Marginal Gains, the next?

Now we have something / quite-a-lot to discuss and celebrate.
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

These have been mentioned here recently, an old saying: 'nothing is so good that it can not be bettered'*

One has read about exact diet plans, exact amounts of food and drink, special trousers to stop muscles cooling by half a degree, mysterious jiffy bags
Bet there are plenty we do not know about, or that have not been dreamed up yet

Any suggestions for new ones?

* "nothing is so bad that it cannae be worsed" :?
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
Marcus Aurelius
Posts: 1903
Joined: 1 Feb 2018, 10:20am

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by Marcus Aurelius »

Adding Drillium to bikes.
User avatar
RickH
Posts: 5832
Joined: 5 Mar 2012, 6:39pm
Location: Horwich, Lancs.

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by RickH »

One thing I heard that Team Sky (at they were at the time) introduced was very strict handwashing /sanitising.

Not so much a marginal gain per se, but a prevention of marginal (& even serious) losses due to picking up illnesses from bacteria & viruses off things they touched in hotels, etc.

Apparently it was effective at cutting incidents of illness, & therefore resulting underperformance, in the team.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
Postboxer
Posts: 1929
Joined: 24 Jul 2013, 5:19pm

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by Postboxer »

I've pondered having really large diameter hubs, as close to the diameter of the wheel as possible, the non rotating central part would then be like a wheel disc, but wouldn't rotate, would a non-rotating wheel disc be more efficient than a rotating one, as it would all be travelling at the speed of the bike rather than the bottom essentially going nowhere and the top going twice as fast as the bike, would the airflow be smoother? Probably wouldn't be allowed though, there might not be much to play with on the bike as it would have to be within the rules. Maybe someone has worked out the optimum leg hair length and density?
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

One wonders what team sly is up to now, may the riders take a break to save energy? Or are they doing special training? One option might be to upgrade to cyclo-cross to save a bit of the season
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
thatsnotmyname
Posts: 595
Joined: 23 Jan 2020, 10:23am

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by thatsnotmyname »

Cyril Haearn wrote:One wonders what team sly is up to now, may the riders take a break to save energy? Or are they doing special training? One option might be to upgrade to cyclo-cross to save a bit of the season


They are just riding their bikes - indoors and out - like all the other teams at the moment. HTH.
Brucey
Posts: 44454
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by Brucey »

RickH wrote:One thing I heard that Team Sky (at they were at the time) introduced was very strict handwashing /sanitising.

Not so much a marginal gain per se, but a prevention of marginal (& even serious) losses due to picking up illnesses from bacteria & viruses off things they touched in hotels, etc.

Apparently it was effective at cutting incidents of illness, & therefore resulting underperformance, in the team.


Another thing which I am told they were early to do was to ensure that they had full control of the food that their riders ate. I am given to understand that if that team stays in any given hotel, they eat meals that may be prepared in the hotel kitchen, but it is by team staff, using their ingredients. This allows the riders nutrition to be as perfect as it can be, keeps the riders happy, and very greatly reduces the chances of not only accidental food poisoning, but also potential sabotage; more than one grand tour has been decided by a mysterious attack of collywobbles in a team hotel.

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
thatsnotmyname
Posts: 595
Joined: 23 Jan 2020, 10:23am

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by thatsnotmyname »

Pretty much all of the major pro teams have a team chef - it's been the case for decades, many years before Sky got started. So if the suggestion is that this is somehow unusual - well, it isn't..
Cyril Haearn
Posts: 15215
Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by Cyril Haearn »

That must be a lot of work and organisation
I understand the quantities one may/must eat are set so one might have to eat more or less than one wants
Might explain why some TdF riders are very thin

Just shows again what a queer strange thing commercial $port is
Entertainer, juvenile, curmudgeon, PoB, 30120
Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott
We love safety cameras, we hate bullies
reohn2
Posts: 45143
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by reohn2 »

Cyril Haearn wrote: .........Just shows again what a queer strange thing commercial $port is


It couldn't be more abonormal,you're 'owned' by the sponsor for the duration of your contract and if you don't perform,at contracts end you're out and there's always more riders than contracts.
I can't think of anything worse than living out of a suitcase for most of the year whilst living a totally controlled and pressured to perform lifestyle of an endurance athlete.

Then there's the drugs issues,and please don't anyone try telling me pro sport is anywhere near clean,it most definitely isn't.
Pro sport or the drive to reach that level has ruined many a young person's life such is the money invloved in it today.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
Brucey
Posts: 44454
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by Brucey »

reohn2 wrote:... has ruined many a young person's life such is the money invloved in it today.


I think you have just invented a word there, it might just catch on. 'Invloved'; proposed definition; you start by loving something but being involved in it is complicated.

cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
reohn2
Posts: 45143
Joined: 26 Jun 2009, 8:21pm

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by reohn2 »

Brucey wrote:
reohn2 wrote:... has ruined many a young person's life such is the money invloved in it today.


I think you have just invented a word there, it might just catch on. 'Invloved'; proposed definition; you start by loving something but being involved in it is complicated.

cheers

The loving,becomes sullied and debased when the winning is the only goal,so much so the person will do anything to achieve that end because of the adoration,fame and not least the wealth it attracts,and the greater the potential wealth the more extreme the means can be.
The trail of destruction left in it's wake can be devastating to the mind,body and spirit of self and all around them.
-----------------------------------------------------------
"All we are not stares back at what we are"
W H Auden
thatsnotmyname
Posts: 595
Joined: 23 Jan 2020, 10:23am

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by thatsnotmyname »

Cyril Haearn wrote:Might explain why some TdF riders are very thin


If the suggestion is that they are thin because they are 'under-nourished' then that is absolutely not the case - not to mention being completely counter-productive, given that their ability to perform relies largely on their physiological capabilities..
User avatar
mjr
Posts: 20297
Joined: 20 Jun 2011, 7:06pm
Location: Norfolk or Somerset, mostly
Contact:

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by mjr »

thatsnotmyname wrote:
Cyril Haearn wrote:One wonders what team sly is up to now, may the riders take a break to save energy? Or are they doing special training? One option might be to upgrade to cyclo-cross to save a bit of the season


They are just riding their bikes - indoors and out - like all the other teams at the moment. HTH.

Team sly are holding their-team-only e-races too. I think there have been two so far. The first was unsurprisingly won by time-trial world champion Rohan Dennis.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
User avatar
[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Marginal Gains, the next?

Post by [XAP]Bob »

thatsnotmyname wrote:
Cyril Haearn wrote:Might explain why some TdF riders are very thin


If the suggestion is that they are thin because they are 'under-nourished' then that is absolutely not the case - not to mention being completely counter-productive, given that their ability to perform relies largely on their physiological capabilities..


Their 'on tour' daily calorie intake is, in fact, rather large!
It's just that their calorie output is equally large.

I wonder if they adjust dinner according to that day's power meter readings?
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Post Reply