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Winning the Tour de France Takes Cutting-Edge Technology

sciam.com — Sure bulging legs and tremendous stamina will keep you in the race, but the right gear is crucial if you want to win

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  • dougvfr750, on 07/05/2008, -2/+15The speeds that the riders can maintain going up hills is phenomenal
  • thecosmicpope, on 07/05/2008, -10/+7And performance enhancing drugs don't seem to hurt in these cycling events either.
    • SeventhSon, on 07/06/2008, -1/+1Until they get tested and fail at the end of the day and are disqualified.
  • mewmewkittys, on 07/05/2008, -8/+4lol... wheels.
  • alexismyhomeboi, on 07/05/2008, -7/+3Another prerequisite is that your name has to be "Lance Armstrong"
  • IllBeBack, on 07/05/2008, -4/+6Just dress up in a suit made with dimples like on a golf ball and then you win! Then you win!!!
  • vanguardanon, on 07/05/2008, -6/+5That article barely covered anything and half of what it did say was wrong. For example, frame aerodynamics hardly make any difference at all, he was probably testing the rims/spokes.

    The first slide had had two people riding and totally missed out an any tech at all. Buried.
    • cyrix, on 07/05/2008, -2/+3BS. Frame aerodynamics are a significant factor.

      For instance, compare the Specialized S-works transition bike to the rest of their road series.

      http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?sid=0 ...

      Granted your body still sticks out and you cause drag, however frame aerodynamics in the Transition decrease drag on the frame itself lending you more speed. At this level we're talking minute differences, but every bit matters. I just got a transition about 5 months ago to replace an older Roubaix model and I notice a difference.
  • ChileanGoD, on 07/05/2008, -9/+7....and steroids.
    • kineticarl, on 07/05/2008, -0/+1Steroids? What decade are you from?
  • bigdoug2005, on 07/05/2008, -2/+10"The game is to lose the weight and remain stiff," every man's dream.
  • FasterGun, on 07/05/2008, -6/+2I didnt read the article, but Ill say this: Bionic legs are going to be AWESOME
  • trispear, on 07/05/2008, -3/+3For all this technology, the association that is in control of bicycle racing banned a bike design in the 1930s called Recumbents because they went TOO FAST! Check them out:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recumbent_bicycle

    More about the banning:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recumbent_bicycle#Moc ...

    Just was looking at a Calfee Stiletto today and reminded me of this paradox of wanting to go every faster, yet banning a fundamental design that would let them do just that:)
    • teaguecl, on 07/05/2008, -2/+2This was 80 years ago, get over it. Sure the UCI is a crazy, flawed organization - but recumbent bikes simply are much more efficient than the standard "double diamond" shape, and therefore it's unfair to race against them. It's the same idea MLB used when it banned aluminum bats - the use of that equipment would change the sport in a way they felt was unacceptable.
      If you disagree with them, fine - race in a more lenient non-UCI race. Or do triathlon - they are much more into bleeding edge technology there.
      • Asshate, on 07/05/2008, -2/+3Bents are faster on the straight due to efficient aero profile and position, but they climb slow and handle like ass.
      • sodade, on 07/05/2008, -1/+1Asshate is 100% correct. I live in a road cycling mecca (Abq NM) and I see plenty of recumbents, but I never see them going up the 4000' climb to Sandia Crest.
    • kineticarl, on 07/05/2008, -1/+3Then organize a recumbent race. See if you can muster up a significant number of fans or sponsors.

      You've seen the toolboxes that ride recumbents, right? I've seen them too, as I blaze by on my time trial bike.
  • lead2thehead, on 07/05/2008, -5/+3Yeah... it takes cutting edge *medical* technology. Half of those guys are into blood doping.
    • vinny, on 07/05/2008, -0/+2Well, that's simply not true. Cyclists are the most drug tested athletes on the planet. The get tested by their teams, they get tested by the race, they get tested by the governing body, they get tested in and out of season. Anyone doing drugs in cycling will get caught. Blood doping is easy to detect.
      • lead2thehead, on 07/05/2008, -1/+0Yeah, the new method they're using is called autologous transfusion. That's where you extract your own red blood cells during the training season, wait for your body to regenerate new ones, then re-inject the ones you extracted. It's impossible to detect because it's your own blood.
  • gattmolson, on 07/05/2008, -3/+6Wow it must be about time for the Tour de France because as regular as old faithful I am starting to see a bit of chatter about bike racing in the media.

    Hmmm, this acticle read like it came from Trek and Felt brocure. BIke technology is important, but honestly Lance could have won on any good bike, as long as he had Dr. Ferrari to juice him up.

    The formula for winning the tour is easy, whoever has the best Strength to Weight ratio and knows how to Time Trial and has a team capable to protecting him will win. I purposely left out one of the key ingrediants, Doping. I would say up until maybe last year that whoever had all the above and the best medical program would win. Maybe doping is under control, at least that is what I would like to belive.

    That being said Frame aerodynamics make a huge difference on time trial bikes, the rest of the time not so much. take a look at a TT bike and you'll see just how much care is put into shaping the frame to fill dead space and reduce turbulence. They have even taken to placing the brakes on the inside of the fork on some models.

    THe Irony is that bike technology is purposely stunnted by the UCI to keep the bike races essentially unchanged year after year. Their rules are so all encompassing and strict that Levi had slightly adjust his aerobar extentions before a race so that his arms were level. Anything truely new or interesting is not allowed because it would spoil the natural beauty of the Diamond frame or some such nonsense.
    • teaguecl, on 07/05/2008, -2/+2"The formula for winning the tour is easy, whoever has the best Strength to Weight ratio and knows how to Time Trial and has a team capable to protecting him will win."

      Yes, and the formula for winning at chess is easy also. That doesn't make the doing of it easy. To summarize your argument "the best cyclist on the best team wins". That sounds like a good sport to me.
    • Asshate, on 07/05/2008, -1/+2It's because of safety. Have you ever ridden down a winding mountain at over 100KMH? UCI enforce the safety margin.
    • DeFex, on 07/05/2008, -0/+2The only knowledgeable comment gets dugg down..typical
    • kineticarl, on 07/05/2008, -0/+1They did that to Levi? That's odd, didn't Landis race his TDF ITT with an aero setup where his arms were very much tilted up? Like so...

      http://www.flickr.com/photos/35237093608@N01/10319 ...
  • caponumen, on 07/05/2008, -8/+2Sorry, buried due to high dope content, quit before your nuts fall off.
    In any case this sport is DEAD.....
  • mrblue182, on 07/05/2008, -4/+3This does NOT mean that every person I see riding a bike now a days should be wearing body condoms. This is getting ridiculous.
  • Koushiro, on 07/05/2008, -5/+2Why don't we just reduce all sports into a contest of equipment. Whoever can win with the worst most out of shape operator wins?

    Seriously.
  • Nowaiman, on 07/05/2008, -0/+3i will NOT take off my shirt
  • votebunker, on 07/05/2008, -7/+2Didn't people stop caring about this race after Lance Armstrong quit and they all started doing drugs?
    • DeFex, on 07/05/2008, -1/+4no, there are a few other countries in the world.
    • vinny, on 07/05/2008, -0/+1There are actually more Americans competing now than when Lance was racing. Obviously, you are not a cycling fan.
  • phreak79, on 07/05/2008, -1/+5Starts today. Can't wait. As previous posters have said, the speed these guys fly up mountains day after day is amazing. Kinda surprised no one has chimed in with the obligatory 'winning the race takes the best drugs' line.
    • Wartz, on 07/05/2008, -1/+2look up, its been posted 5+ times already.
  • DaviDTC, on 07/05/2008, -0/+1http://www.sciam.com/slideshow.cfm?id=winning-the- ...
    Pic #7 of 10 with the Roval wheels. http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spi ...

  • LawSchoolBound, on 07/05/2008, -0/+1A little off topic but Lance Armstrong's book "It's not about the Bike" is seriously one of the best inspirational and kickass books ever
  • kineticarl, on 07/05/2008, -0/+3The Versus tv network is streaming the first two stages prior to the televised stuff tomorrow.
  • linga99, on 07/05/2008, -0/+3Don't forget the technology battle between the pharmacists, one group trying to develop and hide performance enhancing drugs, and the other group trying to find them.
  • Ortheos, on 07/05/2008, -1/+1When a sport becomes so reliant on technology, it is no longer a sport, but a spectacle. The gladiators who had won their first few battles found it easy to win the rest, since they got the better weaponry each time. Fighter turned into spectacle with technology.

    The bodybuilder who bulked up without roids, he has been replaced by the bodybuilder who bulks up with the help of synthetic roids. He is a spectacle out there on the stage.

    The cyclist with the super lightweight carbon bicycle, who breaks the world record, is no better than the cyclists of the past. Doesn't work harder than those of the past, he just has a lighter bicycle to cycle up the hill.

  • Thorazine, on 07/05/2008, -4/+0We are going to rename it to Tour de LANCE. Piss on the French.
  • Lawrencesss, on 07/05/2008, -1/+1"that person will want a really stiff frame so they get good power delivery."

    That's what she said.
  •  

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