Tour de France tech question

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The Elder Son is preparing a presentation on the TdF for his college course, as he's learning bike maintenance, there's a few technical questions he's trying to cover but can't find information on them. If anyone can help it would be appreciated:

When were ratchet freewheels first introduced, so riders didn't have to flip the wheels on the bikes?
When did Aluminium replace steel, and carbon replace aluminium?

He may reappear with another question, later, so thanks in advance...
 

classic33

Leg End Member
"In 1937, the derailleur system was introduced to the Tour de France, allowing riders to change gears without having to remove wheels."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derailleur_gears
 
Taken from here
.https://rotorbike.com/the-evolution-of-aluminum-in-cycling-past-present-and-future/


Looking Back

Steel has always had its advantages. At approximately 2.5 to three times the density of aluminum, it’s is a stronger material, and even considering the fluctuations in the prices of raw materials over time, it’s generally cheaper to make something out of steel than out of aluminum.

Nonetheless, aluminum started making its way into cycling in the 1970s and became more ubiquitous in the 1980s as engineers honed design and manufacturing processes. So why did aluminum become so popular?

Aluminum appealed to cyclists largely because it’s lighter than steel. That weight adds up when you consider not only a bike’s frame, but also its components. And who doesn’t enjoy riding and especially climbing on a lighter bike?
 

Stompier

Senior Member
When did Aluminium replace steel, and carbon replace aluminium?

There isn't really a specific date for either of those cases. Alu frames probably began to appear regularly in the late 90s. Carbon frames were probably in regular use by the late 2000s, although the first use of carbon goes back a lot further than that.
 

StuAff

Silencing his legs regularly
Location
Portsmouth
The Elder Son is preparing a presentation on the TdF for his college course, as he's learning bike maintenance, there's a few technical questions he's trying to cover but can't find information on them. If anyone can help it would be appreciated:

When were ratchet freewheels first introduced, so riders didn't have to flip the wheels on the bikes?
When did Aluminium replace steel, and carbon replace aluminium?

He may reappear with another question, later, so thanks in advance...
For the first question, I think the invention of the rear derailleur might have been rather important. Very first one: 1905, by Paul de Vivie aka Vélocio. First allowed on the TdF in 1937. Aluminium didn't take over until the 1990s- Indurain won the first four of his five wins on steel, the last in 1995 on aluminium. But that was short-lived, Pantani in 1998 the last winner on a metal bike frame. The first carbon frame (albeit carbon tubes bonded with aluminium lugs) to win the Tour was Greg LeMond's Look KG86 in 1986. Armstrong's non-win in 1999 was the first on a full carbon frame.
(Elder Son needs to learn how to use search engines...but try this for a start
https://roadcyclinguk.com/gear/bikes-tour-de-france-brief-history-race-winning-machines.html :smile: )
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
I looked in my Lapize book and couldn't find the reference I was looking for, but I did find this.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...AUQAQ#v=onepage&q=desgrange freewheel&f=false

Henri Desgrange fuming about the decadence of the freewheel in 1912.

The article below goes on to note that a specific stage in 1913 was specifically on fixed. Freewheels were banned. For 370 km!!

https://www.velonews.com/2017/06/tour-de-france/how-tour-de-france-embraced-derailleurs_441340

But your original question went on to say "So the riders didn't have to flip the wheels" A ratchet freewheel won't help with that, all it allows is for you to coast without pedalling. As noted by @classic33 above gearing wasn't allowed until 1937.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
I looked in my Lapize book and couldn't find the reference I was looking for, but I did find this.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...AUQAQ#v=onepage&q=desgrange freewheel&f=false

Henri Desgrange fuming about the decadence of the freewheel in 1912.

The article below goes on to note that a specific stage in 1913 was specifically on fixed. Freewheels were banned. For 370 km!!

https://www.velonews.com/2017/06/tour-de-france/how-tour-de-france-embraced-derailleurs_441340

But your original question went on to say "So the riders didn't have to flip the wheels" A ratchet freewheel won't help with that, all it allows is for you to coast without pedalling. As noted by @classic33 above gearing wasn't allowed until 1937.
I can remember single speeds with two different gears. Different sizes on each side on the rear wheel, you flipped the wheel round to get the second gear.

Small chain tensioning device allowed for the difference.
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
I can remember single speeds with two different gears. Different sizes on each side on the rear wheel, you flipped the wheel round to get the second gear.

Small chain tensioning device allowed for the difference.
Yebbut the original question was...
When were ratchet freewheels first introduced, so riders didn't have to flip the wheels on the bikes?
My point above was that ratchet freewheels didn't free riders from flipping wheels. Derailleurs did that. (And hub gears had made geared riding possible for riders free of racing rules since just after the turn of the century)
 
Thanks for the responses.

Elder Son is learning in German and researching in English it's been handy to get some extra phrases that trigger G**gle to get more results. He was getting increasingly stressed trying to look up translations so the links have helped him relax a lot more and get the information he needs.

I always thought the turning over wheels thing was just a fixed/freewheel gear, I didn't realise the two gears were different. We live and learn...
 
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