TdF today: service while you ride!

C.J.Patten said:

During today's TdF stage, a rider in a yellow & white team jersey who
I *think* was involved in an accident earlier had some interesting
service done on their bike.

They had their team car come up beside them, grabbed the door frame
and had someone in the back seat lean out and around the bike,
PERFORM SERVICE on their rear derailleur and then "undock" from the
car! LOL!
OK - so maybe this isn't news to most of you but I've NEVER seen that
and found it fascinating. It was like watching an orbital rendezvous
between two spacecraft. Are there some kind of rules about that?
Like, you can't hold on to your team car for more than "X"miles and
they can't accellerate? BTW: I think they switched bikes for that
rider shortly thereafter, finding the problem unfixable.

Just saw that on the first replay. I think they sorta "look away" when
someone uses the team car after a crash or mechanical; same thing with
drafting the cars when catching up to the peloton after a wreck (or potty
break?)...

The mechanic /was/ pretty brave and agile -- trying to align a derailleur
hanger at 30 mph can't be easy!

Bill "I'd be counting my fingers after that" S.

He was adjusting the rder cable tension. The rider (Prodir team) had
done a bike switch after a crash and apparently the rder was not
shifting right. So the wrench tightened up the cable tension a bit,
let the rider try it, then loosened it a smidge and let the rider go.
Was ever so clear on the big screen - could tell which direction he was
turning the barrel, etc.

- rick

Quoted message said:

He was adjusting the rder cable tension. The rider (Prodir team) had
done a bike switch after a crash and apparently the rder was not
shifting right. So the wrench tightened up the cable tension a bit,
let the rider try it, then loosened it a smidge and let the rider go.
Was ever so clear on the big screen - could tell which direction he
was turning the barrel, etc.

Ah. I just listened to the commentators while watching it out of side of my
eyes.

Bill Sornson said:

C.J.Patten said:

During today's TdF stage, a rider in a yellow & white team jersey who
I *think* was involved in an accident earlier had some interesting
service done on their bike.

They had their team car come up beside them, grabbed the door frame
and had someone in the back seat lean out and around the bike,
PERFORM SERVICE on their rear derailleur and then "undock" from the
car! LOL!
OK - so maybe this isn't news to most of you but I've NEVER seen that
and found it fascinating. It was like watching an orbital rendezvous
between two spacecraft. Are there some kind of rules about that?
Like, you can't hold on to your team car for more than "X"miles and
they can't accellerate? BTW: I think they switched bikes for that
rider shortly thereafter, finding the problem unfixable.

Just saw that on the first replay. I think they sorta "look away" when
someone uses the team car after a crash or mechanical; same thing with
drafting the cars when catching up to the peloton after a wreck (or potty
break?)...

Anybody see that advert a couple of years ago, guy driving mini-van,
hears a funny noise, and mechanic zips out of back seat, crawls out the
back, with crawler, zips under and fixes van, the goes back into the
backseat.

Quoted message said:

The mechanic /was/ pretty brave and agile -- trying to align a derailleur
hanger at 30 mph can't be easy!

They probably only try it, when the "wrench" thinks it's safe to do so,
if not, then they probably get the rider to pull over.

Quoted message said:

Bill "I'd be counting my fingers after that" S.

Your not the only one....

W

"C.J.Patten" wrote...

Quoted message said:

During today's TdF stage, a rider in a yellow & white team jersey who I
*think* was involved in an accident earlier had some interesting service
done on their bike.

They had their team car come up beside them, grabbed the door frame and

had

Quoted message said:

someone in the back seat lean out and around the bike, PERFORM SERVICE on
their rear derailleur and then "undock" from the car! LOL!

OK - so maybe this isn't news to most of you but I've NEVER seen that and
found it fascinating. It was like watching an orbital rendezvous between

two

Quoted message said:

spacecraft. Are there some kind of rules about that? Like, you can't hold

on

Quoted message said:

to your team car for more than "X"miles and they can't accellerate? BTW: I
think they switched bikes for that rider shortly thereafter, finding the
problem unfixable.

I recall seeing a photograph back in the '80s of a mechanic doing the same
thing, so it's nothing new. In the photo I saw, the rider seemed to be
continuing to pedal, not holding onto the car.It's just as impressive today
as it was back then, though, and I envy you for seeing it in video instead
of just a still shot.

I've heard stories of cyclists changing wheels on the fly, which really
sounds wild. Rider grabs onto car, uses legs to pick up the wheel with a
puncture. Mechanic opens brake pads, yanks old wheel, puts in new wheel,
tightens quick release and re-sets brake pads. The story I heard is that pro
riders will practice this maneuver so that they can do it as quickly as
possible when racing. Definitely a "don't try this at home" scenario.

Slingshotting a rider back up to the speed of the peloton is something that
support vehicles only do when the refs aren't looking.

I recall seeing Greg get some brake adjustments while rolling. First
there was a long discussion with gesturing, then the service, all saved
for posterity by the motocam.

And it might have been Park that gave out a poster at the tradeshows.
"Just Hanging out" with a wrench doing exactly that.

--Karen M.
and then there's the Coke can sling...

I too suspected they practice this type of maneuver in training. In the
unlikely event it's necessary, the procedure is second nature.

See a *wheel change* in motion would certainly be a spectacular sight. I'm
sure they view it as just another "get on with it" thing but that's the
stuff legends are made of in my book.

They're replaying the tour again tonight - I'll tape the coverage this time
and take some video captures of the rolling service to put online for anyone
here who hasn't seen it.

TTYS!
Chris

"mark" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I recall seeing a photograph back in the '80s of a mechanic doing the same
thing, so it's nothing new. In the photo I saw, the rider seemed to be
continuing to pedal, not holding onto the car.It's just as impressive
today
as it was back then, though, and I envy you for seeing it in video instead
of just a still shot.

I've heard stories of cyclists changing wheels on the fly, which really
sounds wild. Rider grabs onto car, uses legs to pick up the wheel with a
puncture. Mechanic opens brake pads, yanks old wheel, puts in new wheel,
tightens quick release and re-sets brake pads. The story I heard is that
pro
riders will practice this maneuver so that they can do it as quickly as
possible when racing. Definitely a "don't try this at home" scenario.

Slingshotting a rider back up to the speed of the peloton is something
that
support vehicles only do when the refs aren't looking.

Shoot. I'd love to get my hands on that Park Tools poster... 🙂

BTW: what's a "Coke can sling..." ?

"Veloise" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I recall seeing Greg get some brake adjustments while rolling. First
there was a long discussion with gesturing, then the service, all saved
for posterity by the motocam.

And it might have been Park that gave out a poster at the tradeshows.
"Just Hanging out" with a wrench doing exactly that.

--Karen M.
and then there's the Coke can sling...

C.J.Patten said:

Shoot. I'd love to get my hands on that Park Tools poster... 🙂

BTW: what's a "Coke can sling..." ?

"Here, rider, have a Coke," hands can out the window.

Oops, forgot to let go of can. Gee, we're towing the cyclist along with
the team car. Can we do that? We won't ask.

Long piece about this in Buy$ycling last year (?? all the pre-Tour
pieces are starting to blend together).

--Karen M.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

BTW: what's a "Coke can sling..." ?

"Here, rider, have a Coke," hands can out the window.

Oops, forgot to let go of can. Gee, we're towing the cyclist along with
the team car. Can we do that? We won't ask.

I was watching some footage recently of Bruyneel loading up a rider with
bottles for the team, then announcing, "Last One" (which is code for "We'll
both hang onto this bottle and I'll fire the booster rocket on this team car
to give you a good start."😉

The look of concentration on Bruyneel's face during this manuever was
smile-inducing.

A quick slinging of rider using this technique wouldn't usually draw the
attention of the officials, but a really blatant tow can.

Chris Neary
[email hidden]

"Science, freedom, beauty, adventure: what more could
you ask of life? Bicycling combined all the elements I
loved" - Adapted from a quotation by Charles Lindbergh

I put up a video of the rolling service.

53 second clip, about 6 megabytes - right click to save to disc.

http://www.ncf.ca/~af895/misc/service.wmv

🙂

Chris

"mark" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"C.J.Patten" wrote...

Quoted message said:

During today's TdF stage, a rider in a yellow & white team jersey who I
*think* was involved in an accident earlier had some interesting service
done on their bike.

They had their team car come up beside them, grabbed the door frame and

had

Quoted message said:

someone in the back seat lean out and around the bike, PERFORM SERVICE on
their rear derailleur and then "undock" from the car! LOL!

OK - so maybe this isn't news to most of you but I've NEVER seen that and
found it fascinating. It was like watching an orbital rendezvous between

two

Quoted message said:

spacecraft. Are there some kind of rules about that? Like, you can't hold

on

Quoted message said:

to your team car for more than "X"miles and they can't accellerate? BTW:
I
think they switched bikes for that rider shortly thereafter, finding the
problem unfixable.

I recall seeing a photograph back in the '80s of a mechanic doing the same
thing, so it's nothing new. In the photo I saw, the rider seemed to be
continuing to pedal, not holding onto the car.It's just as impressive
today
as it was back then, though, and I envy you for seeing it in video instead
of just a still shot.

I've heard stories of cyclists changing wheels on the fly, which really
sounds wild. Rider grabs onto car, uses legs to pick up the wheel with a
puncture. Mechanic opens brake pads, yanks old wheel, puts in new wheel,
tightens quick release and re-sets brake pads. The story I heard is that
pro
riders will practice this maneuver so that they can do it as quickly as
possible when racing. Definitely a "don't try this at home" scenario.

Slingshotting a rider back up to the speed of the peloton is something
that
support vehicles only do when the refs aren't looking.

C.J.Patten said:

I put up a video of the rolling service.

53 second clip, about 6 megabytes - right click to save to disc.

http://www.ncf.ca/~af895/misc/service.wmv

Thanks for that! My cable service dropped OLN last year (grrrrr), so
I haven't been able to watch any of the coverage.

I thought it was interesting how the team car just about took out the
camera bike after the rider took off... the riders of those bikes (the
same model I ride, BTW - an older BMW K-bike) have to be really,
really good. The cameramen (are there any camerawomen?) have to be
very trusting (imagine standing on the back of a bike charging down a
mountain at warp speed around switchbacks - sometimes facing
backward... eeeeek.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

A probably dumb question for the experienced gearheads and racers out
there: is there a reason why they can't set these bikes up so that the
rder trim can be adjusted by the rider? Is it just easier to do it
when you can see what you're doing, or is it such a rare adjustment
that it's not worth the trouble?

Nick Caratzas said:

A probably dumb question for the experienced gearheads and racers out
there: is there a reason why they can't set these bikes up so that
the rder trim can be adjusted by the rider? Is it just easier to do
it when you can see what you're doing, or is it such a rare adjustment
that it's not worth the trouble?

Barrel adjusters are HEAVY.

"Nick Caratzas" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

A probably dumb question for the experienced gearheads and racers out
there: is there a reason why they can't set these bikes up so that the
rder trim can be adjusted by the rider? Is it just easier to do it
when you can see what you're doing, or is it such a rare adjustment
that it's not worth the trouble?

I know I can do it on both my Campy and my Shimano equiped bikes. I guess
some of the time I've spent learning which way to adjust my derailleurs
could've been spent instead on being able to ride at 30 mph.

Nick Caratzas said:

A probably dumb question for the experienced gearheads and racers out
there: is there a reason why they can't set these bikes up so that the
rder trim can be adjusted by the rider? Is it just easier to do it
when you can see what you're doing, or is it such a rare adjustment
that it's not worth the trouble?

I'm guessing that for whatever reason, the down tube-mounted adjuster
was at the limit - or perhaps they left it off that bike (since many
frames come with only cable stops on the head tube instead of down
tube shifter bosses, which are used to mount the adjusters). I guess
some would call that "progress"... ;-)

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

Quoted message said:

They probably only try it, when the "wrench" thinks it's safe to do so

The mechanic is pretty darned low on the food chain. They do it when
the DS tells them to - whether it's safe or not. They do it fairly
often on stages after a few days' rain - especially if a rider gets a
spare bike (which has been sitting on the van roof in the rain, hence
there's no lube left in the chain).

This is much more hazardous when you consider that the mechanics
haven't slept for days on end. Ride in the team car all day, then wash,
lube, and tune all 9 bikes (plus any spares used), check the dozens of
wheels, wash all the rider's clothing, wash the team cars, load them
up, get the riders to the start line, and ride the team car all day
again.... for three weeks.

Quoted message said:

This is much more hazardous when you consider that the mechanics
haven't slept for days on end. Ride in the team car all day, then wash,
lube, and tune all 9 bikes (plus any spares used), check the dozens of
wheels, wash all the rider's clothing, wash the team cars, load them
up, get the riders to the start line, and ride the team car all day
again.... for three weeks.

I wonder how hazardous it really is. This is done all the time in these
large stage races and I never remember a bad accident resulting. It
looks amazing--but it seems to work OK.

gds said:

I wonder how hazardous it really is. This is done all the time in these
large stage races and I never remember a bad accident resulting. It
looks amazing--but it seems to work OK.

I do recall a nasty spill (Giro? TdF? Vuelta?) a few years back when
a team car was servicing a rider and they hit a bump in the road. The
rider went down pretty hard as I recall. There was another incident -
2004 TdF? - where a rider got distracted talking to his team car,
touched wheels with another rider, and went down.

The other danger, of course, is to the mechanic who's working on the
bike. It wouldn't be hard to lose a finger playing with a rear
derailleur at 25+ mph.

-JR