[Closed] Why arent all road pros on aeto bikes?

Probably more to do with comfort

Are the savings as significant in a bunch?

And control down hill, plus do they even have a double up front?

Aeto bikes? Prevail hrlmeyts?

"As bovre" (sic). What are these things of which you speak?

They ride what they get paid to ride.

The people who pay them to ride tell them to ride what they want to sell.

They may ride what they get paid to ride, but most manufacturers will have an aero and a "climbing" bike (for want of a better description) to offer their riders. So it is more a preference thing. Some like to stick to the one bike, others will chop and change depending on the stage, some even change bikes during a stage. Low weight and a bit more comfort may be more preferable than better aero on a long stage in the bunch or in the mountains.

Also you'd be surprised at how some sponsors components are nowhere to be seen on the bikes of riders who are paid to ride their kit. Cav's tour bike being a good case in point, the only thing FSA on there is the sticker on the bar tape.

I think aero bikes can be heavier than normal road bikes so perhaps not so good for a mountain stage.They can be stiffer and a bit more uncomfortable than a normal road bike so perhaps not so good for the mad distances in typical stage races.
I'm sure marketing will have some bearing on what a pro rides although I would have thought they would have chosen anything that makes the job easier/faster/more competitive from a manufacturers range.
Maybe that's naive?

bensales - Member
They ride what they get paid to ride.

The people who pay them to ride tell them to ride what they want to sell

Not quite. The big riders will ride whatever they want, to the point that occasionally they'll be on a completely different manufacturer's frame rebadged as their sponsor. Admittedly I haven't seen anyone doing that for quite a while but there are still plenty of recent examples of riders preferring and riding one frame rather than their sponsor wants to promote. Cav, as an example.

I think I read a Cyclist mag review recently where they said they hadn't yet ridden a really good aero bike. (I'm sure I didn't make that up? 🙂 )

Oh... and what mrblobby just said!

Giant Alpecin riders can choose Propel/TCR/Defy. Aero bikes may be stiffer and will be heavier. So you won't see thm on a climbing stage. You will have seen the more relaxed bikes on the cobbles. Contadour was thought to be swapping bikes before the last climb if the opportunity arose. See last year's hilly time trial for the most extreme examble of horses for courses.

I thought Tarmacs were aero bikes?

Purito (Joaquim Rodriguez...tiny climber)rides the Canyon Aeroroad everywhere (going to the shops etc) instead of the ultimate.
Adam Hansen (not tiny climber) rides the Ridley Helium despite being part of Andre Gripels lead out train instead of the Noah.

Tarmac is the all rounder. Venge is the aero one. Roubaix is the Sportif bike for those that like to pay to ride on public roads

Roubaix is the classics bike with clearance for bigger tyres and bits of rubber stuck to it to 'damp vibrations' (Treks version, the domane actually works).

You can get a Domane in an aggressive racey geometry too, the Roubaix has a head tube longer than the seat tube.

Not seen many of the new Trek Madones, want to try one of those, I'm very tempted.

Purito uses an aero bike as he rides a XS frame and can therefore get to or below 6.8kg even with the heavier aero frame.

What you really should be asking is why Cav and Sagan seem to be preferring to ride the old Venge, a spectacularly bad aero bike compared to the new one if you believe the hype... Hardly a glowing endorsement.

Alot of them don't have the core strength to ride an aero frame.

Alot of them don't have the core strength to ride an aero frame.

Oh, ok... 🙄

What you really should be asking is why Cav and Sagan seem to be preferring to ride the old Venge

This was largely brakes and not being comfortable on pre-release components built on to these frames (which also came in at the last minute) for the wetter Stages according to Chris Yu. Also, riding what you know and having 100% faith in the bike counts for more than an extra W or two at that level

I still don't get it.

Weight? IIRC even a Venge (the shit old one) will be at UCI weight?

Comfort...today's roads were silky smooth, but a rider on a solo effort was on a Tarmac. If the Venge really has the benefits it has then why wouldn't he want it?

Sagan changed bikes before the last bit today, so at least some of them think theres something in it...not that roadies, even or especially pros, are a good guage!

Anyway had a nice spin on my 8kg Six today.

And they may be riding "Roubaix" frames for the cobbles, which won't have standard sales geometry. Head tubes will be sporty not sportive length, for example.

I thought that all UCI approved and therefore legal frames and components had to be made available to the general buying public, so in theory at least all bikes being ridden in the tour must be standard for sale to the public times, no?

Probably applies to a frame's basic characteristics leaving the geometry open to tweaking. Pretty sure Cancellara's Dommane for example is nothing like any you can buy in the shops.

Cancellara's Dommane for example is nothing like any you can buy in the shops

😳 Maybe not the best example to use! Though I'd still not put any money on any of those "replicas" having the same geo as Cancellara's bike.

When you see the number of 130mm+ -17degree stems knocking around the peleton then it points to the vast majority being on stock bikes.Only the team leaders and superstars can get the custom treatment these days.
Lots of the pro's run pretty normal (not middle aged bloke doing a 50k to the cafe) set ups and not everyone is slamming that stem 🙂

Fair point. I remember reading Sep's defy SL (2nd in paris-roubaix) had the front end of a TCR and rear of a Defy. I think the model has to be available, but custom geometry does not. Spirit not Letter. I can't believe there are many pro bikes with 18 cm head tubes.

I don't get the "aero bikes are heavier" bit as with the UCI weight regs they would be the same anyway; an aero frame is maybe only 150-250g weight penalty after all. I suspect it has something to do with handling and compliance.

Sure, if you're gunning for a stange win in a sprint or breakaway take the few extra watts of the aero bike, but if you're going to attack on the mountains or in the TTs I'm sure a lot of pros would prefer to be sat on a comfier climber's bike for the rest of their 3 weeks in the peloton.

Could be wrong though.

IF you train 99% of the time on your tarmac or whatever you probably get more out of sticking with than rather than using a slightly more aero harsher bike in a peloton.

They just size down a frame size to get a low stack (Hesjedal at 6'4" rides a 56!!) and stick a mahoosive stem on it to get the reach.

I suspect they believe the aero frames have a harsher ride in the same way lots of you do.

A local shop to me has one of these in, the 9. They've put some sexy Bonty aero wheels on too and my, it looks lovely..

I
Am
Tempted
😕

[img] [/img]

I suspect they believe the aero frames have a harsher ride in the same way lots of you do.

Well Sagan swapped from his Tarmac to his Venge towards the end of the stage yesterday for a better bike for the sprint. He referred to the Tarmac as his "climbing bike" so I guess it's a combo of componentry, geo and comfort in his eyes.

Aero bikes aren't really that big a part of the aero package and looking at the pics over the last few days most riders aren't even running deep section wheels, so weight and comfort must be the priority.

Also with the heat over the last week or so has meant in that for helmets cooling is the most important factor.

bikebouy, I rather like that Trek. I think I quite like the look of the new Foil too...

[img] [/img]

If I were buying now I'd almost certainly go aero for what I'd use it for.

Aero bikes aren't really that big a part of the aero package and looking at the pics over the last few days most riders aren't even running deep section wheels, so weight and comfort must be the priority.

Does seem to depend a lot on conditions and terrain. Saw a lot more skin suits, aero helmet and deeper section wheels in the first week than in the second.

Curiously, the only team that I've seen running properly deep section wheels on the road stages seem to be MTN-Qhubeka with their Enve wheels.

Cummings only had 2.2 SES's when he won the other day

no aero bike from Cannondale

no aero bike from Cannondale

I quite liked the original Fo1l, struggling to like the newer aero bikes, they're just not aesthetically pleasing!

the Syncros bars on the foil are nice, should have made an effort to hide the junction box like on the Canyon ones though

6 watts saving on the new v old

All of this creates a bike which Scott claims will save you six watts over the old Foil. That might not sound like much, but apparently it adds up to a 27 second saving if you’re the type of rider who can knock out a 40km time trial at 45kph

[img] [/img]

Cummings only had 2.2 SES's when he won the other day

Was quite a lumpy stage. Was he even on the S5? The only stage I didn't get to see!

Difficult to tell how deep the Enve wheels are as I think the stupid logo always makes it look deeper than it is.

GCN actually have a video regarding the rider/team choices at MTN-Qhubeka/ENVE

he Syncros bars on the foil are nice,

Interesting that they have gone for a 1 1/2 to 1 1/4 steerer too.

I'd imagine the advantage (if any) would be pretty slight in the middle of the peleton

nickc - Member

I'd imagine the advantage (if any) would be pretty slight in the middle of the peleton

Does every rider spend the whole day sitting in the middle of the peloton? It doesn't take much to work out who would benefit from a decent aero bike.

dirtyrider - Member

the Syncros bars on the foil are nice, should have made an effort to hide the junction box like on the Canyon ones though