Cannondale SuperSubFive (kg) Hill Climb Machine

Excellent, I can't make the Lippitts Hill one this year, but will be there to cheer on at Mott Street the next weekend :-)

I can only make the ELV one,

Arse...

How does one get there?

Cycle!

Hahaha good one

It’s the 25 mile ride back after on wobbly legs I’m worried about.
Best try and get my caad ready this week. It’s the least heavy bike I’ve got

You'll recover pretty quickly I reckon. I've never found a ride back to be a problem, especially as you won't have any hills to get over, having just raced the only one in the area.

The ELV is the best organised of the bunch by far. Tea, cake and medals in the local church afterwards. Tom does a great job, it's more like an open really.

Next question for the hive mind.

My Ryde Pulse Sprint wheelset, or Tao Geoghegan-Hart's Bontrager Aerolus 3?

Ryde Pulse Sprint - 1250g
Veloflex Record - 300g
Vredestien Latex Tubes - 120g
Total: 1670g

2014 Bontrager Aeolus 3 tubular - 1150g
Bontrager xxx - 260g
Vittoria Corsa - 250g
Total: 1660g

Actually now I've written it down it's a no brainer. The Bonts will be way stiffer and more aero.

tubs though which means faff (more than clinchers) .. do you need stiffness and aero?

Why not hold out for a proper lightweight wheelset? Get some Vittoria Crono tubs, 180g each which is there the real benefit of tubs is.

Cause I can borrow these for nowt, with tubs fitted.

Looks like Dan Evans is offloading his National winning wheels from 2014.

If traction is an issue, stiffer may not be better.

Without knowing the split of mass between hub and rim, you can't compare those wheelsets in terms of angular momentum.

From a little googling I think the Bonts save 50g on the rim, but that's offset by about the same gain on the heavy-ish tubulars over my silly light clinchers. The also have two fewer spokes on the front.

So weight at the rim is pretty much equal, but they'll be more aero. As the National course is an average of 7% with no serious ramps, I'd say traction isn't an issue, aero might be though.

Aero front, lighter rear then?

Do you know somewhere that has Cronos in stock?

There's a couple of low stress options close to home (London) coming up.

The East London Velo HC on Mott Street this Sunday, Eagle RC HC on Lippets Hill on the 22nd and the Lea Valley HC also on Mott Street on the 29th.

They're all turn-up-and-ride events so you just sign on and pay on the day, no results needed to get a race. I can only make the ELV one, hopefully see you there!

Thanks for these, I didn't know about them. Are there any more opens in the South East coming up (that isn't nr Brighton)

Not that I know of I’m afraid. The only opens I have left before the national are the two near Brighton on Saturday and the Oxford Uni one on 22nd. Man the season goes fast!

There’s also the Sussex Nomads event on Ditchling Beacon the same day as the Nats. Worth a trip - such a good hill to race, very well organised, and all the hitters are up north riding the nationals so there’s a chance of placing pretty well. I came third last year and that was with nine months less training and no magic bicycle.

Thanks! I'll try Sussex Nomads although the trains to Brighton aren't running that day which may be the nail in the coffin to this years season.

Oh that sucks. I did get the SubFive on a rail replacement bus to the Waldbury HC by taking the wheels off and putting them and most of the frame in a big IKEA bag. Where there’s a will there’s a way!

Also, Apple maps native app has an option to show train lines on the map so you can work out another line where there might be a close-enough-to-ride-from station.

Great! I was just looking at a pdf image of the train network but that seems easier. Not sure if i have the commitment for the rail-replacement bus service.

No aero concessions ever :D

eBay Uno stems are pretty light, very cheap, and seem to get decent comments online.

Do love a hill climb bike but not going for tubs seems mental when you're talking about spending that kind of money/time/effort etc. getting a bike that light, but each to their own...

Oddly I'm sure I remember reading an article in the last couple of years (probably one of the CW features they did on hill climb bikes?) with one of the big hitters that said tyres was one of the few places they made a small concession to weight, going for a more regular 'racing' tub like a regular Corsa CX rather than the super super light version, mainly because you can still puncture on a climb!

Go for stiffness. Aero is a bonus too

2nd on the ESCA HC on Firle Beacon in the morning and 4th on Butts Lane - Velopace HC in the afternoon today.

Only four seconds off Rowan Brackston in the AM! Well chuffed with that - felt great and I paced it well. He told me at the top he'd forgotten to enter the National! He'd be top ten for sure.