Speed shifting?

[JeffR]

I ran replay analyzer on some of the reference replays, and some of them use a lot of speed shifts, for example, at Kyalami, every upshift is a speed shift.

I use two CH USB joysticks with CH's control manager software. The new (2.0) CH control manager includes some programming, so I programmed an automatic clean shift sequence, to compare the results with speed shifting. With clean shifting, I'm able to get sub 8:30's at Nurburg, and sub 1:25's at Mosport, and speed shifting doesn't seem to help here. At Rouen, I'm stuck at just under 2:02, and speed shifting does seem to help. However, looking at replay analyzer, the indicated shift time and mph dropped seem about the same, .222 is the time for all shifts, and 4th to 5th shift shows a drop of 2->3mph, mostly 2mph for speed shifting, mostly 3mph for clean shifting. When driving, or watching a replay, the speed shifts sound like they happen quicker than clean shifts.

Note, all this is being done with the Lotus.

Any comments welcome...

[D_Man]

Jeff I don't think speed shifting makes a person faster. I often post my fastest times in races when I am concentrating on getting good clean shifts. Last night I did a new Cooper PB doing an Int Short race offline at Monza. I sometimes fall into the habit of speedshifting when I am just hotlapping, so I try not to do that anymore as it is a bad habit to get into.

[rms]

Ya, forget speedshifting. Any longer race will have you blowing the engine sooner rather than later.

rms
rsquires@flash.net

[DC_Tox]

I just hate the sound of the engine when I fall into a speed shift because of occasional bad hand/foot co-ordination :p

Maybe I'm so addicted to sim racing, that I start thinking about the car engine as if it was the one of my own real car...:D

[JeffR]

This was just an experiment. I couldn't tell if there really was a difference either, but audio feedback makes speed shifts sound like they happen quicker. Replay analyzer shows the same time for both .222 seconds, but occasionally only 2mph is lost instead of 3mph with speed shifting (could be rounding error).

Currently working on going sub 102% on all tracks with Lotus. Rouen and Zandvoort were tough. Barely sub 2:02 at Rouen, and 1:28.31 at Zandvoort are my best so far, but at least sub 102%. Got Mexico, and Silverstone left, and maybe Spa, but I'm already sub 102% with the Eagle there.

Working on learning how to setup a car still. Rouen has been a puzzle for me. I'm even with the reference replay until exiting the hairpin, then the reference car just out accelerates me in the next few sections. Reference car is geared lower than mine, but I have enough wheel spin trouble with maxed out 1st gear as it is.

[D_Man]

Jeff, I use Greger Huttu's gearing at Rouen and find it suits my style - that is, I am not shifting just before or just after corners. It really helps to watch his replays to see how he carries more speed through corners than you really think is possible.

Dave