seems quite appropriate for this thread, but always quite liked Andre Tafi’s Cervelo, poss favourite cervelo ever. 
There was just something about it!
it sure doesn’t look like the Giant’s Jan road.
look at the headtube on that Colnago, it looks nothing like the long cone on Ullrich’s Giant.
and as for the bike being built expressly for Ullrich, and the chicken now riding it, I hope your kidding.
Exactly how are CSC riding with a 78-80 degree STA and maintaining UCI compliance with their saddle setback requirement???
Ughh, you guys are such gear weenies. All the teams bikes are fine and will have zero impact on the result. I bet the vast majority of the riders, GC contenders included, couldn’t care less about their frames as long as they can get them set up in the position they like. I would further propose that, excluding TT’s, one could put any rider in the race on a stock mid range Ultegra bike and it would not affect their result. I would like to dig through the dumpster of anyone who thinks a dura-ace equipped C40 is junk.
it sure doesn’t look like the Giant’s Jan road.
look at the headtube on that Colnago, it looks nothing like the long cone on Ullrich’s Giant.
and as for the bike being built expressly for Ullrich, and the chicken now riding it, I hope your kidding.
it is Ullrichs old design, and in my opinion it looks exactly like it. It was built for Ullrich with his geometry, but look at the tt bike Rodgers used during the prologue, its alu prototype because he didn’t like ullrichs geometry so giant’s making a new TT bike for him.
I have a video about the TT bike thats designed for Ullrich, and the new one designed for Rodgers
Rabobank started using those early this year, or maybe even last year. If you look at photos from last year, they actually had “Giant” on the chainstays.
Exactly how are CSC riding with a 78-80 degree STA and maintaining UCI compliance with their saddle setback requirement???
well, part of it depends on how far forward you’re willing to ride. i don’t know many of the actual regulations, but i’m pretty sure it only covers the saddle itself, not where your body is.
Absolutely Right…
Weight isn’t everything: ride quality is important as well. If it’s 5 grams heavier, yet more stable through sharp leans, - or doesn’t wobble during the crosswinds… then those are key considerations.
And, who knows how much that bike weighs? Unless you see it on the scales, - it may not be what it appears. Lots of riders are using different equipment than what the labels indicate.
At the end of the day, the weight and ride are not appreciably different than the other bikes on the road…
Exactly how are CSC riding with a 78-80 degree STA and maintaining UCI compliance with their saddle setback requirement???
Hi, Dan explains how it is done in one of his articles on the front page:
http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/techctr/tt_fit.html
I thing basically by removing the nose of the Saddle (as done by Graham Obree), riding right on the front of the saddle and by getting some dispensation from the UCI (think this may only aplt to short riders. I think a lot of the pro’s also ride slightly smaller frames than would perhaps be optimum (thought this might be in an attempt to get lower at the front?
You guys crack me up. You’ll have a fight for 400 posts over clinchers vs tubulars, but now all of a sudden, whatever the guy in yellow is using must make sense.
Yeah, the chicken is winning, and blah blah blah. That doesn’t mean his set-up is ideal, even for him. Take a look at his front wheel for the TT if you don’t believe me. It’s not even arguable.
Rabobank started using those early this year, or maybe even last year. If you look at photos from last year, they actually had “Giant” on the chainstays.
Yep I think there is some kind of collaberation / agree ment between Colnago and Giant as a number of Colnago riders started using this frame last year and as you say it says something like - built by Giant on the stays. I think a few people though that it had taken some design cues from the Walser Jan was riding before - I don’t know if this meant Andy Walser actual had an input or if it was just imitation. I am guess it if was good enough for Jan to drop the Walser then it is pretty Aero as from what you hear Walser are one of the most aero bikes out there. Maybe his position and other equipment might not be aerodynamically optimum but I think his frame is probably pretty good.
I’m sure that there’s a lot more that goes into a good TT setup for R than you’ll ever be able to tell from a pic…
And I’m sure that his front wheel choice was not ideal, and we can indeed tell from that pic.
Take a look at his front wheel for the TT if you don’t believe me. It’s not even arguable. \
I think that it is at some level arguable. It was a hilly tt, lots of sharp turns and switchbacks, and it was raining. The difference in race wheels is minute at best, on flat courses. Throw in hills and turns and rain, and a lighter, better handling wheel gets a lot closer to those deep dish wheels. Seconds lost in performance, are made up in turns… I’ll bet he uses a different one on the next tt…
I would have used a different wheel than the one he chose however, but that’s just me… I’m a bit heavier than the chicken…
Color me unconvinced. I am sure that Ras had his reasons for the wheel choice, I just don’t think he had *good *reasons for it.
Did anyone else make similar choices?
Color me unconvinced. I am sure that Ras had his reasons for the wheel choice
I am sure it was not to fall off - I was wondering how much his Tour TT when he was in 3rd place was getting on his mind when he spent more time on the tarmac than on his bike. I am sure if I was one of his rivals I would have been gentley reminding him in the days leading up to it. Perhaps it was enough to make him choose what he felt would be a safer wheel - if he goes into the Last TT with a big enough gap he may stick with it and play safe again.
"Color me unconvinced. I am sure that Ras had his reasons for the wheel choice, I just don’t think he had *good *reasons for it.
Did anyone else make similar choices? "
Not that I can recall… then again, fully half of the top ten hit the deck in this TT, and Ras didn’t. Maybe wheel choice played a part in this. Maybe Ras rolled up to the start gate, looked at the weather and said “screw this, somebody go get me a wheel with a 24mm rain tire on it,” as he unbolted his ST approved 80mm deep, 19mm tire shod go-fast or crash wheel…
Who knows, but clearly the guy did something right…
.
Not that I can recall… then again, fully half of the top ten hit the deck in this TT, and Ras didn’t.]]
Not just the top 10 either, a lot of riders went down. Good observation… He rode the tt of his life, it was even fast relative to the other contenders, climbed the hill portion 2nd fastest to Cadel, and all this on a far inferior wheel?? It doesn’t hold water… He had the right wheel for him on the day, results pretty much bear that out after the fact… Unless of course Vitus thinks he shuld have been 5th or so in the race, with his wheels…
I think for a few years the TDF had all the riders on the same bikes.
Well considering there is a min wieght on the bikes, a 1kg frame does not matter. It actually give you some more play on other parts, some of the guys on ultra light frames have to add weight to the bike to make it pass. Chicken’s bike is rumored to be 6-10g over the limit, and he has to be showned each day that it is.