TdF and advertising

[shovelhd]

Originally Posted by mgm777

I remember watching a video interview of one of the team mechanics discussing this issue. On this particular team, the sentiment expressed by the mechanics was that the bikes were owned and maintained by the team wrenches and simply loaned out to the riders. I don't know if that sentiment is shared by all the teams in the peloton, but could help explain why the bikes are simply tools to get the job done, not things to be worshiped.

Wih the domestic pros that get to keep their bikes for resale at the end if the season, you would think that they would maintain them to maximize resale, but that was not always the case. No I am not naming names.

[Md3000]

They're professional bike RIDERS, not professional bike ENTHUSIASTS. Im sure most know basic bike technical skills. But during a race of three weeks I doubt they have energy or time to fiddle around. Just watching them at the tour probably gives us a skewed image of whether they love bikes or not.

[RonW87]

Originally Posted by mgm777

... the sentiment expressed by the mechanics was that the bikes were owned and maintained by the team wrenches and simply loaned out to the riders.

Factually, the bikes are in fact owned by the team. The riders (except in special cases) give them back at the end of the season and the team can make a tidy sum selling them on the market.

How carefully do you drive a rental car?

R.

[mgm777]

The sentiment expressed by the wrenches reminded me of my time in the Air Force...good maintenance crew chiefs always took ownership of their assigned jets & missiles and had that same mentality..."The jets are mine, maintained by me, and I loan them out to aircrews." It is just a mentality...taking ownership/pride in maintaining the jets. Several years ago, I was working with the Maintenance Operations team at Disneyland. Back then, they too had dedicated maintenance teams for each ride. Again, those maintenance team chiefs viewed the ride as theirs...it was a matter of individual pride to keep the ride operational and safe at all times.

[fiataccompli]

They are tools & users of tools have varying connections with maintenance & function. That makes sense. I know several quite serious riders (one who is pro) who are somewhat notorious for noisy bikes & whatnot...Clearly you can be an excellent rider, racer & tactician without having a great understanding or interest in the inner workings of the bicycle. For me the details of tuning are important but the details of making & keeping the bike pretty, colors matching & that sort of stuff not so much. I have a number of classic road bikes for which I care much more, but the workhorse training & crit racer Merlin is all about function.

[bikinchris]

Originally Posted by RonW87

Factually, the bikes are in fact owned by the team. The riders (except in special cases) give them back at the end of the season and the team can make a tidy sum selling them on the market.

How carefully do you drive a rental car?

R.

You missed the point, yet made a great point. The riders treat the bikes like rental cars. Or worse, rental mules. Beat the thing half to death and don't care. Until they lose a race because the chain jumped off just at the wrong time.
I HEAR a lot of tri bikes before I see them. Squeak, clunk, squeak, clunk etc.

[CunegoFan]

Originally Posted by bikinchris

I HEAR a lot of tri bikes before I see them. Squeak, clunk, squeak, clunk etc.

Urine tends to wash the lube off a chain.

[shovelhd]

Originally Posted by CunegoFan

Urine tends to wash the lube off a chain.

Poop does a better job.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by CunegoFan

Urine tends to wash the lube off a chain.

Yowser, but true..I found out the hard way when I was working on a lady's tri bike(a Zipp) and wondered why the eyelets on the rear wheel were rusting so bad..I asked, she told me..yikes..hose the thing off already.

[Mr. Pink]

eeeeewwwwwuuuuuuuuu. jeez. gross.