Author Topic: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race  (Read 258641 times)

ukgm

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #615 on: January 16, 2019, 05:09:09 AM »
In any sport where it can be measured, 200 watts is an admirable output over 3-4 hours. Thinking that you could push that to 220 then 242, then finally to 268 in 3 years? I know competitive cyclists that would sell their soul for that kind of increase.

I agree. I put out circa 350 watts for a 10 mile time trial. The best increase in performance I've ever gained annually (over 16 race seasons) is around 5%. I do find it easier to maintain fitness now and I can get back to my best level quite quickly but once you're past 40 and you allow that its a fight with your slowing metabolism and a fading VO2 max, the best you can hope for is that your knowledge is as cutting edge as it can get and that you can hold onto what you have.

ukgm

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #616 on: January 16, 2019, 05:17:39 AM »
Yes. Improvements of that size are certainly possible if you are considering the year-long improvement in a very unfit person who starts (perhaps for the first time) a well-directed fitness, technique, and nutrition program. In fact, you could get improvements that are even larger, in that person. But if you are already a world-class, adult, elite, highly trained, professional athlete like Bruno then improvements of that size are pure fantasy.

A 10% swing from off-season to peak certainly is very possible. That's quite common but you can lose a lot of your race season getting that corrected. I also read a recommendation in the book 'Racing Weight' by Matt Fitzgerald (a helpful book I'd recommend that I used to help guide my weight loss from 95kg down to 88.5kg two years ago.) that suggested that elite athletes are ok to let their weight increase by 10% in the off-season. Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich was renowned for liking the cakes a little too much in the winter months and would have to take quite extreme measures to hit the right weight by July.
Anyway, I'm getting off topic - yep I agree with you, it's fantasy but if he knows something I don't, I (and most of the sporting world) would be happy to listen.

ukgm

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #617 on: January 16, 2019, 05:28:43 AM »
Just to bring us back on topic, I'm racing the GT this weekend at a local time trial series before I hand it back next week (after I do a review video) and have now logged 12-15 total hours on it. The weather hasn't produced the range of water states I was hoping for but I have set hell of lot of training PB's with it on flatwater and light chop with it. I'm still trying to get used to its lack of weight and inertia.......

I'm hoping to be lent the Signature 2.0 24.75 next.
« Last Edit: January 16, 2019, 05:44:34 AM by ukgm »

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #618 on: January 16, 2019, 07:49:40 AM »
Just to bring us back on topic, I'm racing the GT this weekend at a local time trial series before I hand it back next week (after I do a review video) and have now logged 12-15 total hours on it. The weather hasn't produced the range of water states I was hoping for but I have set hell of lot of training PB's with it on flatwater and light chop with it. I'm still trying to get used to its lack of weight and inertia.......

I'm hoping to be lent the Signature 2.0 24.75 next.
What is it like upwind (say, 20 knots) in 1ft chop?

ukgm

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #619 on: January 16, 2019, 09:00:58 AM »
Just to bring us back on topic, I'm racing the GT this weekend at a local time trial series before I hand it back next week (after I do a review video) and have now logged 12-15 total hours on it. The weather hasn't produced the range of water states I was hoping for but I have set hell of lot of training PB's with it on flatwater and light chop with it. I'm still trying to get used to its lack of weight and inertia.......

I'm hoping to be lent the Signature 2.0 24.75 next.
What is it like upwind (say, 20 knots) in 1ft chop?

Really good and I've done a fair bit of that. The only issue is you find that its so light, it doesn't carry a lot of momentum so you have to modify your paddling stroke to be quite short and with a high rate. I find the nose design itself has a similar light splash feel as my 2017 Naish Maliko. The only thing I would say is that due to the hollow nature, any footwork feels, well, a bit odd. Partly as every movement resonates through the board like knocking on a guitar and you don't feel as physically connected as you do on a solid board (this is a bit subjective on my part though).

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #620 on: January 16, 2019, 10:41:52 AM »
Yeah, some downwind guys decide that they don’t like the noise and dynamics of a hollow board, even though there are obvious advantages to the construction.

ukgm

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #621 on: January 16, 2019, 01:12:55 PM »
Yeah, some downwind guys decide that they don’t like the noise and dynamics of a hollow board, even though there are obvious advantages to the construction.

I wonder what board Bruno is going to use because I would argue he's going to want something narrower than their current range for flatwater stuff.

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #622 on: January 17, 2019, 02:00:10 AM »
Since the Signature 2.0 is slightly faster than the GT on flat water, I would assume that Bruno would take the 2.0 in a 14x23. With his power, low body fat, and stamina, he should do very well on it.

We have to remember that boards like the SB 14x21.5 have a lot more water friction going on their underside (for added stability) and that the Signature 14x23 is made of a hull with the exact opposite characteristics: nicely rounded hull. Either way, the first race with Bruno will be one to watch - glued to your favorite monitor.
Nelo SUP - 14' x 23"
Nelo Surfski 560M - 18'4" x 17"

burchas

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #623 on: January 17, 2019, 05:50:25 AM »
With his power, low body fat, and stamina, he should do very well on it.

He'd do well on a skimboard or pretty much anything else for that matter but that's not the point.

From the looks of it, he has a smaller frame than yours Photo, 135 if I had to guess. Having close knowledge of this board you'd know
that it doesn't play to your strength. Yes, he's much stronger and skilled but you'd have to think it puts him in immediate disadvantage,
especially on flat water where bigger stronger paddlers can jump on a 21" board no problem. Should be interesting.
in progress...

photofr

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #624 on: January 17, 2019, 07:50:48 AM »
I am about 130 pounds, but can’t compare with Bruno. Aside from his strength, he’s around 173 pounds, with an amazing reach (long arms).

With your comparison, I am more a skim board kind of guy, and he’s more like a paddling machine ready to be FREED -
Nelo SUP - 14' x 23"
Nelo Surfski 560M - 18'4" x 17"

ukgm

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #625 on: January 18, 2019, 12:28:48 AM »
With his power, low body fat, and stamina, he should do very well on it.

He'd do well on a skimboard or pretty much anything else for that matter but that's not the point.

From the looks of it, he has a smaller frame than yours Photo, 135 if I had to guess. Having close knowledge of this board you'd know
that it doesn't play to your strength. Yes, he's much stronger and skilled but you'd have to think it puts him in immediate disadvantage,
especially on flat water where bigger stronger paddlers can jump on a 21" board no problem. Should be interesting.

I agree. With the GT at circa 297 and the Signature over 300, the volumes are ideal for me but must surely be too high for someone of Bruno's slight build.

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #626 on: January 18, 2019, 03:46:50 AM »
Well, we might see him on a custom 21” wide board, presumably. Anything that is right for ukgm will be a boat for Bruno.

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #627 on: January 18, 2019, 07:59:18 PM »
With his power, low body fat, and stamina, he should do very well on it.

He'd do well on a skimboard or pretty much anything else for that matter but that's not the point.

From the looks of it, he has a smaller frame than yours Photo, 135 if I had to guess. Having close knowledge of this board you'd know
that it doesn't play to your strength. Yes, he's much stronger and skilled but you'd have to think it puts him in immediate disadvantage,
especially on flat water where bigger stronger paddlers can jump on a 21" board no problem. Should be interesting.

I agree. With the GT at circa 297 and the Signature over 300, the volumes are ideal for me but must surely be too high for someone of Bruno's slight build.

@ UKGM:
I am still unsure as to how you guys come up with the fact that Bruno is a featherweight. In real life, he's like 173 pounds (a hair under 80 kilos).

The Signature 2.0 board is better geared for someone above 65 kilos (but you guys are probably reading 95 kilo riders)  :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\

Nelo SUP - 14' x 23"
Nelo Surfski 560M - 18'4" x 17"

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #628 on: January 19, 2019, 03:40:40 AM »
Yeah, I’m also not sure why you thought he’s a flyweight. He’s not short. But ukgm is a big unit by the standards of watersports athletes, so the general argument holds: anything right for him is likely to be too big for an elite athlete half his age and 15kgs lighter. When I lose weight, I can even notice a change in ease of balancing a board with weight losses as small as 5kgs. A 15kg difference between two competitive racers is huge, in terms of the gear implications.

I’m so glad I only paddle for pleasure and fitness these days. I push myself reasonably hard in my paddle sessions - my Garmin Fenix 3 regularly nags me for “over-reaching” in sessions - and cannot imagine what I’d gain by having a load of other people thrashing the water around me. But maybe some of you guys need the facilitation effect of other people to motivate you. It will be interesting to see what demographic buys these Nelo boards. The market (in Europe at least) for very high-end specialist race boards is very small, and they will be up against the marketing onslaught that is Starboard. Plus, if the Nelo boards actually last more than a couple of seasons (unlike the Starboard Ace I owned), then how long before the market is saturated? On the face of it, the Nelo boards would appeal to someone like me. But they sound too technical for me. And yet they aren’t so very high-end at their widths as to be aspirational for the uber-elite racer. So it’s a fairly small demographic that they will appeal to, surely?

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Re: NELO is in for the games with Light Signature Race
« Reply #629 on: January 19, 2019, 06:10:02 AM »
In real life, he's like 173 pounds

As oppose to what? The online video that uses special effects to make it look like he could hide behind his paddle.

Where are you getting your facts? Connor has a head over him and he is 165
He looks more like kai size only with less body fat and kai is 155
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