After finishing a scant 23 seconds behind Contador, how much time would Cadel have managed to save in 110k of time trialing if he only had a H3 or Zipp 808 up front instead of that “slow” Campy Bora 
I guess he should have rebadged more than the frame!
Are you really as dumb as your post would seem to elude to?
What would he have saved? I would guess that the number would start with .000000000 in seconds.
After finishing a scant 23 seconds behind Contador, how much time would Cadel have managed to save in 110k of time trialing if he only had a H3 or Zipp 808 up front instead of that “slow” Campy Bora I guess he should have rebadged more than the frame!
So yesterday I did some testing to determine what wheel I want to use in a TT next weekend. Choices are
- older Campy Zonda 38mm deep, 16 aero spokes
- older Specialized trispoke
- Blackwell 100
As tested, the trispoke comes in an estimated 10 seconds faster over 40k than the Zonda. The Blackwell another 4 seconds faster.
Given the Bora is 50mm deep (and thus closer to the trispoke), I’d bet it’s only a couple of seconds slower than the 808 or H3 over the distance.
what spokes does the bora use? I would guess 15-30 seconds.
Are you really as dumb as your post would seem to elude to?
What would he have saved? I would guess that the number would start with .000000000 in seconds.
This is so thick with irony…I love slowtwitch.
The better question is how much more time could he have saved if he had ridden a Bontrager disc/wheelset. I think Levi and Contador had Bontrager disc wheels for all the TT.
What was the rebadged frame Cadel rode? I admit I have not read all the articles.
Cadel… brilliant!
After finishing a scant 23 seconds behind Contador, how much time would Cadel have managed to save in 110k of time trialing if he only had a H3 or Zipp 808 up front instead of that “slow” Campy Bora I guess he should have rebadged more than the frame!
It all depends on the wind conditions. At the speeds those guys go, unless there’s a decent direct crosswind, they’re pretty much all the time dealing with very low yaw angles…and the differences between aero wheels is pretty small at low yaw angles.
That said, I’ve directly measured an approximate 0.5 sec/km difference between my TT setup with an 808 and the same configuration with a TriSpoke (not H3 or Specialized) at low yaw angles. Based on some old Chet Kyle data that shows the TriSpoke to be basically equivalent to a Specialized or H3 wheel at 0 yaw, my conservative guestimate is that over yesterday’s TT, he would have been 55.5 km x 0.5 sec/km = 27.75, or ~28 seconds faster IF he’d been running an 808. Of course, that assumes that the Bora would be as good as an H3 (or my old TriSpoke) at zero yaw. If there were significant sidewinds, the difference would be even greater.
No matter what…it sure would’ve made today pretty interesting 
Hey Chip, relax …
allude → to refer casually or indirectly
elude → to avoid or escape by speed, cleverness, trickery, etc.
Not that I mind being called dumb (ok I do) but it was meant as a tongue in cheek reference to some of the interesting wheel choice and general equipment choice critics that post here so frequently. I’m sorry that my meaning “eluded” you
No no…my bad. What most folks here on ST dont get is that their untrimmed helmet strap has more drag than their wheels could possibly save…
Hey Chip, relax …
allude → to refer casually or indirectly
elude → to avoid or escape by speed, cleverness, trickery, etc.
Not that I mind being called dumb (ok I do) but it was meant as a tongue in cheek reference to some of the interesting wheel choice and general equipment choice critics that post here so frequently. I’m sorry that my meaning “eluded” you
Well…the funny part of it all is that you’re “tongue in cheek” reference actually had some validity to it…
I don’t know if I am right, but from the fins in the seatstays and the chainstays, I believe it might be a “Planet X/Velovie” type frame. You can also spot that the cable routing is external. Can anyone confirm this?
I tuck mine behind my ear
.
The data on the Bora is pretty easy to find. They have tested it in TOUR at least once, presumably because it was Normann’s wheelset of choice. It did not perform particularly well (nor badly). It was, in ST parlance, “MOP.” It is certainly reasonable to think that he might have gained enough time that the Lotto team might have had a whole lot of reason to try and spring him today…
It’s also somewhat interesting that Popo was running a HED3 Deep in front, while Contador (and I think Levi) had a regular HED3. I wonder how it ended up that way…
It’s also somewhat interesting that Popo was running a HED3 Deep in front, while Contador (and I think Levi) had a regular HED3. I wonder how it ended up that way…
Perhaps because Levi and Contador are lighter (so are potentially less able to control the deeper rim)? Or maybe they just are more comfortable with the handling of the standard wheel…
A team dedicated to help him win overall rather than helping robbie win a stage would be more useful than any front wheel I can think of.
Reminds me of the old Telekom team (EPO aside), when you’d see Jan pulling the train into the sprints to set up Zabel, rather than saving his legs to keep up with Lance or Pantani on Galibier…that stage in the 1998 TdF when Pantani dropped Jan on the descent off Galibier to Lauteret and took the yellow jersey at Les Deux Alpes in the freezing cold was legendary (Jan actually froze on the descent cause he did not take a rain jacket in his haste to catchup with Pantani on the 50K descent to the base of Les Deuz Alpes)…dope or no dope…at least the playing field was level :-).
sooooo true and it surprises me that this has not been discussed or written about more. i wonder what the press in austrailia is saying.
“Well…the funny part of it all is that you’re “tongue in cheek” reference actually had some validity to it…;-)”
I know that there is likely some validity to it. We can only guess at what the real world differences would have been on those two courses for those specific conditions and riders. It is interesting when consumers buy something because it is “what the pros ride” when the reality is usually that the pros will ride what they are required to ride and not necessarily the fastest option available to them.