I was checking it out on trek's website and noticed it had braze-ons for down tube shifters... what's up with that?

Lance uses a downtube front shifter for the mountain stages.

Being the "tech geek" that I am I noticed that too... I understand that there are only two prototypes and maybe there was a problem with one so they decided to bench them for now, or maybe the way things were going (or not going) in the mountains Lance got superstitious and went back to "Old Faithful"... who knows? The "old" 5900 got him up the mountain.

---

___________________________________



http://irondad06.blogspot.com/

http://irondad.blogspot.com/

I wonder if the Madone would have hurt less driving into his crotch when he slipped today.

Ouch.

Came across an article after yesterdays stage that Lance actually slipped out of the pedal due to problem with rear der/shifting issue b/c of a wheel change from the Mavic support car. Didn't see the wheel change is the coverage but maybe Mayo was in the way. Anyway, same article mentioned that after the stage mechanic found crack somewhere in the rear triangle or seatstay/chainstay area.

For those of you who can afford and desire top end frames like the Madone, does durability come into the picture come purchase time or do you just hope you don't fall? Lance's crash was spectacular but at relatively slow speed doesn't seem like a frame-cracker type crash.

(can not find the like to the article)
maurice

If you look at the video, mayo clearly rides over lances rear wheel, and also probably road over his chainstay. That, in my mind, is what would most likely cause a crack like that.

wilson