You guys mention markers/cones/etc starting from 3-2-1... how do you find these markers working out for you, which one do you use at your skill levels if you remember? (just prepping myself for the upcoming Saturday, nothing better than a good plan for what to do there and try new things)
I'm loathe to give you any advice, in case you end up going faster than me
, and you will definitely have much more speed than me down the straight anyway (and so need to brake sooner), but here goes....I was braking for T1 shortly after the second start/finish line (the one near the end of the wall) - probably a 1-count after that. Then, when I had instruction at GB my coach had me really working on braking later into the carousel, so I started to get more of a feel for finding proper braking points. Next time I went to TMP, early in the morning I walked down to the end of the pit wall, stood there and looked at the corner and said to myself "why the hell am I starting to brake way back HERE???". I noted a splotch of dark pavement many, many yards closer to T1 and decided to try that instead.
I dropped 2 s that day. I believe that single braking point was a big part of it.
For me, I kind of need to stand there and look at it for some reason. But the correct way I should think would be to pick a point, brake REALLY hard from that point once you are done the progressive application bit...no letting up on the lever until you are very close to your entry speed. If you find you are still a huge distance from your turn in point, move your braking marker up 10 feet or so on the next lap.
Now, if only I could take my own advice. At GB (reverse alien) last Thursday I was pretty much always letting up on the lever way before turn in for 3. Of course there has to be a progressive release, finishing either some point after you turn in (trail braking), or before turn in, depending on your riding style (personally I tend to trail brake naturally - it's just what feels right to me), but at GB I almost always had two braking phases before 3 - the hard initial braking, then a (ridiculously long) period of much lighter braking trying to fine-tune my entry speed. I could never get myself to leave the initial braking late enough, except when I was trying to pass someone on the brakes, at which point I was also off line so it was a different universe anyway.
To go fast, you have to brake hard, I really believe that. A lot of instruction de-emphasizes that and concentrates on corner lines and corner speed. Of course those are really important and are probably the things you should sort out first when learning a new track. But at a certain point when you have that more or less worked out, it's time to get aggressive with the braking and starting moving your braking markers forwards.
Honestly, since I started taking a line through 2-3 at TMP that allows much more entry speed, I have no idea where to brake there - I am never braking very hard into 2 currently. I'll be trying to work that one out on Saturday - probably take me all day because I am a tad stoopid. T1 I have down (by my standards) - I am knee down for ages through there and use almost all of the room at exit, even though it is increasing radius.
See you Saturday. Wave to me as I pass you on the brakes into 2
Last edited:
Unfortunately the company I work for blocks Facebook so I can't look at Mike's album. Honestly I'm not that interested, the "debate" is much more interesting. LOL
