Power Data Estimates for the climbing stages

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WheatThree

Jul 22, 2022
2
2
15
Has there ever been a scientific test to compare modern bikes to bikes from different eras on a climb? It should be fairly easy to do on a set climb using a steady effort.

My guess would be that modern bikes are materially faster than the early to mid 90s bikes, mainly due to being a few kgs lighter and stiffer.
However I think the gains from the early to mid 00s bikes would be almost negligible once they were generally down to the weight limit. There might be more of a difference on the flat and downhill with improvements in brakes and aero, but not up the hills.

It would be good if there was something like this to put some more context on comparing climbing times from decades ago.
 
Red Rick

Red Rick

Moderator
Feb 20, 2012
47,194
31,100
28,180
WheatThree said:
Has there ever been a scientific test to compare modern bikes to bikes from different eras on a climb? It should be fairly easy to do on a set climb using a steady effort.

My guess would be that modern bikes are materially faster than the early to mid 90s bikes, mainly due to being a few kgs lighter and stiffer.
However I think the gains from the early to mid 00s bikes would be almost negligible once they were generally down to the weight limit. There might be more of a difference on the flat and downhill with improvements in brakes and aero, but not up the hills.

It would be good if there was something like this to put some more context on comparing climbing times from decades ago.
Click to expand...
The crazy thing is just the increase in performance since 2019 alone.
 
N

NFTtiddies

Jul 17, 2022
42
97
680
WheatThree said:
Has there ever been a scientific test to compare modern bikes to bikes from different eras on a climb? It should be fairly easy to do on a set climb using a steady effort.

My guess would be that modern bikes are materially faster than the early to mid 90s bikes, mainly due to being a few kgs lighter and stiffer.
However I think the gains from the early to mid 00s bikes would be almost negligible once they were generally down to the weight limit. There might be more of a difference on the flat and downhill with improvements in brakes and aero, but not up the hills.

It would be good if there was something like this to put some more context on comparing climbing times from decades ago.
Click to expand...

It's not like they didn't know that lighter=faster uphill. There's plenty of articles about modifications done to bikes back in 90s.
One of Pantani's climbing bikes used in 1998 is claimed to weigh 6.96kg, which is lighter than most pros use nowdays.
https://imgur.com/a/fbZyKzf
View: https://imgur.com/a/fbZyKzf
 
F

fbjim

Jul 2, 2019
700
1,223
7,180
Light/aero bikes (and riding practice) will probably make the most difference on steadier 6%-7%-ish climbs - it would be interesting to calculate if the "estimated" VAM/WKG numbers have increased more on climbs like Peyresorude, Arcalis or even La Plange versus something with really steep ramps (that's not a new, novelty-climb) like the Marie-Blanque.

Not putting this as an explanation for everything but even a few years ago it seemed like every team had a special super-light bike for the climbers- even these now have aerodynamic elements and it's no longer unusual to just see teams straight up use the "aero bike" on mountain stages (or like Jumbo when they had Bianchis, just using the Oltre all-rounder bike for everything)
 
Last edited:
Netserk

Netserk

Apr 30, 2011
34,736
12,506
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It was a super mighty VAM effort, but it's not comparable to efforts like Vingegaard's in the Tour or even Hindley on Fedaia. Tre Cime is the only proper benchmark in the Giro for that, but that quickly becomes a matter of how it is raced. I'm curious about Crans-Montana, I hope it won't be a peloton at the bottom, but it could likely be so. Then we'll see how fast they can go after some fatigue.
 
Red Rick

Red Rick

Moderator
Feb 20, 2012
47,194
31,100
28,180
Netserk said:
It was a super mighty VAM effort, but it's not comparable to efforts like Vingegaard's in the Tour or even Hindley on Fedaia. Tre Cime is the only proper benchmark in the Giro for that, but that quickly becomes a matter of how it is raced. I'm curious about Crans-Montana, I hope it won't be a peloton at the bottom, but it could likely be so. Then we'll see how fast they can go after some fatigue.
Click to expand...
Comparable maybe to Covadonga 2021? Rog did 6.0-6.1 I think after pacing the valley too.
 
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