Who needs carbon frames?

[gavroche]

In 1956 Jacques Anquetil decided to beat the 13 year old hour world record held by Fausto Coppi. The bike he rode weighed only 6 kilos and made of three tenths steel, 110 grammes silk tubular and helium filled. He had 28 spokes on each wheel. He established a new world record of 46.159 kms, a whole lap faster than Coppi. That was 62 years ago!! No carbon frames in those days but still able to do a great performance. So, is carbon overrated then?

 

[Spiderweb]

He may have beat coppi’s record by several laps if he was riding a carbon aero frame.

 

[sight-pin]

The bike he rode weighed only 6 kilos and made of three tenths steel, 110 grammes silk tubular and helium filled. He had 28 spokes on each wheel

Think that frame would cost a fortune now days. Wonder what would it be like if the tires were filled with helium instead of air?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Wonder what would it be like if the tires were filled with helium instead of air?

You could try nitrous oxide for a laugh.

 

[biggs682]

In 1956 Jacques Anquetil decided to beat the 13 year old hour world record held by Fausto Coppi. The bike he rode weighed only 6 kilos and made of three tenths steel, 110 grammes silk tubular and helium filled. He had 28 spokes on each wheel. He established a new world record of 46.159 kms, a whole lap faster than Coppi. That was 62 years ago!! No carbon frames in those days but still able to do a great performance. So, is carbon overrated then?

Both of my parents competed in time trials in and around Coventry in the late fifties

And even with the advancements in cycling since then i still cant get near to the times they did then ie Mum claims a sub 29 minute 10 mile and dad claims an all time best of just over 26 minutes for same distance

So hats off to the guys & girls who competed in the good old days and it makes you wonder how quick they would have been on today's bikes be them carbon or steel

 

[Cycleops]

Wonder what would it be like if the tires were filled with helium instead of air?

Probably give Mary Poppins a run for her money.

 

[screenman]

Both of my parents competed in time trials in and around Coventry in the late fifties

And even with the advancements in cycling since then i still cant get near to the times they did then ie Mum claims a sub 29 minute 10 mile and dad claims an all time best of just over 26 minutes for same distance

So hats off to the guys & girls who competed in the good old days and it makes you wonder how quick they would have been on today's bikes be them carbon or steel

1 minutes 27 seconds, if they had things like the internet to take up their time and distract them they might have been slower.

Most clubs I know of run at least one retro tt each year, the times are slower than full blown modern tt bikes.

 

[User33236]

Both of my parents competed in time trials in and around Coventry in the late fifties

And even with the advancements in cycling since then i still cant get near to the times they did then ie Mum claims a sub 29 minute 10 mile and dad claims an all time best of just over 26 minutes for same distance

So hats off to the guys & girls who competed in the good old days and it makes you wonder how quick they would have been on today's bikes be them carbon or steel

Then I suggest you get out and train more and try harder

 

[biggs682]

Most clubs I know of run at least one retro tt each year, the times are slower than full blown modern tt bikes.

Must admit i keep thinking about doing a couple on some of my retro steelies

 

[screenman]

Then I suggest you get out and train more and try harder

I did think about saying that

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

In 1956 Jacques Anquetil decided to beat the 13 year old hour world record held by Fausto Coppi. The bike he rode weighed only 6 kilos and made of three tenths steel, 110 grammes silk tubular and helium filled. He had 28 spokes on each wheel. He established a new world record of 46.159 kms, a whole lap faster than Coppi. That was 62 years ago!! No carbon frames in those days but still able to do a great performance. So, is carbon overrated then?

In 2000 Chris Boardman used a carbon fibre frame with drop bars to do 49.441km beating Jacques Anquetil record by 3.282km. He even beat Eddie Merckx (on a steel frame) hour record by a mere 0.01km!
Boardman also set a record of 56.375km on a carbon bike, with carbon wheels, but in the superman position (which is now classed as a different record)
So in answer to your question, it seems carbon framed bikes are certainly faster than steel ones, although whether they are overrated is a question only the poeple riding either frame can decide for themselves.

 

[Sharky]

In 1956 Jacques Anquetil decided to beat the 13 year old hour world record held by Fausto Coppi. The bike he rode weighed only 6 kilos and made of three tenths steel, 110 grammes silk tubular and helium filled. He had 28 spokes on each wheel. He established a new world record of 46.159 kms, a whole lap faster than Coppi. That was 62 years ago!! No carbon frames in those days but still able to do a great performance. So, is carbon overrated then?

Seem to recall that In 1967, 11 years later, Anquetil again broke the hour record, with 47.493 km, but the record was disallowed because he refused to take the newly introduced post-race doping test. Maybe the 1956 ride was not such a great performance after all.

 

[raleighnut]

It'd be better if Carbon bikes didn't melt in the rain though.

 

[Milzy]

They’re certainly not over rated but every material has its place.

 

[Shortandcrisp]

1 minutes 27 seconds, if they had things like the internet to take up their time and distract them they might have been slower.

Most clubs I know of run at least one retro tt each year, the times are slower than full blown modern tt bikes.

Isn’t that mostly due to the position on the bike and not the bike material?