Tour de France riders

meanmrmustard

As a novice road biker I'm taking a particular interest in this year's TDF. I never thought I'd hear myself saying this - but watching cycling on tv can be exciting!
These guys are true athletes, covering 100s of miles a day with hills, mountains, sprints etc. Also the speeds they reach are phenomenal!
One question I have though is this:
How do their bikes differ to most bikes bought in store? For example I heard somewhere that their easiest gear is harder than my hardest gear! Is this true? That's crazy, I can't imagine climbing a hill with anything higher than my easiest gear lol
Any other interesting information anyone can give would be great. I'm learning more and more every day. Thanks.

P_Tucker

Their bike frames are filled with helium to help them climb better. This has to be redone every day because the frames aren't quite airtight - the helium leaks out slowly throughout the day - which is why they don't offer this for consumers.

Within 5 years it's thought that they'll be able to manufacture them such that the frames alone i.e. without any components and freshly filled with helium etc will actually be lighter than air.

RichN95.

meanmrmustard wrote:

One question I have though is this:
How do their bikes differ to most bikes bought in store? For example I heard somewhere that their easiest gear is harder than my hardest gear! Is this true? That's crazy, I can't imagine climbing a hill with anything higher than my easiest gear lol

The main difference is that they are very light (6.8kg - that's the lightest that's allowed). The frames will be stiffer (and made of carbon fibre).

The gears thing is wrong. Their gear ratios will be more or less the same as you find on a standard road bike (slightly higher).

alan_a

P_Tucker wrote:

Their bike frames are filled with helium to help them climb better. This has to be redone every day because the frames aren't quite airtight - the helium leaks out slowly throughout the day - which is why they don't offer this for consumers.

Within 5 years it's thought that they'll be able to manufacture them such that the frames alone i.e. without any components and freshly filled with helium etc will actually be lighter than air.

Cancellara's frame last year was one big hydrogen tank which ensured his fuel cell for his electric motor was at top wattage.

P_Tucker

Alan A wrote:

P_Tucker wrote:

Their bike frames are filled with helium to help them climb better. This has to be redone every day because the frames aren't quite airtight - the helium leaks out slowly throughout the day - which is why they don't offer this for consumers.

Within 5 years it's thought that they'll be able to manufacture them such that the frames alone i.e. without any components and freshly filled with helium etc will actually be lighter than air.

Cancellara's frame last year was one big hydrogen tank which ensured his fuel cell for his electric motor was at top wattage.

Christ. It's lucky that there's no catastrophic precedent for using hydrogen for lift where perhaps helium would be more advisable.

rick_chasey

meanmrmustard wrote:

As a novice road biker I'm taking a particular interest in this year's TDF. I never thought I'd hear myself saying this - but watching cycling on tv can be exciting!
These guys are true athletes, covering 100s of miles a day with hills, mountains, sprints etc. Also the speeds they reach are phenomenal!
One question I have though is this:
How do their bikes differ to most bikes bought in store? For example I heard somewhere that their easiest gear is harder than my hardest gear! Is this true? That's crazy, I can't imagine climbing a hill with anything higher than my easiest gear lol
Any other interesting information anyone can give would be great. I'm learning more and more every day. Thanks.

They are indeed true athletes.

Their bikes are, by and large, off the peg, with a few exceptions (some of the tyres they use are quite rare, and manufactureres have been known to use the Tour to test out prototype top end stuff). Team mechanics often put little things onto the bikes like different drop outs and chain catchers - stuff that wouldn't necessarily benefit consumers and weekend warriors, but by and large ,it's the same bike. Super-stars naturally get their own exclusive paint jobs.

They don't go up climbs in gears bigger than your biggest (think about the speed you go when you're pedalling in your big gear), but they climb faster than your mum cycling downhill, so their lowest gear is still pretty big.

kettrinboy

meanmrmustard wrote:

Also the speeds they reach are phenomenal!

Apparently Thor Hushovd hit 112 kph or 69 mph coming off the Col d Aubisque yesterday :shock: Phil and Paul said it so it must be true

unixnerd

Apparently Thor Hushovd hit 112 kph or 69 mph coming off the Col d Aubisque yesterday

I head a good one from Cavendish, he said something like "you have a part of your brain that says don't do that it's stupid - we don't".

When you compare these guys to folk like professional footballers it really shows how tough they are. It's inspirational.

As for the bikes they have the best of everything and are maintained to an incredible degree. But the difference is that someone with not too deep pockets could buy an almost identical bike (for a good bit under 10k), I suppose it's like buying an F1 car because you like the model that one last week! Even my old Cannondale CAAD5 was a frame design that won a few tour stages in it's day.

meanmrmustard

kettrinboy wrote:

meanmrmustard wrote:

Also the speeds they reach are phenomenal!

Apparently Thor Hushovd hit 112 kph or 69 mph coming off the Col d Aubisque yesterday :shock: Phil and Paul said it so it must be true

Wow! I reached 37mph on a steep downhill road before bottling it. That was fast enough for me!

RichN95.

meanmrmustard wrote:

Wow! I reached 37mph on a steep downhill road before bottling it. That was fast enough for me!

The sprinters sprint at about 45mph.