French Cycling performance director thinks the Brits have engines in the wheels

[Mich the Tester]

Funny really, the Union Cycliste Internationale spends 4 years changing the rules to stop one country running off with all the medals and when it all happens again we have the French team boss suggesting there are inertia mechanisms inside the British wheels.

Unfortunately she doesn't seem to understand physics very well, thinking you can use an inertia mechanism to generate speed without first doing the work yourself (i.e. break the law of conservation of energy). Maybe that's the difference; Chris Boardman and Dave Brailsford understand physics and know how to use it.

« Ce ne sont pas celles fournies par Mavic. Il n’y a aucune vérification sur les roues. Moi j’aimerais bien voir une roue anglaise. Mais une vraie roue anglaise. Celles qu’ils cachent dans les housses, pas celles sur les vélos avec les sticks Mavic. Je voudrais savoir comment elles sont faites. [...]

Qu’il y ait un engrenage ou un mécanisme, je ne sais pas si c’est faisable. Est ce qu’à l’intérieur, il n’y a pas un mécanisme qui permet de donner de l’inertie pour prendre ou garder de la vitesse ? Peut-être que je fantasme... »

[The Spartan]

Sour grapes from a Frenchman surely not lol

[SupremeSpod]

Funny really, the Union Cycliste Internationale spends 4 years changing the rules to stop one country running off with all the medals and when it all happens again we have the French team boss suggesting there are inertia mechanisms inside the British wheels.

Unfortunately she doesn't seem to understand physics very well, thinking you can use an inertia mechanism to generate speed without first doing the work yourself (i.e. break the law of conservation of energy). Maybe that's the difference; Chris Boardman and Dave Brailsford understand physics and know how to use it.

« Ce ne sont pas celles fournies par Mavic. Il n’y a aucune vérification sur les roues. Moi j’aimerais bien voir une roue anglaise. Mais une vraie roue anglaise. Celles qu’ils cachent dans les housses, pas celles sur les vélos avec les sticks Mavic. Je voudrais savoir comment elles sont faites. [...]

Qu’il y ait un engrenage ou un mécanisme, je ne sais pas si c’est faisable. Est ce qu’à l’intérieur, il n’y a pas un mécanisme qui permet de donner de l’inertie pour prendre ou garder de la vitesse ? Peut-être que je fantasme... »

"Peut-être" indeed!


Oi Mitch, would you?

[Mich the Tester]

"Peut-être" indeed!


Oi Mitch, would you?

You first. I'll be with Vicky P while you're at it.

But really, peut-être! Silly cow. How would they get the inertia into the mechanism without expending energy that they'd be better off using to just pedal faster? She seems to believe in perpetual motion machines. Utterly dim and I hope for the sake of British cycling that nobody gives her an education.

She was whining about the British working with Mclaren and how that gives them an advantage. Well madame, I believe there are a couple of French motor racing teams like Renault and Peugeot; are you too dumb to phone them?

[SupremeSpod]

You first. I'll be with Vicky P while you're at it.

Not my type, however if Monica is waiting in the wings...

[doodab]

I know the frames are different but AFAIK Team GB use the same, French made mavic wheels as everyone else.

[sasguru]

I know the frames are different but AFAIK Team GB use the same, French made mavic wheels as everyone else.

Indeed and from that came the misquote "..are they using magic wheels ..."?
Stupid whiny bint.

[Mich the Tester]

I know the frames are different but AFAIK Team GB use the same, French made mavic wheels as everyone else.

Indeed and from that came the misquote "..are they using magic wheels ..."?
Stupid whiny bint.

Ah, but chaps, the British keep their wheels in bags until shortly before the race, which leads Madame to believe they're hiding something. It sounds to me more like they're bluffing to put the opponents off.

[sasguru]

Ah, but chaps, the British keep their wheels in bags until shortly before the race, which leads Madame to believe they're hiding something. It sounds to me more like they're bluffing to put the opponents off.

Or keeping their tyres at a certain temp? I think there's a very strong appliance of science to the details of cycling within the British team which accounts for some of their success. But it's true of all sports - it's attention to the small details that gives yoe the edge.

[Mich the Tester]

Or keeping their tyres at a certain temp? I think there's a very strong appliance of science to the details of cycling within the British team which accounts for some of their success. But it's true of all sports - it's attention to the small details that gives yoe the edge.

Quite possible too.