GCN Races the Merckx
 

Another fun one from the folks at Global Cycling Network. Simon races their vintage Merckx in a field of modern bikes. Judging from the video, GCN appears to have had this frame built to original spec instead of using an actual 40+ yr old Merckx. I was somewhat surprised to see toe clips were the only major hindrance to competing in a modern field. Long live C&V!

Brake cable routing is all wrong too.
‘there was an episode on the building of the frame, no doubt believed the urban legend that steel frames wear out.

should have found a replica jersey without the World Championship stripes, he would have been domestique level. Not having earned the WC stripes.

I thought this was one of their better vintage bike videos.

It's a shame that Si didn't get the toe clips sorted out earlier, and didn't have a proper corn cob freewheel, but he did better than I expected.
Plus... both he and the bike looked great, so that's a bit of a victory all by itself. ;)

Steve in Peoria

Love GCN+. Racing coverage, with commentators who really know and love what they're talking about, and all these other cycling-oriented videos: tech, history, 'slow cycling' through beautiful areas. We probably watch more GCN than Netflix or any other content provider.

I'd like to think the other entrants gave him a hard time. Oh looky, the World Champion slumming with us. Doncha ya think it might be embarrassing if you don't win this race against us midpack fodder?

Going by what the rider said, he messed up the gearing choice, and the bike set-up was wrong for him, ie the short toe clips. I'd like to see a re-do race with the correct corn cob FW, and modern clipless pedals. My guess is he will fair much better.

I have eyed the Faema replica jerseys but never bought one as the WC stripes are just wrong unless you are Eddy. I have missed when plain red bands were offered.
Quite OK.
maybe in Europe it is different?
I never rode in pro team jerseys either way back, attitudes I guess were different.

blaming the clips and straps for Muscle pain?
” Not being able to pull up?”
If I had not heard him walking in cleats at the onset I would have assumed he was not using them. If he was able to clip in… cleats at least engaged, maybe not adjusted well.
possibly afraid to cinch up the straps?
one does have to reach down… might lose control?

I would have trouble with a Cambio Corsa style shifter, just no longer flexible enough. At some point stop blaming the bike.

You have to wonder how well an older steel bike would do, if he took the time to ride the bike long enough to dial it in and be comfertable with the down tube shifters and toe clips? They always seem to grab the steel bike and take off on it , no setting it up for them, no time to ride it and get to know it. Compairing it to the bike they ride all the time.I guess the advertisers would not be too happy if the cycling public realised the steel bike is about 95% os good as the latest carbon fiber wonder bike.

I don't think they know toe clips were made in different sizes. Or how to run double straps so it is more comfortable and secure.

I'm glad Si rode the bike, and I echo the suggestion--as I had thought similarly--for him to just chuck some SPD-SL pedals on it and make it more about the bike and not the bike setup so much. GCN is consistent in hastily getting a vintage bike going for one of their presenters in these "Retro vs. Modern" comparisons, something that continues to irk me. Are 15 minutes not enough to install pedals, make measurements, adjust saddle and bars, and putt around for a second to familiarize one's self with a bike?

Its almost like they are doing a parody on purpose, making sure the C+V gets disparaged when they surely should know better. :crash:

Yup,! He needed larger sized toe clips. The toe clip straps should have handled any pedal pull up efforts because they are the laminated types (I paused the video when he was making a comment about the toe clips and I could see the three layers of the straps.) so stretch shouldn't be a problem unless he did not tighten the straps enough when he got on them.
Bottom line is, if you size your toeclips properly and adequately tighten your straps, you should not have any problems with your cleated shoes pulling off the pedals in most conditions,.......unless the GCN guy did not jave cleats on his bike shoes??

One of these days they're going to really wise up and test a bike from 1986 with indexed shifting, like, oh, 7400 Dura-Ace or something, and then it will be even closer. Being in England, with decades of bike (racing) history to draw from and so many famous riders from all around the Continent, it makes sense that they're "retro bikes" are all Euro-centric. Anyone on anything that won a race or stage of any significance did it on English, Italian or French tubing, and very often with Italian componentry. No American frame manufactures nor Japanese component makers need apply. Even with GCN's modern bike choices, none are American--not that they need to be--even if they've seen the proverbial (practical) light and run Shimano gear.

Thinking about it, indexed downtube shifting was allowed only five scant years--FIVE!--before STI/Ergo/brifters were introduced. I have to catch myself evangelizing that tech's historical significance when it, while important, was a very quick stepping stone to the massive paradigm shift that was integrated brake/shift technology.

It isn't the arrow, it's the Indian.

If his foot position was wrong because of the short toeclips, I suspect he wasn't using slotted cleats, either, which would make a big difference.

they might know better, but that does not support the position that one needs the latest and greatest to keep up with the group.
note how he was lamenting about all the added watts he was going to need to expend because of the lack of modern design.
neglecting that while in the middle of the field the Aero advantage is likewise reduced.
‘Of course on a bike with huge cable loops above the brake levers. Did not look at old Eddy images showing the cable arcs quite reduced.

what term the British use? Wanker?

I do like the takeaway: Turn up on whatever you've got. It does help when that includes ten years of pro race experience.
-John

Wow....

I thought this was one of their more positive video's on classic equipment. Aside from the gearing and toe clips issues, of course.

Si has the physical ability. I give him that! His mental ability is suspect. Si could take all the negative things he learned from this race and fix them for round two and three. I imagine that is what most logical people would do.

Have you ever seen the videos where they hand kids something like a rotary dial phone and have them try to figure out how to use it?

I'd guess it's like that- they sorta know what a piece is, knows what it's supposed to do- but not really how to make it work.

Just like when you take your old bike to a modern bike shop.

Jumpin' Jesus on a pogo stick...

You gents have made a mountain out of a mole hill..

Are you new here?

;)

I'd say there's really no point in it, but that's kind of true of all their videos. It would be fun though. Like in this one he was complaining about the toe clips, the gearing, and aerodynamics. Cool, come back the next week with clipless pedals, aerodynamic wheels, and a proper gear selection (maybe an 8-speed cassette!). Compare and contrast. Then maybe add indexed shifting for the week after that.

A quick Google search tells me that aero wheels are good for 10 watts at 35 kph. Surely, a former professional racer at a local amateur race has 10 watts to spare. His position on the bike looked similar to the other racers.

When I saw that he was actually racing, my first thought was that I'd have been terrified about the brakes. I understand that someone who's comfortable with single pivot brakes and non-aero levers can stop a bike just as quick as someone using modern disc brakes (after all, the tire and pavement are the limiting factors), but for someone who is used to modern disc brakes to hop on a bike with vintage single pivots, it's a whole different experience. Si has definitely spent a lot of time riding this bike -- like I think this is the fourth GCN video I've seen with it, and I've got to assume he's done some riding between each of these at least to prepare for them -- so maybe he's developed a feel for the brakes. Since he didn't even mention it, he must have done. The only thing that would have kept me from slamming into the rider in front of me the first time he tapped his brakes is the fact that I would have gotten dropped before the first corner.

i might start watching GCN/classic bike content when they have wrapped their head around the idea that bikes before 2020 actually can be ridden and are not only some kind of curiosity and source of endless amusement (down tube shifter hahahaha toestraps hahahaha!). Which is probably never.