Have Sky switched back to mechanical gears?

Bozman
Bozman Posts: 2,518
edited May 2013 in Road general
I've heard this mentioned in a couple of places and I was wondering whether it's net gossip or fact.
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Comments

  • philwint
    philwint Posts: 763
    Looking at images around the interwebs and Froomie was using electronic in the TdR last week
    Phil

    www.philwinterbourne.co.uk
  • esafosfina1
    esafosfina1 Posts: 153
    Individual riders can choose either Di2 or mechanical... it's all down to personal preference.
  • Buckie2k5
    Buckie2k5 Posts: 600
    esafosfina1 wrote:
    Individual riders can choose either Di2 or mechanical... it's all down to personal preference.

    really cant see why they would choose Di2 with the worry it can breakdown. Maybe they should start carrying jump leads lol
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Bozman wrote:
    I've heard this mentioned in a couple of places and I was wondering whether it's net gossip or fact.

    Gossip. The only thing that's changed recently is Wiggo is using round rings instead of O's for climbs.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    Buckie2k5 wrote:
    esafosfina1 wrote:
    Individual riders can choose either Di2 or mechanical... it's all down to personal preference.

    really cant see why they would choose Di2 with the worry it can breakdown. Maybe they should start carrying jump leads lol

    Mechanical gears can break down just as easy.
    My London Road
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    MountainMonster wrote:
    Mechanical gears can break down just as easy.
    Electronic shifters drive mechanical gears, so electronic ones double the chance of system failure.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    Sprool wrote:
    MountainMonster wrote:
    Mechanical gears can break down just as easy.
    Electronic shifters drive mechanical gears, so electronic ones double the chance of system failure.

    And I suppose you have data that shows the failure rate of electronic groupsets vs. mechanical? Oh wait, of course you don't... :roll:

    The difference of rate of failure in the pro peleton, if any, is negligible. Chains break, tyres puncture, forks and frames crack, saddles spin, peddles break, and yes, gears sometimes go wonky. Get over it.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    Markwb79 wrote:
    How many km's does he race on TV a year? 10-15k? multiply that by the 7 or 8 people in the team. half the season there are two squads racing at the same time. times by 3 or 4 other teams running DI2 in the same race. How many 'failures' are there?
    Some wisdom lifted from another thread where people can't wait to bless us with their certain knowledge of how useless Di2 gear is. Honestly. Some people...

    Di2 is fine. Like everything else in life, most of the time it just works. Occasionally it goes pear shaped like other stuff can and occasionally does, but being Di2 any occasional failure is taken by some as proof that the whole concept is idiotic. Blimey. Glass half full anyone?
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,413
    Grill wrote:
    Gossip. The only thing that's changed recently is Wiggo is using round rings instead of O's for climbs.

    eurosport said this was due to new shimano cranks being 4-hole, team sponsorship means he's stuck with them, so he can't fit his favoured osymetrics
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    sungod wrote:
    Grill wrote:
    Gossip. The only thing that's changed recently is Wiggo is using round rings instead of O's for climbs.

    eurosport said this was due to new shimano cranks being 4-hole, team sponsorship means he's stuck with them, so he can't fit his favoured osymetrics

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/22340878 1:48 in.

    AFAIK they're still using 7900 chainsets as that's what their SRMs are on (at least they were still using them for Romandie) as the 9000 SRM has just now been finalized and is extremely limited (even to sponsored teams) http://www.bikerumor.com/2013/04/21/soc13-srm-finalizes-da9000-power-meter-shows-prototype-rechargeable-xx1-model/
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • Bar Shaker
    Bar Shaker Posts: 2,313
    Bozman wrote:
    I've heard this mentioned in a couple of places and I was wondering whether it's net gossip or fact.

    Nope, they continue to use the best equipment available.

    The rumour was probably started by a bearded man, shortly after finishing an audax, whilst rummaging through his panniers looking for his white socks and sandals.
    Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
    Boardman FS Pro
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    sungod wrote:
    Grill wrote:
    Gossip. The only thing that's changed recently is Wiggo is using round rings instead of O's for climbs.

    eurosport said this was due to new shimano cranks being 4-hole, team sponsorship means he's stuck with them, so he can't fit his favoured osymetrics

    Although you'd think for the cost of it, they'd machine up some O rings with 4 hole fitting ...
  • Sprool
    Sprool Posts: 1,022
    Grill wrote:
    And I suppose you have data that shows the failure rate of electronic groupsets vs. mechanical? Oh wait, of course you don't... :roll:
    You missed the point, not talking about failure rate, talking about the chances of
    things going wrong, which increase as the the number of components involved increases.
  • MountainMonster
    MountainMonster Posts: 7,423
    Sprool wrote:
    Grill wrote:
    And I suppose you have data that shows the failure rate of electronic groupsets vs. mechanical? Oh wait, of course you don't... :roll:
    You missed the point, not talking about failure rate, talking about the chances of
    things going wrong, which increase as the the number of components involved increases.

    Yes, but those contribute to the failure rate. If the failure rates were substantially higher I could understand the argument, but my best guess is they are even.
    My London Road
  • lotus49
    lotus49 Posts: 763
    Grill wrote:
    And I suppose you have data that shows the failure rate of electronic groupsets vs. mechanical? Oh wait, of course you don't... :roll:

    The difference of rate of failure in the pro peloton, if any, is negligible. Chains break, tyres puncture, forks and frames crack, saddles spin, peddles break, and yes, gears sometimes go wonky. Get over it.
    Do you have any statistics to support your assertion?

    Your claim that there is no difference appears to be no better supported than the post about which you were complaining.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    From: http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2013/02/let-the-season-begin/

    Everyone in the pro peloton bashes one particular groupset though. It’s all in good fun, but it’s an unwritten rule that you have to take the piss out of the guys who are on that groupset.

    The electronic groupsets is where it’s at nowdays. Di2 has been brilliant. – absolutely flawless. From what I understand the 11spd Dura Ace is even better. It’s now just like Campag where you hold the button in and it just goes up or down the cassette. The riders say great things about it.

    The groupset they take the piss out of is SRAM Red and the secret pro is strongly suspected to be Bernie Eisel.

    So pros love electronic groupsets... yeah.
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • Jon_1976
    Jon_1976 Posts: 690
    Grill wrote:
    From: http://www.cyclingtips.com.au/2013/02/let-the-season-begin/

    Everyone in the pro peloton bashes one particular groupset though. It’s all in good fun, but it’s an unwritten rule that you have to take the wee-wee out of the guys who are on that groupset.

    The electronic groupsets is where it’s at nowdays. Di2 has been brilliant. – absolutely flawless. From what I understand the 11spd Dura Ace is even better. It’s now just like Campag where you hold the button in and it just goes up or down the cassette. The riders say great things about it.

    The groupset they take the wee-wee out of is SRAM Red and the secret pro is strongly suspected to be Bernie Eisel.

    So pros love electronic groupsets... yeah.

    Thanks for the link, enjoying reading that.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,708
    No way the Secret Pro is Bernie Eisel...

    Given that SRAM Red has won almost all of the GT's over the past few years, i would suggest that secret pros need to spend a bit more time riding and a bit less time laughing...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • flasher
    flasher Posts: 1,734
    Wiggins on mechanical for the Giro.
    But Wiggins is trading on his reputation. He’s been fifth in the Volta a Catalunya and fifth in the Giro del Trentino although technical problems disrupted this and as a result he will be on traditional mechanical gears for the Giro and not electronic gears.

    http://inrng.com/2013/04/who-will-win-the-giro/
  • Strith
    Strith Posts: 541
    Yeah read that, bit of a knee jerk reaction by wiggo I reckon.
  • esafosfina1
    esafosfina1 Posts: 153
    Without being condescending, I think many of you are missing a crucial point... these are the best riders in the world... if they wish to ride a certain component over another (given, within sponsorship...) then so be it. Even a first year pro like me had a certain sway when it came to equipment when I won the Worlds... (ADR were sponsored by Mavic - I rode Campag) so even if SKY had to revert to 2012 kit to get the best, they would. Anyway... what would I know.
  • BigDaddyG
    BigDaddyG Posts: 63
    Didn't this all come from the Sky Spots interview with Wiggo when he branded electronic gears 'rubbish' and he was switching back to mechanical after the failure???
    Summer - Wilier la Triestina
    Winter - Trek 1.2
    Turbo bike - Trek 1.2
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  • Strith
    Strith Posts: 541
    I think he's had two failures, thrown a wobbly do going back to mech.
    I'll draw my conclusions from the fact the rest of the peleton haven't done the same.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Strith wrote:
    I think he's had two failures, thrown a wobbly do going back to mech.
    I'll draw my conclusions from the fact the rest of the peloton haven't done the same.

    The rest of the peloton might not have had the same nightmare experiences as he has. But it doesn't make his decision any less valid just because others have not done the same.
  • flasher
    flasher Posts: 1,734
    Strith wrote:
    I think he's had two failures, thrown a wobbly do going back to mech.
    I'll draw my conclusions from the fact the rest of the peloton haven't done the same.

    I'm sure that "the rest of the peloton" don't get the choice because they ride what the sponsor wants them too, however Wiggo being current winner of Le Tour (and cycle poster boy) can choose as he pleases so long as it's a Shimano group, same as Cancellara he rode mechanical to the win at Paris-Roubaix, the rest will do pretty much as they're told.

    I'll draw my conclusions from what the manufacturers want us to spend the most money on, and that's electronic.
  • Strith
    Strith Posts: 541
    Imposter wrote:
    Strith wrote:
    I think he's had two failures, thrown a wobbly do going back to mech.
    I'll draw my conclusions from the fact the rest of the peloton haven't done the same.

    The rest of the peloton might not have had the same nightmare experiences as he has. But it doesn't make his decision any less valid just because others have not done the same.

    There's no mass complaints from the pros and there's nothing to suggest failures are worse than mechanical systems.

    Pro cyclists all have daft superstitions and aren't exactly know for their intelligence, so who knows what they base their decisions on.

    Anyway it won't matter what group set he's using when Froome leaves him for dust on LE tour.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Strith wrote:
    There's no mass complaints from the pros and there's nothing to suggest failures are worse than mechanical systems.

    Nobody said otherwise.
    Strith wrote:
    Pro cyclists all have daft superstitions and aren't exactly know for their intelligence, so who knows what they base their decisions on.

    Wiggins' decision appears to have been based on his personal experience - which is perfectly valid. But well done on managing to insult every current and ex pro bike rider. Perhaps you could give us details of your IQ, so we may make equally sweeping judgements on your own intelligence?
    Strith wrote:
    Anyway it won't matter what group set he's using when Froome leaves him for dust on LE tour.

    You seem to have it in for Wiggins simply because he has dared to shun your favourite groupset ?
  • Strith
    Strith Posts: 541
    I don't have it in for him, I just think Froome looks on way better form. Could be wrong but we'll have a better idea after we see wiggi in action on the giro.

    I'm not worried about upsetting pro riders, as I'm sure thay care even less about what anybody posts on BR.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    Strith wrote:
    I'm not worried about upsetting pro riders, as I'm sure thay care even less about what anybody posts on BR.

    ignorant and insensitive - good work ;)
  • Strith
    Strith Posts: 541
    I try my best :lol:

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