Why is Viviani on a black bike when his team mates all riding red ones?!

[keith davies]

Does anyone know why Elia Viviani in the Giro was yesterday riding a black bike when all his Cofidis team mates are on red ones? Just curious!

 

[42x16ss]

So it's as easy as possible for the mechanics to find his bikes if there's an issue. A number of teams do this with their main leader

 

[keith davies]

Cheers - thanks for that

 

[PeterB]

The above reason makes sense, but I think I read somewhere that another reason why some riders, usually the leaders, have odd-colour bikes, usually black, was due to the weight. As strange as it may sound, different paint colours have different weight, with white and bright paint being reportedly the heaviest and black the lightest.

Ok, I even found the article I remembered: https://cyclingtips.com/2020/08/wha...s-all-black-bianchis-its-all-about-the-grams/

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

The above reason makes sense, but I think I read somewhere that another reason why some riders, usually the leaders, have odd-colour bikes, usually black, was due to the weight. As strange as it may sound, different paint colours have different weight, with white and bright paint being reportedly the heaviest and black the lightest.

Ok, I even found the article I remembered: https://cyclingtips.com/2020/08/wha...s-all-black-bianchis-its-all-about-the-grams/

I highly doubt that's the reason when it comes to Viviani.

 

[md1975]

I highly doubt that's the reason when it comes to Viviani.

Not the total reason, but I'm sure it plays some role.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Not the total reason, but I'm sure it plays some role.

Pretty sure it doesn't. If that were the reason, why on earth would they give the other teammates the "heavier" paint?

 

[42x16ss]

The above reason makes sense, but I think I read somewhere that another reason why some riders, usually the leaders, have odd-colour bikes, usually black, was due to the weight. As strange as it may sound, different paint colours have different weight, with white and bright paint being reportedly the heaviest and black the lightest.

Ok, I even found the article I remembered: https://cyclingtips.com/2020/08/wha...s-all-black-bianchis-its-all-about-the-grams/

JV had them all bare as the frame is a heavy frame (for a WT bike).

When the frame can be built to 6.8kg regardless, that's when you can see custom/different paint for leaders.

 

[PeterB]

Pretty sure it doesn't. If that were the reason, why on earth would they give the other teammates the "heavier" paint?

I don't know. But that's what they do. Maybe the same reason why other teammates don't put off their rain jacket and tighten their shoes before the sprint?

Obviously, bike sponsors don't want all teams to ride just black coloured bikes. Paint scheme is part of the team image. But why not use little advantage where it can actually matter?

E.g. here they did so also for Bardet at the Tour:

 

[42x16ss]

Bardet's bike pictured was painted gloss black, rather than clear coated carbon, and would have weighed the same. Black would be the choice as its neutral. The only difference would have been the colour, again, for easy ID in an emergency. Those Merckx build up to 6.8kg anyway, so no point dropping even more weight.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I don't know. But that's what they do. Maybe the same reason why other teammates don't put off their rain jacket and tighten their shoes before the sprint?

Obviously, bike sponsors don't want all teams to ride just black coloured bikes. Paint scheme is part of the team image. But why not use little advantage where it can actually matter?

E.g. here they did so also for Bardet at the Tour:

If it were for the sponsor, it would make sense for especially the team leader, the one who would be on camera most of the time, to ride the bike in the color of choice.

Your comparisons don't make any sense either because with the paint, it's the team that is putting their other riders at a disadvantage, and your examples are personal preference from the riders.

Viviani isn't a climber so in this case i doubt it's a weight issue.

 

[jmdirt]

Wait, the color of a bike warranted a new thread?! WTH?!

 

[tobydawq]

Does anyone know why Elia Viviani in the Giro was yesterday riding a black bike when all his Cofidis team mates are on red ones? Just curious!

It's easier to find his bike when a motorbike has tried to destroy it.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's easier to find his bike when a motorbike has tried to destroy it.

voice: "Get him! It's the only Cofidis on a black bike!"
motorcyclist: "Sure thing boss!"

 

[jmdirt]

Disclaimer: I responded with haha smiles to the two posts above because they are funny, but motos crashing cyclists is not.

I still can't believe this is its own thread...

 

[RedheadDane]

I still can't believe this is its own thread...

I'm very confused by this too.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I still can't believe this is its own thread...

Well it's here, the motorcyclist couldn't steer, get used to it

 

[jmdirt]

Well it's here, the motorcyclist couldn't steer, get used to it

You missed the point. This should have been in either the team thread or rider thread, not a thread of its own. There is also a thread already for motos running over bikes that I started years ago so I guess I'm used to it already, but that wasn't the OP.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well it's here, the motorcyclist couldn't steer, get used to it

The thread wasn't originally about Viviani getting hit by a race moto. It's about the colour of his bike.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The thread wasn't originally about Viviani getting hit by a race moto. It's about the colour of his bike.

I know, but my jokes aren't always as perfect as Nibali, unfortunately

 

[Volderke]

Black bikes are faster because they can release the heat better.

Now for real:
Some riders have black, clearcoated bikes because the paint is easily 2-300 grams. Best example: Jumbo-Visma's Bianchi Oltre XR4 in the Tour (black instead of celeste for Roglic in the mountains).

Why Viviani has one (instead of a red one)? It isn't about the weight (even though Viviani is a bit of a weight weenie), as his bike is painted black, and AFAIK, black paint weighs the same as red paint (unless you can do with less black paint to neatly cover black carbon). So 2 reasons I can think about:

1. De Rosa wants to show off the bike in another paint scheme for sponsor photos (not sure if likely)
2. Viviani is the protected rider, and it's easier to find back the black bike on the roof rack and it's more visible in the peloton (for his team mates) and on television etc. (quite likely)

 

[PeterB]

...
It isn't about the weight (even though Viviani is a bit of a weight weenie), as his bike is painted black, and AFAIK, black paint weighs the same as red paint (unless you can do with less black paint to neatly cover black carbon).
...

Just FYI, as per the article I linked above, black paint indeed weighs less than the red one:

"Different paints weigh different amounts depending on type and color, and whites and brights weigh more due to the pigment,” said an industry source who preferred to remain unnamed but who has an intimate knowledge of the subject. “Really bright colors also usually need a white base coat, or else they would look dull or muddy. A uniform black covers well so it would be one stage. Then it would most often be clear-coated over the top. A really dark smoke or tint could be mixed into the clear coat and sprayed over raw carbon. That would be even lighter than black plus clear, but might still look black.
A black bike could save more than 50 grams over a brightly painted bike, and it could be more if it’s actually a really dark carbon smoke in the clear coat."

 

[PeterB]

Out of curiosity I looked through various Cofidis news and photos and noted that G. Martin and Jesus Herrada were both on black bikes at the Tour. So I started looking further and found the following post about Martin's black bike:

strava.com/clubs/332602/posts/8468392

Google translate:

Guillaume Martin's bike denotes other Cofidis bikes by its matt black color, but not only ... Julian Levasseur, mechanic, explains

"This De Rosa is 400 grams lighter than the classic De Rosa Merak road. The weight has been reduced . optimized so that Guillaume Martin is lighter when the road rises. "

Several small details are different:

• • The mechanical group is lighter
  • The seat tube has been shortened
  • The bottle cage screws are lighter
  • The pedals have titanium axles
  • The frame is matt black because there is no no paint on it

"We gain 20 grams here, 60 grams there and put everything end to end, we manage to gain 400 grams!" Says Julian Levasseur.

As Viviani's bike seems to be matt black like Martin's, there most likely is also weight-saving element behind this mystery.

 

[Volderke]

Interesting to hear Martin's bike has a mechanical gruppo. One of few. I thought DI2 is currently lighter than the mechanical dura ace, but it seems it's still the other way around for Campagnolo. I wonder though why they went with the disc version if they wanted to shave weight.