Talking in the paper today about the new Pinarello Fredvagen, the K8-S, with a massive 10mm rear suspension…..

“I’ve never ridden anything like it on cobbles before, which is the most extreme terrain you can ride a bike on“.

Erm….

Clearly never been to the woods behind Nationwide.

I thought this might be something to do with his culinary skills…

Well being as he’s a road cyclist he is probably right. My brother Peterpoddy just went to Belgium and rode some of the cobbles on his CDF and mentioned they were horrific. There’s small bits of road around West Yorkshire with similar cobbles and it’s very difficult to keep a road bike upright on some of the worst ones. How they do it at speed in the classics I don’t know.

I’ve had more crashes on wet slimy cobbles than any other terrain. That’s on both road and MTB bikes
Hate the blasted things and I live in west York’s so there loads of them about

Cobbles rock.

See what iys did therr..

😆

Flashy, I suggest you go try and ride the Koppenberg. In the wet. Then come back and edit your post. 🙂
To be honest, it’s the worst surface I’ve ever tried to ride any bike on, on or off road.

[video]https://youtu.be/Pt5h-rnsF6I[/video]

Koppenberg isn’t that bad – Flanders cobbles are all in good condition. Try hitting the Arenberg at full gas or Carrefour and then tell me that it’s still the worst surface you’ve ever ridden on.
Could well be wet at RvV this weekend, Brad’s probably not going to be anywhere near the front – but what about G and Stannard?

Belgian pavé is not difficult to ride on even in the wet, it’s Roubaix pavé that’s tough.

Is that not like cheating.

Wasn’t this a late April Fool’s joke?

Koppenberg isn’t that bad – Flanders cobbles are all in good condition. Try hitting the Arenberg at full gas or Carrefour and then tell me that it’s still the worst surface you’ve ever ridden on.

Well I haven’t ridden those other two, so the Koppenberg is the worst I’ve ridden, OK? 🙂
It wasn’t so much the cobbles as such but the fact they were polished, slightly muddy/greasy and wet. Lethal combination, simply no grip at all.

This is like the Four Yorkshiremen, Belgian Edition.

😆

First I’d seen of that frame… interesting that design is being resurrected.

Still kind of surprised that:
– they’re focussing on the frame, when I’d be more worried about front wheel traction / comfort.
– bigger tyres aren’t an easier / better option

But I’m sure greater minds than me have thought about this!

I wouldn’t bet against wiggins for Paris-Roubaix, he’s had years of being able to punish himself to complete and utter exhaustion on the track and as this is his final road race i imagine he’ll have the mental acuity to call on reserves that many of the peleton can only dream of. I may just check out what the odds are – could be worth a few £ on him for the win.

Not new (and even this is a copy of previous designs).

If you want a realistic bet then go for G top 5, It’s extremely unlikely Bradley will make the selection.

Or this one

To be honest, it’s the worst surface I’ve ever tried to ride any bike on, on or off road.

Really? I found it pretty hard to ride up mostly because of the steepness not the cobbles.

t’s extremely unlikely Bradley will make the selection.

Yeah he seemed to struggle last year…go watch him rip everyone a new one in the De Panne TT that didn’t reallly suit him, he’s defo on form. Remember Boonen & Cancellara are out and Sagan seems off.

I wonder why it hasn’t caught on? 😉 Token 10mm travel which will be rigid for the pros during the race. It is almost as though Pina are getting some easy marketing in. I think (hope!) Wiggins deliberately went overboard to take the p1ss a bit. There are 50km of cobbles in a 260km race with no section longer than 3.7km… can anyone think of an instance when these suspended bikes have paid off for the winner? Companies bring out all sorts of stuff but it always seems to come down to getting exposure for the brand…. Some more examples from another forum.

as he was on form last w/e.

can anyone think of an instance when these suspended bikes have paid off for the winner?

Cancellara does alright on a Domane?

I wouldn’t really call a Domane suspended. There’s just enough give to save your arse a bit but it’s far from suspension.

As an aside, I can’t stop reading the title to the tune of Rhythm is a Dancer

Really? I found it pretty hard to ride up mostly because of the steepness not the cobbles.

Yes really. How many times do I have to say it? 🙄
The steepness was neither here nor there. It was the utter lack of traction that got me. Wet, greasy, muddy cobbles are like riding on ice. Nobody was getting up it whist I was there. Nobody.
Now I like a technical climb, but on that day, that was, to all intents and purposes, unrideable. In the dry I imagine if get up it. 🙂

FWIW I’m actually starting to believe in Sir Wiggo for Roubaix. He’s been very focused. Done some serious work at the front in races he’d been in. Not taken silly risks. Sky have the team to make the race suitably hard too. Thomas for Flanders and Wiggins for Roubaix… a year or two ago this would have been laughable.

Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle won PR in ’92 with Rockshox, so clearly there’s something in it.

Very surprised by that Pinarello though

Did have to check the date on that article about the Pinarello!

This is like the Four Yorkshiremen, Belgian Edition

And

As an aside, I can’t stop reading the title to the tune of Rhythm is a Dancer

My day’s work is done.

I’ve ridden on pave,albeit on 1″ slicks on a rigid mtb. I’d happily agree that it’s extreme for a road bike, but yhtthat’s not what he said! He said “a bike”.

And yet he’s clearly referring to a road bike, don’t let that get in the way of your sneering/frothing though.

Bosberg has the worst pave on the Tour of Flanders. Expect a selection there. Slippery (it’s under trees), lots of loose stones, gaping ruts everywhere and a short sharp incline. The others are all good unless it is 1) wet and 2) a rider holds things up – you can’t restart on the Koppenberg in a peloton in the rain.

Sadly I can’t ride Sunday despite a place. G for top three. Wiggins will DNF it it’s wet. He won’t want to risk Paris Roubaix (which I would like to ride f I Can find a place).

I’ve ridden WC DH tracks but I still think I’m more likely to die each day on my commute in heavy traffic, especially when it’s wet, and fast bits on the road bike scare me more than anything on a MTB. So I don’t really see the problem with Wiggo’s statement.

If you want a realistic bet then go for G top 5, It’s extremely unlikely Bradley will make the selection.

I would think a couple of bob on G for the win is worth a go.

Christ I struggle on the odd section of cobbles on the tow path on the cx bike at 15mph. I can’t imagine what kms of of the things at 30mph+ in a group on slicks must be like.

Here’s an idea for the heroes, next time it rains, lets all meet in Hebden Bridge with our road bikes at the top of the Buttress and see who makes it down in one piece 🙂

GFS is building and holding a large blocking anticyclone over Southern North Sea and Low Countries for much of the next fortnight – not much sign of any rain at all out that way. Chances are it will be dry and dusty for P-R then…so every chance Wiggo will make it past the 1st food stop.

http://www.metman66.com/chart_gfs16day.htm

If you ride a bit faster then cobbles are easier. Big ring, a gear harder than you’d like to be in and push through. Worked for me at RvV for 4 years and the last 3 years at P-R.

As an aside, I can’t stop reading the title to the tune of Rhythm is a Dancer

Wiggo is a mincer
It’s a sauce companion
People use it everywhere
Pies or pasty choices
Free your mince and join us
Shepard’s pies up in the air

“the most extreme terrain you can ride a bike on”

pfft, i was at The Ae Enduro, that’s right, *That* Ae Enduro.

far out man, far out.