Old versus New.

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gavroche

Getting old but not past it
Location
North Wales
Looking at some old TdF from the 50's and 60's, the bikes they rode had very limited gearing and was just wondering if riders then we're physically stronger than today's riders as climbing mountains must have been much harder than today. Not only the bikes were heavier and more basic but the state of the roads was also nowhere near as smooth as they are today on mountain stages.
Cbapeau to those riders, Fausto Coppi, Bartalli, Charlie Gaule, Bahamontes, Bobet, Anquetil, Poulidor and so on....
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
I have often wondered. They all seemed to ride with some kind of chemical assistance even if it was only brandy. What we don't know is how many competitors wrecked their knees or snapped tendons or gave themselves hernias and had to retire.
 

Slick

Guru
Mmm, not sure if the same argument could be applied to modern labourers but it does apply over most sports and today's guys and girls are stronger and fitter by a country mile. Yes the equipment is far superior but so is the training, diet and legal supplements.
 

fatjel

Veteran
Location
West Wales
I would expect modern training methods, diet and mental approach would mean cyclists these days are quicker on any bike or road.
Oh and epo is most likely more effective than brandy
 

rogerzilla

Legendary Member
If you ride fixed you realise that you don't need to be any more powerful without gears. You need to be stronger and your knees have to be able to handle it, but you don't breathe any harder. Today's riders just like to keep a constant cadence.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Mmm, not sure if the same argument could be applied to modern labourers but it does apply over most sports and today's guys and girls are stronger and fitter by a country mile. Yes the equipment is far superior but so is the training, diet and legal supplements.
Takes a fair bit of physical effort to spend eight hours a day swinging a pick compared to using a skid steer with a shovel or pick tool mounted on the arm.
 

Smokin Joe

Legendary Member
Nice link. :thumbsup: A 60% increase in average speed since the TdF started. I won't comment on the reasons, as I'm certainly no expert.
The TdF riders used single speed bikes for a fair few years and the stages were often 600k long. Add heavyweight bikes, poor roads, primitive training methods and bad diets and you can see why they were a lot slower.

When Roche won the Tour in 1987 he road 900km more than Thomas did this year, and on a steel frame with a seven speed block.
 
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rogerzilla

Legendary Member
And he happened to win the Giro and the World Championship the same year. He says that's impossible now; the cold mountain stages of the Giro take too much out of you unless you bulk up, and the TdF has become a race for whippets these days. Peter Sagan is the only normal-looking guy in the peloton.
 
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