Sloped Top Tube TdF Bikes

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Been watching some of the Tour de France action on TV and
noticed there seemed to be an awful large number of bikes
with sloped (non-horizontal) top tubes.

I don't particularly remember this from previous tours,
but I've never had access to cable to watch the stages
before either.

Is this just the current "style" for road racing bikes, or
is it a function of the way bikes are made for "little guys"
who seem to predominate bike racing (sort of analogous to
horse jockeys I suppose), or am I just totally mis-observing
the race and there is no difference in the numbers of
slanted top tube bikes from previous years?

Go Lance!

SMH

"Stephen Harding" <harding@cs.umass.edu> wrote in message news:40edf197@news-1.oit.umass.edu...
>
> I don't particularly remember this from previous tours,
> but I've never had access to cable to watch the stages
> before either.

When was the last time you were in a high-end bike shop, or
out on a group ride with the "A" riders?

Everything has been compact frame for the last three years.

"Fabrizio Mazzoleni" <chipomarc@lfdd.ca> wrote in message
news:VanHc.984457$Pk3.492459@pd7tw1no...
>
> "Stephen Harding" <harding@cs.umass.edu> wrote in
> message
news:40edf197@news-1.oit.umass.edu...
> >
> > I don't particularly remember this from previous
> > tours, but I've never had access to cable to watch the
> > stages before either.
>
> When was the last time you were in a high-end bike shop,
> or out on a group ride with the "A" riders?
>
> Everything has been compact frame for the last
> three years.

I guess someone forgot to tell Lance!

.cyclingnews.com/photos/2004/tour04/tech/?id=usps_stage3/CN-
TDF04-Tech35_LA_trek -and several other Tde F teams.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <40edf197@news-1.oit.umass.edu>, Stephen Harding
<harding@cs.umass.edu> wrote:
>Been watching some of the Tour de France action on TV and
>noticed there seemed to be an awful large number of bikes
>with sloped (non-horizontal) top tubes.
>
>I don't particularly remember this from previous tours,
>but I've never had access to cable to watch the stages
>before either.
>
>Is this just the current "style" for road racing bikes, or
>is it a function of the way bikes are made for "little
>guys" who seem to predominate bike racing (sort of
>analogous to horse jockeys I suppose), or am I just totally
>mis-observing the race and there is no difference in the
>numbers of slanted top tube bikes from previous years?
>

_ It's a style thing. Several of the large manufacturers
have switched to the compact style so they can make fewer
sizes or better bikes or something... For these guys it's
important that the racers race on something that looks
like the bike in the shop. After all that's why they
sponsor the team.

_ Compact frames make a lot of sense for people with short
legs and long torsos. You'll find very few with that body
build racing the TdF though.

_ Booker C. Bense

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>Stephen Harding harding@cs.umass.edu

wrote in part:

>is it a function of the way bikes are made for
>"little guys"

We prefer the phrase "reasonably-sized guys". <g>

Regards, Bob Hunt

Fabrizio Mazzoleni wrote:
> "Stephen Harding" <harding@cs.umass.edu> wrote in message
> news:40edf197@news-1.oit.umass.edu...
>
>>I don't particularly remember this from previous tours,
>>but I've never had access to cable to watch the stages
>>before either.
>
>
> When was the last time you were in a high-end bike shop,
> or out on a group ride with the "A" riders?
>
> Everything has been compact frame for the last three
> years.

I'm a Fred Fab, so that must explain it.

BTW, where are you keeping yourself in the peloton? Everyone
looks so much alike massed together in the big group I
haven't been able to pick you out.

Even the announcers don't seem to mention your name.

SMH

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 07:08:26 -0400, Stephen Harding <harding@cs.umass.edu>
wrote:

>Fabrizio Mazzoleni wrote:
>> "Stephen Harding" <harding@cs.umass.edu> wrote in message
>> news:40edf197@news-1.oit.umass.edu...
>>
>>>I don't particularly remember this from previous tours,
>>>but I've never had access to cable to watch the stages
>>>before either.
>>
>>
>> When was the last time you were in a high-end bike shop,
>> or out on a group ride with the "A" riders?
>>
>> Everything has been compact frame for the last
>> three years.
>
>I'm a Fred Fab, so that must explain it.
>
>BTW, where are you keeping yourself in the peloton?
>Everyone looks so much alike massed together in the big
>group I haven't been able to pick you out.
>
>Even the announcers don't seem to mention your name.
>
>
>SMH

Dude, he's obviously riding under an alias so that he
doesn't steal the limelight from Lance and Jan. I mean he
-is- world renown and the most famous cyclist on the 'Net.
Give the guy a little slack. He gives and gives and now you
want him to carry the show on the Tour? He's only one man,
fercrissakes.

-Badger

Booker C. Bense <bbense+rec.bicycles.misc.Jul.09.04@telemark.slac.stanford.edu> wrote in message news:<ccmkhq$efs$2@news.Stanford.EDU>...
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>
> In article <40edf197@news-1.oit.umass.edu>, Stephen
> Harding <harding@cs.umass.edu> wrote:
> >Been watching some of the Tour de France action on TV and
> >noticed there seemed to be an awful large number of bikes
> >with sloped (non-horizontal) top tubes.
> >
> >I don't particularly remember this from previous tours,
> >but I've never had access to cable to watch the stages
> >before either.
> >
> >Is this just the current "style" for road racing bikes,
> >or is it a function of the way bikes are made for
> >"little guys" who seem to predominate bike racing (sort
> >of analogous to horse jockeys I suppose), or am I just
> >totally mis-observing the race and there is no
> >difference in the numbers of slanted top tube bikes from
> >previous years?
> >
>
> _ It's a style thing. Several of the large manufacturers
> have switched to the compact style so they can make fewer
> sizes or better bikes or something... For these guys it's
> important that the racers race on something that looks
> like the bike in the shop. After all that's why they
> sponsor the team.
>
> _ Compact frames make a lot of sense for people with short
> legs and long torsos. You'll find very few with that body
> build racing the TdF though.
>
> _ Booker C. Bense
>

I've seen different explanations for the trend, including
the sizing issue you mention. One superiority claim I've
heard is that a compact frame is lighter because it uses
less material. That may be true, but I can't see that it
would make much difference to the pros because even the
bikes with classical geometry are hovering right on the
weight limit. There's just not much lower to go.

Regards, Richard Stanz

Badger_South wrote:

> On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 07:08:26 -0400, Stephen Harding
> <harding@cs.umass.edu> wrote:
>>
>>BTW, where are you keeping yourself in the peloton?
>>Everyone looks so much alike massed together in the big
>>group I haven't been able to pick you out.
>>
>>Even the announcers don't seem to mention your name.
>>
> Dude, he's obviously riding under an alias so that he
> doesn't steal the limelight from Lance and Jan. I mean he
> -is- world renown and the most famous cyclist on the 'Net.
> Give the guy a little slack. He gives and gives and now
> you want him to carry the show on the Tour? He's only one
> man, fercrissakes.

I had him pegged as a super domestique!

SMH