Transcontinental Race No. 7 - TCR7 - #TCRN07 - 2019

So what’s your current plan/ thoughts going forward?

Well, try to work on some more strengthening exercises, increase core exercises. Might see how to raise my bars a little and tinker with my position on the bike. There is not much info on the subject so hard to know exactly what will work.

I suspect I probably do look out of the top of my eyes. Might this contribute to it?

No, it should help, because you can drop your head and still be looking up the road.

Yeah, wearing caps can force you to lift your head up to see further down the road so it can contribute. Same with glasses that force your head up.

280g seems ok. Mine was 350g without a light on it. But I'm a meathead.

Not sure what else you can do other than make your position a bit more upright and maybe see a physio with Schermers experience. Also, consciously relaxing your neck and changing your neck position during the race should help. You want to try and remove the strain on your neck muscles.

I sometimes race in sunglasses like this. :)

I just came home last night after spending time in boulangeries around France for the couple of weeks with my gf and then rode the PBP in 55h. That was pretty much the first time I was on a bike since TCR. Felt actually great to be riding, definitely not all recovered from TCR but was able to ride strongly for the whole thing and didn't have any problems. Though I do feel my skin on the whole body has taken a beating. And I'm hungry all the time and not that energetic but pretty much a normal human anyway. We should move to a new apartment this weekend, I just got the keys. Will be interesting to carry all the stuff on the stairs with these legs. Though the bike ride to get the keys today was fine at least. Going to work on Monday will suck.

Okay, thanks for your advice. I think I do get a little tense so will work on this and position and have another look at physio.

Yeah I can't really give specific instructions but you've got to somehow find the right balance. My position hasn't got that much drop from saddle to the bars, but it's long enough to get my back pretty flat. If I have the peak of the cap down it feels a bit straining at times but not otherwise. With any glasses. And I ride on the aerobar most of the time, most comfortable position. Well, not sure if this helps any.

I meant do you still want to try complete TCR or another event or like..?

Oh yes, that's for certain!!! You?

Also wonder if you are over training possibly?
Others might have a better idea on this.

That’s good to hear. Yeah it's all a bit weird isnt it. Well done on both rides!

Yeah, maybe. I rode very little in the three weeks prior to the start though as thought this would be useful. Also wanted to ensure route was as good as it could be.

You pull me into another tech talk with this post :)

Have knee issue, have hills, choose to climb, which drives me to experiment with these types of drivetrains. Can do only high cadence with low power. No grinding else it's time off the bike.

I am a believer in the oval chainrings because I have a noticeably happier knee(s). I just picked up the newish one piece Rotor 46/30 oval chainring that fits only the new ALDHU & VEGAST. Looking forward to that. I really want the Osymetric or TA but don't get the 46/30 combo.

Since my last writings on this I've come further with the topic and also setup a Shimano 1x with a 50T Sunrace cassette. Some unpleasant chainline issues that were solved by shimming the cassette outboard and the crank inboard. It's sorta happy now but I'm disappointed in 1x. It's not as trouble-free as I thought and it is not smooth. Tried chains of KMC, Shimano and SRAM all at DA/XTR level. Conclusion, SRAM chains are made to like 1x. The others not so much.

The devil is in the details with this stuff. I'm willing to hash them out with anyone thinking about this but need to know exact model of shifters, F&R mech, and what you are willing to change.

A 46T or 50T in the rear is designed for a 1x.
2x could only work if front rings are very close in size, like CX 46/39 close.

Spent much time on this website comparing gear ratios of what I have to where I want to go. Then reading, buying and trying different stuff.

http://gears.mtbcrosscountry.com

Punch in what you have, then compare it to an 11spd Shimano 11/42(or 40) rear and 46/30 (or 48/31) front.
That is a very solid functioning and achievable setup that doesn't squak or grunt.

Interesting about the oval rings - why do you think they help your knees? Did you go for lower gears on them, in which case couldn't it just be the lower gearing that helped your knees and has nothing to do with the ovalisation?

I'm disappointed in 1x. It's not as trouble-free as I thought and it is not smooth.

Of course not. The chainline for some combos is always going to be worse than 2x. That's why I don't see the point of 1x for normal road riding.

I've got a 42T cassette that I need to fit up and see if it will work without Wolf Tooth. I read their blurb and WT doesn't support the 46T so I won't bother getting one until I hear about it working on an R8000.

I ride with a Quarq PM so can't go lower than 34T on the front.

Did any of you TCR riders hear of plans next year for the race? Likely to start in Bulgaria again?

That’s what was being rumoured same start location.
I still owe you a costing, I’ll get to it.

Interesting, cheers. Ha, don't worry :)

I wonder if they'd go back to W-E and finish in Burgas next time? I would.

I first stepped into oval with a 50/34 and still have that on a bike.

The oval takes the edge off at top dead centre and bottom dead centre. Take a 50T ring for example, at the largest point of the oval the size is like a 52T. What the oval does is like switching the size of the chainring quick from 52 to 48 at the smallest part of the oval. It makes the transition from the upstroke to the downstroke easier. For me this was a dramatic and noticeable difference in reduction of pain. You might experience something totally different.

The switch to oval for me was clear. It helped me a ton but not while climbing. Especially when grinding or getting slammed to a near halt. When my knee acts up, I need to cut the power asap. The only way to do that is with granny gears. With this limp mode option I don't put myself out of commission for weeks.

The best read of the topic of oval is a study called:
Comparative biomechanical study of circular and non-circular chainrings for endurance cycling at constant speed.

The PDF file is:
Biomechanical study chainrings - release 2

Link:
http://www.noncircularchainring.be/pdf/Biomechanical%20study%20chainrings%20-%20release%202.pdf

It's a heavy read but in conclusion, the Rotor and similar shapes are crap, not enough oval, the Osymetric shape is the best. TA Specialties started making a shape very similar. But neither offer a sub compact solution. I'm hoping that one of them make rings for the new GRX. I'll be all over that. In the meantime, the Rotor and Absolute Black 12% oval rings do me fine and allow me to ride more. Your milage may vary.

How’s everyone readjusting post race?

Sorry, missed this as was off the grid cycle-camping with wife and toddler.
Coming back was very easy for me as I'd only done 6 days, didn't have to go through the stress of the final bit and I was staying with my parents, and my sister and her family, so lots of people around to help with post-event blues (which I recall being a bit of a thing for me in 2016).

Got some Catalyst pedals sitting on my desk now

Makes sense to try them on the commute first, then a couple of local rides to get confident in them. But, TBH, I've never had any problems chainging between them and speedplays from ride to ride. Position is the same, just feels a bit different to begin with. Much nicer for climbing out of the saddle than speedplays - really feel like you are pushing with your whole foot, which you are!

I was using them this weekend on my loaded tourer which has 10-y.o. Tiagra shifters +M triple, so not quite as slick as Di2. And my foot slipped a bit when I shifted heavily a few times. It never slipped off the pedal but a little bit forward, out of position. It might be that it is Di2 that makes these a feasible alternative to being clipped.

solutions to shermers neck issues

Peter, sorry to hear that you had it again - I was wondering how you had got on.
I don't know if you saw but I packed in in Austria as my neck was starting to go.
Let me know if you find the answer!

They are actually a thing, made for snooker players. I seriously considered buying a pair before TCR when I was researching the best glasses. I would have done if I had found any with photochromic lenses. But I couldn't, because snooker players don't go outside.

Likely to start in Bulgaria again

Yes, Burgas again next year.

So would I, but they won't!