Five clever marginal gains that British Cycling didn't think of
Still no stopping the British medal machine despite other countries' best efforts

Britain's cyclists have been utterly dominant in the velodrome at the Rio Olympics, winning seven medals so far (four of them gold) and with a good chance of taking three more golds in the final session this evening.
Alongside natural talent and lots of training, one of the reasons for this success is the fabled marginal gains approach, with aerodynamic socks, carbon-moulded custom shoes, and even telling riders not to shave their pubic hair in order to reduce the problem of saddle sores.
>>> The secret tech that GB cyclists will use to win gold in Rio
Inspired by this, a number of Britain's rivals have come along with their own innovations that British Cycling's "Secret Squirrel Club" didn't come up with.
1. Left hand cranks
While most (if not all) of the British track cycling team are riding the Cervelo T5GB that has been specially developed for the Rio Olympics, these are still very standard track bikes with all of the components in the same place that you would expect from any other bike.
Contrast this with the Felt TA FRD used by most of the American rider, which has the drivetrain positioned on the left hand side of the bike. Not only does this improve the bike's handling as the weight and centre of gravity is shifted to the inside of the velodrome, but also improves the aerodynamics as Felt says that the bike is faster when the airflow is coming from the drivetrain side (as it always is when riding around a velodrome).
2. Custom skinsuits
While all of the British riders seem to be wearing the same model of skinsuit for every event, Elia Viviani was wearing a different Castelii skinsuit for each event as he took victory in the Omnium ahead of Mark Cavendish.
Watch: How much faster can a skinsuit make you?
Each of Viviani's skinsuits has been tested and altered to perform at different speeds, meaning that the fabrics are different for when he's riding at 60kmh for the 1km time trial or 50kmh in the points race.
3. Thru-axle front wheels
While Team GB's Cervelo T5GB's use old-fashioned skewers and bolts to secure the front wheel, a number of other track bikes in the Rio velodrome use thru-axle front wheels for improved aerodynamics.
The Pinarellos used by the Italians and the Look R96 used by the French and a number of other teams feature a thru-axle at the front which means that there is no need for bolts protruding from the side of the axle.
4. Pin-less numbers
One marginal gain that no fewer than three of Britain's track cycling rivals have employed is the use of see-through pockets to attach race numbers, which is slightly more aerodynamic than pinning them on with safety pins.
Riders from the Netherlands, Denmark, and Australia have all used the system from British company Nopinz, which has also supplied the likes of FDJ and LottoNL-Jumbo on the road, while Endura also produces a skinsuit used by Movistar that features a similar number pocket.
5. Waxed chains
In races that can be won or lost by fractions of a second, five watts can make all the difference, which is why a number of Team GB's rivals have been using special chains that have been treated with a special wax to reduce the amount of friction between the links in the chain.
To be fair to GB, they are using Muc-Off's "nano-tube optimised" chain that have been deep-cleaned in a sonic bath and treated with a special lubricant, reportedly costing £6,000 to develop for Bradley Wiggins' Hour Record.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
-
-
Geraint Thomas 'helps a brother out', aiding Mark Cavendish's valedictory Giro d'Italia stage win
Cavendish now has one final Giro stage win. Will he get one final Tour de France equivalent in July?
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Charlotte Kool wins final stage of RideLondon-Classique to seal overall victory
Kool edges out Dyget and Van der Duin in bunch sprint
By Stephen Puddicombe • Published
-
Tough Redcar and Cleveland course for British National Championships
North East region also set to host round of the National Road Series
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'If in doubt, sit them out': British Cycling releases concussion guidance for riders
Anyone with even the mildest concussion symptoms will be advised to return to competition for at least 21 days
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Lotus working on second generation of Olympic gold medal winning British Cycling bike
UK automotive engineering giant is joined by hi-spec engineering firm Renishaw
By Vern Pitt • Published
-
'Just don't wreck yourself' - Fred Wright on his GB track gamble and the Olympics
The Bahrain Victorious rider is set to compete at the European Track Championships next week
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
'Chris Hoy said the British coaches may be kicking themselves’ - Britain’s lost track cycling champion
British-born Australian Matthew Richardson has fast become one of the world's best track sprinters
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Academy programme where Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas started is cut back
British Cycling academy to work with development teams to provide riders with more exposure to top level racing
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
GB's Neah Evans claims stunning first world title on final day of Track World Championships
Great Britain finishes with 10 medals, after Madison silver and elimination race bronze
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
Ethan Hayter bags second gold for GB on Track World Championships day four
The Brit brought his country's medal tally to seven as he retained his omnium title
By Tom Davidson • Last updated