Just watched the 40 lap Derny Race (i.e. the one with the funny little motorbikes).
What's going on? Does the Derny rider just have to judge what the cyclist is capable of, do they communicate? Who is the ultimate victor? Do the cyclists just draw lots as to which Derny they get?
How much distance is allowed between the Derny and the cyclist before (presumably) both are DQd?
Weird!
They communicate. Usually just 3 or 4 words, something like:
Hup! (Faster)
Woah! (Slower)
Pass! (Go for the overtake)
At the 6-Day, you draw lots for your pacer so it's perfectly possible for a rider to be paced by half a dozen different Pacers over the course of the races.
If you're doing a specific Derny race (like the Derny Champs) then you choose your pacer and you effectively enter as a pair.
How much distance is allowed between the Derny and the cyclist before (presumably) both are DQd?
No limit, you can hit them although it's obviously extremely dangerous to do things like that!
Bloody Dbikes. Should be banned! 😁
If you thought that was odd, it's live action Zwift racing now.
Oh, except the feed has just crapped out.
Wait - is that Gee?
The derney has a roller on the back.you can ride right up behind them and contact. Great spectacle. They run them sometimes at Reading.
No limit, you can hit them although it’s obviously extremely dangerous to do things like that!
I meant between the cyclist and his Derny, but I guess it's just like a 2 man TT.
live action Zwift
Yeah... seems a bit lame really but as a gimmick/promotion I guess why not...
Wait – is that Gee?
😁
A good promotion. I'm watching it thinking that looks fun, having had 3/4 of eff all interest in it before. Shame the commentary is broken.
What's the benefit of the likes that keep falling on the riders? Do they give a small boost?
It does look like a fit commuter’s nightmare of meeting the old giffer on the e-bike that they just can’t overtake😂
Last derny race was great! But Casper should be in bed.
The chief is obviously the man you want to lead you out.
The derney has a roller on the back.you can ride right up behind them and contact. Great spectacle. They run them sometimes at Reading.
Derny's don't have the rollers, that's the stayers big bikes where the track bike rider sometimes has a small front wheel
Typically they can be 4-6 inches off the rear mudguard, hearing the shouts is the biggest issue, 60 kph plus is easily possible and gets a bit hairy for the derny as they zoom round
Herne Hill used to do stayer racing - big old triumph thunderbirds adapted so the riders were standing upright. As mentioned above reversed forks and a smaller front wheel to get close, often with a brace from the stem to the fork crown. Fairly mad sight half a dozen motorcycles flying around a velodrome
It does look like a fit commuter’s nightmare of meeting the old giffer on the e-bike that they just can’t overtake😂
Obviously not as fit as they like to tell everyone if they can’t get above 15mph 😉