TDF and carbon fibre

[Drake]

I don't usually watch a lot of cycle racing, but this year i watched both the French and Spanish tours.
Couple of questions sprang to mind.

1. Were there any machines used not equipped with C/F frames.

2. Were there any new innovations that the eagle eyed amongst you noticed, other than electronic gear shifting.

[tatanab]

I do not know about the TDF and Vuelta, but there was point in the commentary for the Tour of Britain where they said only one team was not on carbon fibre but on aluminium.

[tim-b]

Hi

The Genesis-Madison Volare Team frame is 953 steel since 2013, although I think that the riders have the choice of the full CF Zero for 2014
http://roadcyclinguk.com/gear/genesis-enter-carbon-fibre-market-launch-zero.html

It wouldn't surprise me if CF forks are a universal fit regardless of the frame material

Regards
tim-b

[Pandaz]

The 2014 TDF was 100% carbon!

[Brucey]

innovations? Well, it is said that racing improves the breed; every year the manufacturers make all kinds of changes which are intended to improve their products. Many of these are subtle, or just alter manufacturing costs or something. After all between the constraints of the UCI and the laws of physics they have scope for relatively small changes. So everything is a bit more aero, bearings get a fraction less draggy, parts become more lightweight (mostly) and the lay-up in CF frames is tweaked to give the frames specific properties that the designers think are a good idea this year. Performance monitoring systems are increasingly integrated into the bike's structure.

None of which is likely to improve the lot of tourists or commuters greatly IMHO.

In the meantime some fundamental problems remain unsolved because they don't affect racing that much. Except when they do... But anyway, many of the unsolved problems are arguably relevant to more ordinary cyclists too. So bikes that don't break when they are crashed, tyres that grip better on wet roads whilst still rolling easily, puncture resistance that doesn't slow you down, brakes that work well on carbon rims, brakes that work well in the wet without making a mess, better chain lubricants, transmissions that last longer in real-word conditions, bikes that are more comfortable to ride without other penalty, a means of assessing the integrity of suspect parts, better surface finishes that are more durable... saddles that fit a wider variety of rear ends, gears that can have a greater capacity without lots of adjustments, shifters that work with any gear system, brakes that work well with fatter tyres... all these are more relevant to everyday riders, and in many cases would happily be 'paid for' with a tiny weight increase or something. But because they are unlikely to impact on any one race outcome, they are of little interest to racing, so if they come with any kind of weight penalty, they will not be developed for racing; they are too busy chasing marginal gains that do not really affect the lot of everyday folk in a beneficial fashion.

cheers

[pete75]

innovations? better surface finishes that are more durable... saddles that fit a wider variety of rear ends, gears that can have a greater capacity without lots of adjustments, shifters that work with any gear system, brakes that work well with fatter tyres...


cheers

The durable surface finish has been around for years - stove enamel, the shifters were invented years ago - friction and the brakes exist - discs. I've never come across gears that require lots of adjustments - you adjust them to work when fitting and occasionally need to adjust the cables.
Never had anything to do with them but presumably Di2 type electronic gears need no adjustment once set up.

[foxyrider]

Never had anything to do with them but presumably Di2 type electronic gears need no adjustment once set up.

Only to your wallet!

[horizon]

One of the concerns often expressed on this forum is, far from the lack of innovation, is the need to keep things as they are, especially regarding compatibility, robustness and availability. You can either argue that this is due to undue conservatism on the part of older touring cyclists or you can say that market (and racing) driven innovation restricts the supply and compatibility of what are actually very good parts and systems. From the queries posted on the fourm I would say that most of us are still getting used to lots of aspects of bike use and further change just leaves me, for one, numb. As we've discussed ad nauseam on other threads, carbon is irrelevant when you're looking for a campsite in the middle of Spain and being chased by a dangerous looking dog. Do the TdF riders actully know how to put up a tent?

[Brucey]

..... carbon is irrelevant when you're looking for a campsite in the middle of Spain and being chased by a dangerous looking dog...

-whereas a steel frame keeps rabid canines at bay...?

cheers

[Dave W]

Tour of Britain came through my town - bunch of poofs wearing Lycra for Gods sake! Whatever next? Some of them were less than twenty five years old too!

[kylecycler]

What kind of depresses me is that the vast majority of roadies would think it absolutely absurd that the TdF could still be won by a steel-framed bike. I truly believe it could (or by an aluminium or titanium-framed bike) - at least as long as there is a 6.8kg weight limit. (Discuss...)

Grrr.... Why does the spell-checker keep telling us aluminium is a typo?! Aluminum was a typo, {FFE - family-friendly edit }! Americans...

[easyroller]

Tour of Britain came through my town - bunch of poofs wearing Lycra for Gods sake! Whatever next? Some of them were less than twenty five years old too!

Bah! Bet they didn't even have beards either...

[[XAP]Bob]

Tour of Britain came through my town - bunch of poofs wearing Lycra for Gods sake! Whatever next? Some of them were less than twenty five years old too!

Bah! Bet they didn't even have beards either...

Nor sandals...

[nirakaro]

"Grrr.... Why does the spell-checker keep telling us aluminium is a typo?! Aluminum was a typo, {FFE - family-friendly edit }! Americans... "

That's because you haven't reset your word processor from the default U.S. English setting to British English. Mine accepts aluminium and rejects aluminum.

[WrightsW5]

Even Genesis has surrendered to c*rbon