Categories: Belgian Affirmations

Belgian Affirmations: Kapelmuur

There isn’t a lot about a climb several kilometers long ending in a sustained 20% cobbled gradient that communicates ‘Attack’ and/or ‘Respond’. Certainly not when it comes after 240 kilometers with only 20 left to race. Nope, I’ve double-checked the calibration and used a control-case: the only reading I’m getting on the Pain Gauge is the needle dropping all the way over to and past ‘Survival’.

Here we have Roger De Vlaeminck containing a vicious attack from Freddy Maertens on the hardest bit of the climb, giving more than a little bit of insight into why we refer to these guys as Hardmen. On an unrelated note, I find it to be a crime beyond articulation that the Kapelmuur won’t feature in this year’s Ronde van Vlaanderen; but that won’t stop us from riding it during the Keepers’ Tour; we’re all about history and tradition. I want to keep seeing this scene repeat itself over and over. After all, if a joke is funny once, it should be funny a thousand times.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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frank says:

Dec 4 2011 at 10:12 am

@Buck Rogers

Sure, I might ride a long way today b/c I have a big race/Cogal/group ride next month/year, but it is the ride today that matters most.

Oh, you know, what he said.
frank says:

Dec 4 2011 at 10:19 am

@Ron

Alright, so I was watching some videos on the 'tube and realized how incredible Boonen was in 2004-2006. Damn, winning Classics, winning TdF stages, lots and lots of wins.
Do ya'll think he's past his prime? Simply having a lull? Turning into another type of rider? He's only 31 so should have some good years left in him, but I got to wondering if we've seen his best seasons.
I do realize those seasons are very, very hard to replicate. And, I also realize how incredible all PROS are, much less the best of the best. So, calling him "off" or in decline isn't really fair. I also wonder though if he could be considered a disappointment, or, if it's just really hard to have such magical seasons more than once or twice.
I wonder if folks think he reached his potential or maybe got very good, then didn't continue to get better. (again, not so much criticizing him, since I think he's awesome, but just looking for some opinions)

He's already won three Roubaixs and two RVVs. Considering the list of riders who have equalled that record, and there only being one person in history who has won more Roubaixs than him, I'd say he's done fantastic. He's been very close other times, as well. Last year, he was on form and close (almost caught the lead group in RVV) and he had a mechanical that kept him out of Roubaix. The year prior, he was the strongest rider in both races, except for a magnificent Faboo.

As for the grand tours, everyone who was winning sprint stages in 2004-2006 has the same problem: Mark Cavendish. Plus, the normal trajectory for sprinters is to move into something a little less dangerous (like classics) as they get older and can start processing the consequences of diving through a 1 meter gap at 70 km/h.

Without being to hard on you, I'd say that your statement is reminiscent of the short memory we all have as fans. Its easy to think these guys suck, but I see very little actual evidence that he's not as good as he was a few years back. When you focus on the Spring classics, luck factors as heavily as form.
Oli says:

Dec 4 2011 at 12:23 pm

@frank
"...the results spoke for themselves..." What were the results, if you don't mind me asking?
frank says:

Dec 4 2011 at 12:31 pm

@Oli

@frank
"...the results spoke for themselves..." What were the results, if you don't mind me asking?

None of them in cycling, and none of them remarkable outside our little micro-environment. Several State, district, and regional championship titles, top 100 in the American Birkebeiner as an 18 year old (which was my proudest achievement), and an offer to join the Olympic team for the 1998 Winter games. But instead of taking that offer, I wrecked my knee, spent 12 weeks in a wheel chair and discovered music, alcohol, and girls. In that order. That was all by the time I was 18 and I never returned to serious sport.
Oli says:

Dec 4 2011 at 12:36 pm

@frank

@Oli

@frank
"...the results spoke for themselves..." What were the results, if you don't mind me asking?

Several State, district, and regional championship titles, top 100 in the American Birkebeiner as an 18 year old (which was my proudest achievement), and an offer to join the Olympic team for the 1998 Winter games.

Good stuff!
frank says:

Dec 4 2011 at 1:10 pm

@gaswepass

Just to put in 2c on the nutrition discussion- first 2 hours is a freebie- one can provide the energy without doing anything harmful to the body. Then the body goes for glucose from the quickest places it can steal it from. To be more scientifical, glycogen stores get depleted over the 2hours. So either supplement w carbohydrated "sugared" water of choice (and hydrate of course), or other supplement stuff(food!). For sure, as you go on to subsequent hours of riding you want to provide the nutrition so you don't cannibalize muscle like mcsqueak was mentioning. The body won't eat body fat for nutrition during these rides- too much work for little return.

Ok, so more wondering was done on this the way we do when we ride all day...I understand the bit about the body using energy from the most readily-available source, seems very logical. What I'm not understanding is why the body would cannibalize muscles before it would burn fat - surely its easier to get energy from fat stores (which are there for this very purpose) is easier than eating up muscles?

What am I misunderstanding here?

@Oli
Thanks Oli! It was loads and loads of fun, no denying that it was an amazing experience!
minion says:

Dec 4 2011 at 2:36 pm

@frank

@DerHoggz

@Tartan1749The physics of the big ring article is pretty inaccurate IMO, the cranks are not levers, but, get this, cranks. There isn't really any difference as far as I can think.

The question of whether you should spin and the mechanics of the big ring are completely unrelated. One is a question of physiology, the other of mechanics. Your question was asking if its possible to spin too fast. That article talks about the mechanical advantage of riding a big gear. In your case, you'd ride that gear, but spin it. They're separate things.
As long as the subject is raised, I've been meaning to rewrite that piece, or rather, add an updated version. Some details are wrong, but in essence it is still correct. The chain is the lever, actually, not the crank, which is the mistake I made before. Crank length, as it turns out, makes no difference to power, but is instead more related to what feels comfortable based on your physiology and on what part of the stroke you have maximum power.
What does make a difference is how much leverage you have as you work to turn your wheel. In its most basic sense, you gain leverage as you move the chain out farther from both the bottom bracket and the wheel's axle. I'm oversimplifying this because its actually a complex scenario, but with all things being equal (which they're not due to friction in the chain when you cross and other considerations), you have the best mechanical advantage in the big ring and the biggest sprocket in back. If you can turn the gear, climbing in the big ring is more efficient than in the little ring.
In fact, if you look carefully at many Pro's bikes, they're experimenting with enormous flywheels on their derailleurs for the same reason.

@DerHoggz

@Tartan1749
I'm 186cm and as stated love me some high cadence. I can spin up to 160 or so, using a tap tempo metronome to check it.
Maybe I should become a trackie? Sadly, no tracks around here.

I got up to 4 minute intervals at 200 last winter using a 71 inch gear. Still can't sprint on the track to save myself.
minion says:

Dec 4 2011 at 2:43 pm

@frank

@DerHoggz

@Tartan1749The physics of the big ring article is pretty inaccurate IMO, the cranks are not levers, but, get this, cranks. There isn't really any difference as far as I can think.

In fact, if you look carefully at many Pro's bikes, they're experimenting with enormous flywheels on their derailleurs for the same reason.

Huh?
Bobo is confused. Are you talking about oversize jockey wheels on rear mechs? I'm struggling to imagine how you'd attach a flywheel to a derailleur.
DerHoggz says:

Dec 4 2011 at 3:36 pm

Had a great ride today. After that first session on the spinning bike, I decided to try to work at keeping my cadence down around 110 and pushing a bigger "gear". The spinning bikes are fixed gear more or less, so I also did individual legs to work on my stroke. Did 10 minutes right around threshold as well.

Paid off so well. I went out today pushing bigger gears around 110 as I had done on the spinning bike. It was good for 4 km/h more average than what I've done on the same ride many times before. I think it was also due to the psychological aspect of the spinning bike which showed me I could punch through for extended times. Only in the small ring for stoplights and such.
DerHoggz says:

Dec 4 2011 at 3:41 pm

Also, I'm pretty sure this would be the best as far as mechanical advantage: