Sloped Top Tube TdF Bikes

[Stephen Harding]

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

 

[Fabrizio Mazzoleni]

"Stephen Harding" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> 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.

 

[araby]

"Fabrizio Mazzoleni" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:VanHc.984457$Pk3.492459@pd7tw1no...
>
> "Stephen Harding" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >
> > 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!


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

 

[Booker C. Bense]

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

In article <[email protected]>,
Stephen Harding <[email protected]> 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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[Hunrobe]

>Stephen Harding [email protected]

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

 

[Stephen Harding]

Fabrizio Mazzoleni wrote:
> "Stephen Harding" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
>>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

 

[Badger_South]

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 07:08:26 -0400, Stephen Harding <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Fabrizio Mazzoleni wrote:
>> "Stephen Harding" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>>
>>>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

 

[Stephen Harding]

Badger_South wrote:

> On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 07:08:26 -0400, Stephen Harding <[email protected]>
> 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

 

[Richard Stanz]

Booker C. Bense <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Stephen Harding <[email protected]> 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

 

[Hunrobe]

> [email protected]

wrote in part:

>One superiority claim I've heard is that a compact
>frame is lighter because it uses less material.

---snip---

The frame itself maybe lighter but compact frames often mean longer seat tubes
and stems. That adds weight to the finished bike and since no one I know rides
on *just* a frame the claimed weight savings may not exist. For some a bike
built on a compact frame may actually weigh *more*.

>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.

True but the builders aren't selling bikes to the pros. They are selling to the
rest of us and touting those lower frame weights with the implication that we
don't have to spend megabucks to get a truly light bike. I've read- and my
personal experience seems to confirm- that after a certain point (usually given
as 17 or 18 lbs depending on frame size) the cost of every ounce you shave
increases exponentially. Removing an ounce from a 17 lb bike may cost $200.
Removing an ounce from a 16 lb bike may cost $2000. Given that, it's just good
marketing to point out the lower weight of compact frames. It is a little
misleading to not add the caveats about the higher weights of components but
that's a whole other issue.

Regards,
Bob Hunt

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

Current fad.
-----------
Alex