2020 Pro thread

[Wingnut]

Some tech stast for the season. There are 19 UCI WorldTeams.
- 14 of them on Shimano
- 3 on Campagnolo
- 2 on SRAM

- 14 teams still running on tubes
- 5 teams switched/trying tubeless

- 12 teams on disk brake bikes
- 7 teams on rim brake bikes

Interesting? The media imply that tubeless is taking over the peloton but only five out of nineteen teens is a lot less than I expected going by the amount of noise...

[siim]

Wingnut, as you wrote, tubeless is taking over. Nobody says it has taken over already. Considering tubeless usage in pro peloton has went up from 0 to 5 teams in couple of years, it is quite reasonable speculation that tubeless is taking over/will take over. Will it be 100% tubeless in 3-4 years? Unlikely and nobody knows but the trend is there. I haven't noticed any disproportionate noise in the media personally but maybe I'm not reading the same sites/magazines.

[Wingnut]

I don't know that I agree that it's taking over so to speak at the moment but I gather will eventually when they get some more consistency from manufacturers and sort the current issues ...

I tend to only look at CyclingTips, VeloNews and CyclingNews these days...

[Kjetil]

5 teams using tubeless at races is 5 more than the zero using clinchers.
We’re possibly seeing a migration from tubolari to tubeless, but I doubt we’ll se 100% tubeless. Tubolari still win on weight and rim impact resistance.

[TobinHatesYou]

Which media outlets are claiming that tubeless is "taking over the peloton?"

[Dan Gerous]

We might see more tubeless tires in flatter races, but I doubt they'll want to give away the weight advantage of tubulars and their safety on descents in mountain stages.

It took a little while to pick it up by the main medias but tubeless tires have been used in time trials by certain teams for a few years already as weight doesn't matter as much but the aero advantage and rolling resistance are even more crucial.

[Kjetil]

Also Tro-Bro Léon has been won on tubeless tires, Hutchinson Sector 28. TBL has a reputation of being even harsher on tires than Roubaix.

[Wingnut]

Which media outlets are claiming that tubeless is "taking over the peloton?"

From memory I think it's CyclingTips...

[Noctiluxx]

I spoke about tubeless tires to a lead mechanic or some sort of team manager at Trek Segafredo during last years Tour of California. He said most riders don't like the feel of them going around corners at 45km/hr. Direct quote.

[Kjetil]

I’d be surprised if they didn’t feel different than tubulars.
Kristoff liked his 25 mm Vittorias on Bora WTOs so much last spring that he even tried them at Roubaix. Not a good choice.

[Jugi]

I spoke about tubeless tires to a lead mechanic or some sort of team manager at Trek Segafredo during last years Tour of California. He said most riders don't like the feel of them going around corners at 45km/hr. Direct quote.

At that race, stage 4 winner Fabio Jakobsen praised tubeless tires for their feel going around corners at 45km/h.

Jakobsen: "I’m really in love with them because they take the bumps better in the corners,” says Fabio Jakobsen, Deceuninck – Quick-Step. “I feel more confidence for sure, especially when you’re going quite sideways and high speed, and when braking, I feel I have more connection to the road. From now on, if the team allows me, I will reach for them all the time.”

[lone wheeler]

Sat on these choppers the other day...
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ichobi]

The feels kinda depend on the tire they use as well no? Might be some way till companies can make as good feeling tire as tubular or latex tube + cotton clinchers combo.

[bruno2000]

Seems like Tirreno and Milan-San Remo might be affected by the Corona virus.
Let's hope not. Imagine the planning for the riders when they can not ride Tirreno and Milan-San Remo...

[Speedman]

Valverde starts the UAE Tour stage with 1x chairing today.
Quite surprising from Movistar and Valverde.