Alonso

rayjay

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/alonso- ... ltel-talks

I think it's interesting that Alonso talks about technologies.

We might see more crossovers from F1 tech if the UCI drop the weight limit and relax the rules a bit.

mroli

Nah, we don't want cycling to become like Formula One. Then races become boring with no overtaking, one team in control at the front, the same winner all the time and big budgets deciding racing. Eh? Oh.

Macaloon

Telemetry and team radio chatter would be add enormously to the spectacle (and probably cost). Would also like to see a mic'ed-up Matt Rendell "going for a wander" amongst the buses at the start.

Paul 8v

They should definitely mic up the Orica Green Edge bus...

rodgers73

Haven't Sky brought a Formula One approach to cycling already?

Paul 8v

I think that may have been what mroli was alluding to...

Paul 8v

rayjay wrote:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/alonso-has-no-regrets-about-collapse-of-euskaltel-talks

I think it's interesting that Alonso talks about technologies.

We might see more crossovers from F1 tech if the UCI drop the weight limit and relax the rules a bit.

I can't see them lowering the weight limit too soon but onboard cameras and as macaloon said, telemetry would be a definite plus

Prime586

Onboard cameras and telemetry would be a good thing, there are a couple of things to consider though. In F1, before all the cars got cameras, every car that didn't have one carried a dummy that had the same aero properties and weight as the camera (they still do today, as there are multiple camera positions and not all of them are fitted to each car). The weight of the camera or blank was included in the car's weight at scrutineering. This meant the teams were allowed to remove some ballast to keep the cars at the minimum weight (the same is true of the cameras fitted to MotoGP bikes as well). They would have to do a similar thing with the bikes to keep the teams happy I'd imagine- fine of you have a bike that already uses ballast to meet the minimum weight, but if you are on something porkier then it's going to be a bit harder unless you want to accept the weight penalty.

As a guide, the current 'Jockey Cam' digital microwave link cameras used for live transmissions in horse racing (from companies like Equisight and Feedback Systems) weigh about half a kilo. A major part of that weight is going to be the battery, and to get a decent transmission range it needs quite a bit of power. In F1 and MotoGP it's supplied by the vehicle's electrical system, for jockeys and bikes it has to come from a battery. You could integrate it to the electronic shift supply, but then if the camera uses too much power (especially if it's going to be transmitting for a 5-hour race as opposed to a 5 minute horse race) you might end up with no gears.

The uplink path is another potential problem - again in F1, they now have multiple microwave receivers placed all around the circuit that can handle multiple channels from the cameras to give continuous coverage (remember how years ago the onboards would break up every time a car passed under a bridge or gantry, or round the back of the circuit?). In some of the bike races they have trouble keeping the uplinks from the Moto cameras going, never mind adding onboards as well (which will be transmitting at lower power levels). It might mean that they have to put up another satellite relay aircraft up to handle it. It's all extra infrastructure that will have to be paid for by the race organiser or host broadcaster.

BillyMansell

I'd imagine that wanting to start with a clean state whilst still committing to providing a team in 2015 is all leading to Alonso developing his own range of bikes and equipment as he's not simply going to throw his or his investors money where the only benefit to him would be by name association.

The benefits I foresee of utilising the technologies, knowledge and expertise of F1 for making marginal gains may not only be for the development of his own team, and possibly the Spanish national squad, but also as competition for the high end goods produced by the likes of the Secret Squirrel Club although whether such competition within high end goods would lead to a lowering of the price point is debatable.

rayjay

Alonso bringing his own tech on board is a very interesting idea. At the minute we can buy any bike that the pro teams race. I would be interested to see what kind of tech they could bring in. Besides rider data etc.

It would be interesting to see if Alonso develop their own shifting and braking. We could possibly see a new F1 group set come to the market or even develop disc brakes to a super light weight. It would all be rather exclusive and expensive.

salsiccia1

rayjay wrote:

Alonso bringing his own tech on board is a very interesting idea. At the minute we can buy any bike that the pro teams race. I would be interested to see what kind of tech they could bring in. Besides rider data etc.

It would be interesting to see if Alonso develop their own shifting and braking. We could possibly see a new F1 group set come to the market or even develop disc brakes to a super light weight. It would all be rather exclusive and expensive.

One thing I do think the UCI got right was trying to make everything used in their races commercially available. If we start having really exclusive and expensive gear, it might detach the fans from cycling. I wouldn't want the top level of cycling to relate to my bike in the same way F1 relates to what I can drive.

Paul 8v

That is a good point, manufacturers won't want to develop stuff they can't sell, they could do it through a homologation system though like they used to with endurance racing, rallying etc. Lets face it, only a small amount of people will be able to afford the top notch gear anyway. as far as the weight limit is concerned if t is lowered people at grass roots level may not necessarily be able to afford to spend that sort of money on a bike that light, I know mine is definitely over the UCI limit, I'd have to spend a fortune to get it lower than that, or give it to Rayjay and give him a dremmel :-)

Macaloon

Paul 8v wrote:

... Rayjay and give him a dremmel :-)

Where would you start? I'd strap him down with a Marathon Man VHS then go for the molars.

Edit: Thanks prime586 for the informative post.

rayjay

Salsiccia1 wrote:

rayjay wrote:

Alonso bringing his own tech on board is a very interesting idea. At the minute we can buy any bike that the pro teams race. I would be interested to see what kind of tech they could bring in. Besides rider data etc.

It would be interesting to see if Alonso develop their own shifting and braking. We could possibly see a new F1 group set come to the market or even develop disc brakes to a super light weight. It would all be rather exclusive and expensive.

One thing I do think the UCI got right was trying to make everything used in their races commercially available. If we start having really exclusive and expensive gear, it might detach the fans from cycling. I wouldn't want the top level of cycling to relate to my bike in the same way F1 relates to what I can drive.

Sorry I should not have used the word exclusive. I agree with your view and would only expect a new high tech groupset to be in the same area money wise as D12 etc.

Some of the cost of high end parts is already outrageous IMO. Dash just released a new super light saddle/seatpost combo that cost well over grand.
http://www.cyclingtechblog.com/2013/02/ ... from-dash/

I must say though that as much as I love the high tech shifting and I have tried D12. I prefer the simplicity of mechanical shifting as it's easier to fix . Some of the electronic shifters have caused a few problems even for the pro teams. I could see Alonso and F1 tech taking it to a new level if allowed. Tiso have a 12 speed electronic gear set up

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/t ... oup-35956/

salsiccia1

rayjay wrote:

Tiso have a 12 speed electronic gear set up

http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/t ... oup-35956/

:shock:

frenchfighter

Interesting comments from Euskaltel manager:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gonzale ... king-about