It has always been difficult to introduce genuinley new products or lines of thought into bike racing. Prior to Q rings the last true innovation into racing was Greg Lemonds introduction of Aero bars over 20yrs ago. Rotor's Q rings are have evoked a large degree of disdain from  riders unwilling to consider any possibility    their validity. As always there are also open minded coachs and athletes willing to do the testing in the search for increased performance. A very common response to the idea of ellipitcal rings has been "If they are any good why dont the pro's ride them. Well now they do. Carlos Sastre won the Tour de France using Q rings, the current MTB world Champ Cristoph Sauser now uses them, Marianne Vos has been riding them for years and has won world road,track and Cyclocross championships,There have also been world championships or world cups won in Triathlon, Biathlon and BMX. The 2009 season will see the new technically innovative Cervelo test team competing on the protour circuit with rotor components including Q rings

The road rings are by far the the best bang for you performance buck. We have been using them for two years and reccomend them unreservedly but encourage you to ask someone using them what they think. We have also helped many riders overcome knee pain with Q's.

For power or lactate data go to www.rotorbike.com

We hold stock of all formats and all sizes for the  Aust market all the time.

2X9 Chainwheelsets Why ?

Rotor are introducing Agilis 2x9 MTB chainwheel sets and we are excited! Why?.

• Chainline  When Shimano decided to go to external bottom brackets they also adopted a 50mm chainline which discouraged riders from using the full range of gears in the big ring.as the chain needs  to run at such a sharp angle it feels very ordinary in the 44/32,34.. MTB 2X9 chainwheel sets fix the chainline, making both the inner and outer rings usable across the whole cassette,

• Range . When specifying the standard  range of gears component manufacturers have to cover all bases . They need to make allowances for recreational,    unfit and newer riders and give them a small enough gear to climb with and at the other end for big stompers that want to use their MTB bike on the road as well. As you would expect a fit and strong rider using the bike exclusively for MTB racing can narrow down that range.By using a more refined range you can have smaller steps between the gears, increasing the chance of having the exact gear your after, rather than something thereabouts. I originally thought like many others that 42/29 would be the ideal range for a 2x9 but after analyising the available ratios 40/27 actually works better, you can team it with a 12/27 cassette, and almost halve the jump in ratios while staying with a 1:1 low range. See Table below which covers cassette options 11or12/27, 11/32,11/34

The table below is a way of comparing available gear ratios.The largest gear on a standard MTB is 44 front to 11 represented on the table as 4.0, which means one turn of the pedals turns the rear wheel 4 times, the smallest standard ratio is 22/34 with a ratio of 0.65 which means near enough to 1 and a half revolutions of the pedals to 1 rotation of the wheel.

• Shift quality Having only 2 chainrings makes the shift easier to set up. The smaller total difference in chainwheel sizes allows you to run a short cage rear derailler which gives the derailler cage more ground clearance and therefore less chance of picking up sticks and smacking the mech on rocks.

• Weight  The weight savings come about from the total package. You have less chain , a smaller rear derailler one less chainring and bolts.Some riders go for road  front deraillers which all adds up to some meaningfull savings whilst adding to the function of the drivetrain.

• Why Not ?  If you feel you need  your 22/32 and your 44/11.

• Dont Think just removing the granny ring achieves any of the above.There are a few rough ways of improving  an existing setup, but the difficulty is in getting the good chainline with the better range, and the better Q factor, whilst keeping the CWS in centre, the only way to achieve the lot is go with the unit speifically designed to do the job.

Road Wheels Tested

http://www.rouesartisanales.com/article-15505311.html

Track Wheels

Track wheels are easier, weight becomes far less significant , the major considerations are, wind resistance and  stiffness. The conditions will also play a role, in an indoor track disc wheels can be used more readily without the handling concerns of cross winds which can occur outdoors. The current trend has been more towards 4spoke front wheels or very deep (100mm carbons) or disc rears. Junior U/17 riders are prohibited from using carbon wheels. The best rim available is the Gipiemme 716 ,at 40.5mm deep and a lenticular profile, they share the same dimensions and shape as the highly sought after Campagnolo Shamals of 1999/2000 vintage which are still popular amongst elite seniors and perform as well as all but the very best carbon low spoke count wheels at a fraction of the cost. We now have  these wheels starting at less than $700 with the option Sapim 2mm or CX ray spokes. Adult riders only need to consider the conditons and the race at hand. For Indoor tracks 60 or 85mm deep carbons with a disc rear will suit most races from a technical perspective but there is still a place for the 716's clincher or tubulars as a fast wheelset for club races when you dont want to risk your best and most expensive race gear.

Road Wheels

We have some great wheels hitting the deck for those looking for light clinchers wheels. Instead of getting another generic Asian wheel, the Gipiemme 1.55 light come in at 1460 grams with a 30mm deep rim and 20 CX ray spokes front and rear at incredibly competitive pricing (see online store). The first carbon Gipiemmes arriving in November are the H4/6s with a 40 mm deep front rim and 60mm rear which will be ideal all rounders for racing in all wind conditions and will come in under 1300 grams, in tubular only. The Gipiemme range offers great bang for your buck. Italian made wheelsets handbuilt very light and aero with 50 years of heritage. In Australia they are exeptional value with the 1290 gram H.40's carrying an RRP around $2499 they provide top end Euro performance at close to generic Asian wheelset prices.

MTB Wheels

The major issues for XC race  MTB wheels are rotational mass due to continuous acceleration and deceleration in an MTB event The appropriate strength for the rider at hand is dependant not only on the riders stature but also their style, some riders ride lite and smooth,some don't..Aerodynamics are irrelevant for most races as even world championships will be run at average speeds of 20-25 klm/ph Our latest Gipiemme's come in three formats standard , tubeless and tubular. The tubless version comes in at 1392 grams  even with a solid 4 bearing 6 pawl hub rear. They use the Sapim CX-Ray spokes which cost a bomb but have great fatigue resistance.

Understanding Crank Length

Cranks from all Major Manufacturers come in 2.5mm increments,with the majority offering a range of 165-180mm, so why is a four percent variation so important? The links go to typical tests and recommended lengths, the variations in riders and events makes most of the available data very confined in it's application.

• Three main factors

• Riders Proportions

 Riders proportion relate more to leg length than overall size, cranks are effectively  levers operating with another pair of levers called legs. A rider 2 metres in height will require longer cranks than a rider of 1.5 metres under nearly all circumstances.

http://www.myra-simon.com/bike/cranks.html    http://www.velonews.com/tech/rev/crank.html

• Riders capacities

One of the best examples is that of Ulrich and Armstrong, riders of similar capacities producing power in different ways. One with a capacity to spin at high revs for sustained periods, while Ulrich's lower cadence approach would lead to running longer cranks to match the higher torque, lower rev profile particularly on hills and TT's.

• Required Performance

After biometric considerations, the aim of tuning crank length is to match the desired  power production profile. Power is produced combining torque and revs,  cyclists that produce the greatest peak power are track sprinters. They have a genetic disposition to fast twitch and can apply force at high rev rates as high as 180RPM (on the track, higher on rollers), to enable maximum revs they have historically run shorter cranks and smaller gears than their road sprinting colleagues who sprint at 120-140 rpm. In time trials longer cranks can be used to stay on top of bigger gears at lower revs. MTB riders run lower cadences(RPM) and encounter constant high torque loads from needing to spend a greater proportion of their event accelerating from corners and the highrolling resistance of dirt and mud. The standard in length in MTB is 175mm with vertically challenged riders opting for 170mm. The advent of the 29" format may allow taller riders an advantage in going longer without suffering from ground clearance issues. 

• An common example of crank length tuning would be at any given track race. A 178cm rider would take off his or her +/- 170mm cranks they have used in the sprint event, up the gearing and go to 175 or even 177.5 for the pursuit. 

Juniors

Younger riders  have been a user group that have struggled to get appropriate cranks with the most common step being from 152mm to 165mm which leaves a huge hole in the equipment arsenal,(which we can now address) the additional issue for younger riders are restricted gear ratios, the restrictions are designed to ensure riders health and adoption of sound technique, these restrictions mean crank length can effectively be used to fine tune gearing i.e.: a shorter crank means that in one revolution the pedals travel less hence bringing an effectively larger gear.This needs to be treated with caution as the rider needs to possess the strength to benefit. Experimentation and a skilled coach are required to ensure such a move is beneficial.

*All comments provided are general in nature, and based upon my opinion and observations which are acutely fallible but hopefully reasonable

Correct Bolt Circle diameter

This one is simple. For track, run the biggest you can to get the range of gears you are after. Juniors working with restricted gears will often run 130BCD which lets you use as low as a 38 tooth chainwheel. Once you start using bigger chainrings, 46tooth and up, the track standard of 144 BCD will be stiffer which is better. On the road it is just a matter of choosing horses, Shimano at 130BCD and Campag at 135mm. I prefer Shimano for juniors as it provides a wider range of options in cost and tooth sizes.

Tyres

• What makes a fast road/track tyre?

• Why are tubeless (or tubular) MTB tyres faster than running tubes?

These two questions have  the same answer , however as is often the case the answer is not that simple. Rolling resistance is the most measurable data available and can be found for a variety of tyres, but is difficult to find tests at a variety of pressures. To understand the way tyres achieve low rolling resistance it is best to consider MTB tyres. It takes energy to make mass change direction, in this case moving the rider up and down to conform to irregularities in the track surface. The more flexible the tyre, the more irregularities it will conform to without affecting the bike and rider. Very light tyres will by nature need to have thinner strips and side walls, and will in most cases be a reasonable indicator of speed but it does not always decisive. In  cases such as the Michelin service de course prorace tyres the weight is not impressive but the high thread count and advanced silica tread perform amongst the very best clinchers available for road use. Valuable wattage gains can also be made by using latex tubes which enhance the flexibility of the tyre.  

Surface Conditions

It is a common misconception to assume that more pressure is always faster. In a road race in country NSW on rough roads, running your tyres at 150psi will inhibit flexibility and the rough ride experienced by the rider is simply indicating too much energy is redirected up. Losses from running to low a pressure come from increased contact surface area and power being lost in transmission through the bag. The sweet spot for me on average road surface with a 23mm tyre is 120psi , on really bad roads around 100psi. When riding on an indoor board velodrome, surface irregularities get taken out of play so high pressures are the name of the game, with top end tyres running over 200psi. At the other end of the spectrum MTB riders face comparatively extreme surface irregularity. Tubeless tyres enable the tyre to be more compliant and eliminate pinch flats. This allows pressure as low as 28psi, which from a track riders perspective is hard to get their head around, but it is actually faster, with added benefit of being both more comfortable and reliable it also hooks up better improving handling.

How do I get faster ?

Newbies

One of the most common mistakes made by new riders is to think that pushing a bigger gear will make you faster. The best way to view your gearing selection is as if you were looking at a high performance car engine. To produce power you need RPM, new riders need to spend time working on their ability to spin, trying to go faster by continually using larger gears will never produce the best possible results. A context that may help is to think of the rider as a motor, in cars fitted with 5 speed gearbox with fifth as an overdrive. Fifth gear will not lead to the cars top speed, the cars gearing will be set to make the car just able to redline in 4th with the overdrive designed to allow more relaxed cruising speeds. A riders engine is the same, you need to choose a gear at which you can hit your redline. To raise your redline you need to work on it, do a benchmark  loop and time it,  then try working at 90-110 rpm in training, try it for a month then use any gear you like over the benchmark loop.   

Part 1.  MTB cross country

I will keep this brief , every rider will have particular strengths and weaknesses and many of the issues have a bearing across all disciplines.

There are a few areas to consider are

1) Your capacity for work.

This just means how much energy you can put through pedals for how long, or, how fit you are!

The key for beginners trying to get a bigger fuel tank to hold more energy, to do this, the most important thing is consistency. It is far better to do 5 x 1 hour rides a week than 2 x  3 hour rides. As a rule, excluding health issues, don’t go more than 3 days without a ride; as the decline in your condition accelerates dramatically after three days.

The way you go about your riding is equally important, you don't have to treat every ride like a championship event, but in a race, you don't get to sit back, wait at the corner, and have a chat, soyou should try to aim for a reasonably consistent pace, going hard enough that you can notice your breathing and it becomes a little difficult to have a conversation. Again that doesn’t mean that you can’t go and do a bunch ride just for fun, but the more riding you do in "the zone",  the bigger your energy tank will get and the better you will go.

Keeping a training diary will give you a picture of what you have done. Without a diary, most riders over estimate their workload.  The way you get faster is to gradually increase the work you are doing in training; keeping an accurate diary allows you to make small incremental increases in work in a methodical manner.


2) Using your energy efficiently.

In a word....  Momentum! , (commonly called Flow).  

The single biggest call to new riders coming out in a bunch is ‘get off the brakes’! Don’t worry as much about your entry speed for corners, worry about your exit speed. Riding the same trails and even laps of the same corners can help, Just try braking a little less each time, make sure you're balanced on the bike, and try standing on the outside pedal through the corner. Once you have one corner nailed, you will start to use the better technique on all of them. Every bit of momentum you can maintain is a bit of energy saved trying the get back up to speed, saving it for other challenges like hills.......

3) The Internet

The most important thing to remember about going to the net for training advice is to have caution. Forums are notorious for having the blind leading the blind. There will be pearls of wisdom occuring but they will be swamped in dross. The single most important thing to remember is that there is no magic interval session that will suddenly turn a chump into a champ. More time on the bike will usually trump more time on the mouse. A big part of improving is accepting that there will be a fair amount of grind involved over a time, the motivation to go out and get your scheduled training session in when you dont feel like it or it's cold and wet will get you to the line before the guy that go's in search of the magic bullet on the web.

4) Recovery

The most difficult balancing act of all is the work to recovery rate. If you were to take up carpentry you would undergo some physical adaptations , on you first day at work you would most likely get blisters on our hands, over time your body reacts by hardening the skin on your hands which enables you to do more and more work without problems, If on that first day you keep working until the blistering becomes so severe that you cant work the following, day it will take longer to get to the same point of adaptation. Training is no different -  you need to do the work but just as importantly you need to allow your body to recover sufficently to adapt before pushing on to  increasing the demands you place upon it. The ongoing  tightrope to walk is maximising the work whilst getting   adequate rest.