Sprinters Delight: where are the aero bikes

[kode54]

Odd that Cav isn't on the fancy new Venge, eh?

He told Caley Fretz from Velonews that when riding in demanding conditions he wasn't comfortable with the new brakes, which is why he switched back to the old Venge after a stage or two.

i doubt if Cav even uses his brakes...and it was actually mentioned by Bobke that he doesn't use his brakes. isn't that the new handlebar on Cav's bike in that OP photo?

[Philbar72]

seems odd then that he rarely uses his brakes. seems odder that someone so fastidious about ensuring he has the best thing for any circumstance would revert to a bike thats "supposedly" not as efficient.

it could be psychological.

[kgt]

or more efficient... in practice.

[MRM]

Or just needs more time getting used to it and the biggest stages of the season (I enjoy the monuments more personally) are not the place to do so.

[Nefarious86]

Bottom line, both Cav and Sagan are happy with the new bike but the reality is we got race ready bikes to them too late for them to feel immediately comfortable replacing their old bikes at a big race like the TdF - a misstep on our part due to pushing timing on getting everything done. Stuff as simple as a different drop shape all the way to different cornering and sprinting feel, combined with the high stress of the TdF means they have been (and will be) going back and forth in an attempt to adapt to the new bike as seamlessly as possible.

For example, Cav's primary bike had/has some pre-production prototype parts on it - we were able to swap out that stuff on his spare bike right at the TdF start but he wasn't comfortable immediately racing on it not having done any long rides on it yet, which is understandable. So we're in a bit of a transition as we get their bikes fully up to production spec. It just happens that we're making that transition during the biggest race of the year. Not ideal, but I personally think it speaks to the performance of the bike that the teams and riders are even willing to entertain doing it (typically, this would be a huge no go).

Re: Cav and brakes, not sure what exactly was said, but I'm willing to bet it was referring to an initial build of his first bike which again had pre-production parts as well as a couple of other build issues. I believe this has all been addressed on his 2nd bike and his comments were likely in reference to the specific build he was riding then. We're committed to having everything absolutely dialed for our riders, pro and otherwise.

Rocket surgery...

[Franklin]

This settles it. Considering that they do not use the new Venge I fully go with KGT. Aero bikes are inefficent and suck. Physics and aerodynamics are silly and never work, whereas fancy cosmetic curves are da shizzle.

Oh and that the Venge is still an Aero bike minus the brakes... uhm... well...uhm.... It's not as if every stage won so far has been on an aero bike... oh man... oh ... oh... they did huh?

Help me KGT, explain again why Aero is so bad? Fast as the anti-aero front is looking completely idiotic by now! Help, we need something to dismiss the facts that are completely destroying our position!!!!!

[p3dalfaster]

Be interesting to see the power profiles for this one...

[de zwarten]

This settles it. Considering that they do not use the new Venge I fully go with KGT. Aero bikes are inefficent and suck. Physics and aerodynamics are silly and never work, whereas fancy cosmetic curves are da shizzle.

Oh and that the Venge is still an Aero bike minus the brakes... uhm... well...uhm.... It's not as if every stage won so far has been on an aero bike... oh man... oh ... oh... they did huh?

Help me KGT, explain again why Aero is so bad? Fast as the anti-aero front is looking completely idiotic by now! Help, we need something to dismiss the facts that are completely destroying our position!!!!!

Talking about overreacting!

Aero helps. But e.g. for a sprint, do not overestimate it. It's still only a part of a bigger picture. In this particular sprint, positioning was much more important than an aero bike.

I am one of those fat guys who only get strava records on the flat, in segments of around 1K or less. Guess what, I beat those guys with aero bikes and aero wheels with a totally non-aero Colnago master with Hyperon wheels on a 60K/h sprint.

So don't overestimate aero. It takes 3000 euro or more to buy the latest overhyped aero frame, but it takes me 0 euros to beat a lot of guys hands down because my parents gave me some legs. Same for the guys in the picture above.

Timing and positioning = key factor.
Aero = minor factor whenever there is a finish photo needed (not this sprint).

ps: a whole different story for breakaways / solo rides / taking the lead of your group etc. But that's a whole different story.

[Franklin]

De Zwarten, you know fully well as I know that KGT is flat-out anti-aero and gushes over how much better other bikes (namely Cipo and Pina) are. Indeed Aero beats you up and no pro would ride them if you believe his rants. As usual, in this thread he dismisses aero claims once again as "marketing". Facts are destroying his position utterly, so it's extremely funny how he comes to this idiotic conclusion, but that's to be expected by now.

Now onto your stance. Even if we disregard that fotophinishes are always a possibility and thus are extremely important for a sprinter. Sprinting is not just the last 300 metres. Sprinting is saving strength, closing gaps etc. The evidence is clear: Aero is better, in almost every conceivable scenario.

Of course talent and form are decisive. But when it's close it's about inches or less. And contrary to what people seem to think, many aero gains are basically free.

In the reactionary pro-peleton this is slowly hitting home. That some pro's are still using non-aero frames is simply a confirmation of how moronic Cycling is. Remember the drama around Belkin with their Aerobike when Bauke Mollema (contrary to ten Dam) not even tested his new bike and just went for it, with hilarously disastrous results. Pro's are notoriously backwards and careless about fit and materiel. Most people here are much more interested in this stuff than many pro's. And yeah, there are more and more teams and pro's who understand it's in the details (as is shown by every stage winner so far!), but it's as yet clearly not universal.

[erik$]

This is totally hush hush but UCI is supposedly working on a ban against road bikes with riser bars. Something about it beeing too ugly. Cav propably got an inside tip.
Aero helmets are the next one their list.

[kgt]

@ Franklin

Although replying to posts like yours is loosing time... I will repeat, again, that I am not against aero. I am only against the "aero is everything" or "aero will save you 10min over a 100km course" mentalities. I find these mentalities simplistic, misguiding and marketing driven.

That's what I believe. And I think I have been proven right. You are welcome to disagree but you must first relax and stop cyber bullying!

[nigel379]

2 out of the 3 podiums today were on the new venge. Can't be that bad. I think it is clear that both Sagan and Cav didn't want to risk changing wheels on the new bike and the rainy conditions.