Karsten Hagen

OK. The fact that I'm a lot faster on my TT bike with a hangover than on my
road bike with a hangover may be purely mental. But I doubt it.
But I don't see the argument that having a traditional category would
"perpetuate" the myth that TT equipment is more effective.
This event is often decided by one second or less, so small margins make a
difference no matter how expensive they are. It is possible to go out and
buy that second.
If your argument were true, the Olympic pursuit team in Beijing would be on
steel track bikes with Nitto track bars and wool shorts. Worked for Eddy.
But most people who race can't realistically afford the $$$$ for that second
or two of difference.

Karsten

On 8/19/08 6:06 PM, "Mike Murray" wrote:

> Karsten Hagen [mailto:hagenkt@mac.com] wrote:
> "If two people of equal abilities start a TT at the same time of day during
> the same weather conditions and one is on a standard road bike and one is on
> a Felt DA with Zipp disc and Giro TT helmet ... the guy on the TT setup will
> win; that is obvious."
>
> The real question is "By how much?" If the difference is less than the
> variability between a good day and a bad day then it is not significant.
>
> Having yet another category for "traditional" equipment would only
> perpetuates the myth that all this gee whiz equipment is effective and
> needed. The playing field would still not be level because some guys would
> be having a good day and others a bad. The field never gets level, if it
> did all riders would have the same time.
>
> Mike Murray
>
>
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