The Hour Record attempt by Jens Voigt (18.09.2014)

[Bavarianrider]

What's more likely to happen on Thursday?

A. Jens Voight breaks the hour record.
B. Scotland votes for independence.

A= 100% certain.

Areo bike and two discs. Hell JRod would break that record on a good day

 

[Koba80]

What's more likely to happen on Thursday?

A. Jens Voight breaks the hour record.
B. Scotland votes for independence.

A group of Internet fanboys vote for independence for Jens Voight.

Also, where is the "shut up Trek" option?

On the "year off my life" thing... Just on pure personal experience, this is all "in the head." I'm no pro-cyclist but tried about 25 hour attempts for fitness over a year. My only two 44km+ rides were 1) when I was hungover on Christmas Day and 2) going through the hardest day (emotionally) of my life. Didn't do any other over 41 and not many over 40. It's all "the top two inches" which make the difference, as a pro cycling coach once told me.

I also agree with the whole anti-Merckx thing. If riders were allowed the cocktail of clinic things he was on, his record would be nothing, there has to be a point where arbitrariness becomes exact. (Be nice if it wasn't Jens, I admit)

 

[Archibald]

Why not? It is good for Jens, good for Trek, good for TV coverage, and good for cycling (especially track racing). It will be the beginning of a blitz on the hour record around the world. Oh yes - good for cycling fans - I once watched a successful hour record attempt; it was a great experience.

Really? An hour of watching a lone guy on a velodrome go round and round and round and round and round... sounds like awesome TV, possibly even better than watching F1

 

[oldcrank]

Happy birthday, young Jensie. Don't forget to
continue taking your SiS nutritional products
from the Science in Sport Innovation Centre
in Lancashire along with your Birthday Cake.

 

[DirtyWorks]

The hour record at the end of a career by a 40+ yr old? I dont understand the logic here. A 60 minute Trek TV commercial is what this is.

Jensie attacks. He goes first..... and then the race bears down on him with the guys playing the safe tactics. Like his career on the road, TT'ers will watch carefully and if they smell an opportunity, they'll try it too.

Good for him for trying, but, yeah pretty much a Trek commercial.

 

[Akuryo]

Of course this attempt is just a commercial, but hopefully more guys will try it. If he can set the hare running, it would be a good thing, don't you think?

 

[TomasC]

A= 100% certain.

Areo bike and two discs. Hell JRod would break that record on a good day

On an average day as well I guess. A bit unfair to Sosenka, Boardman, Merckx but Sosenka is just 38 so he has plenty of time to take it back
Unless real TTers start doing it of course.

 

[Echoes]

I consider the fans conservative. Always harking back to the past and wanting to compare everything to the riders who have come before. That's fine, but it shouldn't get in the way of allowing the sport to progress.

Fans conservative, really? How many fans are denouncing the Cookson reform like I do.

I'm not really comparing - though the Hour record is a contest that of necessity forces us to compare -, just wish we could keep the rule that had stood for a century.

Though in the end, I very much agree with Lewis Mumford when he said that "Progress was the deadest of dead ideas."

What about carbon frames? Or even aluminium ones? It seems very obvious what technology and advances should be allowed and want shouldn't. making comments about motors is just hyperbole.

Again I don't recall the UCI making any fuss about the transition to carbon frames in the 1990's but I might have missed something. As far as I know there's nothing in the UCI ruling that goes against it.

My comments about the engine was just pushing the theory to its extreme. In my opinion, aerodynamic devices and engines should be treated just the same. In 1914 like in 1984 they were banned according to the same article, that I mentioned above.

I also agree with the whole anti-Merckx thing. If riders were allowed the cocktail of clinic things he was on, his record would be nothing, there has to be a point where arbitrariness becomes exact.

I thought that this kind of unfounded allegations were not allowed on this section.

I've myself refrained from saying what I thought of Sosenka, so I should expect the same from anybody, or drop this rule, mods. I cannot be the only one to respect that rule!

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Fans conservative, really? How many fans are denouncing the Cookson reform like I do.

I'm not really comparing - though the Hour record is a contest that of necessity forces us to compare -, just wish we could keep the rule that had stood for a century.

Though in the end, I very much agree with Lewis Mumford when he said that "Progress was the deadest of dead ideas."



Again I don't recall the UCI making any fuss about the transition to carbon frames in the 1990's but I might have missed something. As far as I know there's nothing in the UCI ruling that goes against it.

My comments about the engine was just pushing the theory to its extreme. In my opinion, aerodynamic devices and engines should be treated just the same. In 1914 like in 1984 they were banned according to the same article, that I mentioned above.




I thought that this kind of unfounded allegations were not allowed on this section.

I've myself refrained from saying what I thought of Sosenka, so I should expect the same from anybody, or drop this rule, mods. I cannot be the only one to respect that rule!

Changes that are advantageous for any reason other than enhanced aerodynamics are allowable, yes?
Assuming that is true (and if it isn't, then clips, clothing, materials etc should not have been allowed to change), then I assume that there is no requirement for those innovations not to be aerodynamically less efficient than they can be (helmets are not required to have little parachutes behind the ears.)

So all it needs is for some argument to be advanced that disc wheels have some other advantage (better rigidity, enhanced safety through lessened risk of trapped fingers) and voila, the problem evaporates.

Spokes are not part of the essential definition of a bicycle.

 

[HSNHSN]

I read through all pages so far and there's one question that does not seem to be addressed at all. It seems to be generally believed this is going to be a one-hour (+) Trek commercial. Can't it also be the case that all of this is preparation to Cancellara having a go at it, somewhere next year? I mean, his attempt will all be on a Trek bike as well, so Trek can now 'hack together' a bike to see what it takes to get a decently functioning hour record bike and at the same time to find out which components could be enhanced that they don't really have at hand yet, which components need to be (re-)developed, etc.?

The best way of finding out what you're technologically lacking is by trying it out and the best way to do this, seems to be actually having an hour-record attempt at hand. By discovering things now, they can work on these during the winter/spring to really get the best bike possible for Cancellara, whereas other bike manufacturers (Pinarello and Specialized, in the cases of Martin and Wiggins?) are only on their first attempts and have to find everything on the go, thus needing more time to prepare.

 

[richwagmn]

I think Jens will probably do it.

More importantly, Trek and Jens will have helped rekindle interest in the hour record. And you know that Martin,Wiggins,Cancellara,etc are going to be thinking about an attempt after this very seriously.

All in all, it's good for cycling IMO.

 

[avanti]

I think Jens will probably do it.

More importantly, Trek and Jens will have helped rekindle interest in the hour record. And you know that Martin,Wiggins,Cancellara,etc are going to be thinking about an attempt after this very seriously.

All in all, it's good for cycling IMO.

All these riders could also claim the hour record for their country (unless they have to earn it in their home country)

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

I read through all pages so far and there's one question that does not seem to be addressed at all. It seems to be generally believed this is going to be a one-hour (+) Trek commercial. Can't it also be the case that all of this is preparation to Cancellara having a go at it, somewhere next year?

So what you're saying is it's really a 2-hour Trek commercial.

 

[HSNHSN]

So what you're saying is it's really a 2-hour Trek commercial.

Well, basically, yes. While in the meantime maybe finding out some stuff that could make Cancellara's record last a bit longer. Possibly.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I'm sure this has been asked and answered before (I can't find it/ I'm too lazy), but why exactly is Voigt allowed to use a TT bike?

Or is this not an official attempt?

edit: this is being discussed extensively I see. No need to answer

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

For me it's clear: rebuild Merckx's bike. Same material, same rims, same pedals. Merckx is THE standard. Everything compares to him. Why not even make it A standard. Like "I do the hour in 1.23 Merckx, how about you?"...

(Of course his time will be beaten, they still run marathons on rubber shoes, but always faster)

 

[Echoes]

When people don't want to understand (or don't have the intellectual ability for it), they resort to caricature and hyperboles.

No worse deaf than those who don't want to hear.

 

[Captain Serious]

Jens has got no hope if he rides in s-bends, like he normally does.

 

[Captain Serious]

Jens has got no hope if he rides in s-bends, like he normally does.

ha, Merckx said it, too:
"“Although I expect to see him do unnecessary extra yards because of his style,” Merckx jokingly told L’Équipe.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

So what you're saying is it's really a 2-hour Trek commercial.

I'm only quoting this because I posted the same idea in the clinic. The only way for a non-spectator-generating-revenue sport like cycling to make money is to be 2, or 3-hour commercials. Jens is a reckless rider (not in a good way), but he implicitly knows his real craft: selling his personality. He has been employed this long (or been incentive with lucrative enough contracts) because he is the best employee at his job: selling the brand name.

That's why I want nothing to do with this circus.

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

when is he scheduled to ride?

 

[Bernhard]

Sosenka expects that Jens Voight will make app.52.5km ( he values his record appr. 54-55km acc new rules). Not ruled out fighting the record back.

 

[Captain Serious]

when is he scheduled to ride?

I'm being told that it's three hours from now

 

[Pricey_sky]

when is he scheduled to ride?

6pm uk time it starts.

 

[Jagartrott]

For once I agree with Bruyneel: this thing is a joke.