TdeF; unreliable gears? (spoiler for 13/7/16)

[foxyrider]

Just to add to the earlier comments re unreliability of gears in the TdeF; Adam Yates had gear problems in stage 19 and had to wait for a bike change. Bad luck on his part; whilst he was chasing back on, attacks went away and the hammer came down in the bunch. He lost enough time that this for sure cost him a podium place.

cheers

Seems to be a thread - unreliable Shimano?

[Mick F]

Now, if you're on inner and give one full sweep to middle, then want to go back to inner, you need TWO clicks ........ when it took only one click before.
This must mean that there's FOUR clicks in there somewhere.
Darned if I can find them!

Shimano works on two clicks per chainring but the trim click (the outer one of each ring) is a kind of 'sub' click. If you drop to a smaller chainring the ratchet system bypasses the trim position for that smaller chainring and you go straight to the inner position. To get back therefore takes two clicks.

Similarly if you're in the trim position and want to go down there's a smaller release first to the non trimmed position and then a larger release if you press further, which due to the above, will then go straight to the non trimmed position of the ring below.

As for your 20mm issue, I'm wondering if the levers are gunked up a bit and so you're having to bring the paddle that far out to get it to reset for the next downshift.

Thanks for that Steve.
The "sub click" you mention doesn't seem any different than the "main click", but what you say is no doubt correct.

The Tiagra STIs have only 1,300miles on them from brand new, and I'm on record on here for saying that they feel and sound like they need a good injection of grease. They are clunky and sort of "plasticy" in their operation, and strike me as feeling cheap and nasty. They look awful too.

They work well, for what they are. They are accurate and exact and change gear positively and perfectly. In fact, notwithstanding my comments on how they sound and feel and look, I'm actually very impressed with their performance.

[Brucey]

mick, you might perhaps look at this, for example;

https://web.archive.org/web/20100705001424/http://bike.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/tech_support/tech_tips.download.-Par50lparsys-0030-downloadFile.html/06)%20Trim%20Function.pdf

if you don't understand how trim clicks work.

Moderators: I suppose it is too late to do something about this thread? Like split it? It was intended to be a place to discuss whether equipment failures are greatly affecting the outcome of pro races, not whether one type of STI is easier to understand/operate than another.

cheers

[thelawnet]

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/electr ... road-race/

[freeflow]

Excuses. Why not a bike change?

[RickH]

Excuses. Why not a bike change?

Are the teams riding "national team" bikes or their trade team bikes. Ones that I've noticed seem to be on their trade team bikes.

They dont seem to do much bike changing at the world's for whatever reason. Can teams use more than one support car? A switch to a neutral service bike often doesn't go well - ask Chris Froome.

[Brucey]

In theory most national teams offer riders the choice of a 'national team bike' or to use their usual bike. Most opt for the latter, being more familiar with it, I think.

cheers

[thelawnet]

Excuses. Why not a bike change?

Not possible.

You can watch the race here:
https://youtu.be/Ef6bMEkkCKU?t=5847

Van der Breggen wins easily on her own

Ludwig attacks from the peloton on the final climb (12%) but doesn't have the legs, Longo Borghini & Van Vleuten get away.

Ludwig is in the chasing group of 5 behind them.

Already drafting here but still in the group of 5

https://youtu.be/Ef6bMEkkCKU?t=6200

Equipment failure is obvious here

https://youtu.be/Ef6bMEkkCKU?t=6408

she ends up getting off her saddle and sitting on the top bar to try and draft, rather than spin out.

So she ends up eighth behind the 1 + 2 + 4. A bike change could have had no possible benefit, trying to chase down a group of 4, downhill, a couple of minutes from the end of the race.

[freeflow]

So, the same impact as a puncture then?

[Brucey]

So, the same impact as a puncture then?

if you can use a wheel from (say) a neutral service motorbike you can have a puncture under circumstances in which a bike change isn't possible, since they won't let cars into the same size gap on the road as the neutral service motorbike is allowed into.

cheers