On 2016-04-27 18:49, Frank Krygowski wrote:
> On Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 8:53:58 PM UTC-4, Radey Shouman wrote:
>> jbeattie <
jbeat...@msn.com> writes:
>>
>>> On Wednesday, April 27, 2016 at 7:39:28 AM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
>>>> On 4/27/2016 10:18 AM, jbeattie wrote:
>>>>> On Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at 7:03:42 PM UTC-7, Frank Krygowski wrote:
>>>>>>
http://www.cnet.com/news/mechanical-doping-cyclist-sentenced-to-6-year-ban-for-using-bike-with-hidden-motor/
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I wondered about a magnetometer. They're going to use MRI instead.
>>>>>> Graphic output sounds nice.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> - Frank Krygowski
>>>>>
>>>>> Hard to believe they use a conventional MRI which would rip the old Gruber Assist right out of the seat tube. If imaging were necessary, a plain-film x-ray would do the trick or millimeter wave scanning ala TSA. It's not like they have to take slices and find cancer.
>>>>
>>>> Maybe ripping the motor out of the seat tube is a feature, not a bug!
>>>
>>> Sort of OT, but I was talking to my son about this last night, and he
>>> is more outraged by mechanical doping than body doping, which I
>>> thought was odd. He thought the six year ban for Van den Driessche
>>> was too
>>> light.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-den-driessche-handed-six-year-ban-for-mechanical-doping/
>>>
>>> He was also riffing on how a tiny motor is about the most obvious
>>> thing you can do to cheat -- the cartoon villain saying "I'll put a
>>> tiny motor in my bike and beat everyone!"
>>>
>>> Sure, the mechanical doping thing is bad, but really, how many watts
>>> can one of those tiny motors deliver over the course of a stage.
A lot. The battery on my MTB has 50-60 useful watt-hours and you could
easily fit twice as many cells into the upper section of a seat tube.
The motor goes into the lower third or so. Such a motor can deliver well
in excess of 100W and that is very substantial in a race:
http://www.vivax-assist.com/en/produkte/vivax-assist-4-0/vivax-assist_4-0.html
Two ways to catch them are having a clandestine antenna and spectrum
analyzer hidden at some undisclosed location to listen for tell-tale
electromagnetic emissions, and/or a sensitive audio setup with
FFT-waterfall display that fishes out whirring noise. Thermal imaging
(FLIR) might also work because the lower part of the seat tube is bound
to be at an elevated temperature.
>>> ... I
>>> would be more upset that a competitor had more red blood cells and
>>> more ability to exert and recover, particularly in a grand tour -- and
>>> body doping can kill a rider (clots and other problems), unlike a tiny
>>> motor which is just embarrassing.
>>
>> Perhaps there's someting subconscious that says he who risks death
>> deserves a bit of an advantage, but risking mere sanction and
>> embarrassment merits nothing. Not the attitude a sports regulator
>> should take, of course.
>>
>> --
>
> Perhaps the outrage is because the fundamental principle of bicycling is
> moving oneself by one's own power. And bike racing is fundamentally
> about who can do that the best. Mechanical doping violates that
> fundamental principle, and does it dishonestly.
>
It sure is dishonest. As is medical doping.
> A bit related: Electric assist bikes are sure to become much more popular,
> especially among people my age or older. And there's nothing wrong with
> that. But a tiny voice in my mind still says "Aw, that's cheating."
> Illogical, I know, but that little voice doesn't listen to reason.
>
IMHO electric-assist would be ok for regular riding if the batteries are
never charged from an external source, only from reverse generation down
a hill or such. And would need to be empty before a race. Since that's
not possible with Li-Ion the whole concept should remain banned for races.
--
Regards, Joerg
http://www.analogconsultants.com/