Some bikes in the peloton better than others?

[mustachestaff]

I'm no techie when it comes to cycling, but I'm curious--is there really that much of a difference between bike brands when it comes to top-of-the-line performance bikes? Could Cancellara win P-R without an S-Works? Is it an accident that most TdF winners in the past 10 years rode Treks? Does team Garmin have an advantage now that they switched from Felt to Cervelo?

Or do all bike brands provide riders roughly the same high-quality materials and technology? I know there are subtle differences between different frames and different components, but does this put some cycling teams at an advantage and others at a disadvantage?

I hope this topic isn't too convoluted. I'm just really curious what people on this board think.

Discuss!

 

[taiwan]

...Is it an accident that most TdF winners in the past 10 years rode Treks?...

...and that's all it takes for a thread to be consigned to the abyss. Seriously though, maybe wheelsets make a difference, I don't think frames or components would. But what do I know?

 

[Martin318is]

##########WARNING############

Attempting to discuss the comment regarding trek winning the Tour de France by referencing either the ongoing investigation of Armstrong or the suspension of Contador will result in moderation of your posts.

This is such an obvious target for trolling that discussing it in this thread will be considered a grounds for temporary suspension of your account.

Keep the discussion in this thread about the bikes.

##########WARNING############

 

[hrotha]

##########WARNING############

Attempting to discuss the comment regarding trek winning the Tour de France by referencing either the ongoing investigation of Armstrong or the suspension of Contador will result in moderation of your posts.

This is such an obvious target for trolling that discussing it in this thread will be considered a grounds for temporary suspension of your account.

Keep the discussion in this thread about the bikes.

##########WARNING############

It's not about the bike.

 

[Sanitiser]

I think at the top level it doesn't matter

 

[Martin318is]

It's not about the bike.

cute ...

 

[happychappy]

Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades.

 

[Bike Boy]

Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades.

Yes Merckx was right about a lot of things

 

[Martin318is]

anyway, to stay on topic. what about riders or teams who have bought and repainted or rebadged bikes from other companies? Do teams still do it? why? is it that there is a big difference between them or is it only a preference thing?

 

[Bike Boy]

anyway, to stay on topic. what about riders or teams who have bought and repainted or rebadged bikes from other companies? Do teams still do it? why? is it that there is a big difference between them or is it only a preference thing?

I know Armstrong had a different TT bike in 99 can't remember the company though. Don't know if it happens today either.

 

[ViaPagliano]

I heard something about the Vacansoleil not liking their Batavus bikes last year. Apparently some of them bought other bikes and had them repainted.

 

[Bike Boy]

I heard something about the Vacansoleil not liking their Batavus bikes last year. Apparently some of them bought other bikes and had them repainted.

Can't be good for Batavus if it becomes public knowledge

 

[pedaling squares]

Canc did pretty well on his Cervelo and will probably do pretty well on his Trek.

Contador did pretty well on his Trek and pretty well on his Specialized.

Same goes for many top riders I'm sure.

 

[BroDeal]

All that really matters is having a seat tube large enough to fit the motor in it.

 

[Granville57]

Canc did pretty well on his Cervelo and will probably do pretty well on his Trek.

Yeah, I think Cancellara is the best example of that.
He won Cervelo
He won on Specialized
Now he'll probably win on Trek

Here's a good column on this very topic from Radio Shack mechanic Nick Legan

The best bike innovations, and what the pros REALLY ride
http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/11/bikes-tech/ask-nick-the-best-bike-innovations-what-the-pros-really-ride-and-stretching-cables_151355

 

[Martin318is]

I know Armstrong had a different TT bike in 99 can't remember the company though. Don't know if it happens today either.

Lightspeed.

 

[runninboy]

Yeah, I think Cancellara is the best example of that.
He won Cervelo
He won on Specialized
Now he'll probably win on Trek

Talking to friends of mine who are pro's basically confirmed this.
The bikes at the top level are pretty much interchangeable.
From a marketing standpoint the riders say the same thing every year at training camp "Oh i am so happy to be on a _______, i have long admired these bikes and it truly is the best bike i have ever ridden!"
And then you find out someone like Boonen was still riding an Aluminum frame while the rest of the team was on carbon.It was a few years ago and not at all sure it was Boonen but it was someone of that caliber.
Not as much rebadging anymore because it is a point of diminishing returns. the bikes all do the job.
I was on a ride with a pro a couple years ago and he had just switched teams, I asked him about his ride and he looked kind of startled
"I don't know...
its just some piece of Asian plastic they gave me to train on, when the season starts they'll give me some fancier painted piece of Asian plastic, its all the same..."

 

[canyonball]

And then you find out someone like Boonen was still riding an Aluminum frame while the rest of the team was on carbon.It was a few years ago and not at all sure it was Boonen but it was someone of that caliber.

Philippe Gilbert? Though it was last year and the manufacturer didn't hide it. Actually it served as a marketing opportunity, as far as I remember.

Sticking to the topic, I think it may come to play at the TT. Otherwise, there are are far more important things to win a bike race, aren't they? (jeeeez, i dont know... get into the right move comes to mind)

 

[Eric8-A]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiXlfA_k2ao

 

[Roland Rat]

Dear Mods,

I would be extremely grateful if you would correct the spelling of "peleton" in the title to this thread. It's annoying.

Many thanks,

Roland.

 

[ingsve]

The riders certainly express that they feel a diffrence sometimes. I'm guessing that diffrent manufacturers might be better at certain tasks. The Cervelo guys seem to all praise the Cervelo Roubaix bike a lot compared to other bikes they have ridden in Roubaix before.

One thing that might be interesting to look at is not what bikes that do win but rather if there are bikes that generally do poorer in certain terrains. For road stages most manufacturers probably make decent bikes but some might not have the research or expertise to compete with the best Roubaix bikes or TT bikes etc. I would also guess that while the diffrence between most bikes is small, the diffrence between the best and the worst bike might be quite noticable.

 

[Michele]

anyway, to stay on topic. what about riders or teams who have bought and repainted or rebadged bikes from other companies? Do teams still do it? why? is it that there is a big difference between them or is it only a preference thing?

Nowdays it's not that common as some years ago.
Nowdays it would be more about tubs, like Quickstep guys using Veloflex or FMB/Dugast ones but just for special events.

I heard something about the Vacansoleil not liking their Batavus bikes last year. Apparently some of them bought other bikes and had them repainted.

Heard from a Vacansoleil guy that he really disliked it; too soft.

 

[xnobrakesx]

Philippe Gilbert? Though it was last year and the manufacturer didn't hide it. Actually it served as a marketing opportunity, as far as I remember.

Sticking to the topic, I think it may come to play at the TT. Otherwise, there are are far more important things to win a bike race, aren't they? (jeeeez, i dont know... get into the right move comes to mind)

Ale Jet had an Alu frame in '09 as well. Also in '08 Cippo road his own brand frame when he road for Rock Racing at the ToC, but I assume that was mostly for marketing and less about the actual frame.

As far as the different manufacturers and their differences, I can say that in '08 I had a Pro Machine from BMC (their team bike at the time with full Campy record) and when it was stolen I replaced it with a Super Six Hi Mod from Cannondale (Liquigas's bicycle of choice complete with Campy record 11 speed) and I can say that they were extremely different bicycles. I am not PRO though, and Tony Cruise who rode for BMC in '08 raced the Racemachine (Carbon/Alu mix) instead of the Pro Machine because it had increased stiffness (the difference I felt between the Pro Machine and the Super Six).

 

[L'arriviste]

Yeah, I think Cancellara is the best example of that...
... Now he'll probably win on Trek

Maybe not at Roubaix this year though.

Who remembers this?

 

[ultimobici]

And then you find out someone like Boonen was still riding an Aluminum frame while the rest of the team was on carbon.It was a few years ago and not at all sure it was Boonen but it was someone of that caliber.

It was Boonen, but it was because he wanted different geometry to Specialized's standard set-up. They supplied him a few frames in alloy, allegedly built by Billato, so that they could get it correct before making an expensive mould for the carbon frame. It was totally in the open bar the name of the actual frame builder.