SKYs new bike for Flanders and P-R

Paul 8v

Crampeur wrote:

I've been to some training on Specialized's 2015 models where they showed a video of a Roubaix against a Trek Domane on cobbles. On both bikes, the most apparent flexing and supposed comfort came from using a narrower seatpost, which flexed forward and back quite noticeably. The Zertz insets that Specialized use are essentially a gimmick, although the decoupler on the Domane does do something to absorb vibration.

Lol, did they tell you that in the training? I must say I've ridden both and the Domane kicked the **** out of the Roubaix. I've not ridden the S Works though, I would hope that was better. The Domane just works though.

I wonder if they made any changes to the forks to help absorb impact?

gethinceri

I'll be taking a keen interest in seeing how many standard bikes they have on the support car for when they find out their solution is no solution.

alihisgreat

Paul 8v wrote:

Crampeur wrote:

I've been to some training on Specialized's 2015 models where they showed a video of a Roubaix against a Trek Domane on cobbles. On both bikes, the most apparent flexing and supposed comfort came from using a narrower seatpost, which flexed forward and back quite noticeably. The Zertz insets that Specialized use are essentially a gimmick, although the decoupler on the Domane does do something to absorb vibration.

Lol, did they tell you that in the training? I must say I've ridden both and the Domane kicked the **** out of the Roubaix. I've not ridden the S Works though, I would hope that was better. The Domane just works though.

I wonder if they made any changes to the forks to help absorb impact?

Yes they have, slacker head angle for stability and more rake for more flex. Probably only makes a tiny difference.

bompington

Surely it's obvious by now that it's not a damper, it's a little electric motor?

joelsim

bompington wrote:

Surely it's obvious by now that it's not a damper, it's a little electric motor?

Exactly. Cunningly disguised. Istvan was seen testing one just last week. Fabu is using one to speed up his broken bits recovery. Valverdemort has taken out a patent.

I want one for those speed bumps on my commute.

rick_chasey

Pokerface wrote:

I'm no engineer - but I'd be slightly worried about how much the carbon needs to flex where the chainstays meet the BB in order to allow the rear stays to move and for the 'shock absorber' to do it's thing behind the seat tube. There is no built-in pivot there - it just relies on flex in the frame I believe.

The trek they use for classics does the same, only the joint that moves about is where the seat stay meets the top tube & seat post. Is quite a standard cake stop party trick. Fwiw cancellara used it all season round

Paul 8v

There's a lot of weird and wonderful things you can do with carbon to be fair, like these: http://www.laufforks.com/ (I know a guy who races with them, loves them)

10mm isn't a massive amount for carbon to flex to be fair, we shall see on race day.

I think sky missed a trick here though. They should have put the press release out on April fools day, everyone would have laughed at it but then they turn up on race day with the bike!

yourpaceormine

So if any Sky riders are seen riding the gutters or sneaking onto cyclepaths and pavements tomorrow, will they get sacked?

flasher

Hincapie's bike from P-R 2005:

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/road/200 ... capie_bike

mroli

Its far more this though isn't it?



God bless Alex Moulton....

tom3

Now, I'm no expert. However, a sky rider was rolling on a flat road and the suspension was moving with every pedal stroke. Surely a percentage of power would be lost through the frame and in turn make it harder?

alihisgreat

tom3 wrote:

Now, I'm no expert. However, a sky rider was rolling on a flat road and the suspension was moving with every pedal stroke. Surely a percentage of power would be lost through the frame and in turn make it harder?

Its a trade off, presumably the traction would have been useful if the race had been wet.

i'd also assume that it would be more valuable at Paris-Roubaix where the cobbles are more vicious and they go over them faster because its a flat race.

Interesting to note that the winner was on an all out aero race bike - the Canyon Aeroad.

rick_chasey

Flanders cobbles = absolutely no need for any bike medications whatsoever, especially when dry.

raisinberry777

It also looked like Wiggo switched from the suspension bike to a non-suspension bike after his crash at the 150km to go mark.

Anonymous

raisinberry777 wrote:

It also looked like Wiggo switched from the suspension bike to a non-suspension bike after his crash at the 150km to go mark.

And if I remember right back on to the suspension bike.

Pokerface

sjmclean wrote:

raisinberry777 wrote:

It also looked like Wiggo switched from the suspension bike to a non-suspension bike after his crash at the 150km to go mark.

And if I remember right back on to the suspension bike.

Fairly quickly, yes.

curium

mroli wrote:

Its far more this though isn't it?



God bless Alex Moulton....

My consultant has one of those. I have to be honest and admit that I hadn't quite realised what I was looking at before now. I thought it was a foldable :oops:

emadden

"...game changing, apparently..." and then a snigger. If I were Pinarello I wouldn't be happy with that sarcastic dismissal. Maybe the condom on his head will help him.

rick_chasey

emadden wrote:

"...game changing, apparently..." and then a snigger. If I were Pinarello I wouldn't be happy with that sarcastic dismissal. Maybe the condom on his head will help him.

Whatcha gonna do? He retires on Monday.

My only concern with that is how small the contact point is to the rest of the frame.

Ber Nard

Rick Chasey wrote:

emadden wrote:

"...game changing, apparently..." and then a snigger. If I were Pinarello I wouldn't be happy with that sarcastic dismissal. Maybe the condom on his head will help him.

Whatcha gonna do? He retires on Monday.

Team Wiggins are on Pinarello though, aren't they?

ddraver

ALIHISGREAT wrote:

tom3 wrote:

Now, I'm no expert. However, a sky rider was rolling on a flat road and the suspension was moving with every pedal stroke. Surely a percentage of power would be lost through the frame and in turn make it harder?

Its a trade off, presumably the traction would have been useful if the race had been wet.

i'd also assume that it would be more valuable at Paris-Roubaix where the cobbles are more vicious and they go over them faster because its a flat race.

Interesting to note that the winner was on an all out aero race bike - the Canyon Aeroad.

It's a bit counter intuitive but, looking at MTBs, actually very little energy is lost that way. If you think that the power from the BB is transfered along the chainstay and not at all vertically, then the bob you see is more today with the rider body movement which doesnt add to power input (I think, I confess its rather complicated)

ugo.santalucia

It's the usual nonsense... over the years many have tried to gain advantage on the cobbles and yet the great winners have always won on standard bikes.
The 9% advantage claim is simply ridiculous... if it was 9 % better, that would be enough for the last of Sky's domestiques to win the race or to have a repeat of the (in)famous Mapei podium.

Classic were never won by bicycles

Anonymous

ugo.santalucia wrote:

The 9% advantage claim is simply ridiculous... if it was 9 % better, that would be enough for the last of Sky's domestiques to win the race or to have a repeat of the (in)famous Mapei podium.

Disagree with this, I'd say someone like Terptsra is more than 9% better than Christian Knees in a race like this.

The_Boy

sjmclean wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

The 9% advantage claim is simply ridiculous... if it was 9 % better, that would be enough for the last of Sky's domestiques to win the race or to have a repeat of the (in)famous Mapei podium.

Disagree with this, I'd say someone like Terptsra is more than 9% better than Christian Knees in a race like this.

Especially when you consider that the 9% figure presumably only refers to the cobbled sections. So that'll be about 20% of the course by my reckoning.

The_Boy

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Classic were never won by bicycles

RideOnTime

curium wrote:

mroli wrote:

Its far more this though isn't it?



God bless Alex Moulton....

My consultant has one of those. I have to be honest and admit that I hadn't quite realised what I was looking at before now. I thought it was a foldable :oops:

monstrosity

emadden

Ber Nard wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

emadden wrote:

"...game changing, apparently..." and then a snigger. If I were Pinarello I wouldn't be happy with that sarcastic dismissal. Maybe the condom on his head will help him.

Whatcha gonna do? He retires on Monday.

Team Wiggins are on Pinarello though, aren't they?

Actually, I think its a bit daft (the new Pinarello frame that is).. Its just a scam. And, I completely agree with the sarcastic snigger of Wiggins. However, he and team Sky are sponsored by Pinarello and I would've expected him to be a bit more professional.

greasedscotsman

Sky aren't the only ones with fancy new kit...

alihisgreat

New Dogma K9 har har har

@Dwuori
"Underwhelmed by the Dogma K8-S at Flanders, @TeamSky will debut Pinarello's new K9 rear suspension at #ParisRoubaix"
https://twitter.com/dwuori/status/586846752000516097

mroli

RideOnTime wrote:

monstrosity

Massively disagree. Wouldn't race on one - but would love to own one of these. I saw one once at the Smithfield Folding Bike race and it was amazing.
@curium - they don't fold - but you can separate some of them into two pieces for convenience.