If you could have any of the TDF team bikes...

[Michielveedeebee]

Specialized McLaren Venge ...... got any blacker ????

fuuuuuglyyyy

 

[Barracuda]

fuuuuuglyyyy

You cant be serious ??? !!! ???!!!

 

[oldborn]

fuuuuuglyyyy

Ugly as hell as well Dude.

If i can choose Colnago for sure, it is so Italian

 

[Michielveedeebee]

You cant be serious ??? !!! ???!!!

ow yes I am, that Venge is one ugly racingbike!

Looks like some kind of MTB...

 

[usedtobefast]

fuuuuuglyyyy

 

[Barracuda]

WOW ......... my mistake ..... wont happen again .... move along ..... nothing to see here !!!

 

[craig1985]

I like the Eddy Merckx bikes.

Funnily enough I was having a chat today to a bloke that I know and he recently was in Monaco and he had a chat with Matt Goss and it turns out Goss thinks Scott >> Specialized, especially when it comes to stiffness.

 

[liftman]

I would take the Specialized Venge in black too, although the Merckx looks awesome. I like the grey/gunmetal color. Not so much into all of the bright rainbow colors usually used.

 

[karlboss]

I like the Eddy Merckx bikes.

Funnily enough I was having a chat today to a bloke that I know and he recently was in Monaco and he had a chat with Matt Goss and it turns out Goss thinks Scott >> Specialized, especially when it comes to stiffness.

comparing which scott with which specialized, the specialized sl3 is measured to be about the stiffest out there as is the Addict, if the venge is close it would really surprise me.

 

[dsut4392]

Cut corners is right. How was the air and water quality when you were there?

Drink from a faucet?

http://topchinablog.com/2011/06/15/beijing-pollution-photos-unbelievable-chinese-smog

Air quality was surprisingly OK when I was there in late May (I'm used to breathing air making first landfall since Antarctica, so it would take a lot to make me say it was good!). Shocking at Beijing airport when we landed, true, but in town it was never any worse than LA for instance. Shanghai was similar.
I didn't drink from the faucet, but both cities' mains water supplies are classed as "potable" now.
And in terms of general cleanliness and state of repair, Beijing and Shanghai make most western metropolises look downright shabby. Visiting Sydney on the way home, the difference (in China's favour) was stark.

Yes, I was VERY surprised.

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Air quality was surprisingly OK when I was there in late May (I'm used to breathing air making first landfall since Antarctica, so it would take a lot to make me say it was good!). Shocking at Beijing airport when we landed, true, but in town it was never any worse than LA for instance. Shanghai was similar.
I didn't drink from the faucet, but both cities' mains water supplies are classed as "potable" now.
And in terms of general cleanliness and state of repair, Beijing and Shanghai make most western metropolises look downright shabby. Visiting Sydney on the way home, the difference (in China's favour) was stark.

Yes, I was VERY surprised.

That's because Beijing and Shanghai on on the list for most tourists. Spend some time in inductrial cities, ones that no tourist goes to and you will see the true 'China'.

 

[veganrob]

I would say the Colnago. Italian, classy, passion.
The worst: Cervelo S5. Ugly, cold, bleh

 

[Boeing]

the canyon is ugly as sin as well

 

[Bustedknuckle]

That's because Beijing and Shanghai on on the list for most tourists. Spend some time in inductrial cities, ones that no tourist goes to and you will see the true 'China'.

Shenzen(sp?), for example, a real dirty place.

 

[dbrmuz]

The Colnago or the Dogma's are about the only bikes that I'm particularly fond of.Though of course I wouldn't say no if given any of them-no matter how ugly a lot of them are.I even remember when Trek's were attractive!

 

[cabbagetom]

Shenzen(sp?), for example, a real dirty place.

Shenzhen...real dirty place. Luckily the wonderful Hong Kong is just next door...

 

[Zigster]

whichever one had the longest warranty with the least hassles

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

I'll take the Cervelo S5, but can I get it in Sky's green and black color scheme. I'll then trade the Sram red for Di2, and switch the wheels to a set of Madfibers and wait for you at the finish line.

EDIT: Or I'll just take Sky's Dogma, save myself a couple steps and add the madfibers

 

[dsut4392]

That's because Beijing and Shanghai on on the list for most tourists. Spend some time in inductrial cities, ones that no tourist goes to and you will see the true 'China'.

Can we consider at least for argument's sake that both are the "true China"?

I'm well aware that there are some nightmare conditions in other parts of China, but the existence of said nightmares doesn't negate the existence of cities of millions of inhabitants that don't conform to our preconceptions. The position that keeps getting put forth is that 'everything Chinese is rubbish' and 'China can't do quality', but the evidence I have seen simply doesn't support this.

It would be a similar argument to suggest that beacause ford/chevrolet/GM produce on the whole truly awful cars, that US manufacturing is incapable of producing quality goods. In reality, all that says is that a manufacturer will produce the minimum level of quality that the market is prepared to accept, something that the likes of foxconn and hon hai exemplify in terms of the relative levels of quality they supply to different manufacturers (sadly I've yet to see evidence of similar ability from Ford, GM, Chevrolet).

PS I have no particular affiliation with China, and find the culture quite lien and altogether incompatible with my way of life. I just can't stand seeing a whole nation slandered because of the standard of goods that US buying has made THEM wealthy (in terms of trade balance at least). HELLO, WHO'S the sucker in this argument?

 

[Notso Swift]

No if's or but's and it hasn't been mentioned in 7 pages

The Time

Love the Piet Mondrain paint job on the Look though
(and I also can't believe they didn't have Colnago in the first list)

 

[Bustedknuckle]

Can we consider at least for argument's sake that both are the "true China"?

I'm well aware that there are some nightmare conditions in other parts of China, but the existence of said nightmares doesn't negate the existence of cities of millions of inhabitants that don't conform to our preconceptions. The position that keeps getting put forth is that 'everything Chinese is rubbish' and 'China can't do quality', but the evidence I have seen simply doesn't support this.

It would be a similar argument to suggest that beacause ford/chevrolet/GM produce on the whole truly awful cars, that US manufacturing is incapable of producing quality goods. In reality, all that says is that a manufacturer will produce the minimum level of quality that the market is prepared to accept, something that the likes of foxconn and hon hai exemplify in terms of the relative levels of quality they supply to different manufacturers (sadly I've yet to see evidence of similar ability from Ford, GM, Chevrolet).

PS I have no particular affiliation with China, and find the culture quite lien and altogether incompatible with my way of life. I just can't stand seeing a whole nation slandered because of the standard of goods that US buying has made THEM wealthy (in terms of trade balance at least). HELLO, WHO'S the sucker in this argument?

Never said anything about the quality of workmanship in China. I was commenting on how Chinese cities are not the 'city on the hill' in terms of forward looking, clean environmental examples to the rest of the world, they certainly are not.

I also see many instances of Chinese manufacturers ignore known standards of what's in their products and produce them anyway(lead, chromium, others).

It's all about money and the Chinese manufacturing system needs to be monitored because they really don't care about things like safety and cleanliness, only about becoming the largest economic power in the world.

 

[oldborn]

It's all about money and the Chinese manufacturing system needs to be monitored because they really don't care about things like safety and cleanliness, only about becoming the largest economic power in the world.

Is not that "western" receipe for making money? And now it is so bad cos environment issue, come on Bustedknuckle. I mean remember UK or US factories onceEven children where working there Dude.
I am just saying, and those green, polar ice cap, ozon free, global warming stuff are just exaggeration.
I am just saying

 

[Bala Verde]

May I invite you to stay on topic.

Here's a Tdf2011 Bike:

 

[Notso Swift]

I tried!

 

[richwagmn]

Since we're doing pics....