MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Could Lance in his prime (or any other top rider) have won a TDF stage on a lesser bike - say a £1000 off the shelf road bike with the appropriate gearing? If not, just how bad would he be? Naiive question, maybe, but just interested to know. Was going to pose a similar question about mountain bikes, but presume there's a greater difference in terms of weight and performance with MTBs?
Of course.
What everyone seems to forget is that entry level, bog standard road bikes are way more bike than most need, and that they are streets better than the pro bikes of the 80s and early 90s.
Maybe a single stage, but I think if you took a bog standard high street shop bike at around £1000 and tried to get a pro tour rider to ride it it wouldn't last very long. I just don't think they're built to take that sort of punishment. Not saying that cavendish is going to snap the cranks in two, but something like that.
Yes.
EDIT: Actually, they might have trouble keeping up on descents with cheaper brakes and tyres.
Yes I think so, its just having the top end kit gives them a bit more help!
not on bog standard tyres
Not sure he could tbh, he'd still be wicked fast but the difference between first and second often isn't that much so the bike doesn't have to make a vast difference, even a small one over distance would add up. Maybe he could've gone all-out for a single stage but not without blowing himself up I think.
There would be a bit more weight to lug around though.
As no one else has said it yet, surely "It's not about the bike"?
Without the services of a professional mechanic, however...
OK, if he could do it - how low could he go? Minimum spec. Would there be one critical component to tip the balance as the price drops, or would it simply be due to an accumulation of weight?
With enough drugs, sure
How about on one of these beauties??
http://www.fieldandtrek.com/muddyfox-veloce-road-bike-933004?src=m1-mud-fox-road
How the **** do I know!
Never mind the Muddy Fox, he'd give me a thrashing even if he was on one of these [img] http://washford.scene7.com/is/image/Washford/155088?$prod$ [/img]
How far would he get on the Muddy Fox? Maybe not TDF, but would surely show anyone on here a clean pair of heels?
How much cash do you need to spend these days on a road bike before you can get one that's below the UCI's weight limit?
I'm going to buck the trend and say no.
I reckon the winning margins are so small that a difference of wheels/tyres and things like bearings would make enough of a difference. And as alluded to above, I don't think such a bike would survive a full on sprint.
Of course.
What everyone seems to forget is that entry level, bog standard road bikes are way more bike than most need, and that they are streets better than the pro bikes of the 80s and early 90s.
is that meant to be relevant to the OP?
Stage win? hmmm.
Tour win? with everyone one on current carbon fibre and Lance on an Apollo-the speed loss and fatigue overall would lose him precious minutes let alone seconds.
But give your Boardman £1K to Eddie Merckx in the early 70's? now that would be good to watch!