Longest stem in the peloton?

[LegendRider]

Is this the longest stem in the peloton???
http://www.velonews.com/photo/75079

[CaptStash]

Myyyyy. What big stem you have!

[Fat Robert]

six foot five, limited to what trek squirts out...you do what you gotta do....

[DarrenCT]

this thread should be banned

[Chris]

A "professional" athlete and because of the current state of the bike business he can't get a bike that fits. Ten years ago he would have been on a bike that fits and riding with a 12-14cm stem...

[Fat Robert]

A "professional" athlete and because of the current state of the bike business he can't get a bike that fits. Ten years ago he would have been on a bike that fits and riding with a 12-14cm stem...


14 cm

you wouldn't have a pro guy that big on a 120...but yeah, pretty screwed up.

remember vandevelde's BH with Liberty Seguros?

[maunahaole]

But, most importantly, is 16cm "jerk approved"?

[coylifut]

14 cm

you wouldn't have a pro guy that big on a 120...but yeah, pretty screwed up.

remember vandevelde's BH with Liberty Seguros?

why can't I remember him on Saiz team? Kelme, Isla Belears, Case

[Fat Robert]

why can't I remember him on Saiz team? Kelme, Isla Belears, Case


BH sent the whole team the sam size frames that year -- so vandevelde and heras rode the same unit

150 oval stem flipped upside down on top of spacers

scary

cyclingnews.com or pez or velonews had a pic of that mess

pooch reminded me of it

[labratmatt]

BH sent the whole team the sam size frames that year -- so vandevelde and heras rode the same unit

150 oval stem flipped upside down on top of spacers

scary

I would love to see pics of this. Anyone?

Matt

[Fat Robert]

I would love to see pics of this. Anyone?

Matt

check velonews archives -- he rode for them in what, 2006?

[pdxmech13]

I'm really interested in all these pro teams switching to force ders.
Can it be a cost issue or is it becoming a supply problem to the general public.
I'd like to know as I just put some leapmo on my ride. :beer:

[labratmatt]

I'm really interested in all these pro teams switching to force ders.
Can it be a cost issue or is it becoming a supply problem to the general public.
I'd like to know as I just put some leapmo on my ride. :beer:

Just aw this on velonews:

http://www.velonews.com/photo/75072

Leipheimer’s Red rear derailleur was missing as well. If you look closely you’ll notice that the Force derailleur is fitted with Red’s ceramic pulleys. SRAM’s team liaison, Alex Wassmann said that a ‘compatibility issue’ has come to the company’s attention. SRAM product managers aren’t 100-percent sure what the problem stems from and instead of jeopardizing the athletes chances, they made the decision to switch everyone to Force. Team Type 1 and Bissell have also switched.

Looked for that weird BH/Valverde bike, but no luck.

[sailorboy]

From the photo caption about the tires:

Later in the year Astana will switch from Hutchinson to Bontrager tires. The Bontrager tires are currently resting in storage as part of the team’s tire aging process. The mechanics believe that tires that are not properly aged are more susceptible to flats because the rubber is stickier and not fully cured after manufacture. The team is racing Tour of Georgia on Hutchinson tires, all of which have been aging since 2005.

Next time I sell anything on ebay I'm listing it as 'properly aged' instead of 'used'

So the verdict here is that tires that sit around for a few seasons are better than new? didn't know that

[musgravecycles]

Snipped:

Later in the year Astana will switch from Hutchinson to Bontrager tires. The Bontrager tires are currently resting in storage as part of the team’s tire aging process.

Translation: "We're currently waiting for Veloflex to finish up a big batch of Hutchinson labeled tires for us. When they arrive you will start seeing them under our riders."

[my2cents]

way back when i first got interested in racing (early 70's) there was a documentary on pbs about the tour of canada ('race for the yellow jersey' was the name of the show i think). it followed the american 'team' and gave a behind the scene look at bike racing. I distinctly remember the guys aging all their tires. I remember one rider in particular having a barn with his tires hanging from the rafters, each aging for at least a year in a cool dark space, with the special ones aging for two years. After that, I started aging tires too. superstition or actual performance enhancement? probably a little bit of both, but i do think a part bruneel's success has been meticulous preparation and use of equipment by excellent wrenches and this is just another example of that.

(i think john allison was on that team and perhaps tidesign might be able to ask mr. allison if my memory about the show is correct)

[Tony Edwards]

six foot five, limited to what trek squirts out...you do what you gotta do....

According to the article he's 196cm tall, or just over 6'3". I am taller than him (though no doubt much weaker and less limber) and I wouldn't need a giant stem and extra setback seatpost to fit on a 62cm Madone.

[KJMUNC]

Not totally surprising he's beyond 130/140, but 160 is a bit extreme. I'm 6'4 and have pretty long arms.....when our team was sponsored by Trek I rode a 62cm with a 130 and can imagine that he's a lot more limber than I ever was.

Effective TT on that bike is only 59.7, and Treks always seem to run even smaller than their advertised sizing. Maybe it's all that heat/bonding that causes shrinkage. :rolleyes:

[benb]

From the photo caption about the tires:

Later in the year Astana will switch from Hutchinson to Bontrager tires. The Bontrager tires are currently resting in storage as part of the team’s tire aging process. The mechanics believe that tires that are not properly aged are more susceptible to flats because the rubber is stickier and not fully cured after manufacture. The team is racing Tour of Georgia on Hutchinson tires, all of which have been aging since 2005.

Next time I sell anything on ebay I'm listing it as 'properly aged' instead of 'used'

So the verdict here is that tires that sit around for a few seasons are better than new? didn't know that

Sounds like Belgian Logic... surely the tire companies would disagree..

Or maybe they just want to make sure one of their riders bites it in a highly televised rainy TT later in the season on their dryed up tires.

[musgravecycles]

I'm only 6'3" but if I had to ride a Madone I'd be on a 150 stem...

[Fixed]

bro those cats even sit on the bike different than most of us
imho
cheers :beer:

[Too Tall]

I'm only 6'3" but if I had to ride a Madone I'd be on a 150 stem...
;) I'm only 6'8" but if I had to ride a Madone I'd claw my eyes out first.

[jerk]

Translation: "We're currently waiting for Veloflex to finish up a big batch of Hutchinson labeled tires for us. When they arrive you will start seeing them under our riders."

its really tough to make a rideable race bike with a longer front center than a 62cm madone. there's no inherent compromise with what's going on there. I set zdeno chara up on his madone the exact same way.

jerk

[Bill Bove]

way back when i first got interested in racing (early 70's) there was a documentary on pbs about the tour of canada ('race for the yellow jersey' was the name of the show i think). it followed the american 'team' and gave a behind the scene look at bike racing. I distinctly remember the guys aging all their tires. I remember one rider in particular having a barn with his tires hanging from the rafters, each aging for at least a year in a cool dark space, with the special ones aging for two years. After that, I started aging tires too. superstition or actual performance enhancement? probably a little bit of both, but i do think a part bruneel's success has been meticulous preparation and use of equipment by excellent wrenches and this is just another example of that.

(i think john allison was on that team and perhaps tidesign might be able to ask mr. allison if my memory about the show is correct)
John Allis, I think he changed his name to match the loop he rode around Boston's suburbs for so long "the allis loop"

I have that on DVD.

[coloclimber]

Kash rode a 160.

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32705&highlight=160mm+stems

[Alexi]

I work with John Allis tomorrow, I'll ask him

[Alexi]

John says "absolutely... used to hang them in my basement"

[my2cents]

so I can't remember my cell phone number but I can remember distinct scenes from a tv show I saw once about 35 years ago when I was about 15 years old. Was the documentary as good as I remember? it would be fun to see it again.