Riding on tube like Froome

mrcheez

How long before we see someone crashing horribly in Dublin as they try this?

I assume some sort of tube saddle would at least make this a bit more comfortable?

Boscoirl

Well, I am quite fond of my testicles, so I won't be trying it.

Mint Sauce

mrcheez wrote: »

How long before we see someone crashing horribly in Dublin as they try this?

I assume some sort of tube saddle would at least make this a bit more comfortable?

Are you referring to his desent yesterday? Plenty of hills outside of Dublin by the way.

mrcheez

I already get bike wobble coming down Howth summit at 65+ so I'll pass, but curious to know how much faster that position would get me (assuming I lived to tell the tale)

endacl

mrcheez wrote: »

I already get bike wobble coming down Howth summit at 65+ so I'll pass, but curious to know how much faster that position would get me (assuming I lived to tell the tale)

65+?

TBH, I wouldn't be doing anything risky on the bike at that age. Those old bones...

mrcheez

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Are you referring to his desent yesterday? Plenty of hills outside of Dublin by the way.

Aye but a lot more nutters in Dublin who'd try it by virtue of population density

Mint Sauce

mrcheez wrote: »

I already get bike wobble coming down Howth summit at 65+ so I'll pass, but curious to know how much faster that position would get me (assuming I lived to tell the tale)

Had a wobble before at 70 odd. Had breifly though about tucking my self infront of the saddle, but having never attempted it before, then was not the time to do it.

I'm happy enoughstaying on the saddle with knees clamped to the top tube.

Mint Sauce

mrcheez wrote: »

Aye but a lot more nutters in Dublin who'd try it by virtue of population density

Obviously never met any of cyclists in the NW then,

fat bloke

Coming to a sportive near you!

BailMeOut

Can someone explain this? What does 'riding on tube' mean as Googling and I just get surfing references!

Darkglasses

BailMeOut wrote: »

Can someone explain this? What does 'riding on tube' mean as Googling and I just get surfing references!

Minimizing your frontal area to give you a significant aerodynamic benefit, at the cost of losing a lot of comfort and control.

cython

Darkglasses wrote: »

Minimizing your frontal area to give you a significant aerodynamic benefit, at the cost of losing a lot of comfort and control.

To my mind that image actually shows that Froome is even a particularly bad example of how best to do this, discounting that it's madness in any situation, of course! The main danger with top tube descending, to my view, is the loss of stability and potentially control stemming from putting your weight so far forward, and when you compare the two above, Froome is even way more forward than he needs to be (could have his arse under the saddle nose), and that will only exacerbate the problems associated with this. And of course what would make it even worse in Ireland is the standard of road surfacing here, typically nowhere near as smooth as the roads where the pros are willing to risk this.

bazermc

I was just thinking this morning, is this not the type of thing UCI would ban or have already banned especially the level that froome took it to yesterday.

RoughSleeper

cython wrote: »

To my mind that image actually shows that Froome is even a particularly bad example of how best to do this, discounting that it's madness in any situation, of course! The main danger with top tube descending, to my view, is the loss of stability and potentially control stemming from putting your weight so far forward, and when you compare the two above, Froome is even way more forward than he needs to be (could have his arse under the saddle nose), and that will only exacerbate the problems associated with this. And of course what would make it even worse in Ireland is the standard of road surfacing here, typically nowhere near as smooth as the roads where the pros are willing to risk this.

Froome was doing a lot of pedalling in that position, which is why he's further forward.

longshanks

Boscoirl wrote: »

Well, I am quite fond of my testicles, so I won't be trying it.

Same here. I'm quite fond of your testicles too.

Unknown Soldier

I think Galibier.cc said it best on FBI Book.

Original Galibier.cc FBI Post

Jimoslimos

bazermc wrote: »

I was just thinking this morning, is this not the type of thing UCI would ban or have already banned especially the level that froome took it to yesterday.

Graeme Obree springs to mind.

RobFowl

Ballsy move by Froome and tbh first time his riding has impressed me.
That said he looked quite wobbly and not sure was worth the risk for the time gained.
Pros doing it on closed roads with decent surfaces is one thing.
Fred's like us doing it in Sportifs need a good slap .....

Luxman

I am sure froome would fall if he'd tried to slap someone while descending like that. He's better at slow speed slaps

Lusk_Doyle

RobFowl wrote: »

Ballsy move by Froome and tbh first time his riding has impressed me.
That said he looked quite wobbly and not sure was worth the risk for the time gained.
Pros doing it on closed roads with decent surfaces is one thing.
Fred's like us doing it in Sportifs need a good slap .....

Of course it was worth the risk. He didn't crash and gained some good time!

neris

Caught my 14yo trying that on a club ride last year. Wasnt amused

JBokeh

Wasn't there a thread here about people doing it on club spins? Anyone doing that who isn't at a pro level is just asking for trouble

outfox

JBokeh wrote: »

Wasn't there a thread here about people doing it on club spins? Anyone doing that who isn't at a pro level is just asking for trouble

Errrr...tried the aero-tuck-pedalling thing on the club spin today. Jaysis I dunno how he did it at that speed, and around those bends. I have a new found respect for the guy.

Borderfox

Seen a guy doing it on a club spin and told him to knock it off, people do enough stupid things without doing this too

fat bloke

Let's not do the hysteria thing either. It wasn't a Sagan no hands wheelie. I did actually try that top tube descent thing once or twice on my own for the laugh and it's certainly odd, and it puts a lot of strain on your hands and arms and feet. But it's not particularly unstable. The most unnerving thing about it is now much faster you go due to the aero tuck. And coming in and out of it is a bit scary when you try it first

Lumen

outfox wrote: »

Errrr...tried the aero-tuck-pedalling thing on the club spin today

Borderfox wrote: »

Seen a guy doing it on a club spin and told him to knock it off, people do enough stupid things without doing this too

:pac:

rizzodun

Seen a guy doing something similar on the tour of Sligo last year, to be honest though it was no match for higher gearing and a few pedal strokes, not that I was flaking it much as I went by him either... :rolleyes:

boege

fat bloke wrote: »

Let's not do the hysteria thing either. It wasn't a Sagan no hands wheelie. I did actually try that top tube descent thing once or twice on my own for the laugh and it's certainly odd, and it puts a lot of strain on your hands and arms and feet. But it's not particularly unstable. The most unnerving thing about it is now much faster you go due to the aero tuck. And coming in and out of it is a bit scary when you try it first

I used to do it a lot on descents on my old Kelly bike, including in sportives, and you could gain a lot of speed. Never felt unstable, in fact the opposite, and I got used to moving in and out of the position. I am quite small and the frame I had then was an XS. I always felt it had something to do with getting my center of gravity lower, hence actually more stable. When I changed bike to a Dolan, it never felt the same so I don't do it anymore. Dolan steering seems to be a lot twitchier.

That said I don't recollect ever pedaling in that position. My respect for Froome, I think the risks he took taking some of the corners were way higher than sitting on the bar.

funnights74

BailMeOut wrote: »

Can someone explain this? What does 'riding on tube' mean as Googling and I just get surfing references!

A friend of mine does a lot of surfing. It refers to riding inside one of those enormous waves, like your in a tube of water as they are about to break. Adrenaline junky stuff.

fat bloke

boege wrote: »

My respect for Froome, I think the risks he took taking some of the corners were way higher than sitting on the bar.

Yeah, he was right on the edge. Showed a great big pair of balls that people didn't know he had!

doozerie

fat bloke wrote: »

Yeah, he was right on the edge. Showed a great big pair of balls that people didn't know he had!

I'm glad I missed *that* particular moment in the Eurosport coverage!

JK.BMC

I think some chap from Orwell was describing how he was doing it in Corkagh Park at a race lately; not exactly sure how much aero advantage gained there given the circuit is 1.2km long with something like 6m of 'elevation' in total. 'Marginal Gains' and all that. ....
Don't think it will catch on myself.

barney shamrock

Pantani did it so much better, "rear tyre between the cheeks" style!

Wishbone Ash

Every time I see the title of this thread I have an image of Froome on the London underground.

mrcheez

fat bloke wrote: »

Yeah, he was right on the edge. Showed a great big pair of balls that people didn't know he had!

Skin tight shorts will do that alright.

Anyway glad he decided to risk his life like that as it resulted in a tidy return on my 7.5/1 bet. (Albeit all winnings were lost on the footy after)

Thud

Six-year-old rider descends like Chris Froome after watching his Tour de France hero

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxMof6yego0

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/six-year-old-rider-chris-froome-watching-hero-tour-de-france-257619

Brian?

Thud wrote: »

Six-year-old rider descends like Chris Froome after watching his Tour de France hero

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxMof6yego0

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/six-year-old-rider-chris-froome-watching-hero-tour-de-france-257619

Anyone know what that bike it? I have seen a racing bike that small before. I want one for my son.

Thud

Brian? wrote: »

Anyone know what that bike it? I have seen a racing bike that small before. I want one for my son.

Article refers to the retailer "Kids Racing of Olney":
http://kidsracing.co.uk/kids-bikes/type/road-bikes/

edit
actually:
"Specialist retailer Kids Racing of Olney, UK, posted the video on Twitter of young Fraser getting himself into an aero tuck position on his mini Planet X road bike reportedly just one hour after watching Froome"

C3PO

I'm probably best starting to use the drops rather than the hoods and progress slowly from there ....

Lumen

Brian? wrote: »

I have [never?] seen a racing bike that small before. I want one for my son.

I have one of these:

http://www.cyclesense.co.uk/m22b0s624p13139/VICINI-Katana-500-Kids-Road-Bike-(20-inch-Wheel)

(PM sent also in case you want to buy it)

smacl

Passed by a bloke descending along the featherbeds on the tube last year. All fine until he tried getting back up and snagged his shorts in the saddle, with some rather undignified panic and rear exposure by the ice cream van at the viewing point. Probably a manoeuvre best avoided if you're not wearing bibs :pac:

Alf Veedersane

Almost nailed on to see some gimp with an aero helmet doing this on the way to work with two big pannier bags bursting at the seams hanging off the bike...

martyc5674

That tuck isn't so aero as they make out.
I'm currently honing the superman.. Now that's aero.

Hunterbiker

smacl wrote: »

.... by the ice cream van at the viewing point...

They couldn't have timed that better.

daragh_

Brian? wrote: »

Anyone know what that bike it? I have seen a racing bike that small before. I want one for my son.

It's a Planet X Giovanissimi

http://www.planetx.co.uk/news/planet-x-news/q/date/2016/07/11/mini-froome-fraser-stars-on-his-planet-x-giovanissimi

harringtonp

fat bloke wrote: »

Let's not do the hysteria thing either. It wasn't a Sagan no hands wheelie. I did actually try that top tube descent thing once or twice on my own for the laugh and it's certainly odd, and it puts a lot of strain on your hands and arms and feet. But it's not particularly unstable. The most unnerving thing about it is now much faster you go due to the aero tuck. And coming in and out of it is a bit scary when you try it first

Presume you mean while pedalling ? The low tuck position while descending without pedalling is common place.

Bloggsie

longshanks wrote: »

Same here. I'm quite fond of your testicles too.

ohh yes a wonderful pair!

Mercian Pro

Just waiting to see a frame advertised with a pressure relief channel in the top tube.

Greg LeMond's take on it on Eurosport was that Froome is lacking in confidence about his ability to win if he is taking risks like that to gain a small advantage!

Lusk_Doyle

Everytime that I've done the same thing I have won races. I don't see the issue here.

Boscoirl

Bloggsie wrote: »

ohh yes a wonderful pair!

I think I better check my bibs for holes

CramCycle

I for one cannot wait to see this in the middle of the A4 bunch.