Aero road bikes, why don't pros use them?

[karlboss]

Opinions anyone?
does any one have wind tunnel data or stiffness data?
I have seen about one photo of a garmin rider on the felt, I'm not even sure they used these in the ITT at the giro. Sastre doesn't seem big on his. what about the ridleys or kestrels?

 

[elapid]

Ah ... S series Cervelo bikes for the Cervelo test team (mostly S2 and S3). Sastre uses the R3-SL for the mountain stages and that's when you see most of the photos of him.

 

[Murphyscu]

By aero, do you mean the TT or "triathlon" bars and/or solid disc wheels? If so, the UCI does not allow these in races as it is unsafe in peloton. Aero tubing, etc on bikes is utilized.

 

[johnjjj]

aero

trek, cannondale etc. have all experimented with aero tubes on road bikes and the bottom line is they can't make one that rides well. as you noticed the pros who can use the aero felts or cervelos choose not to almost all the time. it is only in a rare situation that it would even help, i.e. all day break. sitting behind another rider the aero advantage is nil and all you got is a bad ride. all marketing.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Opinions anyone?
does any one have stiffness data?

No. But I bet Viagra, Cialis, or Enzyte might have some for you.

 

[Bagster]

trek, cannondale etc. have all experimented with aero tubes on road bikes and the bottom line is they can't make one that rides well. as you noticed the pros who can use the aero felts or cervelos choose not to almost all the time. it is only in a rare situation that it would even help, i.e. all day break. sitting behind another rider the aero advantage is nil and all you got is a bad ride. all marketing.

You are incorrect with regards to Cervelo. In fact almost all of the CSC riders over the last couple of years and the Test Team riders this year ride the Soloist/S2/S3 bikes in more than 90% of races. Sastre rode the R3 up until this year because he felt that the R3 frame absorbed more shock (easier on his dodgy back) and that he did not get any additional benefit from the slightly extra stiffness of the aero frame due to his light weight. Most of the team this year are riding the S2, including the sprinters Hushy and Hausler. In recent years both cancellara and Voigt both rode the aero frame Soloist almost exclusively and Cancellara rode the new S3 aero at the Olympic road race.

 

[Bagster]

Opinions anyone?
does any one have wind tunnel data or stiffness data?
I have seen about one photo of a garmin rider on the felt, I'm not even sure they used these in the ITT at the giro. Sastre doesn't seem big on his. what about the ridleys or kestrels?

Cervelo have some data on their site and links to magazine stiffness tests. I find cervelo reasonably unbiased in their opinions around the aero vs standard frame debate given that they make excellent frames in both styles. I have a R3 and love it but I have a mate who has a carbon soloist and I cant say that the soloist feels noticeably harsher than my R3, even on our crappy metal chip New Zealand roads. sastre is riding the S3 aero frame bike this year in almost all his races. He may switch to an R3 SL for some of the mountain stages in the TdF

 

[Kennf1]

Cervelo "softened" up the S3 considerably compared to the S1. The seatstays are almost identical to the R3, which has persuaded riders like Sastre to ride the S3 full time.

 

[elapid]

Looked like Sastre was riding the R3-SL in the mountain stages of the Giro, not the S3.