Contador's personal bike collection

[josephr]

a few cool pics, but would rather see a few more up close shots...a SS specialized and another with independent cranks for strength-balance training....anyone know how the mechanical side of that operates?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/alberto-contadors-personal-bike-collection-exclusive-gallery/

[eBAUMANN]

power cranks (https://www.google.com/search?q=power+cranks&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjphoW9y7PaAhUijFQKHTIXCfgQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1263&bih=781)

they were a thing for a minute...like biopace ;)

[peanutgallery]

Like who doesn't have a basement full of life-size, cardboard cut outs...of themselves...with lighting?

[charliedid]

Kinda weird.

[sw3759]

Kinda weird.

does seem kinda strange for a personal man cave type thing.seems more appropriate for a public type of display.thats a butt load of made in america plastic too.sadly only 1 steel bike..

[Ruimteaapje]

Is there some pun in misspelling his name that is lost in translation?

[clyde the point]

He can't spell.

[adrien]

I just can't bring myself to adore this.

[pjbaz]

IF I had anywhere near the money, space or ability (drugs or not) of these guys I would absolutely have a similar setup.

I can't stand Contador because I feel he has zero class but I certainly appreciate this setup.

[PQJ]

IF I had anywhere near the money, space or ability (drugs or not) of these guys I would absolutely have a similar setup.

I can't stand Contador because I feel he has zero class but I certainly appreciate this setup.

Interesting perspective - how do you figure he has "zero class"?

[saab2000]

Interesting perspective - how do you figure he has "zero class"?

Also curious about this. He was well loved by most fans and his competitors alike. I've rarely heard a negative word about Contador.

What is "Zero Class" about Alberto Contador? It seems to me he handled victory and defeat with great class and dignity.

[rnhood]

Nice pictures and thanks for posting. Contador gave a lot of the cycling community and no doubt he will stay involved in some manner.

[Ozz]

...seems more appropriate for a public type of display.thats a butt load of made in america plastic too.sadly only 1 steel bike..

My impression was that he had a personal connection to most of the bikes...since he rode what the sponsors told him to, most would be plastic from his era.

The author should have taken a look in his garage to see what he rides now that he is retired...;-)

[saab2000]

My impression was that he had a personal connection to most of the bikes...since he rode what the sponsors told him to, most would be plastic from his era.

The author should have taken a look in his garage to see what he rides now that he is retired...;-)

My guess is he rides a Trek or Specialized. In spite of the feeling that sponsors' plastic bikes suck, they actually don't. I would guess he rides a Trek Madone when he feels the need to get out for a few miles.

I doubt he's riding an artisanal steel bike with shiny Athena parts. :rolleyes: That's mostly a US affectation.

[cinco]

Also curious about this. He was well loved by most fans and his competitors alike. I've rarely heard a negative word about Contador.

What is "Zero Class" about Alberto Contador? It seems to me he handled victory and defeat with great class and dignity.

Thanks for this. Agree. Contador comes across to me as just about the most "classy" guy in pro cycling. Never really understood the hate, save for the Astana years where seemed to be a fan meant taking sides.

Also, is a little disappointing the bikes are all Trek carbon. Most boring bike collection evah.

Andy in Houston

[eBAUMANN]

does seem kinda strange for a personal man cave type thing.seems more appropriate for a public type of display.thats a butt load of made in america plastic too.sadly only 1 steel bike..

and the one steel bike there he did a DIY internal cable routing job on the TT...I dunno if you noticed on the one pic of it but that rear exit hole is pretty far away from the seat lug, hopefully in the taper/transition but possibly in/approaching the thinnest section of the tube (assuming its a butted tube). its a good thing he only weighs like 100lbs...

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/822/40698093474_87653a7773.jpg

[pjbaz]

Maybe "zero" is a strong word, but I am no fan.

Of course, I've never met him and he could care less what I think, at least I hope he could care less about me, but I still think his display is awesome.

[PQJ]

Being a fan or not a fan is one thing. So, too, is saying “he cheated and I don’t dig cheaters.” No qualms from me if that’s one’s view.
But, from what I saw, Contador is down to earth, humble, a team player and just generally seems to be a good guy. Also raced with panache. So, IMO, “zero class” comment is off base.

[earlfoss]

I think it's pretty cool that he's been able to keep/acquire so many of the bikes he's used over the years. I'm a fan of his tenacity, and ability to race more by emotion than power meter.

[crankles]

I think it's pretty cool that he's been able to keep/acquire so many of the bikes he's used over the years. I'm a fan of his tenacity, and ability to race more by emotion than power meter.

I'm in this camp. Contador *raced*...meaning he took chances, attacked to shake things up, was tactically savy...etc. Same reasons I like Valverde and Sagan and anyone else who pays more attention to what is happening at the moment then what he's being told in an earpiece.

now, as to the original post. Meh

[pjbaz]

Being a fan or not a fan is one thing. So, too, is saying “he cheated and I don’t dig cheaters.” No qualms from me if that’s one’s view.
But, from what I saw, Contador is down to earth, humble, a team player and just generally seems to be a good guy. Also raced with panache. So, IMO, “zero class” comment is off base.

Opinions work both ways. I reclassified "zero" as possibly a bit strong, but I stand by my opinion. Either way, no harm to any of us :banana:

[spinarelli]

this collection is so meh, it's probably just all the bikes he raced himself. If you want to see a nice collection I remember seeing and article showing Wiggins's collection of bikes. He has a lot of vintage steel that belonged to old pro cyclists.

[benb]

So much hate... if you're his age the steel bikes were the "slow bikes" you had before you could afford a carbon bike. Just the way it is for most of these guys. Pretty much true in my age range too.. we had slow steel bikes that weren't terribly nice and by the time we could afford nice bikes steel wasn't the thing anymore.

[saab2000]

So much hate... if you're his age the steel bikes were the "slow bikes" you had before you could afford a carbon bike. Just the way it is for most of these guys. Pretty much true in my age range too.. we had slow steel bikes that weren't terribly nice and by the time we could afford nice bikes steel wasn't the thing anymore.

So true. I am actually surprised he even has a steel bike. They haven't been relevant in top level racing in decades, long before Contador was a pro. His whole cycling career would have had aluminum or carbon bikes as the racing bikes of choice.

Steel has some nice properties but if you're going to have a top flight race bike, it's generally not steel and hasn't been during his lifetime.

[benb]

I think he's young enough Carbon was gone by the time he turned Pro?

It's clear as day why he has a basement full of carbon from the article.. he wasn't happy with the steel bike he had before he had any money, to the point he even painted over the logos to try and make it more "cool". Classic teenage behavior.

So even if there was good steel out there he got on the Carbon and associated the carbon with fast and nice and the steel with old and slow because of his personal experience.

Kind of interesting.. I think that's a very American experience with riders my age or younger. Most of us came up and didn't really know any serious riders who would have had nice steel bikes. We got kind of rotten steel bikes as kids/teenagers and our parents wouldn't have known where to get a nice steel bike and wouldn't have paid for it anyway. We saw our parents and whoever occasionally riding fairly junky steel bikes, by the time we could buy our own the bike shops were well into the "Buy the Aluminum or if you have the big dollars buy the Carbon!" But he was over in Europe where there must have been more nice steel bikes around.

My only experience with nice bikes at all or that cycling was even much of a sports before I was in college were basically having a few friends whose parents were first generation European immigrants. One of the 3 had a parent who had a nice steel racing bike. One of the 3 was into racing when none of the rest of us even any awareness of the sport. He worked at a bike shop to afford a nice bike.. Trek OCLV.

[the bottle ride]

power cranks (https://www.google.com/search?q=power+cranks&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjphoW9y7PaAhUijFQKHTIXCfgQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1263&bih=781)

they were a thing for a minute...like biopace ;)

Super killer work out- I had a set for a month on a dedicated bike; hardest 30-45 minute work out ever

[tuscanyswe]

power cranks (https://www.google.com/search?q=power+cranks&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjphoW9y7PaAhUijFQKHTIXCfgQ_AUIDCgD&biw=1263&bih=781)

they were a thing for a minute...like biopace ;)

I tried to work on those in the shop. They are as hard to work on as they were to ride! Very cool and confusing tho .)

[the bottle ride]

The author should have taken a look in his garage to see what he rides now that he is retired...;-)

He is still riding Trek plastic bikes

[monkeybanana86]

Cool collection. If you have cardboard cutouts of yourself where would you place them? In the bike and trophy room, yeah? Certainly not the bedroom!

[donevwil]

Super killer work out- I had a set for a month on a dedicated bike; hardest 30-45 minute work out ever

Same here, too hard for me so I put them on a fixed gear serving as a dedicated trainer bike.

[rnhood]

Why does the material that the bike is made out of make any difference? Typically modern bikes such as carbon dominate a professional race, especially given their advantages. But Contador would very likely have same trophies, whether riding bikes made with modern or antiquated materials.

[earlfoss]

Those are the bikes he plied his trade with, and he's proud to own them. Maybe the collection is for himself and his sentimental reasons, and not so much to impress crusty, cranky internet forum members.

As a gear fan, I'd love to have one of every sweet team bike I've raced over the various seasons.

:banana:

[redir]

IT is kind of weird. Like a holy temple to narcissism. But it's also pretty freakin' cool too. And what else are ya gonna do with all those bikes. May as well create a memorial for them.

[R3awak3n]

this dude does not look like he would be fun at a party

[pdmtong]

there was a period in time where AC rode specialized, and as such he came to California and part of is sponsorship was to do a shop ride (Tiburon loop) out of Sausilito (first town north of Golden Gate Bridge) from Mikes Bikes. I made the time to go up really early, and when the limo dropped him off in the empty parking lot I used my high school Spanish to speak to him. I am sure he was laughing inside. he went into the closed shop, kitted up and by then there were a few hundred folks ready to "ride" with him. How great is that?

I think the beef issue speaks for itself but it is hard to argue his panache. he was a racer and not a robot.

[Clean39T]

Edit Post >> Go Advanced >> Cantador /= > Contador

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[josephr]

Edit Post >> Go Advanced >> Cantador /= > Contador

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done...I should be shot for such an egregious error!