Who are MEGAWattMachine?
This website is known as MEGAWattMachine and runs on the megawm.com website.
What Does MEGAWattMachine provide?
MEGAWattMachine provides information for a group of cyclists who race in and around Sydney and train out west on the M7 Cycleway, Parramatta Park (see photo left) and some of the roads in the greater Sydney area.
Who is behind it?
We like a bit of mystery like The Stig from Top Gear but is basically run by one cycling enthusiast (Dave) who couldn't get a job as a website manager and made all this up.
Why are you here?
Most likely you have been referred here to have a look at some photos or look up some information. Thanks for stopping by and please have a browse around now that you are here.
Some riders are full of excuses, complaints and reasons why they are no good. Some even say they are not good enough to have a power meter. Maybe they are worried that their FTP score won't be as high as their arch rivals? Maybe they will realise all along they had heaps of power but didn't know how to use it?
This article tells you why you are good enough for a power meter and why you must get one very soon.
There are a few different types of pacelines in cycling. Each of them are required at different
times and situations.
1. The Echelon. To be used in crosswinds. It’s an effective way to negotiate crosswinds
and cut through them like a knife. Just one thing to remember – pull off into the wind
2. Rolling Turns. This is when you smoothly rotate through riders taking turns at the front.
The rider on the front will not be there for more than a few seconds before the next rider
smoothly rolls through and pulls off in front of the guy he just passed. Once the rider rolling
through pulls in front of the lead rider, he is now the lead rider and should back off the pace
slightly so that the next rider pulling through can come around. This style of pacelining is
done when group efficiency needs to be at its highest. These types of turns work best
in small groups or in break away situations. If the group is too large, you’ll find that the whole
group won’t participate in rolling their turns and only 5-10 riders will be doing the work at the
front. This is why breakaways usually fall apart if they are too big. Everyone will stop
working if there are too many riders sitting on. If it’s just a training ride, most riders don’t
mind doing all the work at the front and having others get a free ride at the back.
3. The Paceline. This is when the rider at front will stay there for an extended period and
then will then pull off and drift back in the group while the next rider will do the same. This is
usually done in high pressure situations in races where speed is a priority, not efficiency. It
can also be in situations where you need to control the bunch. These include:
– bringing back a breakaway
– a small group trying to quickly bridge a gap
– a leadout train at the end of a race coming into a sprint finish
– a Team Time Trial
– Controlling a breakaway.
4. Track Turns. This is almost the same as a paceline but the rider on the front pulls off after
about 100m. This is a less intense and smoother way of taking turns in a group. Team Time
Trials will often use this method of group work.
5. Sociable Turns. I don’t know what these are called, but they’re a great way to get a chat
in during a recovery or social ride. Nice and easy
Here are some of the common road race formats and the key terms in each.
Road Handicaps
These races are started with riders in groups of like ability. The slowest riders (limit markers) set off 1st followed progressively by the quicker riders, with the fastest riders starting last.
For example if you had 5 groups you may start like this:
1. 'Limit' 10:00am, 2. 'Group 2' 10:05am 3. 'Chop' 10:10am 4. 'Block' 10:15am 5. Scratch 10:20am
The fastest riders are called the ‘scratch’ riders. The group in front of the scratch group is called the ‘block’, as these riders are squeezed in-between the fastest 'scratch' riders and the next fastest group. Sometimes the next fastest group is called chop.
The time gaps are designed so that in ideal circumstances all groups arrive at the finish together with the scratch riders arriving tired fro chasing hard to catch the other groups, but if strong enough, in a position to win. On rare occasions the handicapper may underestimate riders in the front groups and they may hold their advantage to the end.
It is a race in which any rider can combine with other riders to optimise their chance in the race. It is quite acceptable to ‘sit on’ an overtaking rider or group of riders as they have caught you and must be faster or stronger than you. Working well together with the riders around you is critical to your chances of being there at the finish.
The winner is the first rider across the line.
Graded Scratch Road Races
In Graded Scratch races riders are grouped in grades of like or similar ability. Grades set off at intervals and riders can only race against other riders in that grade.
If a rider or riders are caught or catch riders from another grade then in no circumstances can they combine and must keep separate.
Places are judged for each separate grade.
Road Time Trials
This type of race is a race against the clock, with riders setting off at 30 or 60 second intervals. It must be ridden as an individual effort and no drafting is allowed.
Criteriums
These are multi lap races ridden on circuits of approx. 800m-2km. Each grade has a set time and then a number of laps to ride. As for graded scratch races, no joining in with other grades is permitted.
Track Racing
Track racing is undertaken on a banked track or velodrome during summer. Races are short and fast with cyclists typically competing in a variety of events during the evening. There are hundreds of track race variations including scratch races, points races, pursuits, madisons, sprints and time trials.