Lockhart Hearbreaker gravel race

[AntonioGG]

I ran 40's, lower pressure than last year 40 rear 35 front (prob higher than anyone here would run).  The sand was not an issue except when one of the 200k riders did not yield (they were riding 2 abreast) and forced me to the side where the sand was very deep.  I run single cork but with gel inserts under it.

Thinking about this more, we had a pretty good headwind in the first part of the ride, so I'm thinking I was pushing too hard for my fitness, then when we turned it got easier, so the pain went away.

[Chief]

19 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

Hmmm, how do they measure reach?  I think different brands must do it differently.  I was measuring center of flat tube to center forward bend tube.  I measured 95-100mm on my woodchippers, Salsa lists them at 56mm.  Compare to Specialized, my bars measure exactly at 70mm center to center.  It seems like Salsa measures inside to inside.

Some companies measure center to center and some measure to the outside of the drops. The FSA that I got are center to center 46cm.

[Chief]

20 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

It was my quads.  I think the quads are not a bike fit issue necessarily (been doing weights and other things lately that are not my usual), but I'm not discounting it being tied to the lower back pain.  At some point during the race I just stopped feeling the pain and leg-wise and back-wise I was super comfortable for the rest of the race.  Maybe it's a matter of loosening up a bit more before such a ride.  No warm-up and hard start is more likely my issue.  Toward the end I suffered with hand pain.  That's my main focus at this point.

I may give the Whisky no 7 12F bars a try.  I like their 68mm reach.  I'm at 95mm (yep, I think it's that drastic a change I need).  I've also never gotten used to the weird angle on the woodchipper drops.

The other bars I should look into are the Specialized Hover.  That's what I have on my road bike and I like them.  They have a rise on the flat (which I don't use often except for during a break or when drinking).  They're 70mm reach and shallow drop.

What are opinions on the Spank Vibrocore?  Worth it?

 

Hand pain as in numbness? Numbness is something that is difficult to alleviate. A lot of companies blame it on the ulnar nerve but I have a theory that it's more the fact that when you're riding hard blood is being directed to the muscles that need o2 and not to the extremities that are static. I notice numbness most when riding hard. Constantly changing hand position helps with pain.

As for the vibracore I can't say but carbon is very effective at lessening high frequency vibrations I wanted carbon but didn't want to spend $150-200 on handlebars.

[AntonioGG]

No my hand pain was from being stupid and going rock climbing (in a gym) the day before.  Ever put your hand/fingers on a hotplate/griddle by accident?  You know, not quite get a blister but they hurt?  That's what it felt like.  I could have sworn I'd take my gloves off and my skin was going to peel off from a giant blister.  I maybe should have taken my gloves off...it was so humid that can't help things.  I was torn whether that would make things better or worse.

As to numbness, I do have some and it's from the shoulder not from the wrists (thumb, index, middle finger) nor the ulnar (ring and pinkie).  I know b/c I get thumb, index, middle and ring numbness and the only place those nerves run together is at the shoulder or neck.  I just move my arms around frequently, stretch out the triceps, bring my shoulders down, etc.  It's a must in a 24hr race.

[Bart]

Whats crazy is I saw a lot of the fast guys running 28's. That seems like an ass kicker with all that washboard chop.

[mack_turtle]

When I rode this last year, I ran 32mm CX tires (skinny ones at that) with tubes. It was rough, and I didn't "kick ass" (more like dragging ass) but it was fine. You just have to get loose and keep pedaling.

[AntonioGG]

Washboard was way worse this year compared to last.  I didn’t wrap my hands in those sections but just planted open palms on the hoods.  There were sections where it was so bad I literally could not see because my eyeballs and glasses were shaking so much.  I powered thru as fast as I could hoping to “float” over it.  I am not fast enough for that but I bet the fast guys are.

[AntonioGG]

Got measurements from all 3 of my "road" bikes.  I'm a little shocked at how different they are. I know these measurements are better for comparing setup on the same bike, and not really good for comparing between bikes, mostly b/c of the different saddles on the 3 bikes.

Saddle height from BB center to its middle, all within 6mm (Roubaix and OCR1 on 172.5mm cranks, the gravel grinder on 175mm cranks).  Surprisingly the GG is the tallest.  I need to re-do my hip and knee angle measurements but I think my OCR1 is a bit lower b/c my wife test rode it. 

Saddle setback 27mm for the OCR1, 39mm for the GG and 51mm for the Roubaix.

Saddle tip to hoods, 546mm OCR1, 632mm (!!!) GG, 589 Roubaix

Saddle to bar drop, 34.8mm OCR1, 48mm GG, -1mm Roubaix (1mm higher than saddle).  This is why, though I'm also more stretched on the Roubaix than the Giant horizontally, it's higher so it doesn't feel that uncomfortable on my lower back.  Seems to me it's evidence of how alternative setups could work differently as far as comfort, but it would be interesting to quantify at putting power down and aero differences.

With the new Whisky No.7 bars, I cut that saddle tip to hoods by 20mm, but I think I'll still throw a 70-75mm stem in there, maybe one with more angle to bring things up.

The Salsa Woodchipper bars are advertised as having 56mm reach (they don't specify how it's measured).  I measured 95mm center to center once I removed them and took the tape off.  Compare to the Specialized bars on the Roubaix and the Whisky No.7 are both advertised as 70mm and they both measure 70mm center to center.