Le Tour 2010, return to fixed wheel racing!

[mickkk]

I am interested in what people would think if Le Tour was to return to fixed wheel bikes, or perhaps 3 gears like the good old days when men were men.

Would it result in mass abandons? Would it lead to 12 hour stages? or would the peleton just adapt?

 

[Anonymous]

with a freewheel or not?

 

[badboyberty]

I want to see an introduction of XC stages to the TdF. It will add a new element to the whole thing and take away from strength of some of the teams. Of course Trek, Giant and Specialized would love it, while Cervelo, and Pinerello would cry blue murder. It'd be great to see just how good a bike handler, or how bad a bike handler, some of the pro-peloton are.

Only downside is it means the UCI would start paying attention to XC and we'd suddenly find suspension forks and hydraulic discs banned as they give riders an unfair advantage...

 

[badboyberty]

with a freewheel or not?

No freewheel, we wouldn't can't have riders going fast down a hill. Haven't you paid attention to this year's race route, racing isn't what this whole thing's about.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Your wish could come true Mickk....

http://davesbikeblog.squarespace.com/blog/2009/4/1/tour-de-france-could-become-fixed-again.html
(But I would check the date on the article)

 

[elapid]

I recently completed the Bicycle Tour of Colorado. This included 600 miles over 6 days with 40000 feet of climbing including Grand Mesa (10889 feet), Cottonwood Pass (12126 feet) and Independence Pass (12095 feet). One guy did this on a fixie. It was hard enough on a compact with 12-27, but the guy on the fixie was a truly impressive effort. Although I don't see it happening main stream, there are single speed world championships, so why not a fixie TdF?

 

[frameforum]

I think the OP was joking...

 

[runninboy]

I am interested in what people would think if Le Tour was to return to fixed wheel bikes, or perhaps 3 gears like the good old days when men were men.

Would it result in mass abandons? Would it lead to 12 hour stages? or would the peleton just adapt?

that would be great no freewheel just old fashioned flip flop hub, one gear going up, then get off turn the wheel around for the descent.
Make everyone carry their own tubbies on their chest too other wise some smart DS would do wheel changes with different gear ratios all day.

Maybe also go back to when they had to get provisions from the local watering hole that would be great fun. Thor would be in his viking element & heritage plunderingfrom the french.

 

[Rupert]

Stingray

I recently completed the Bicycle Tour of Colorado. This included 600 miles over 6 days with 40000 feet of climbing including Grand Mesa (10889 feet), Cottonwood Pass (12126 feet) and Independence Pass (12095 feet). One guy did this on a fixie. It was hard enough on a compact with 12-27, but the guy on the fixie was a truly impressive effort. Although I don't see it happening main stream, there are single speed world championships, so why not a fixie TdF?

And Stingray Phil did it on a 5-speed schwinn stingray (like he does almost every year).

More seriously, I doubt there will be a TTT next year. I don't think it made the race very exciting, since there were such big gaps established early on.

 

[Cobblestones]

Alternatively, they could do 2 stages in one day. That happened not too long ago. It was mostly one regular stage and one very short one later.

 

[elapid]

And Stingray Phil did it on a 5-speed schwinn stingray (like he does almost every year).

Or do you mean Steve with Black Beauty? What a legend! Don't have a photo of Steve, but this is Black Beauty before the turnoff to the top of Cottonwood Pass:

 

[mickkk]

I remember one bloke that rode in a 1550k social I was on he rode a fixed wheel bike wearing thongs. When he lost his thongs, he put his gloves on his feet. He made the distance in good time and stopped at every pub along the way as was compulsory. Its amazing what grog can do for courage!

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I've got you beat. See my post on When Men were Men and the 1930 Tour.

 

[Weirdwrench]

Fixies in TDF, BTC, Stingray, etc.

I recently completed the Bicycle Tour of Colorado. This included 600 miles . . .

I did the 2009 BTC also. It was actually more like just over 500 miles, as advertised. Unless you did the Colorado National Monument option, which would have added about 40 mi. Of course, if you were starting from distant hotels or something and used that measurement. . .
Also, pretty sure it was Stingray Bill, not Phil.
As far as fixies in the TDF goes, obviously won't happen. Originally, Henri DeGrange insisted that the riders not use freewheels, but he was a sadistic SOB, and the Tour is well rid of him. He also thought that an ideal Tour would be where only rider finished.
I think he must have been reincarnated as a producer of 'reality' TV shows.

 

[elapid]

I did the 2009 BTC also. It was actually more like just over 500 miles, as advertised. Unless you did the Colorado National Monument option, which would have added about 40 mi. Of course, if you were starting from distant hotels or something and used that measurement. . .
Also, pretty sure it was Stingray Bill, not Phil.

I did the National Monument and stayed in hotels (so extra miles to and from the hotels) and got a little lost on two occasions. I had both a Garmin and PowerTap, and both read 602 miles for the 6 days. Regardless, I enjoyed the riding and seeing riders like Bill and his Stingray, a 'cross rider with a beer and cooler in his bottle cage, and of course the guy on his fixie (not free wheel) climbing (and descending) Cottonwood and Independence Passes.

 

[TRDean]

I did the 2009 BTC also. It was actually more like just over 500 miles, as advertised. Unless you did the Colorado National Monument option, which would have added about 40 mi. Of course, if you were starting from distant hotels or something and used that measurement. . .
Also, pretty sure it was Stingray Bill, not Phil.
As far as fixies in the TDF goes, obviously won't happen. Originally, Henri DeGrange insisted that the riders not use freewheels, but he was a sadistic SOB, and the Tour is well rid of him. He also thought that an ideal Tour would be where only rider finished.
I think he must have been reincarnated as a producer of 'reality' TV shows.

Funny I always thought DeGrange was the reincarnation of the Marquis de sade!!! LOL

 

[danyela]

Never gonna happen!! We all saw how the riders reacted when they said no radios, imagine what would happen if they said no freewheel...

 

[biker77]

Copying a route from the early tdf is a really good idea. It would really change the race.

Cycling would win a lot of fans with individual unsupported riders doing 300km a day with tubulars round their necks. Man v Man the way Desgrange intended.

 

[swiss_ironx]

Wouldnt be in favour of fixed wheel but after watching them lie down during the TTT perhaps stabilisers might be better.