I saw a couple weeks ago that USAC ruled that we, as in all Cat. 1/2’s can use radios again in all races.  I hate that.  I don’t like much anything about radios in bike races.  The idea that radios make a race safer is total BS.  It is a way for team directors making their riders robots.  Or plain dumb riders viable.

I’ve written posts about radios before, so I don’t need to dwell on it.  Here is probably the one that explains it the best.  At least from my perspective.  I have a whole box for of radios in a closet.  I’m really not sure where they are.  By whole box full I’m lots.  I guess I’m going to have to pull them out and see if any of them work.  Stupid.

Somewhere else said that the Professional Riders Union was protesting the use of disc brakes in road events.  I don’t know about this.  I don’t much like the idea of mixing disc and rim brakes in races, but that is how it is going to have to be.  My problem with disc brakes in road races is the same as it is in cross.

Actually, worse than cross.  We all have to get a whole garage full of equipment. Bikes and  wheels that go with these bikes.  Most of us that have been in this sport for a while have collected enough equipment that is interchangeable.   Not with disc brakes though.

And the real problem is getting wheel changes in events.  Or just changing wheels between bikes.  It doesn’t seem like anyone has standardized the rear axle width and even if that number ends up being 142 or whatever, getting different discs to line up with you calipers on different wheels is tricky.  Especially on the road when time is important.  Once they get the calipers more usable for wheel changes, then I’ll reconsider my position.

And finally Lance’s deal.   The case is going to trial.  All the judgements have been done and it is happening.  The government says the total is something around $32 million damage, so with the tripling thing going on, the most he’ll owe is $96 million if he loses big time.

It kind of surprises me that he hasn’t settled this.  Maybe it is that time.  But when you read what Lance’s attorney says, maybe not.  “There is no actual evidence of any quantifiable financial harm,” to the Postal Service,  so the government may now proceed to a trial that, as a practical matter, it cannot win.”  Elliot Peters.

I forgot what Floyd gets out of the whole take, but it isn’t the same as before the government took over the case.  For some reason 1/4 the total comes to mind, but don’t quote me on that. But 1/4 of 0 is still zero, so he should probably proceed with his new enterprise in Leadville.

My doctor’s visit went alright on Tuesday.  Yesterday was exactly 4 months since I fractured my skull.  Seems like a really long time to me, but when she asked me how long and I said 4 months, she said it is still super early.  I guess that is a good thing.  Better early than this is the final outcome.

Not that I’m complaining.  It could have been a ton worse.  Like I’m not on the planet Earth anymore worse.

Vincent is down in Arizona doing the 24 Hours of Pueblo with Lance and his old Postal Service gang this weekend.  Vincent isn’t riding on their team or anything, but he’ll be riding around with them in circles for a day.  I make a bet that they aren’t just there to “have fun”, like George said when asked.  I bet they ride pretty fast.  They probably win the 4 person team event would be my guess.  Maybe 2nd, but probably win.

Okay, I didn’t ride for two days, thinking that maybe I would feel better if I didn’t.  That didn’t work, so I am planning on going out today.  It is “only” gonna be 50 degrees today.  I say only because it is going to be in the 70’s the whole next week.  Probably mild for February in Kansas.

Weather the next week.

I worked on my van yesterday. Somehow this got bent. Not exactly sure when or how.

I had to pull the fender off, which involved taking off the front clip with the headlights. I got it pretty straight. Just need some paint now. The whole process got me a little dizzy, but not horribly.

I did a post a while a go about “the new” way Sagan was descending.  And it might not have been so new, but for sure, Peter Sagan made it possible for this style to become way more common.   Funny how that works.

Descending on your top tube isn’t for the faint of heart.  It really isn’t that stable of a position on a bicycle when you are going 90 kph +.  The reason is that you’ve taken all you shock absorbing abilities out of the mix.  By that I meant that when you are sitting on your top tube, your knees and elbows are available to be used for bumps.

I thought of this while watching the finish of the Ruta del Sol yesterday.  Valverde had dropped Contador on the final climb and they were both descending pretty aero.  Then Contador starts to pedal while tucked, like Sagan started, then Froome did to win a stage at the Tour last year.

I don’t get the pedaling while tucked.  For one, I can’t really do it.  It is hard enough getting in the position.  I think I read Sagan say he could produce something over 200 watts for doing it.  I guess that is enough to add speed, but to me, it seems a little over the top.

Contador is so small, he looks silly pedalling.  The video of the finish is below.  Go to around 1:40 into it and you’ll see him start pedalling tucked.

Then there is a shot of Valverde and he is way over his front end while in the top tube, tucked position.  Talk about being unstable.  The road is pretty good, but this seemed ridiculous, since it really all got back together again anyway.

I tuck like this, at last practice tucking like this now.  I can’t see doing it in a race unless I was off the front trying to win descending, or off the back, trying to catch back on.  It seems valueless if you do this in a field.  You might as well be just in a normal tuck, and drafting.

Anyway, look at the photos and video.  If you decide it is for you, make sure you watch out from your front tire.  Seems like nearly everyone I know had an issue with burning the inside of their knees with their front tire initially.  These guys are so far forward, that they could burn their upper thighs.  Like I said above, seems like it wouldn’t be that stable, but it seems to have worked for him.

Contador catching Valverde.

Valverde scoots up on his top tube and get more forward.

Then there is Froome position, which is even more forward.