Connor: A lot of people go on about optimal cadence, spinning to win, grinding their gears.
We see different techniques and styles in racing as well. This changes throughout the
years too when fashions come in and out. Hank: Yes, but then we look at the likes of
Jan Ullrich, the great German, one of the most famous grinders out there. Commentators
use words to describe his riding style like steamrolling, massively over-geared and grinding.
Then, on the other hand, we look at the likes of Chris Froome who swear by the efficiency
of a high cadence, sticking to those really high revolutions. Well, let's not talk about
the aesthetics here, Connor. Connor: He has got quite a unique style, doesn't
he? Hank: He has, yes.
Connor: This does tend to change between disciplines and genders as well. When you look at cyclocrosser
Denise Betsema, well, she tends to really spin the gears, whereas Lucinda Brand, well,
she tends to push quite a big gear. Hank: Then if we go back and look through
the history books at the first iterations of the Tour de France`, and it shows that
they didn't really have a choice. Trust me, I know they were on single speed bikes. The
easy gears were seen as cheating or wimping, but the big question still remains, what is
actually faster, grinding or spinning? [music]
Connor: My God, my moment. Hank: I'll catch you, man.
Connor: He's got me. He's got me. Hank: I definitely got to get new cleats after
this. Connor: How are we going to figure this out,
I hear you ask. We've planned out a set course here in Monkton Combe. This is the start point.
Hank is going to be riding in his hardest possible gear around the route. On the other
hand, I'm only going to be in my easiest gear possible. We're going to track our effort
with our Wahoo. We have power to really analyze the data and also, make sure there's no cheating.
?Hank: The route we have picked is a fairly short one. At a hair under 20 kilometers but
packed with all sorts of challenges. The first challenge hits us in the first kilometer at
an average gradient of 11% but a max gradient of 20%. The Brassknocker climb could put the
cat among the pigeons. A long descent into the City of Bath follows until the road veers
up, and I really mean up. A max gradient of an eye watering 32% meets us halfway around
the route. As the gradient eases, it's then fast roads all the way to the final kilometer
where another, yes, you guessed it, 20% climb awaits us at the finish. I should probably
mention, the finish, oh, it's at the top. Connor: Now you know the route. It's time
for myself and Hank to get to the start line. I genuinely don't know who's going to win
this one. It's going to be a tight one. All right, let's hank on. We've made it to our
start line just outside Monkton Combe. I am in my easiest gear. That's 35 at the front,
28 at the back. What about you, Hank? Hank: I am definitely in my biggest gear.
I've gone for a 50-11. I've never been on a start line in a 50-11 before. This is the
first. Connor: It's going to be an interesting race,
I think, really. Hank: I'm really excited to see who's going
to win this. You might have me on the start line, but I don't think you'll have me on
the flat. Connor: No, I'll be struggling there. Before
we do start, one last thing. Hank: Oh no.
Connor: Yes. There's going to be no cheating. I'm making sure of it, so I want you to unplug
your gears there. Hank: Unplug?
Connor: Yes. Hank: Seriously?
Connor: Yes, unplug. Come on. I'm going to take my batteries out.
Hank: You have to give your batteries to the cameraman.
Connor: Yes, I'll give you the batteries to the cameraman.
Hank: Fine. Here we go. Are you ready, mate? Connor: Yes, let's get going.
[music] Cameraman: Three, two, one, go.
Hank: God, it's a slow-mo start for me. Connor: I'm not clipped in. All right, I'm
good now. Hank: See you.
Connor: I'm behind already. Hank: This is where power wins. I'm already
hitting an incline, so I'm starting to slow already. Oh, no. Connor picked quite a tough
route. There's some really steep climbs in there, so I'm hoping I don't have to get off
my bike and run. I definitely have to get new cleats after this.
Connor: Are you all right, mate? Hank: I'm all right, mate. [unintelligible
00:04:42]. I'll see you at the top. Connor: See you at the top.
Hank: I'll catch you back up. Connor: This is where I really need to make
my ground. [music]
I've got a good advantage. This is about as fast I can go now, so I spin as fast as is
physically possible. Hank: It's my opportunity. Get clipped in.
Oh no, I can't get it going. I should have put running trainers. He might pass me over
the climb, but then when I get over to the top, well, then I can get the speed back up,
get on top of the gear, and hopefully, reel him back in. It's going to be interesting.
I'm going to want to change gear, but I can't. Now I'm starting to get on top of my gear.
46K lower. There he is. I'll catch you, man. Connor: He's coming back on me. Oh no.
Hank: [unintelligible 00:05:58]. See you, mate.
Connor: Oh God, he's got speed. He has speed on his side.
Hank: Mate, you've got no chance. Now is my time to shine. Yes, we own you.
[music] I'm a head of Connor, and that's all that
matters. Connor: Oh, right. Time to try and make up
some ground again. Come on, Connor, spin those legs.
[music] Hank: The incline is relaxing. I want to know
now. Where's that big green loving machine? Connor: I'm going to be honest with you. Hank,
I feel, is a bit overconfident today. I think because he's in such a big gear, I think he's
automatically thinking he's going to beat me. He hasn't seen some of the climbs on this
course. Hank: Go on, pedal. It feels like an Everest.
Every muscle in my body. Coming to the steepest part of the hill now about 25%. Let's see
how far I can make it. Desperate times, it's time for desperate measures. Castelli, I need
your socks. Connor: I'm coming back at him. I'm getting
him. This is my chance. My moment. Hank: I'll catch him. My socks will be wet
though. I'm coming for you. Ouch, my feet. [music]
Come on, Hank, don't give up. Let's get some speed up and let's reel the big friendly giant
in. Here we go. [music]
Connor: Oh, just under seven kilometers to go, and I've built up a good advantage. This
is the largest section of flat roads on the route. I can see Hank in the distance. Oh
no, he's coming back at me. Let's not talk and pedal. Come on, legs. Come on, legs. No,
no. He's coming. Let's go. You're doing well. Hank: This is the only time I'm speeding like
my gear and it feels bloody brilliant. Connor: Oh no.
Hank: Back in the lead. Yes, I'm going to win this. Grinding wins. Speed is 68K an hour.
He's got no chance. [music]
Connor: Oh my goodness.
[music] Hank: He's caught me.
Connor: I keep going to change gear, and I can't. I'm literally back in. 3K to go, and
we're neck and neck. [unintelligible 00:10:26] surely take the surge. All right, Mo Farah.
[unintelligible 00:10:32] hear that. Hank: Hey.
Connor: Putting down the gas now. Pedal to the metal. The win is in sight. This is an
uncategorized climb today. This is a brutal climb.
Hank: The issue with running such a big gear, and I remind you, it's a 50-11, and it's not
easy. As soon as I get the gear going though, I get some speed, and I also [unintelligible
00:11:15] myself on the descents. [music]
Connor: I still got him. He was breathing down my neck on that last section, but I just
managed to hold my lead. His little kind of small kickers are really working to my advantage.
Oh, no, he's got me. He's got me. [music]
Hank: I can't see him. I need to get ahead now. I have a feeling there's a climb at the
end, so I want to get the biggest head start as is humanly possible.
Connor: 1.5K to go. Come on, Connor. Hank: There's a junction. I hate junctions,
especially in this gear. Connor: The last climb today it is an absolute
stinger. I'm going to be struggling to get up there in my easiest gear, so Hank is definitely
going to be walking up this climb. That's where I'm going to take my time back. That's
where I'm going to make my advantage, and that's where I'm going to win the day. He's
not got a chance against me. He's not got a chance in these climbs. He's coming up against
a climbing wizard. Hank: Who's going to win? Well, guys, that's
an easy question. Me, always. Connor: Hank is ahead of me, 650 meters to
go, but it's all right, people, and it's getting steeper and steeper. I think I might [unintelligible
00:12:48] him back. I'm sure he's getting there but now he's walking. He's walking again.
25% climb to finish. I'm running out of steam. Hank: See you. I'm on the last climb. [unintelligible
00:13:05], my legs have gone. I'm holding up.
Connor: So close. Hank: Where is the finish?
Connor: I'm coming for you. Come on, Connor, the last corner. The last corner. The finish
line is in sight. Hank: No.
Connor: Just at the end, I've gone and taken the lead. It's mine to celebrate. I've done
it. This is a magical moment. I thought I was down at times today, but I fought back.
That last hill killed me. I thought you had it, to be honest.
Hank: Here, man, you've won the race. Connor: Thanks, mate.
Hank: I thought I had it. Connor: I thought he had it as well. He was
out of sight coming to that last climb. Hank: Genuinely, I thought I had it. I was
so close. Connor: It was steeper than we thought, and
a nice easy gear, just rolled up it. Hank: Now let's get our breath back, and then
we'll go through the results. Connor: Where are your shoes, mate?
Hank: That's a long story. Connor: Hank, I got you in the end, but it
was close, wasn't it? Hank: It was so close. What a race? Going
into this race, I've got to say, I had no idea who was going to win, who was going to
take the trophy at the end, but I've got to say, that race did not disappoint. It was
so close, and it was all on the wire at the last climb.
Connor: It was. When you first overtook me at the top of the first climb, I was like,
"Hank is just going to run away with it. He's going to disappear off into the distance."
I'm never going to see you again, but when I did hit those climbs, I definitely had a
massive advantage, and I was able to overturn your lead every single time, but then I did
feel you breathing down my neck on the flats and those descends. It's just, we just kept
yoyoing each other, didn't we? Hank: I was hunting you down. What I really
want to know is a little bit of the data. Let's look at the important one, cadence.
Go on. Connor: My average cadence today, it wasn't
actually as high as you think. I averaged 82 rows per minute, but my maximum for one
minute was 137. Hank: What?
Connor: I was spinning to win. I think my overall average wasn't as high because I was
kind of limited on the descends and the little drags down, when I just got up to a speed
where it was just pointless to pedal anymore, and I was just trying to tuck in and just
get aero, and keep my speed, so that's pretty what brought the overall down. What about
yourself? Hank: I did a cadence average of 48, just
48 over 20 kilometers in over an hour of riding, which is definitely the lowest cadence I've
ever done in my entire life. My max cadence was 80. I did that one on one of the downhills.
Yes, my cadence really was very low. What I really want to go into is the strength I
had to do to push that gear. I was running a 50-11, and over any incline, I was having
to use every bit of my body to ease that bike, or to get that bike moving, and it really
was difficult. I have to say, my whole body feels like it has been through the wringer.
What kind of power was I putting out? My average power was 260 Watts, with a max power of 800
Watts. I think my knees are blown. I think my lower back is blown. I'm glad I have some
sort of biceps because I needed it. Connor: Now, my power data for the cadence
race was pretty interesting, actually. My peak for one minute was 496 Watts, and my
peak for five minutes was 390 Watts. Relatively high, but for 30 minutes, my peak was only
230 Watts, which shows how I was really limited on those flat sections. On that last climb,
when I overtook Hank and took the victory, I was able to average 424 Watts. You can see
how modern-day riders these days are leaning towards higher cadences, so they stay fresh
throughout the race because well, today, I felt like I could really push hard in the
climbs because well, I wasn't really pushing too hard on the flats, because I was limited
in what I could do, and I felt a lot fresher as a result.
Hank: Efficiency is in the easier gears. When you want to go fast, and you want to push
those big gears, you're using more energy ultimately. That's why you see sprinters go
for a much shorter distance, and then you see the endurance athletes go for a lot longer.
There you have it. Our scientific race, and like I said, it did not disappoint, and I
did end up running a few bits, and my feet are sore.
Connor: Yes, you got your Mo Farah on there, didn't you, mate?
Hank: Yes, I did. Connor: It was an interesting question. It
was great to find out the answer. It was so close to the end. I suppose I just wanted
to get you then. What did you guys think? Did you think Hank was going to take the win,
or were my spinning legs going to take the victory?
Hank: Who was your money on? Let us know in the comment section below. Make sure you vote
in the poll. I guess Connor and I will see you in the next video. I'm off down to get
my shoes because I think I left them [unintelligible 00:19:14]. Did you see them?
Connor: I did see them actually. Remember you can plug your gears back in again, mate.
Hank: That's going to be a revelation. See you in the next video.
Connor: Thanks, everyone. [00:19:25] [END OF AUDIO]