I was just wondering, what is the difference between the Time Trial Bikes in the TDF and the triathlon bikes that Triathletes use? Is there a difference or are they the same?
KYROCKET
I guess it depends. For us, there is no difference, a P3 is a P3. There aren’t too many other companies in the Tour that make triathlon bikes per se, in fact most don’t make time trial frames either. But if you see a Pinarello Montello or a Trek TT bike at a triathlon it would be the same frame as in the Tour (except for Lance’s bike, or Hincapie, and maybe a few others who have non-production frames). The only company in the Tour other than Cervelo that I can think of that makes triathlon bikes in the narrow definition of the word would be Cannondale, but its Tour team does not use them, they use custom TT frames that Cannondale does not sell to the public. But maybe I’m forgetting somebody.
To add to what Gerard said, check the UCI rules- seat angles restriction and the like make the frames be more road angled. Most of those guys do not also want to change their positions over a three-week Tour.
The Pinarello Montello (way too expensive for most) and the Trek OCLV TT bike are basically closer to road angles than the typical tri bike. Also, many teams use custom built bikes (again, reiterating what Gerard said) that are unavailable for off-the-peg sale. You could get one of those bikes (maybe), but you would have to pay for it.
“But if you see a Pinarello Montello or a Trek TT bike at a triathlon it would be the same frame as in the Tour (except for Lance’s bike, or Hincapie, and maybe a few others who have non-production frames)”
Pardon my ignorance… I’ve been told, and can see, that Hincapie’s frame is not a Trek production unit, but I understood that Lance’s bike is a stock Trek TT frame. It looks stock too. What’s different about it?
“But if you see a Pinarello Montello or a Trek TT bike at a triathlon it would be the same frame as in the Tour (except for Lance’s bike, or Hincapie, and maybe a few others who have non-production frames)”
Pardon my ignorance… I’ve been told, and can see, that Hincapie’s frame is not a Trek production unit, but I understood that Lance’s bike is a stock Trek TT frame. It looks stock too. What’s different about it
That I’d like to know, too.
I ride a Trek teamtimetrial bike and please tell me what’s the difference to the bikes tuhe USPS team rides.
regards,
Frank
PS: here is the bike:
http://www.fjw.privat.t-online.de/bild2003_1.htm
If you watched the team TT stage you would have seen Frankie Andreau describe the difference between Lance’s TT bike and the team TT bike. Lance’s has a honeycomb structure at the bottom bracket and at the head tube saving even more weight from the standard Trek OCLV TT frame.
If you watched the team TT stage you would have seen Frankie Andreau describe the difference between Lance’s TT bike and the team TT bike. Lance’s has a honeycomb structure at the bottom bracket and at the head tube saving even more weight from the standard Trek OCLV TT frame.
All Trek TT bikes are OCLV HC bikes and not just OCLV bikes like the 5x00 series bikes. Sadly I cannot watch US television over here in Germany where such technical details are commented on.
regards,
Frank
I am not in the US either, but you can watch clips via the web site and also listen to live commentary http://tdf.olntv.com/
Rgds
Pete
.
Lance’s TT frame is last year’s model, painted to look like this year’s. It does not have the round seatpost recepticle, it has the old continuous seattube and shim system at the top.
It is rather ironic that Trek continues to claim USPS is the only team on stock bikes, when that is incorrect on so many levels. Comparing stock and team BIKES renders many differences, in the spec alone (clincher Bontragers, Bontrager stem or bars, etc.). In fact the Trek team replica spec probably differs more from what the team actually uses than is the case for most other team replicas.
Even if they meant stock FRAMES, this is obviously not true for the team as a whole, whereas it is true for several other teams.
I will leave the equipment technical observations to the real gurus on this. What I do notice is that ALL of the riders in the TDF are well fitted to their bikes. They look comfortable, are obviously developing maximal(huge) power and are reasononably to very aero on the bike.
Standing on the sidelines at a recent large triathlon, I can only say this about a very few triathletes. I still get the impression that many triathletes are ill-fitted to their bikes. They look to be uncomfortable. Not sure about power out-put and are very un-aerodynamically positioned( even on top-of-the-line aero/TT bikes).
Why would Trek not lie about the “Team Bikes” being off the shelf frames? Hell, for years they have told us all that bike that I know for a fact at built at Merida factories (China, Tiwan) are made in the US…I guess if you paint them here that is enough.
I think Hincapie’s bike is aluminum, an older model that fit him better than the new oclv models. I am no guru I think I heard that while watching the prologue.
What about lightspeed. Don’t they have a tour team? Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t they ride the Blade? ONCE used to ride stock TT/triathlon frames, but alas, no more. There’s another team running stock TT’s, but I can’t remember who right now. Oh well, maybe later.
Litespeed used to sponsor Lotto, but they (Lotto)are on Eddy Mercx bikes this season. Litespeed isn’t in the tour this year.
Euskatel ride stock Orbea TT frames (stock in the sense that all the Orbea TT frames are custom, and they will build one for you.) The same goes for Cofidis, who are all riding re-badged Cyfac bikes, and he would be glad to sell one to you, albeit with his name on it rather than MBK/Decathlon/Gitane/whoever…
The Once bike looks to me to be a prototype of the next production bike they do. I can’t believe they would go to through the trouble and expense of building molds for something like that, and not plan to sell it. The “only 100 made” quote that keeps popping up was in reference to the centennial tour road bikes the team is riding, not the TT rig. If Giant does come to market with a TT rig like this, look out - they may be a serious player on the Tri scene soon (if the geometry is on…)
MH
G.Hincapie’s bike is a custom aluminum. Very similiar to the custom rig that they did for Peter Reid. From what I’ve heard through the grapevine, they’re both too tall for the TTT.
That new Giant TT bike looks really sweet… If they can put “good” geometry on it , then it would/should sell well if they bring it to production… Let’s hope they do…
I’m not sure if it really matters whether the pro riders are on stock bikes or not. Most people do not possess the flexibility or the anorexic body type (small shoulders, <5% body fat) required to fit on a Tour time trial bike. In other words, if someone buys a bike just because their favorite cyclist rides it, that person may well be shooting themselves in the foot.
Besides, why would any USAT or USCF athlete want to subject themselves to the requirements of the UCI if they do not have to?
John “82 degree S.A.” Royal
The observation about the tour riders looking very comfortable is correct, but keep in mind these guys are like cats. They would be comfortable in just about any position. If I were to hop on one of these bikes with the seat tip 5 cm or more behind the bottom bracket, you would need concrete blocks to get my shoulders low and my ever expanding middle would rest in my lap.
Not too many of us can learn much from these guys’ positions, but they are interesting to examine.
“G.Hincapie’s bike is a custom aluminum. Very similiar to the custom rig that they did for Peter Reid. From what I’ve heard through the grapevine, they’re both too tall for the TTT.”
i don’t know about hincapie, but there’s no way the trek ttt bike would fit peter, who as of a week or two ago has switched to specialized anyway. this is also going to be an interesting experiment, because the latter refused to make a custom bike for his wife, who left specialized as a result. as of now, i don’ t know of a specialized bike that really would work for the way peter rides these days. but perhaps they’ve got a bike in the works that they’ll show at interbike that would work for peter.
Hey, I get it. “In the Works” specialized stuff, very clever. Or did you mean it that way?
"Hey, I get it. “In the Works” specialized stuff, very clever. Or did you mean it that way?’
in retrospect… why, sure i did
