Is it really 95% the Rider and 5% the Bike...

[bpsmith]

Hardly a fair comparison though. The 1914 bike has more relaxed angles and would be built from heavy gauge tubing. It's more like a touring bike or sports roadster for the simple reason that roads were not tarred then and it needed to built like that to cope with poor road surfaces. It's far removed from a modern race bike and I'm sure the modern race bike wouldn't cope very well on a gravel path.

Totally agree, but wouldn't you say the riders are far removed from each other also? That was the point of it, to iterate what a difference the bike choice makes, albeit an extreme example.

 

[cyberknight]

http://felixwong.com/2010/11/tour-de-france-bicycles-historical-bike-weights/

 

[Tin Pot]

So, 'better' bearings,
... gaining that 10% advantage at professional level, where cost is no problem? Yep, why not.

Wait, are you suggesting that better bearings resulted in a 10% performance increase?

 

[Crandoggler]

I'm not suggesting. There is *up to* 10% less friction using fully ceramic bearings over their steel counterparts.

 

[Tin Pot]

Wouldn't it be great if bikes were advertised with an objective measure of mechanical efficiency, and aero dynamism?

I'm not suggesting. There is *up to* 10% less friction using fully ceramic bearings over their steel counterparts.

Cool.

 

[Crandoggler]

To be honest, I think the margins are so slim, that if any measurable difference was displayed, it would adversely affect the disproportionate price of 'high end' bikes versus their cheaper counterparts. There's a reason they only say 'lighter, faster, stronger', and I'm sure it's due to the margins being extremely minimal.

 

[Tin Pot]

To be honest, I think the margins are so slim, that if any measurable difference was displayed, it would adversely affect the disproportionate price of 'high end' bikes versus their cheaper counterparts. There's a reason they only say 'lighter, faster, stronger', and I'm sure it's due to the margins being extremely minimal.

I agree but there are some vehement voices on this thread that think otherwise.

I'd see it as a government regulation, like the nutrition info on food wrappers.

Won't happen though because it will negatively effect sales

 

[bpsmith]

I agree but there are some vehement voices on this thread that think otherwise.

I'd see it as a government regulation, like the nutrition info on food wrappers.

Won't happen though because it will negatively effect sales

Do you also think that riders should be judged in the same manner? Only after putting in a certain level of training are they then allowed access to higher level bikes?

There are some vehement voices in this thread that think people on more expensive bikes don't put the same effort in.

 

[bpsmith]

http://felixwong.com/2010/11/tour-de-france-bicycles-historical-bike-weights/

Interesting and informative link. It seems that you have to ride a UCI minimum weight steed to win the TdF over the past 10 years. Longer than that of you count that guy who cheated.

 

[Tin Pot]

Do you also think that riders should be judged in the same manner?

No.

 

[winjim]

Interesting and informative link. It seems that you have to ride a UCI minimum weight steed to win the TdF over the past 10 years. Longer than that of you count that guy who cheated.

Or, it tells you that only minimum weight bikes are even entered into the TdF these days. Which is a different thing.

 

[bpsmith]

Or, it tells you that only minimum weight bikes are even entered into the TdF these days. Which is a different thing.

Exactly!

If there are no gains from this, then why aren't there any weighing more entered? Especially since teams are finding it tougher with less cash available these days?

 

[fossyant]

Lots of pro level bikes are less than the UCI weight, so the riders have weights fitted to keep them at the minimum.

It's still the rider that matters.

 

[winjim]

Lots of pro level bikes are less than the UCI weight, so the riders have weights fitted to keep them at the minimum.

It's still the rider that matters.

This is why I'm wondering why Bianchi are crowing about their new sub 800g climbers frame*, because they're going to need to ballast it anyway.


*I was going to write climbing frame, but that's a different thing.

 

[fossyant]

This is why I'm wondering why Bianchi are crowing about their new sub 800g climbers frame*, because they're going to need to ballast it anyway.


*I was going to write climbing frame, but that's a different thing.

Well you could have a lighter bike than the pros.

Some folk think it's 95% bike and 5% legs.

Clean bikes are the fastest by 1000% don't you know.