Bike choice for L´Etape du Tour 19´

Questions about bike hire abroad and everything light bike related. No off-topic chat please

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rainerhq
Posts: 898
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:32 am
Location: Estonia

by rainerhq

Which bike do you guys suggest to use in this years Etape?
Trek Domane disc, Ultegra Di2.
Specialized Allez Sprint disc, Ultegra mechanical.
On flats I´m comfortable with both, even on 4hr rides. I think the Etape will be 5+ hrs for me.
Wheels will be the same. Allez is 120g heavier.
Domane will be better on descents?
"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride"

by Weenie


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Lewn777
Posts: 1266
Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2017 5:35 am

by Lewn777

rainerhq wrote:
Sun Jul 07, 2019 9:07 am
Which bike do you guys suggest to use in this years Etape?
Trek Domane disc, Ultegra Di2.
Specialized Allez Sprint disc, Ultegra mechanical.
On flats I´m comfortable with both, even on 4hr rides. I think the Etape will be 5+ hrs for me.
Wheels will be the same. Allez is 120g heavier.
Domane will be better on descents?
Etap 2019. 4500m climbing over 135km?
Well that's a decent amount of elevation for the distance so there will surely be some tough gradients. I would worry less about the bike rather than the gearing. If you're very fit you can get away with 34 and 11-28. Most mortals would be advised to have 11-32 or more.

Are these two bikes a rental choice?
Trek Domane is probably better as an Allez is better known as a crit bike. Never ridden either.

rainerhq
Posts: 898
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:32 am
Location: Estonia

by rainerhq

Both my own bikes. Gearing will be 50/34: 11/32.
"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride"

robeambro
Posts: 1829
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:21 pm

by robeambro

rainerhq wrote:
Sun Jul 07, 2019 9:07 am
Which bike do you guys suggest to use in this years Etape?
Trek Domane disc, Ultegra Di2.
Specialized Allez Sprint disc, Ultegra mechanical.
On flats I´m comfortable with both, even on 4hr rides. I think the Etape will be 5+ hrs for me.
Wheels will be the same. Allez is 120g heavier.
Domane will be better on descents?
https://www.letapedutour.com/en/the-race/route

With such elevation, weight can be quite important. However, 120g aren't that much of a difference at the end of the day.
It seems to me that the bikes are not massively different: both discs, very similar weight, same wheels, you claim you're comfortable with both..

But, if you think the Domane will be better on descents (and arguably it will be a bit less stiff over long distances), and it's also a bit lighter, then I think you have a winner. I mean, what would be your reason to choose the Allez?

by7
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:39 am

by by7

my personal consideration:

- if you go there by car or anyway no risks of damaging the bicyle in transit, all the way for the Domane
- for past experience, there is nothing worse to open your bike bag and find that a Di2 cable is broken or something like that... not easy to fix while traveling (albeit I suppose that for such event there will be plenty of service booths available... (fixing a mechanical Ultegra can be probably done even in the middle of the desert)
so trasportation risks alone would make me choose the Allez...
overall I would pick up the Domane

rainerhq
Posts: 898
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2010 10:32 am
Location: Estonia

by rainerhq

Thanks.
Will be travelling by car, bike inside the car.
As I´m more concerned about descents, Domane seems better choice indeed. I have done gravel descents with it and felt pretty comfortable.
"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride"

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
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