The term 'marginal gains' was made famous by Team Sky and their philosophy of leaving no stone unturned in their quest to go ever faster. From providing handlebar stems in milimeter increments to their riders so as to optimize comfort to the way they cut the bike numbers that are placed behind the seat tubes so as to make them just that much more aero, from sticking stand paper on pedals to increase the friction between the cleats and pedal surface to bringing it's own mattresses and pillows to major races so as to guarantee their riders get a good night's sleep, hardly anything is left to chance.
Regardless of what some have commented about their methods be very calculative and cold and the team being very bland in general, it's hard to deny their results. Despite having only been around for 7 or so odd years, the team have already, among other successes, amassed 4 Tour de France victories, 1 at the hands of Sir Bradley Wiggins and the other 3 by arguably the most famous Sky rider of late, Chris Froome. They were also the pioneers of certain practices that were deemed unnecessary at one point of time but have become common place among most if not all professional teams. Warming up with turbo trainers before a race and then warming down with them after and off-season training camps have now become the norm with most pro teams.
All this got me thinking, what are the various kinds of marginal gains some of us could make on our bikes? Theoretically speaking, if what separates a win from second place can often come down to fractions of a second, then wouldn't being just 1% faster be enough to grasp victory? So, here's my list of 'strategies' that will each grant you a fraction of 1%, culminating in the full 1% you'll need for victory! (Assuming you're already fractions of a second slower in second)
Cleaning your bike
One of the most invaluable things you can do to go faster. A dirty, rusty, squeaking drive train is going to eat up your precious watts as you pedal against all that extra friction which could be going to your rear wheel, not to mention the added weight of all that dirt (since we're talking about MARGINAL gains). Give your bike a good clean, degrease your drive train then put a fresh coat of lubricant on it. In fact, Team Sky have worked with MucOff in the past to create a special friction reducing chain lubricant for those extra bits of gains. Not only will all of this make the squeaking disappear and the drive train smoother, riding a clean bike will boost morale which, I'm sure, adds a couple more watts of power (MARGINAL!)
One of the most invaluable things you can do to go faster. A dirty, rusty, squeaking drive train is going to eat up your precious watts as you pedal against all that extra friction which could be going to your rear wheel, not to mention the added weight of all that dirt (since we're talking about MARGINAL gains). Give your bike a good clean, degrease your drive train then put a fresh coat of lubricant on it. In fact, Team Sky have worked with MucOff in the past to create a special friction reducing chain lubricant for those extra bits of gains. Not only will all of this make the squeaking disappear and the drive train smoother, riding a clean bike will boost morale which, I'm sure, adds a couple more watts of power (MARGINAL!)
Slamming your stem
All the pros do it. The science behind it is simple, lowering your average riding posture improves your aerodynamics which in turn reduces the number of watts your have to put out to fight against all that air resistance. Not only that, if you can truly commit to the lower stem height, then cut off the excess length of fork that's left to reduce weight! These adjustments will allow you to go faster for the same amount of power. Plus, it makes your bike look pro, which again, boosts morale (so marginal!).
All the pros do it. The science behind it is simple, lowering your average riding posture improves your aerodynamics which in turn reduces the number of watts your have to put out to fight against all that air resistance. Not only that, if you can truly commit to the lower stem height, then cut off the excess length of fork that's left to reduce weight! These adjustments will allow you to go faster for the same amount of power. Plus, it makes your bike look pro, which again, boosts morale (so marginal!).
Removing excess cable length
As with slamming your stem, removing excess cable length on your bike will mean there's less air resistance to deal with.
As with slamming your stem, removing excess cable length on your bike will mean there's less air resistance to deal with.
Do your brake cables really need to be that long? No? Then trim em'.
That cable sticking out the back of your rear derailleur, can it be shorter? Yes? It's trimming time!
Regreasing your bottom bracket and wheel hubs
Over time, the grease coating the bearings in your bottom bracket and wheel hubs will need to be cleaned out and replaced as even grease 'wears out'. A fresh new application of grease is sure to make your drive train a little more friction-free and your wheels buttery smooth.
Over time, the grease coating the bearings in your bottom bracket and wheel hubs will need to be cleaned out and replaced as even grease 'wears out'. A fresh new application of grease is sure to make your drive train a little more friction-free and your wheels buttery smooth.
If money is on your side, perhaps you can consider swapping out your standard bearings for ceramic ones, they last significantly longer than steel ones and are known to be smoother. (Almost a full 1% now)
Removing excess seat post length
Assuming you're never going to sell your bike or know how to get a replacement seat post in the event you do, trimming that excess amount of seat post that's just sitting in your frame and weighing you down will make you a tad bit lighter, there by improving your power to weight ratio and bringing you one step closer to a full 1%!
Assuming you're never going to sell your bike or know how to get a replacement seat post in the event you do, trimming that excess amount of seat post that's just sitting in your frame and weighing you down will make you a tad bit lighter, there by improving your power to weight ratio and bringing you one step closer to a full 1%!
Inflate your tyres to the right pressures
When was the last time you checked your tyre pressures? Are they always at their ideal pressures? If not then you're wasting precious watts when you stomp on your pedal in a sprint only to have all that energy go into turning your underinflated sluggish wheels.
When was the last time you checked your tyre pressures? Are they always at their ideal pressures? If not then you're wasting precious watts when you stomp on your pedal in a sprint only to have all that energy go into turning your underinflated sluggish wheels.
Having your pressures dialed in right will reduce your tyres rolling resistance against the road, thereby saving you precious watts. So plug in that track pump and check the pressure gauge, add a pump or 2 extra to make sure the pressures are just right, then reap the benefits of those saved watts!
Shave
That beard and leg hair are costing you precious seconds. Shaving it all off to expose that silky smooth skin underneath will reduce the turbulence around you as you cut through the air, effectively saving you some watts. No only that, it will make massages easier and all the pros do it, so you'll end up looking pro too which itself is certain (probably) to make you faster.
Plus, if you don't mind going a for radical change to your hair game, consider chopping off that man bun/afro/bush too, it only adds weight. Heck, going bald will save you cash on hairprodcuts, allowing you spend all that hard earned money on further upgrading yourself and your bike.
Polish your bike
In Formula 1, the cars are all polished to a mirror finish so as the allow the shell of the car to be as slippery as possible as it speeds down the track. So why can't that apply to cycling too? When every last bit counts and you just need that fraction of a second to win, a smoother frame over a 100km stage will leave you a slight bit fresher as you approach the finish line over your opponent, allowing you to go on the attack a little longer or harder to claim that victory!
In Formula 1, the cars are all polished to a mirror finish so as the allow the shell of the car to be as slippery as possible as it speeds down the track. So why can't that apply to cycling too? When every last bit counts and you just need that fraction of a second to win, a smoother frame over a 100km stage will leave you a slight bit fresher as you approach the finish line over your opponent, allowing you to go on the attack a little longer or harder to claim that victory!
Do yoga
When we suffer on our saddles, we tend to do so in a relatively extreme position that's held for a prolonged amount of time. Even riding on the tops all day will get your back aching and shoulders weak eventually. As a result, our power output may diminish as time goes by due to the physical discomfort were experiencing or at the very least, hamper optimal pedaling and power output.
When we suffer on our saddles, we tend to do so in a relatively extreme position that's held for a prolonged amount of time. Even riding on the tops all day will get your back aching and shoulders weak eventually. As a result, our power output may diminish as time goes by due to the physical discomfort were experiencing or at the very least, hamper optimal pedaling and power output.
This is where yoga comes in. Increasing our body's level of flexibility gives rise to hamstrings that are a little more compliant when on the bike, even if we're riding on the drops. Professional time trial riders spend hours doing yoga to further hone their bodies into aero weapons. This results in a higher threshold for discomfort and an overall increase in power output, resulting in those extra gains
.
Cash!
Like Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark, if you've got a shit-ton of cash to blow, then money is your super power! Splurge on all the aero and carbon goodness the bike industry just wants to jam down our throats until the next big trend/gimmick comes. A full-on carbon aero monster coupled with a pair of deep dish aero wheels with an aero helmet and a skin suit are all sure to add multiple percents to your gains. A devastating combination that's sure to clinch that race winning sprint.
And that's about it! I had a fun time writing this, smirking away as I came up with the ideas and points. Professional riders must have it tougher than we think if they have to do even half the things on this list, all for the sake of that extra second or two.
That's about it. As always, leave any and all comments or questions in the comment section down below and I'll be happy to reply you as best I can. Thank you for reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment