Reduce drag profile or build more muscle?

[s.sciame]

Hi Stuart,

I believe the shape of the vessel matters more than the size of the engine, especially in the water and the faster you go.

That said, this video looked funny but at least weird (if not fake): why choose a fixie (single low gear) bike instead of a normal bike? It's also dangerous, in the road downhill without brakes. Also the girl on the scooter was ready with a switched on camera on her legs to take a picture on the fly. I mean, the whole thing didn't look so real.

But in the end it's like you say: even if he initially is under engine braking, while he overtakes the others nobody is under engine braking (the other bikes are not "constrainted") and the only difference is the shape of the vessel.

Cheers,
Salvo

[CoachStuartMcDougal]

Yeah - the fixe ride is pretty crazy, but these are very popular in Calif now. The fixie started out in the cities as courier bikes and have spread to the cycling culture. There are riders that do the 5 day Aids Ride, SF - LA on a fixie!! Some fixies are just single speed bikes with brakes (beginner fixies). But this is true fixie, braking and accelerating are all done with the peddles/legs. It takes a lot of practice (and skill) to snap into peddles that are moving at over 100rpm - this guy is a very accomplished cyclist. This looks somewhere in Europe where they drive on the right, possibly Belgium.

Anyway - one of those perception shifting videos, most would never believe it until they see it.

Stuart