Motors in the Bikes!!

[Vanspringel]

WTF!!

The UCI has played down media speculation that a type of mechanical doping could already exist in the peloton, saying that there is no evidence that riders are utilising small motors to power their bikes and thus gain an unfair advantage. However the UCI have confirmed to Cyclingnews that they are looking into a method of screening frames in order to remove any doubts.

 

[El Imbatido]

Yeah i LOL'd at it. I think it is unlikely

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-denies-reports-of-motorised-doping

 

[BroDeal]

April Fools was last month. The UCI looks stupid for even bothering to refute this.

 

[Fignon89]

I was seriously wondering about the date there (re: April 1st). This article has to be a joke.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

So that's how Cancellara rode the entire peloton off his wheel in Flanders and Roubaix...remember he did get that bike change

 

[gogo419]

So that's how Cancellara rode the entire peloton off his wheel in Flanders and Roubaix...remember he did get that bike change

that was the exact same thing that came straight to my mind after reading the article. Although im sure that wasn't the reason for a bike change...

 

[BroDeal]

So that's how Cancellara rode the entire peloton off his wheel in Flanders and Roubaix...remember he did get that bike change

After Fladners or P-R didn't a pro rider make a comment in jest that FC must have a motor on his bike? Maybe it was picked up by mainstream media and treated seriously.

 

[Potomac]

I'm waiting for breaking systems that store the energy from deceleration and then put it back into the bike for a later acceleration.

 

[al_pacino]

already been discovered on the track

 

[tubularglue]

http://dvice.com/archives/2009/05/gruber-assist-e.php



had to jump back in for this one.

 

[BroDeal]

already been discovered on the track

I bet that big boy gives a serious draft.

 

[Animal]

Must be a joke. For how long can even the best Li-ion battery (small enough to fit unnoticed into a bike frame) produce 100 watts? Or even 50?

It seems ridiculous. Any physicists here?

 

[Animal]

I just emailed a friend of mine who's basically an engine scientist. He might turn up here with some specialist knowledge.

 

[Gotland]

Must be a joke. For how long can even the best Li-ion battery (small enough to fit unnoticed into a bike frame) produce 100 watts? Or even 50?

It seems ridiculous. Any physicists here?

It all depends on how much battery you can put in too the bike. Gruber's motor work for 1,30 hour at 100 w with their 135Wh battery. But you could easily have more battery in a bike mabye up to 300Wh. The problem is not battery it is the SOUND. You can't make it quite enougt so this thing is all bull****. The motor is so small so it have very high RPM and that make noise.

Sorry for bad english

 

[galaxy1]

i have wondered about this for a while. maybe the smuggest "i'm clean - test me as much as you like" riders could have mechanical rather than medical "doping".

there is no doubt in my mind that this is viable with the batteries of today. there is plenty of space inside the frame for a battery. remember, the pros do not need 100 extra watts all day. even a few watts boost (net) could be the difference between victory and obscurity.

whether it actually is being used is another matter - ironically i think it would be much more of a risk than doping. a large number of people would need to be involved, so the team would be destroyed if you were caught.

 

[Animal]

So what, these motors are running at a constant speed "driving" the cranks around? What then when a rider pushes the speed a bit more? He turns the motor faster than it "wants to go"?

When about when the battery dies? Wouldn't the electric motor provide resistance then? Effectively, it would become a generator.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

that was the exact same thing that came straight to my mind after reading the article. Although im sure that wasn't the reason for a bike change...

After Fladners or P-R didn't a pro rider make a comment in jest that FC must have a motor on his bike? Maybe it was picked up by mainstream media and treated seriously.

I wonder if his performance at those races sparked any speculation. I'm not sure who it was, but I did hear something about FC having a "motor." Which I'm sure was in jest or metaphorical. I think we all say stuff like that. Hell, I heard someone say yesterday that a guy I ride with has a good motor for TTs.

Frankly, I think it's absurd they're even looking into this, they should be more concerned with the advances in blood doping, etc. I'd like to hear what pro-tour mechanics and/or other technically savvy people have to say about this.

By the way: did anyone else see Lance's face in that photo above?

 

[theswordsman]

This and the Giro turn of events are a lot to deal with before breakfast. My first thought was that after one of Cancellara's classic wins, a French rider said he had something mechanical in his pedals that he could hear. Cyclismag laughed at him, saying that Spartacus had really gotten into the head of the peloton.

The CN story about it will now have me question bike changes (there was a notable one at ATOC yesterday) when a rider hasn't crashed.

I had a twitter friend who was an Olympic gold medalist in kayaking, and he always said there's no drama like pro cycling.

 

[galaxy1]

remember that cadence is reasonably regular throughout the race - all the device needs to do is disengage completely when not needed.

it could be much cleverer than that - remember many of these bikes are already sophisticated electronic devices complete with Di2 shifting, GPS, power and altitude meters.

 

[galaxy1]

if the device did make too much noise, you would have to use it sparingly - save it for ITTs and when alone in a 50km solo break...

 

[Black-Balled]

That explains it all.

 

[theswordsman]

Here's an article from a year ago with a photo of a bike with the Gruber Assist.

http://www.gizmag.com/gruber-assist-electrifies-just-about-any-bicycle/11609/

Another photo with a close up

http://dvice.com/archives/2009/05/gruber-assist-e.php

 

[Zerak-Tul]

Christ, listen to that engine whine - that's supposed to go unnoticed by competitors? lol...

 

[SlowBloke]

Di2 first, motors next?

If you allow electric rider aids like Di2 into the drive train, motors won't be far behind. Only mechanical, rider powered systems should be allowed, otherwise, go and watch F1 or MotoGP. How long till the GPS unit monitors the power meter, checks against its preset course profile and shift the gears automatically? Ban Di2 now.

 

[Michele]

Rumors among some local pro say that UCI got a sort of "secret" meeting some time ago (after P-R) for talk especially about this subject.