Godwin away from that!   Apart from maybe one post I don't think there is anything over the top in here and for the most part it is respectful, constructive and comes with an overwhelming emphasis on Steves well being and success

Of course there are respectful constructive posts  - hoorah for that.

However, I reserve the right to defend a friend when dicks make twattish comments. Be it here, twitter or down my local.

Clearly we will never agree on what EXACTY is offensive, or what is respectful - so it's probably fruitless to discuss. But I know it when I see it, and will say so.

(p.s. nice "Godwin" wordplay - if it was deliberate!  )

[Exit Stage Left]

The time-trial has always been characterised as the race of truth, and we get daily updates on that. The gap between that truth, and the expectations in going for a record, are going to be filled with something. As that gap narrows for Kurt, there's less to be said. The opposite's been true of Steve for a number of weeks.

[rafletcher]

Meanwhile, Steve is riding a favourable wind to good effect; 80+ miles in just over 4hrs.

However it's now 90+ miles in 6 1/2 hrs (I assume there must have been a lunch stop) and he's rapidly running out of land to visit with the following wind.  I can only marvel at the mental fortitude and physical committment it takes to get up every day and do what Steve has been doing 7/7, but I fear he's just not fast enough consistently enough at present. I hope to be proven wrong, and Steve has my best wishes, as always. 

[yanto]

Unnecessary waffle as Steve is most unlikely to switch from a proper bike!

  My humble apologies  !

And as for "proper bike" all i see is somebody stuck in the 1920's and suffering for it!  I wasn't suggesting he changed, i was making an anecdotal comparison, you may think it's "unnecessary waffle" I thought it might be an interesting comparison, but I bow to your obviously pompous dinosaur like superiority in policing this thread to keep it "proper"  you b'stard.