Does anyone know for sure how the UCI and commissaires enforce the minimum weight limit of the bicycles that are used in the TDF? Also, I think that the minimum weight limit for the bicycle is a biased rule. If there has to be a rule on minimum bike weight, I believe the minimum bike weight should be a percentage of the racers body weight. With today's advanced materials and processing, equipment reliability issues are becoming a moot point. I welcome comments.

Tom Boonen craked his frame yesterday, CSC had handlebars fail, LA's cracked chainstay....... moot point? Far from it.

But LA cracked his chainstay in a bloody hard crash, most frames would be damaged by an impact like that.

I agree - whether if he was on an ultralight composite frame or a steel one - not too many frames are going to go away from someone falling on a chainstay without something dented, bent or broken.

So is your point that weight does not matter? Anyway think what you may but the word from Trek is that the mussette bag accident did not cause the chainstay crack- it occurred elsewhere. Now if this is true then i think a lot of people need to think carefully about what they are doing. How about broken bars by Phonak? Answer me about Boonen.......no accident there

Boonen tore/broke either his stem or his handlebar and fell as a result... (it was during a climb)

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OLN said he cracked his frame........

I saw it life on TV. His frame lay flat on the ground and his handlebar lay twisted flat beside it.
Ok,I found an article about it in a Belgium newspaper.
It was definitely Boonen's stem that broke. he got one-inch carbon splinters of it in his upper leg.

This is the article:

http://www.hln.be/hln/cch/det/art_16741.html

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C-40 : what is OLN

ps: Nazon's bike (after he fell with it) :

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Anyway think what I may but the word from Trek is it cracked elsewhere? It currently sits in Waterloo and Trek hangs it proudly. Say what you want but it did break when Mayo fell on it (later Armstrong smashed his singlenut against the toptube) due to the flex in the rear chainstay because it was broken.

Before the crash - the thing was fine. So you're either making this up or just being deceived by "Trek."

I'm not saying weight doesn't matter - but my Schwinn Traveler made out of 4130 cromoly - weighs a bloody lot, doesn't really fair any better in a crash than my 5200. Yah sure if someone falls on its chainstay it won't break, but I won't trust my safety on tubing in the chainstay that is either dented or bent.

ps
lets say Lance's bike - if made out of metal, would be rideable for a stage win? Bend a metal chainstay and flex it back and forth by a powerful pedal... I wonder what would happen

Outdoor Life Network. US tv channel covering the Tour.

[quote="Adri"]I saw it life on TV. His frame lay flat on the ground and his handlebar lay twisted flat beside it.
Ok,I found an article about it in a Belgium newspaper.
It was definitely Boonen's stem that broke. he got one-inch carbon splinters of it in his upper leg.

This is the article:

[url]http://www.hln.be/hln/cch/det/art_16741.html[/url][/quote]

Boone rides a Time bike right? I have a friend who broke his Time carbon stem on his VXRS. He has since then changed to a Deda Newton stem and bar combo. I have always a bit suspicious of carbon stem and bar myself, not that I am strong and powerful enough to break it but then, I don't want to take that chance either.

Boonen changed his crank from carbon to alu. so he probably will do the same with his stem too.

By that same logic maybe he should also change his frame from carbon to aluminum.

ehehehe... when I was little I tried to fix alum by bending it back in shape - don't think its material characteristics have changed even after so many years.

Quiz question : anyone any idea what the little saddlebag on Voigts bike is for??

Hint: did anyone notice what kind of cranks he has?

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