Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 170mm — 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Perfect Form* of Youth
*not really
The cycling races in Moriyama, Japan that I wrote about last week included some youth races. I was struck by the form of the child in the photo above... to my untrained, still-wet-behind-the-cyclist-ears eyes, her form seemed so beautiful and efficient.
However, I don't want to appear stupid on my own blog — at least more stupid than I normally do — so I had the sense to ask an expert about her form as it appears in the photo: I asked professional bike fitter Vincent Flanagan, and his short reply was an education in my own ignorance. Here's his reply:
I'd say they appear comfortable though looking at the left leg extension the angle at the knee length. I think the seat height is a tad insufficient. Also her position on the drops really compromised her ability to expand her lungs. The bars maybe too close.
The handlebar shape looks similar to a track bike bar and the curve from the tops down to the shifter bracket would force the wrist into extension while holding them. On the point of breathing. See how her elbows come back way behind the knees.
Now that you mention it, her leg doesn't look to extent quite as much as it should, combined with the too-close handlebars and she's all squished up with no where for her lungs to expand.
About her elbow coming back behind the knee, it seems there's often some overlap when getting really aero, at least if you don't have aerobar extensions, but her's seems extreme. Compare with this photo from the earlier post, of a lady with minimal overlap despite that she's sitting way forward on the seat:
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 90mm — 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anyway, it's a joy to see children enjoying sport, so I was happy to click some photos when they raced.
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 220 — map & image data — nearby photos
Slow “Rolling Start” Leadout
SC-02H at an effective 26mm — 1/2900 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 — image data
Me Snapping Away
photo by Manseki Kanemitsu
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 360 — map & image data — nearby photos
Looking Super Pro!
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Get'em Started Early
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Peanut Gallery Enjoys the Races
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 125 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tot Race Starts
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 125 — map & image data — nearby photos
U-Turning
into a disaster?
The tot “race” was a short out-and-back affair. I don't know who thought it was a good idea to launch inexperienced children down a lane directly into a sudden hairpin U-turn, but the results were entirely predictable.
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 140 — map & image data — nearby photos
Too Fast To Turn
this too-big-for-me bike
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 180 — map & image data — nearby photos
Horrific Crash
oops
SC-02H at an effective 26mm — 1/2100 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 — image data
Turn Turn Turn
photo by Manseki Kanemitsu
It was bedlam for a short while as kids lost control at slow speed, and kids behind them attempted to react.
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 125 — map & image data — nearby photos
More “Relaxed” Wave Approaches
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 150mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 110 — map & image data — nearby photos
Home Straight
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 78mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 140 — map & image data — nearby photos
Helping Hand
to get restarted
This little boy couldn't have been much past his third birthday. He'd hit the corner too fast and ended up dropping the bike, causing some accessories to fall off. I and a few other adults tried to help him get going, but it took a while to figure out how to get things remounted, and the whole time I was struck with the poise this child possessed. He was clearly intent on finishing the race, and was clearly a bit shaken up by the “crash”, but he never cried and remained calm and steady and on task. Were it that I had such poise under pressure.
Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 190mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 125 — map & image data — nearby photos
But Defiantly Not Least