@@philipwooldridge9606 I rather miss the look of brown saddles and grips. Maybe it's time to ban painted group sets. (Polished metals are lighter after all, aren't they?)
Personally I still disagree with any bans on these arro pieces of kit. They definitely look daft, but at the pinnacle of time trialling I'm in favour of allowing innovation. However, i think there should be price caps to manage team spending.
In response to the question "what do you do with the information from a radar unit", if you ride on country roads and the surface is crappy, the radar allows you to occupy more road space, knowing you are going to get a warning when you need to move over or when you can safely swerve out to avoid a pothole etc. Also, the radar tells me how many cars are lined up behind me. The first car - who really cares as you should know about it anyway. The 2 behind it can take you by surprise but not if you have a radar. To me this is actionable information.
Same I live in the new forest and since I've got a radar it's been much better. I know when I'm no longer alone on narrow rubbish roads and if it's windy and I can't hear a car I can now see it
It’s funny Calvin and Si say there isn’t much to do with the radar information, but last week Calvin was saying he likes mirrors. Well you do the same thing with the radar prompt as you do with your mirror information.
It seems to me that in Europe, cyclists can't fathom the prospect of moving to the side to make space for a passing car. But they need to understand that is a reality in North America, whether its right or wrong, that allows us to coexist with North American drivers in a more friendly manner. That the radar tells me a car is coming and I can move to the side well ahead of them having to get up on my bum, makes them more appreciative and less likely to be angry at cyclists.
Regarding the radar debate, it’s hugely helpful having it on rural roads where there might be large gaps in traffic (I.e. minutes between cars) but higher speeds of travel at 65-75mph. Often the shoulders are dirty or contain glass and it’s nice knowing when you can relax a bit and utilize more road during traffic gaps. Especially true if you’re in aero position at 22-25mph-it can be very hard to hear cars approaching at a high rate of speed but my Garmin picks them up quite a ways out and provides ample time to check position and get back on the shoulder (and even tells me if I’m clear after the first car or if more are following). Overall it’s made my rides a little less tense and more enjoyable. That said, always stay vigilant.
These are exactly the roads I ride on. One of my riding partners has one and it works well, for most of the same reasons you describe. I will add one eventually.
Well i agree with Alex .. too far. In fact i would prefer TT limited to triathletes and a return to normal. Road bikes. Ok specialized gear for hour records though.
Guys, you don't have to worry if you don't understand Garmin Radar. You will understand it as soon as Wahoo makes its own version of this and names it Wahoo RDR 😂
I mostly ride semi-rural and rural roads, with comparatively low traffic volume and also low speeds for motorised traffic. So getting a warning tone at about 140-120 metres out from the traffic behind me means I can prepare myself for being overtaken, check my mirror (I use one of those small ones you can put into the handlebars in lieu of the bar-end plug), and, if I see a problematic situation coming up, simply occupy the whole lane and signal to the motorist behind me. Works great for me, and I got a bunch of thumbs-ups from car and motorcycle drivers over the years, and rarely a complaint. And next to never a middle finger.
radars are great...having ridden with one for 500-600 miles.....they don't just let you know there is a car there...but how many cars and how fast they are going too...maybe not be surper important at the time but they can allow you to "own the road". Probably not as much use on busy roads but on country-style roads where riding is more fun anyway, you can use the whole road and move in when you know cars are approaching from behind...as soon the radar gives you the all clear, you can go back to using all the space on the road again....and it also means you can be happy avoiding potholes and big patches of water I think you really need to ride one to understand how good they are...before just saying they are a bad idea
I think the Varia (or other radar technology) defense comments are coming from your delivery. It’s being presented as tech that’s basically useless because you don’t understand the value of it. The value of having the information of a car coming behind you (also how many cars and how fast) before you can see or hear it is that it gives you time to react (safely move further to the side of the road) and gives more confidence in your actions (i.e. if you need to move into another lane). Yes, I will still look over my shoulder before I pull out into the middle of the road just as an extra precaution, but my Varia has never once missed a car. I know my comment won’t change minds, but I’m just hoping you can be more encouraging of the use of a safety device-even if you wouldn’t personally use it.
Agreed, but as someone who won't get on the bike without Varia anymore, I'm not too concerned with GCN's opinion on it... after all, it'll change at the flip of a hat if Garmin sponsors them anyway. 😂
You can see more than just one car with the Radar light! I always know what’s behind me without having to turn around. I can use the entire road without constantly having to check if a car is coming up on me. Radar lights are great!
Radar (Garmin Varia) allows me to ride more towards the center of the road lane where the asphalt is usually smoother and less risk of riding off the road. I ride in the middle of the lane until my Garmin beeps, then I move over to let the car pass, then go back to the middle of the road. The radar is also ALWAYS watching for rear traffic where as a mirror or turning around depends on the rider actively checking for cars. For rural roads in the USA, the radar is a must have. However, it'd probably be totally annoying on urban/busy roads where there's constant traffic.
The answer to the question of what to do when you are chatting with your friend who is riding next to you and the radar alerts you to a car behind you is simple. You go to single file riding until the car passes. That is just one example of how the radar is useful. Another is when you need to make a left turn. You can see how many cars are behind you and how fast they are approaching. Once the cars pass, it is safe to move over to the left.
And that is not how you safely take a left turn. You move over to the left regardless, cars are required to make space and not overtake you. This way you will be stopping on the right side of the road all the time, waiting to finally take a left...
My radar just tells me that a car is going to overtake way ahead of time. It's never really prevented a bad overtake, but it allows me to brace mentally when I'm on a fast road and cars are overtaking at 90kph+. It's peace of mind, not in the sense that I'm actually safer, but in the sense that I won't zone out and jolt when a car appears next to me out of nowhere.
What do we do when a radar alerts about a car behind… you can move away closer to the edge of the road sooner. When you’re free with no one on your back, you can go more towards the middle of the road. Doesn’t stop the cars from hitting you, but makes you feel safer and be more aware of cars coming behind you, not catching you by surprise! I have the garmin 515 and I get a few false positives sometimes. Indoor remember getting a false negative! The technology works!
Did you guys really ask what you do with the information that the car is behind you? Not only you know that a car is behind you, you also know how many and how close to you they are. Well, it is obviously very good to know that when the roads are crappy, you are avoiding potholes, or roads are too narrow and you are entering a turn and cars are coming from the opposite direction too or you are just enjoying the view and dont wanna ride glued to the side of the road all the time. Very often the radar picks up cars sooner than your ears. I genuinely cant believe that this needs to be explained.
One more to pile on poor old Cuthbert regarding the read radar lights is that he's not yet had the chance to discover how useful it is as a parenting hack. On a bike path without cars, I can use my radar display to be able to ride the front and see that my boys are still close behind me and getting a draft, all without having to look over my shoulder.
17:01 You remember there is traffic and dont wonder into its path. Before I got a radar and relied on hearing it was all too easy to think I was alone on a city street and not notice a car behind me. And when I think I have the road all to myself sometimes I let myself wonder all over it not paying attention. People believe they can hear all cars but in cities with huge noise floors and electric cars you simply cannot. This is why you have a radar.
I find that the radar enables me to look over my shoulder at every vehicle that overtakes at exactly the right moment and do not remember ever having a close pass from a car that I’ve clocked as they are lining up their overtake. Having a good idea on the number of cars behind is also very helpful. I hate riding without my radar now!
Also, ist gives me enough time to get in front of or behind my ride partner and not be a pain to drivers on roads without having to look over my shoulder..
On the rear radar topic: For me, when my radar goes off, that cues me up to be EXTRA courteous to drivers. I'll move over more, and maybe even wave them through when I know it's safe. Likewise, when radars go off in a group, we usually go single-file to help the driver get by. This improves relations between riders and drivers, and keeps everyone safer! (I feel like some countries don't experience the same severity of disrespectful drivers getting impatient and passing when it's unsafe. Perhaps that's why the GCN presenters don't feel the same way about these rear radars? Are UK drivers noticeably safer or more predictable when passing bike riders?)
The benefits of rear radar does inform you of someone coming but at that point I would move over to the white line to allow them to pass and not hold them up and pissing them off! Helps the entire cycling community to be courteous to vehicles and maybe they will be courteous to us.
Hey, @si, what do you mean, what do you do when the radar goes off? You watch the vehicle on the head unit, and when it gets about 1/2 way up, you scoot your arse over a tad...I also know when it alerts to a car, I know to check my mirror. We all aren't blessed enough to have follow cars.
And further….descending with switchbacks at 50+ kmh, nice aero tuck. No way am I turning around. But a quick eye move down I see nothing behind, or not! And yes, if a car is behind I review my immediate decisions/speed etc. I can totally focus on road coming fast ahead, furniture, holes, bend etc….
I still want recumbents in racing, but that's just me. The UCI has singlehandedly stifled innovation when it comes to cycling for decades. Imagine how fast we'd be today if the UCI let teams do what actually made them faster instead of focusing on subjective shit like "I don't like how bicep fairings look"
You lads are not getting it on the radar lights... its about being able to adjust your position in the road to be better seen by upcoming traffic. It also ensures you dont get surprised by a passimg vehicle amd finally also just as important, when you come up on some chap and wamt to make sure you keep them from jumping on your wheel you cansee if theyre catching back up so you know how long you need to dig deep
On the radar.... watching your videos and the roads you have to ride on, I can see why you don't see value in the radar. You have what appears to be constant traffic and your roads are so narrow you have no where to go. But here in Georgia, USA, I ride on lonely wide roads (yes, it is awesome!). So, I don't have to stay pegged on the side of the road form miles at a time when there are not cars... but when the radar alerts me to a car coming behind, I can move to a safer spot... so the radar is freedom to ride unconcerned about traffic, untiI I need to be concerned. Cool?
If worldwide affordability is an issue for anyone, UCI would ban time trial bikes. The barrier to entry needing to have multiple race bikes is far too high. Time trials on road bikes for me, thanks.
I think if you want to have a super regulated and standardized TT than do a UCI regulated event. For most people a TT is just you vs yourself and i like new tech so i think why not go crazy. The British are always the people tinckering and improving stuff. I love to see everyone's crazy Setups
Why not two separate classes? An Open class which allows almost any tech. Then a Classic clas which disallowed TT bike modifications. One class get to allow the evolution of terrific tech, while the other emphasizes training, raw power.
Glad you guys picked up on the ‘arms’ race 😉… on a more somber note, sold my TT bike this year as whilst it’s £5 on the night in the lay-by.. it’s ££££’s to be competitive in set up.
Answer to you Simon….hearing a vehicle behind early …. I move out of road center more to the side! AND if vehicle moving very fast, the display is deep red so you know that more danger is coming past, fast. But a stupid question Simon, really, come on. I could ask you, why even bother turning to know if clear behind. To get such important information. The sooner the better naturally! AND the radar tells in a flash HOW MANY VEHICLES IN A ROW ARE COMING. You CANNOT see that in a shoulder glance. Ha. Got you there.
Rules? I think there's a place for both. I love the sometimes weird and wonderful inventions shown at HPV events, but I also love more accessible racing. In fact, I'd like to see more spec class racing, or even single model racing where everything would be down to the athelete. I'd like to see it all.
Agree with Si. Biggie smalls should not be a thing. The chain should be parralel top and bottom, so whatever cog that means in the rear would be the correct cog.
The radar allows me to blast music while riding and still be aware. JK, on a serious note: It is much more relaxed knowing there are no cars behind you, without having to constantly look behind you. Cars can sometimes sneak up on you, especially when you are faster and the wind is rushing across your ears. You can take a bit more road, swerve to avoid potholes and corner differently when you have that peace of mind. These are all things I avoid until the cars are past me. Because lets face it, most do not overtake with the correct amount of leeway. Additionally the radar warns me of cars that are approaching too fast. I then ride on the line. I'd rather ride in the ditch for a moment, than be caught (and potentailly be killed) by someone who didn't see me (somehow despite the bright flashing light, but here we are in the real world where people DUI) and hits me off of the road. Especially on the more narrow roads without a shoulder, which unfortunately do exist where the are sometimes unavoidable.
Time trial champs: TOO MANY FAIRINGS! aero gone mad! ridiculous fins! nonsense! New BMC bike: AWESOME FINS! look at those fairings! SO FAST. COOL DESIGN! it's a fine line there
Once again you mocked Radar rear lights. You questioned what a rider would do know there was a car behind you. Yet in every good paceline you will hear "car back". The radar keeps you from swinging out into a car when you want to let loose a Snot Rocket
Aero bikes and disc brakes were also pushed through the UCI weight limit. Without a weight limit, we would have other racing bikes on the tour. Full aero is dangerous, today you can reach much higher downhill speeds than before.
With the radar, I also observed that cars avoid you slightly more, it’s as if they react to the panicking light. The downside with Garmin Radar is that it gives you a false sense of security - I had plenty of times when it failed to detect cars if there was a slight bend in the road when it was coming, even if the car is not obstructed in the bend and should be detected.
Seeing that last bike in the bike vault reminded me of my days at Raleigh taping handlebars. The brake lever extensions used to be a nightmare trying to tape around. The best thing they ever did, job wise, was to get rid of them.
Yep, Tim. Afraid I have to side heavily with Si on this. Brown saddles are for City Bikes and horses. Maybe, a couple points for suede, but still no dice. Now, a vintage GREY Flite would be the go!
When my rear-looking radar tells me I'm being overtaken, I add that information to all the other inputs I'm getting to continually assess the situation. Exactly what I do when there's a car behind me is situation dependent.
@@gerrymcbride6429 That reflects my thinking on this as well. "What would I do with that information?" is an inane brush-off, nothing more. Having more information is a good thing, especially about the thing that's closing on you from behind.
About Radar: actually I love it in 2 situations. Riding in a group you can slimmer your bulk or alone; I actually go more into the street in order to have more space in case the car drives close.
One note for editing/production, some of us are new to cycling and the channel and when you reference something like the crazy drop bars or aero, showing a photo of what you're talking about would be awesome!
Maybe homologation rules, like in auto sports (set number of product must be sold in market to be legal) could help limit weird one offs and niche racing products athletes with less resources cannot afford.
Hey Alex, I for one am all for the suede saddle! One of my own saddles being an slr boost in a tan color. It’s attractiveness as a standalone piece, in my humble opinion, offers up enough style points to balance the scales.
Hi guys we have used cable discs on our tandem when bike packing through the alps and more and they have been spot on even when descending Ventoux at well over 50mph, great show Craig
Alex: I watched the video hosted by you on the proper way to lean a bike without a shadow stand, etc. Why doesn't this apply to leaning against railings, walls, etc?
TRP Spyke and Spyre and are adjustable through 2 barrel adjusters and on either side of the caliper. have them on a few bikes and theyre great. also have several w hyd disc and theyre great too!
Re Supernice rules; I like Biggie Smalls for road bikes because it means top speed. For MTB (and come on all the haters for bike vault when someone uploads a MTB) I think Smallie Biggs looks best, cuz it means you’re doing something totally XXXtreme!!!
21:09 YES! I've been thinking about it for a looong time! Middle of the block, so the top and bottom sections of the chain are horisontal/parallel to the ground. With derailleur cages getting longer and chainrings getting bigger again, the "smalls" part just doesn't look that good any more.
Sorry John, brown saddle?! Screams gravel (and flannel shirts;)). LOLed really hard at the biceps/tricsps confusion;), but hey, happens. Regarding radars - I found theh detect cars much sooner than they could be heard by me. On rougher country roads (potholes) they are very useful. In any case, I agree - if it's useful for someone, let's use it :)
The suede saddle gives Alex's bike that custom touch that makes it unique to him. Sometimes I find that bikes that are too matchy-match can look like showroom pieces that never get ridden. In this case, I like a personal touch even if it does fall outside the rules. SUPERNICE!
😅 rear radars: I don't know about anybody else, but when somebody blows their horn to let me know that they're about to overtake me, I get super annoyed... you don't need to warn me, you're one of about 5 million other people that's passed, or about to pass, me along my route. and while the radar is great tech, how is that any different from a driver blowing their horn? now, the version that has the camera built-in is it a bit more useful, provided the quality of the image is useful enough to get me compensation in the event that I've been hit. unfortunately the reviews that I've seen indicate that the image quality is often NOT good enough to serve as any sort of post-accident dashcam style evidence. in the examples I've seen, often license plates are unreadable, many times you can't even tell the color of the vehicle, the image resolution is too low, the sensor processor is too slow, and the software doesn't adjust exposure for poor lighting. on top of that you only have a view of the back, so somebody clips you from side or front after they've overtaken you, there's no video evidence of the actual incident. really it seems like you'd be better off with an insta 360 mounted on top of your helmet and synced up with the bike radar, this way you get the data overlays, on top of a 360 view, a better frame rate and triple the chance to capture some sort of identifying feature, especially since a lot of places a front plate is not required, with a camera mounted on the rear, the front plate and possibly a face through the windshield of the approaching vehicle, is the only chance you have the capture identifying information. if the sun is behind you you have absolutely nothing. with a 360 camera if the sun is behind you, then you have other chances to capture identifying information as the car passes around the other side.
I enjoy the rear radar because it gives you warning when take a left turn (riding in US). Before you even look over your shoulder you know when those lanes become available. It is a tool that helps you navigate traffic not as you guys pose it as something you're going use to save yourself from a car that's gonna hit you.
Si looks much younger in this episode. I dont mean he looks old in others, he just looks particularly younger in this episode for some reason. Anywho cheers
The UCI should bann all bikes that retail on a list price higher than 2.000 bucks from youth races. Success in road cycling should not depend on wealthy parents.
compressionless housing did help a lot for me, but I am using hybrid. compressionless also improved my mini V-Breaks on another bike, so give it a chance. they make a difference.
@GCNTech (2nd question) : I have a recurrent problem with my front disk brake (Ultegra if it make a difference)… For my -and our- information, what’s an acceptable spacing between the disk and the pads. Mine seem to be less than a thin hair width!
So just throwing in my two cents on the radar for me. It's not that it tells me cars coming, but that it goes from solid red to blinking light when a car does appear in it, which I think gives me a little more sense of safety that I'll be noticed
@GCN One exception to getting a top spec part you need instead of want is the chain. Dura ace has way longer life than lower spec chains so the other parts in the drive train are in lesser danger of wearing out due to a worn chain. You might actually save money and hassle with a lighter lower friction chain. Win win. Of course Dura ace is not the only exemple of a hard wearing low resistance chain.
I find it odd that aero road bikes typically have narrow forks and frames that limit tire width and clearance whereas aero TT bikes like the BMC have really wide forks and frames with tons of tire clearance. Makes me wonder if my endurance bike with a wider fork and frame is "accidentally aero"?
I am actually okay with this progression of the sport. A financial cap can be applied similar to F1. World competitions can be tricky. Swimming has limited body suites primarily because not every country can afford them. Better progressive features like this than PEDs.
Alex Dowsett returning to his routes. Indeed I think throughout his career he frequently rode the mid week Maldon 10ml TT in Essex. His pair of aero water bottles behind the saddle are there as an aero dynamic aid. Body fairings do indeed seem a step too far though. My beer belly is a much more acceptable way to go.
Some people like Robocops, he was also one of my childhood heroes. Seeing people cosplay like him in competitions feel like a dream comes true to me! Why not???
I would like to suggest that those body fairings deserve their own GCN video to test their effectiveness in Time Trailing as well as testing to see how cool they are on a Sunday group ride.
@@matthewbaynham6286 The complexity of the tests is overridden by the hilarity of the GCN guys riding in public with fairings glued to their biceps and chest.
It is time to forget the biggy-smalls rule and implement a new one, which actually makes the bikes look aesthetically pleasing - parallel chain rule. If the chain is parallel between the chainring and cassette/derailleur, it is far more beautiful than biggy-smalls, which results in converging chain.
Funny that you don't speak about the fairing of Vingegaard that he may have used at tour de france for time trial (chest and belly as well as back)... It was under UCI so shall be disqualified. His chest seems to be thicker than on any other day of the race... Shall we call it double camelback ? The chest seems thicker than wide... Aero advantage...
@@invisiblescout6335 so does Uci ban modification of rib cage with mechanical device... Sorry I would rephrase custom made radio holder fit to the anatomy of the body with aerodynamics advantage... ua-cam.com/video/wJ5vt6XhsDk/v-deo.htmlsi=8XKWbNa1UBjqRB5o
What other tech would like to see banned by the UCI? ❌
I mean, aero is everything but those fairings are definitely clown shoe cycling kit.
No brown saddles
@@philipwooldridge9606 I rather miss the look of brown saddles and grips. Maybe it's time to ban painted group sets. (Polished metals are lighter after all, aren't they?)
Brown bib shorts -yuck.
Personally I still disagree with any bans on these arro pieces of kit.
They definitely look daft, but at the pinnacle of time trialling I'm in favour of allowing innovation.
However, i think there should be price caps to manage team spending.
In response to the question "what do you do with the information from a radar unit", if you ride on country roads and the surface is crappy, the radar allows you to occupy more road space, knowing you are going to get a warning when you need to move over or when you can safely swerve out to avoid a pothole etc. Also, the radar tells me how many cars are lined up behind me. The first car - who really cares as you should know about it anyway. The 2 behind it can take you by surprise but not if you have a radar. To me this is actionable information.
I do exactly the same. Radar is indispensable on country rides when you need to avoid pot holes and get warning a car is approaching.
Same I live in the new forest and since I've got a radar it's been much better. I know when I'm no longer alone on narrow rubbish roads and if it's windy and I can't hear a car I can now see it
It’s funny Calvin and Si say there isn’t much to do with the radar information, but last week Calvin was saying he likes mirrors. Well you do the same thing with the radar prompt as you do with your mirror information.
GCN defiantly doubling down 😂 so same could be said for rear view mirrors in cars, why bother, it doesn't prevent you getting rear ended.
It seems to me that in Europe, cyclists can't fathom the prospect of moving to the side to make space for a passing car. But they need to understand that is a reality in North America, whether its right or wrong, that allows us to coexist with North American drivers in a more friendly manner. That the radar tells me a car is coming and I can move to the side well ahead of them having to get up on my bum, makes them more appreciative and less likely to be angry at cyclists.
Brings back memories of when Si was the tech guy... and he told us to use WD-40 for everything.
WD-40 is awesome. I’m a believer.
WD-40 is a good electrolyte supplement
Hahahahaha
@@ellipticalsoul Really good embrocation!
vasoline can lubricate your naughty parts.
Regarding the radar debate, it’s hugely helpful having it on rural roads where there might be large gaps in traffic (I.e. minutes between cars) but higher speeds of travel at 65-75mph. Often the shoulders are dirty or contain glass and it’s nice knowing when you can relax a bit and utilize more road during traffic gaps. Especially true if you’re in aero position at 22-25mph-it can be very hard to hear cars approaching at a high rate of speed but my Garmin picks them up quite a ways out and provides ample time to check position and get back on the shoulder (and even tells me if I’m clear after the first car or if more are following). Overall it’s made my rides a little less tense and more enjoyable. That said, always stay vigilant.
Exactly! I'm astounded they don't see the value in it. If they hear cars (and how many there are) before the radar picks them up then kudos I guess.
These are exactly the roads I ride on. One of my riding partners has one and it works well, for most of the same reasons you describe. I will add one eventually.
If the shoulder is covered in dirt and glass, I’m not riding on it car or not, radar or not. The car driver can wait.
@@rob-c. cars don’t have much time to wait at 60mph/100kmh, hence the benefit on empty country roads with infrequent, but high speed traffic
@@DB-ez9ud Why does their speed impact the amount of time they have to wait? Are they going to wait around and help me fix the puncture I get?
Alex needs a crash course on Biceps and Triceps, focusing on their location 😂
Hahaha so true, to make things worse I had still not realised I was wrong until reading all the comments. 😂
Strictly speaking, though, isn't that true of all "in-shape" cyclists? It's not as though we're naturally familiar with such muscles.....
Given last year I'm not sure Albert needs a crash course of any sort
Well i agree with Alex .. too far. In fact i would prefer TT limited to triathletes and a return to normal. Road bikes. Ok specialized gear for hour records though.
I refer many questions on bike forums to specific solutions on your channel
Guys, you don't have to worry if you don't understand Garmin Radar. You will understand it as soon as Wahoo makes its own version of this and names it Wahoo RDR 😂
I mostly ride semi-rural and rural roads, with comparatively low traffic volume and also low speeds for motorised traffic. So getting a warning tone at about 140-120 metres out from the traffic behind me means I can prepare myself for being overtaken, check my mirror (I use one of those small ones you can put into the handlebars in lieu of the bar-end plug), and, if I see a problematic situation coming up, simply occupy the whole lane and signal to the motorist behind me.
Works great for me, and I got a bunch of thumbs-ups from car and motorcycle drivers over the years, and rarely a complaint.
And next to never a middle finger.
radars are great...having ridden with one for 500-600 miles.....they don't just let you know there is a car there...but how many cars and how fast they are going too...maybe not be surper important at the time but they can allow you to "own the road". Probably not as much use on busy roads but on country-style roads where riding is more fun anyway, you can use the whole road and move in when you know cars are approaching from behind...as soon the radar gives you the all clear, you can go back to using all the space on the road again....and it also means you can be happy avoiding potholes and big patches of water
I think you really need to ride one to understand how good they are...before just saying they are a bad idea
I totally agree, allow you to plan whether to get out in the road or have space to negotiate hazards.
Totally agree with this. Honestly think everyone should have a radar. They are about the same price as a helmet and you use them a whole lot more.
I think the Varia (or other radar technology) defense comments are coming from your delivery. It’s being presented as tech that’s basically useless because you don’t understand the value of it. The value of having the information of a car coming behind you (also how many cars and how fast) before you can see or hear it is that it gives you time to react (safely move further to the side of the road) and gives more confidence in your actions (i.e. if you need to move into another lane). Yes, I will still look over my shoulder before I pull out into the middle of the road just as an extra precaution, but my Varia has never once missed a car.
I know my comment won’t change minds, but I’m just hoping you can be more encouraging of the use of a safety device-even if you wouldn’t personally use it.
Agreed, but as someone who won't get on the bike without Varia anymore, I'm not too concerned with GCN's opinion on it... after all, it'll change at the flip of a hat if Garmin sponsors them anyway. 😂
@@jhoff80 I can’t say you’re wrong there! 😂
You can see more than just one car with the Radar light! I always know what’s behind me without having to turn around.
I can use the entire road without constantly having to check if a car is coming up on me.
Radar lights are great!
If it works for you that's cool! 🙌 Ride the kit that makes you feel safe and fun
Radar (Garmin Varia) allows me to ride more towards the center of the road lane where the asphalt is usually smoother and less risk of riding off the road. I ride in the middle of the lane until my Garmin beeps, then I move over to let the car pass, then go back to the middle of the road. The radar is also ALWAYS watching for rear traffic where as a mirror or turning around depends on the rider actively checking for cars.
For rural roads in the USA, the radar is a must have. However, it'd probably be totally annoying on urban/busy roads where there's constant traffic.
The answer to the question of what to do when you are chatting with your friend who is riding next to you and the radar alerts you to a car behind you is simple. You go to single file riding until the car passes. That is just one example of how the radar is useful. Another is when you need to make a left turn. You can see how many cars are behind you and how fast they are approaching. Once the cars pass, it is safe to move over to the left.
And that is not how you safely take a left turn. You move over to the left regardless, cars are required to make space and not overtake you. This way you will be stopping on the right side of the road all the time, waiting to finally take a left...
My radar just tells me that a car is going to overtake way ahead of time. It's never really prevented a bad overtake, but it allows me to brace mentally when I'm on a fast road and cars are overtaking at 90kph+. It's peace of mind, not in the sense that I'm actually safer, but in the sense that I won't zone out and jolt when a car appears next to me out of nowhere.
What do we do when a radar alerts about a car behind… you can move away closer to the edge of the road sooner. When you’re free with no one on your back, you can go more towards the middle of the road.
Doesn’t stop the cars from hitting you, but makes you feel safer and be more aware of cars coming behind you, not catching you by surprise!
I have the garmin 515 and I get a few false positives sometimes. Indoor remember getting a false negative! The technology works!
Did you guys really ask what you do with the information that the car is behind you? Not only you know that a car is behind you, you also know how many and how close to you they are. Well, it is obviously very good to know that when the roads are crappy, you are avoiding potholes, or roads are too narrow and you are entering a turn and cars are coming from the opposite direction too or you are just enjoying the view and dont wanna ride glued to the side of the road all the time. Very often the radar picks up cars sooner than your ears. I genuinely cant believe that this needs to be explained.
One more to pile on poor old Cuthbert regarding the read radar lights is that he's not yet had the chance to discover how useful it is as a parenting hack. On a bike path without cars, I can use my radar display to be able to ride the front and see that my boys are still close behind me and getting a draft, all without having to look over my shoulder.
Great life hack! Si has gone down the method of putting them on the same bike 👉ua-cam.com/video/3-Bt7LfsISw/v-deo.html
17:01 You remember there is traffic and dont wonder into its path. Before I got a radar and relied on hearing it was all too easy to think I was alone on a city street and not notice a car behind me. And when I think I have the road all to myself sometimes I let myself wonder all over it not paying attention. People believe they can hear all cars but in cities with huge noise floors and electric cars you simply cannot. This is why you have a radar.
I find that the radar enables me to look over my shoulder at every vehicle that overtakes at exactly the right moment and do not remember ever having a close pass from a car that I’ve clocked as they are lining up their overtake. Having a good idea on the number of cars behind is also very helpful. I hate riding without my radar now!
Also, ist gives me enough time to get in front of or behind my ride partner and not be a pain to drivers on roads without having to look over my shoulder..
On the rear radar topic: For me, when my radar goes off, that cues me up to be EXTRA courteous to drivers. I'll move over more, and maybe even wave them through when I know it's safe. Likewise, when radars go off in a group, we usually go single-file to help the driver get by. This improves relations between riders and drivers, and keeps everyone safer! (I feel like some countries don't experience the same severity of disrespectful drivers getting impatient and passing when it's unsafe. Perhaps that's why the GCN presenters don't feel the same way about these rear radars? Are UK drivers noticeably safer or more predictable when passing bike riders?)
The benefits of rear radar does inform you of someone coming but at that point I would move over to the white line to allow them to pass and not hold them up and pissing them off! Helps the entire cycling community to be courteous to vehicles and maybe they will be courteous to us.
but single file takes much longer to overtake? what's the point
Hey, @si, what do you mean, what do you do when the radar goes off? You watch the vehicle on the head unit, and when it gets about 1/2 way up, you scoot your arse over a tad...I also know when it alerts to a car, I know to check my mirror. We all aren't blessed enough to have follow cars.
And further….descending with switchbacks at 50+ kmh, nice aero tuck. No way am I turning around. But a quick eye move down I see nothing behind, or not! And yes, if a car is behind I review my immediate decisions/speed etc. I can totally focus on road coming fast ahead, furniture, holes, bend etc….
I still want recumbents in racing, but that's just me. The UCI has singlehandedly stifled innovation when it comes to cycling for decades. Imagine how fast we'd be today if the UCI let teams do what actually made them faster instead of focusing on subjective shit like "I don't like how bicep fairings look"
You lads are not getting it on the radar lights... its about being able to adjust your position in the road to be better seen by upcoming traffic. It also ensures you dont get surprised by a passimg vehicle amd finally also just as important, when you come up on some chap and wamt to make sure you keep them from jumping on your wheel you cansee if theyre catching back up so you know how long you need to dig deep
On the radar.... watching your videos and the roads you have to ride on, I can see why you don't see value in the radar. You have what appears to be constant traffic and your roads are so narrow you have no where to go. But here in Georgia, USA, I ride on lonely wide roads (yes, it is awesome!). So, I don't have to stay pegged on the side of the road form miles at a time when there are not cars... but when the radar alerts me to a car coming behind, I can move to a safer spot... so the radar is freedom to ride unconcerned about traffic, untiI I need to be concerned. Cool?
Even in constant city traffic, it's very useful to know how many cars are behind me rather than just that there's a car behind me.
And to know if they are far away or very close!
I can’t imagine a world where the radar isn’t helpful. To each their own I guess
If worldwide affordability is an issue for anyone, UCI would ban time trial bikes. The barrier to entry needing to have multiple race bikes is far too high. Time trials on road bikes for me, thanks.
ayyyy prologues!
Vingegaard wore a chest fairing during the TDF time trial.
Biggest benefit from radar rear lights for me is the fact that the light will flash in a different way making it more likely for drivers to see me.
I think if you want to have a super regulated and standardized TT than do a UCI regulated event. For most people a TT is just you vs yourself and i like new tech so i think why not go crazy. The British are always the people tinckering and improving stuff. I love to see everyone's crazy Setups
Why not two separate classes? An Open class which allows almost any tech. Then a Classic clas which disallowed TT bike modifications. One class get to allow the evolution of terrific tech, while the other emphasizes training, raw power.
What do you mean “almost any”?
Glad you guys picked up on the ‘arms’ race 😉… on a more somber note, sold my TT bike this year as whilst it’s £5 on the night in the lay-by.. it’s ££££’s to be competitive in set up.
It can be tricky to be competitive but nothing to stop you blasting the local tt scene on your road bike to test your own PB 🙌
@@gcntech too ok be honest thinking the same thing.. loads more events allowing and having Road Bikes compete.. new bike required 😉
Haha only cyclists could repeatedly confuse biceps and triceps. 🤦🏼♂️
🤣🤣🤣
Answer to you Simon….hearing a vehicle behind early …. I move out of road center more to the side! AND if vehicle moving very fast, the display is deep red so you know that more danger is coming past, fast. But a stupid question Simon, really, come on. I could ask you, why even bother turning to know if clear behind. To get such important information. The sooner the better naturally! AND the radar tells in a flash HOW MANY VEHICLES IN A ROW ARE COMING. You CANNOT see that in a shoulder glance. Ha. Got you there.
Rules? I think there's a place for both. I love the sometimes weird and wonderful inventions shown at HPV events, but I also love more accessible racing. In fact, I'd like to see more spec class racing, or even single model racing where everything would be down to the athelete. I'd like to see it all.
Agree with Si. Biggie smalls should not be a thing. The chain should be parralel top and bottom, so whatever cog that means in the rear would be the correct cog.
Love Sai's brutally honesty. That brown saddle did ruin it mate!.🤣
Hahahah it's slip the opinions in the office 😂
The radar allows me to blast music while riding and still be aware. JK, on a serious note: It is much more relaxed knowing there are no cars behind you, without having to constantly look behind you. Cars can sometimes sneak up on you, especially when you are faster and the wind is rushing across your ears. You can take a bit more road, swerve to avoid potholes and corner differently when you have that peace of mind. These are all things I avoid until the cars are past me. Because lets face it, most do not overtake with the correct amount of leeway. Additionally the radar warns me of cars that are approaching too fast. I then ride on the line. I'd rather ride in the ditch for a moment, than be caught (and potentailly be killed) by someone who didn't see me (somehow despite the bright flashing light, but here we are in the real world where people DUI) and hits me off of the road. Especially on the more narrow roads without a shoulder, which unfortunately do exist where the are sometimes unavoidable.
I LOVE the brown saddle, but it needs brown bar tape to work.
This could be his problem! Brown saddle and tape is super classic 👌
We need the video where Alex has to build home made body fairings and then check the time improvement!
Time trial champs: TOO MANY FAIRINGS! aero gone mad! ridiculous fins! nonsense!
New BMC bike: AWESOME FINS! look at those fairings! SO FAST. COOL DESIGN!
it's a fine line there
Once again you mocked Radar rear lights. You questioned what a rider would do know there was a car behind you. Yet in every good paceline you will hear "car back". The radar keeps you from swinging out into a car when you want to let loose a Snot Rocket
Poor Alex, but I agree with Simon on the "nice". If you put the same colour brooks bar tape on your bike to match the saddle it's a Supernice.
Aero bikes and disc brakes were also pushed through the UCI weight limit. Without a weight limit, we would have other racing bikes on the tour. Full aero is dangerous, today you can reach much higher downhill speeds than before.
Rolf Prima are handmade wheels in Eugene, Oregon
With the radar, I also observed that cars avoid you slightly more, it’s as if they react to the panicking light.
The downside with Garmin Radar is that it gives you a false sense of security - I had plenty of times when it failed to detect cars if there was a slight bend in the road when it was coming, even if the car is not obstructed in the bend and should be detected.
Seeing that last bike in the bike vault reminded me of my days at Raleigh taping handlebars.
The brake lever extensions used to be a nightmare trying to tape around.
The best thing they ever did, job wise, was to get rid of them.
Yep, Tim. Afraid I have to side heavily with Si on this. Brown saddles are for City Bikes and horses. Maybe, a couple points for suede, but still no dice. Now, a vintage GREY Flite would be the go!
Si blasting Alex's saddle was the funniest thing. However, if you want to know why someone would have a brown saddle, ask Deadpool! 🤣
Nice to see Kevin get a taste of his own medicine in the bike vault #SaddleGate
Let's get #saddlegate trending 😂
Week 26 of asking for a’The UCI has no jurisdiction here’ T-shirt
In the netherlands with its smooth roads in combination with electric cars you dont hear them coming, you just see them pass..
I've been saying this for years. Beer bellies are aero. The UCI has no jurisdiction here.
🧠Big brain move from Shimano to remove mechanical from the 105 for a year, and then bring it back to critical acclaim!
When my rear-looking radar tells me I'm being overtaken, I add that information to all the other inputs I'm getting to continually assess the situation. Exactly what I do when there's a car behind me is situation dependent.
Do they all drive cars without looking it in the rearview mirror? After all what would they do with the information?
@@gerrymcbride6429 That reflects my thinking on this as well. "What would I do with that information?" is an inane brush-off, nothing more. Having more information is a good thing, especially about the thing that's closing on you from behind.
About Radar: actually I love it in 2 situations. Riding in a group you can slimmer your bulk or alone; I actually go more into the street in order to have more space in case the car drives close.
One note for editing/production, some of us are new to cycling and the channel and when you reference something like the crazy drop bars or aero, showing a photo of what you're talking about would be awesome!
Maybe homologation rules, like in auto sports (set number of product must be sold in market to be legal) could help limit weird one offs and niche racing products athletes with less resources cannot afford.
Hey Alex, I for one am all for the suede saddle! One of my own saddles being an slr boost in a tan color. It’s attractiveness as a standalone piece, in my humble opinion, offers up enough style points to balance the scales.
That's the beauty of bikes, you can make them fit your own style 🙌
Hi guys we have used cable discs on our tandem when bike packing through the alps and more and they have been spot on even when descending Ventoux at well over 50mph, great show Craig
105 12sp is only diskbreak..... Shimano totally miss out the very big market for rimbreaks.
Alex's bike - Brown saddle because it's retired from racing and now in it's pipe and slippers.
Don’t worry about what Si says Alex. Brown saddles are amazing, especially on Ti bikes with a raw or the Stanley finish on a Moots. So loves Moots.
Alex: I watched the video hosted by you on the proper way to lean a bike without a shadow stand, etc. Why doesn't this apply to leaning against railings, walls, etc?
Si's been wearing ankle farings for years
Wow. Ollie became so good at TT’s (after getting dropped) that he morphed into Si.
Hahaha we think these two need to go head to head...
TRP Spyke and Spyre and are adjustable through 2 barrel adjusters and on either side of the caliper. have them on a few bikes and theyre great. also have several w hyd disc and theyre great too!
It’s almost like GCN Tech comments on TECH it knows absolutely nothing about 🤷♂️ Loads of mechanical disc callipers actuate from both sides.
Re Supernice rules; I like Biggie Smalls for road bikes because it means top speed. For MTB (and come on all the haters for bike vault when someone uploads a MTB) I think Smallie Biggs looks best, cuz it means you’re doing something totally XXXtreme!!!
21:09 YES! I've been thinking about it for a looong time! Middle of the block, so the top and bottom sections of the chain are horisontal/parallel to the ground. With derailleur cages getting longer and chainrings getting bigger again, the "smalls" part just doesn't look that good any more.
Hahahaha that's my parents (19m40). Ironic really cos my Dad is a big bike fan. We used to cycle from Bath to Brizzle together all Summer long
Sorry John, brown saddle?! Screams gravel (and flannel shirts;)). LOLed really hard at the biceps/tricsps confusion;), but hey, happens. Regarding radars - I found theh detect cars much sooner than they could be heard by me. On rougher country roads (potholes) they are very useful. In any case, I agree - if it's useful for someone, let's use it :)
Alex/ radar. THEY ARE NECESSARY…..I wave ( I’m a FRIENDLY GUY)at all cars passing me. It just lets them know that I see them! Extra safety😀
The suede saddle gives Alex's bike that custom touch that makes it unique to him. Sometimes I find that bikes that are too matchy-match can look like showroom pieces that never get ridden.
In this case, I like a personal touch even if it does fall outside the rules.
SUPERNICE!
😅 rear radars: I don't know about anybody else, but when somebody blows their horn to let me know that they're about to overtake me, I get super annoyed... you don't need to warn me, you're one of about 5 million other people that's passed, or about to pass, me along my route. and while the radar is great tech, how is that any different from a driver blowing their horn? now, the version that has the camera built-in is it a bit more useful, provided the quality of the image is useful enough to get me compensation in the event that I've been hit. unfortunately the reviews that I've seen indicate that the image quality is often NOT good enough to serve as any sort of post-accident dashcam style evidence. in the examples I've seen, often license plates are unreadable, many times you can't even tell the color of the vehicle, the image resolution is too low, the sensor processor is too slow, and the software doesn't adjust exposure for poor lighting. on top of that you only have a view of the back, so somebody clips you from side or front after they've overtaken you, there's no video evidence of the actual incident. really it seems like you'd be better off with an insta 360 mounted on top of your helmet and synced up with the bike radar, this way you get the data overlays, on top of a 360 view, a better frame rate and triple the chance to capture some sort of identifying feature, especially since a lot of places a front plate is not required, with a camera mounted on the rear, the front plate and possibly a face through the windshield of the approaching vehicle, is the only chance you have the capture identifying information. if the sun is behind you you have absolutely nothing. with a 360 camera if the sun is behind you, then you have other chances to capture identifying information as the car passes around the other side.
Love these guys, great chemistry, and loved how crestfallen Alex was by Si's saddle criticism!
I’m looking forward to the strength training video with Alex
I enjoy the rear radar because it gives you warning when take a left turn (riding in US). Before you even look over your shoulder you know when those lanes become available. It is a tool that helps you navigate traffic not as you guys pose it as something you're going use to save yourself from a car that's gonna hit you.
Si looks much younger in this episode. I dont mean he looks old in others, he just looks particularly younger in this episode for some reason. Anywho cheers
I love it when Alfred and Sydney host.
After so many Supernice bikes have been voted down by Olli & Alex for being in the supposed "wrong" gear - karma.
The UCI should bann all bikes that retail on a list price higher than 2.000 bucks from youth races. Success in road cycling should not depend on wealthy parents.
compressionless housing did help a lot for me, but I am using hybrid. compressionless also improved my mini V-Breaks on another bike, so give it a chance. they make a difference.
@GCNTech (2nd question) : I have a recurrent problem with my front disk brake (Ultegra if it make a difference)… For my -and our- information, what’s an acceptable spacing between the disk and the pads. Mine seem to be less than a thin hair width!
I am AMAZED at the accuracy of Si's drag-reduction sound effects!
I'd like those on a loop so I can set it as my default ringtone!
*Drag reduction shows for children?*
So just throwing in my two cents on the radar for me. It's not that it tells me cars coming, but that it goes from solid red to blinking light when a car does appear in it, which I think gives me a little more sense of safety that I'll be noticed
@GCN One exception to getting a top spec part you need instead of want is the chain. Dura ace has way longer life than lower spec chains so the other parts in the drive train are in lesser danger of wearing out due to a worn chain. You might actually save money and hassle with a lighter lower friction chain. Win win. Of course Dura ace is not the only exemple of a hard wearing low resistance chain.
I find it odd that aero road bikes typically have narrow forks and frames that limit tire width and clearance whereas aero TT bikes like the BMC have really wide forks and frames with tons of tire clearance. Makes me wonder if my endurance bike with a wider fork and frame is "accidentally aero"?
No more biggy smalls, top of chain should be parallel to the ground
I am actually okay with this progression of the sport. A financial cap can be applied similar to F1. World competitions can be tricky. Swimming has limited body suites primarily because not every country can afford them. Better progressive features like this than PEDs.
First innovation was all about aero bars, now it's about aero bras. Don't worry about looking like a dork, we've been looking like dorks for decades.
Alex breaks the bike vault rules all the time but gets really picky when he wants too. 😂😂
It's his party, he'll play how he likes 😂
@@gcntech 😂😂😂 At least he is a bit less fickle than Ollie. 😂😂
Alex Dowsett returning to his routes. Indeed I think throughout his career he frequently rode the mid week Maldon 10ml TT in Essex. His pair of aero water bottles behind the saddle are there as an aero dynamic aid. Body fairings do indeed seem a step too far though. My beer belly is a much more acceptable way to go.
Some people like Robocops, he was also one of my childhood heroes. Seeing people cosplay like him in competitions feel like a dream comes true to me! Why not???
Depending on which calipers you use, both sides can retract.(cable)
I would like to suggest that those body fairings deserve their own GCN video to test their effectiveness in Time Trailing as well as testing to see how cool they are on a Sunday group ride.
Also, they should do a with and without skinsuit test of them.
@@imightbebiased9311 no too many combinations is too complex.
@@matthewbaynham6286 The complexity of the tests is overridden by the hilarity of the GCN guys riding in public with fairings glued to their biceps and chest.
It is time to forget the biggy-smalls rule and implement a new one, which actually makes the bikes look aesthetically pleasing - parallel chain rule. If the chain is parallel between the chainring and cassette/derailleur, it is far more beautiful than biggy-smalls, which results in converging chain.
@gcntech Bike radar is good for EV’s those are so Quiet 🤫 can’t hear them. But Gasoline diesel can hear 👂 them no problem
Funny that you don't speak about the fairing of Vingegaard that he may have used at tour de france for time trial (chest and belly as well as back)... It was under UCI so shall be disqualified. His chest seems to be thicker than on any other day of the race... Shall we call it double camelback ? The chest seems thicker than wide... Aero advantage...
Spends some time on google images and you'll see he didn't look any different, the tt position just makes his odd body shape more pronouncwd
@@invisiblescout6335 so does Uci ban modification of rib cage with mechanical device... Sorry I would rephrase custom made radio holder fit to the anatomy of the body with aerodynamics advantage... ua-cam.com/video/wJ5vt6XhsDk/v-deo.htmlsi=8XKWbNa1UBjqRB5o
"Biggy-smalls" few years ago was just a guideline on the bike vault, unlike nowadays which it became almost a minimum requirement.
Si’s right about the saddle; it absolutely does not match the rest of that great bike!
The brown saddle with the frame colour is awesome Alex 😍