Wonder what the pros would say about the bikes they ride
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,159
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 119 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Wonder what the pros would say about the bikes they ride
When they switch from one bike to another. For ex. Wiggins once rode an Orbea for Garmin; wonder how he would compare it to the Pinarello he rode for Sky. Contador rode a Trek with Astana; wonder how he would compare it to the Specialized Tarmac. I wonder if there's much more than dimes worth of difference between the upper end bikes they get paid to ride, what they'd say.
#2
Serious Cyclist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: RVA
Posts: 9,308
Bikes: Emonda SL6
Mentioned: 97 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5721 Post(s)
Liked 261 Times
in
99 Posts
I think the differences are probably pretty marginal if any between the frames. I would expect them to have stronger opinions about switching from one group set sponsor to another (shimano to campy ect.) but generally I think they don't say anything because of obligations to their sponsors.
I would be curious to get into their garages after they retire to see what they ride when they are no longer obligated to be on a particular brand.
I would be curious to get into their garages after they retire to see what they ride when they are no longer obligated to be on a particular brand.
#3
Senior Member
I really doubt that they care about what frames, groupsets, wheels they get. They can have exactly the same fit across brands. Groupsets? I don't think there is so much difference between dura ace / red and super record (they have to use to them and that's it). Wheelsets? Every manufacturer has a wide range of wheels they can pick the right one for the course.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 292
Bikes: 2005 Cannondale R5000 1986 Basso Gap(Super Record) 1986 Schwinn Voyager SP 1975 Schwinn Paramount Track Bike 1974 Raleigh RRA
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 31 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I do remeber a time in the 90s when motobecane was still in the pro peleton....but they were decaled "MBK"
all te riders said that stoo for "made by Klingons"
all te riders said that stoo for "made by Klingons"
#5
Senior Member
I'm sure the pros could tell you differences between the frames. Though I suspect the best feedback is probably from the bottom of the pack riders, since the riders will have input into frame designs, so riders will likely have frames designed to feel good to those rider.
The other thing is that once you get above ~$1500 there aren't really bad frames, just different frames. And in many cases you'll see riders on a mix of bikes to suit their tastes and a particular race. A Specialized team might have riders on Tarmac, Venge, and Roubaix frames, potentially all on the same stage.
The other thing is that once you get above ~$1500 there aren't really bad frames, just different frames. And in many cases you'll see riders on a mix of bikes to suit their tastes and a particular race. A Specialized team might have riders on Tarmac, Venge, and Roubaix frames, potentially all on the same stage.
#6
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,446
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,105 Times
in
1,369 Posts
It's interesting to see how this goes in different sports. In the USA, in TV sports where different people have different sponsors, the participants are trained to blather all their sponsors' names when presented with a camera and microphone. I'm thinking specifically of NASCAR but you can see it in any other kind of racing. I'm betting that cycling follows the pattern, at least on the record.
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 530
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 14 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
I really doubt that they care about what frames, groupsets, wheels they get. They can have exactly the same fit across brands. Groupsets? I don't think there is so much difference between dura ace / red and super record (they have to use to them and that's it). Wheelsets? Every manufacturer has a wide range of wheels they can pick the right one for the course.
As to what is in the retired pros' garages: my guess would be mostly bikes that were given to them, by their team, at retirement.
#8
Announcer
They just put up with any eccentricities a frame or equipment might have. It's part of being a pro.
But there are plenty of stories of riders/teams who have had to paint over good equipment to look like a sponsor's equipment. i.e. 7-Eleven riding Serotta frames painted over to become Huffy. Or Motorola riding Caloi frames that were actually Eddy Merckx.
Most pro riders either give their bikes back at the end of the season or sell them off for the cash.
I know that American teams sell their bikes at the end of the year. (I bought a Kuota TT bike in the parking lot right after the last stage of the Tour of Missouri.)
Astellas just offered up their entire inventory of Litespeeds. They have a new bike sponsor for 2016.
But there are plenty of stories of riders/teams who have had to paint over good equipment to look like a sponsor's equipment. i.e. 7-Eleven riding Serotta frames painted over to become Huffy. Or Motorola riding Caloi frames that were actually Eddy Merckx.
Most pro riders either give their bikes back at the end of the season or sell them off for the cash.
I know that American teams sell their bikes at the end of the year. (I bought a Kuota TT bike in the parking lot right after the last stage of the Tour of Missouri.)
Astellas just offered up their entire inventory of Litespeeds. They have a new bike sponsor for 2016.
#9
Le Crocodile
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Santa Barbara Calif.
Posts: 1,873
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 370 Post(s)
Liked 787 Times
in
311 Posts
I really doubt that they care about what frames, groupsets, wheels they get. They can have exactly the same fit across brands. Groupsets? I don't think there is so much difference between dura ace / red and super record (they have to use to them and that's it). Wheelsets? Every manufacturer has a wide range of wheels they can pick the right one for the course.
He said the Trek was more comfortable than the Marin frame for example, but it all evened out in the end. He loves electronic vs. cable etc.
In a nutshell, it's all OK, but there are differences to be sure.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Black Hills, SD
Posts: 415
Bikes: Montague Para Trooper High line
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 23 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I think the differences are probably pretty marginal if any between the frames. I would expect them to have stronger opinions about switching from one group set sponsor to another (shimano to campy ect.) but generally I think they don't say anything because of obligations to their sponsors.
I would be curious to get into their garages after they retire to see what they ride when they are no longer obligated to be on a particular brand.
I would be curious to get into their garages after they retire to see what they ride when they are no longer obligated to be on a particular brand.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 5,373
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2482 Post(s)
Liked 2,955 Times
in
1,678 Posts
The Cannondale sales rep who visited the shop where i worked in the mid-'90s told us that Miguel Indurain bought one of their bikes when he retired.
Evidently Indurain had a falling out with Pinarello when he retired from racing before his contract was up. Maybe he didn't want to ride one, or maybe they came around and collected his bikes---not sure which.
The rep said that Indurain asked some of his friends on other teams for recommendations, and the two bike brands that got the most votes were Colnago and Cannondale.
Could be that Mario Cipollini was one of the guys touting Cannondale. He was the sprinter for the Saeco-Cannondale team, and he and Indurain were both unusually tall for pro cyclists, so that would make sense. (There's probably a Youtube video of the moment in the 1997 Tour when Mario Cipollini turned to a television camera during a stage and said, “Cannondale is best bike.")
Evidently Indurain had a falling out with Pinarello when he retired from racing before his contract was up. Maybe he didn't want to ride one, or maybe they came around and collected his bikes---not sure which.
The rep said that Indurain asked some of his friends on other teams for recommendations, and the two bike brands that got the most votes were Colnago and Cannondale.
Could be that Mario Cipollini was one of the guys touting Cannondale. He was the sprinter for the Saeco-Cannondale team, and he and Indurain were both unusually tall for pro cyclists, so that would make sense. (There's probably a Youtube video of the moment in the 1997 Tour when Mario Cipollini turned to a television camera during a stage and said, “Cannondale is best bike.")