Competing on 10-year-old carbon technology

[weisan]

I couldn't believe what I saw in this picture on the cyclingnews website. A Chinese national team rider competing on a LOOK KG 281 in the Tour of Chongming. It caught my eye almost immediately because it's the exact same bike I am riding on now. Don't get me wrong, I love my LOOK carbon bike, it's smooth, stable and everything else...but riding at that level on a ten-year-old technology (circa 1999) ???

I would think the Chinese riders these days would have no problem getting whatever latest, high zoot carbonated contraption in the market, why settle with this? Am I missing something? Here's the link to the full story:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-of-chongming-island-2-1/stage-1/results

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com//2010/05/05/1/05_05_10_chongming_01_117_600.jpg

[thegunner]

not to mention a previous gen shimano octalink crank. old school for sure.

[ergott]

not to mention a previous gen shimano octalink crank. old school for sure.

Ultegra no less.

Logos on the shorts are upside down.

Doesn't look like it's slowing her down much.

[Lifelover]

Most of us on this forum like to believe that a great bike can be made out any material. 10 year old Carbon Included.

I suspect there is no real disadvantage.


I certainly hopes that the case because I don't think I own a bike that's much less than 10 years old.

[Jack Brunk]

My 10 year old Colnago C40 that was part of the Mapei team rides as good as any carbon frame I've been on. It can hang with the best.

[weisan]

Ultegra no less.

Logos on the shorts are upside down.

Doesn't look like it's slowing her down much.
And mismatching tires to boot. One of her team mates on the other hand is riding what looks to me a pinarello in another picture:
http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com//2010/05/05/1/05_05_10_chongming_01_106_600.jpg

I guess trade teams or personal bikes are allowed while donning the national colors.

Agreed. It's more about the rider than the machine.

[SoCalSteve]

My 10 year old Colnago C40 that was part of the Mapei team rides as good as any carbon frame I've been on. It can hang with the best.

Has carbon technology really gotten THAT much better in the last 10 years? Maybe more shaped, wider diameter tubing, a bit more swoopy, and a few grams lighter...

But, its all carbon fiber in the end...

[weisan]

Has carbon technology really gotten THAT much better in the last 10 years?
Steve-pal, I think it depends on who you ask. I think someone like Crumpton or Cees who are at the cutting edge might think so.

[Ken Robb]

didn't some decent cyclist write "it's not about the bike" or words to that effect?

[weisan]

Really? After all the training and personal sacrifice, you would ride on a 10-yr-old bike? We are talking about competitive sports here and for cycling, equipment is a major part of the equation.

[WickedWheels]

Let me try to interpret this picture...

The Chinese clothing (Chinese-made, no doubt) is defective because the writing is upside down. And the Chinese rider would prefer to ride a 10 year old french frame rather than a brand new Chinese-made one. I'm sure if that rider was so inclined she could replace that bike with a fairly light/stiff new Chinese-made carbon frame for what that Look would fetch on ebay.

Maybe the Chinese know something about their frames that the rest of the world does not?

I couldn't believe what I saw in this picture on the cyclingnews website. A Chinese national team rider competing on a LOOK KG 281 in the Tour of Chongming. It caught my eye almost immediately because it's the exact same bike I am riding on now. Don't get me wrong, I love my LOOK carbon bike, it's smooth, stable and everything else...but riding at that level on a ten-year-old technology (circa 1999) ???

I would think the Chinese riders these days would have no problem getting whatever latest, high zoot carbonated contraption in the market, why settle with this? Am I missing something? Here's the link to the full story:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-of-chongming-island-2-1/stage-1/results

http://cdn.media.cyclingnews.com//2010/05/05/1/05_05_10_chongming_01_117_600.jpg

[pbjbike]

Weisan-Pal, unfortunately, even exceptional women cyclists don't always get sponsorship that matches their skill and dedication. The bike may be NOS for all we know, and looks like it fits...

[130R]

hmmmmmm.....

a wise man once said: "it's not about the bike"

[nbrewste]

I never did understand the advantage of a carbon race bike -- maybe a hair more comfortable and stiff, but it is surely not going to make you a race winner.

Take a look at the Spooky/Kenda Team on 6061 Skeletors -- those guys still ride plenty fast and carbon doesn't enter into the equation.

Really? After all the training and personal sacrifice, you would ride on a 10-yr-old bike? We are talking about competitive sports here and for cycling, equipment is a major part of the equation.

[Jack Brunk]

I never did understand the advantage of a carbon race bike -- maybe a hair more comfortable and stiff, but it is surely not going to make you a race winner.

Take a look at the Spooky/Kenda Team on 6061 Skeletors -- those guys still ride plenty fast and carbon doesn't enter into the equation.
I'm missing your point. Most people here just love to ride. What's winning got to do with it?

[caleb]

Weisan-Pal, unfortunately, even exceptional women cyclists don't always get sponsorship that matches their skill and dedication. The bike may be NOS for all we know, and looks like it fits...

It's about the cost of new technology. Saying otherwise misunderstands what it means to be a woman in the "third" world.

[CaptStash]

Aren't most of "Chinese" carbon frames built in Taiwan? If so, they aren't from the same China an would be very, very politically incorrect for a People's Republic of China rider to buy directly from the factory.

CaptStash....

[ergott]

People are reading way too much into this.

Maybe she likes that bike.

Maybe she crashed her "other" ride and that's her backup.

Maybe she isn't supported with any money from a team and that's all she has.

Is there something wrong with accepting, "I don't know."?

The fact that the shorts read upside down isn't a good sign for overall team professionalism. It didn't stop her from racing and hopefully being happy with what she does at the end of the day.

You get the cleats/seat/handlebar/weight distribution in the right place and your are 99.99% there anyway regardless of the age/material of the frame

[weisan]

Pals, can I tell y'all what I really think in my heart of hearts?

I thought it was so COOOOOOL!!!...that the lady rode the bike that I am riding on. It validates my taste, ability and intelligence. :hello: :beer:

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/photos/races10/misc10/hern-riis.jpg

[soulspinner]

Ive seen a guy on a cross bike demolish road racer friends of mine when we rode together. The cross guy has no car and the bike is at one with him ATMO :rolleyes:

[R2D2]

And mismatching tires to boot. ....
.

Maybe the angle but the front tire looks like a 650 and the top tube is sloping forward.

[weisan]

Maybe the angle but the front tire looks like a 650 and the top tube is sloping forward.
Good eye, D2-pal!

[ergott]

Nahh, the chainstay angle would look way off and the cranks would be significantly lower to the ground (bad idea). The front wheel doesn't look any smaller than the adjacent rear wheels on the other bikes.

[benb]

Nahh, the chainstay angle would look way off and the cranks would be significantly lower to the ground (bad idea). The front wheel doesn't look any smaller than the adjacent rear wheels on the other bikes.

Ditto...

The front wheel only looks smaller because it's further from the camera.

[TAW]

Weisan-Pal, unfortunately, even exceptional women cyclists don't always get sponsorship that matches their skill and dedication. The bike may be NOS for all we know, and looks like it fits...

This is the truth, unfortunately. A friend of mine races in the pro ranks and she doesn't have a bike sponsor, so she races what she's got.

[fiamme red]

didn't some decent cyclist write "it's not about the bike" or words to that effect?That's not exactly what he meant by it. LANCE wouldn't race a 10-year-old Trek OCLV.

[pbjbike]

This is the truth, unfortunately. A friend of mine races in the pro ranks and she doesn't have a bike sponsor, so she races what she's got.

Inga Thomson, (multiple National Champion), wrote a letter to the factory when I was working in Somerville, just asking for a bike. No one knew who she was, but I mentioned her record and the higher ups agreed to give her a frame. There was an employee bike just being finished that fit her, and we expedited it. Truly amazing that she didn't have full sponsorship from a larger company.

[fourflys]

Katie Compton, arguably the best female cyclocrosser in a while, had a hard time getting a sponsor last year....

[Charles M]

hmmmmmm.....

a wise man once said: "it's not about the bike"


Yeah and that same wise man is one of the most, if not the most obsessive, Knit Picky, over the top equipment junky in cycling history. :cool:



I'm jacked China has a women’s National team. Not surprised that an older model is making the rounds in a country where it's still a developing sport despite wide spread public use.


The rest of the speculation and would-be carbon bashing I'll leave to those threatened by the "black plague"

[nicrump]

its not about the material.

[nicrump]

***

[130R]

Yeah and that same wise man is one of the most, if not the most obsessive, Knit Picky, over the top equipment junky in cycling history. :cool:


Touché :p

[fiamme red]

its not about the material.So said two of the Three Little Pigs. But they were wrong. :)

[Bob Ross]

looks like it fits...

Really?

See, that's why I don't do my own bike fitting.

[Charles M]

Touché :p

I was just laughing at another version of the "it's not about the..." line.


It's just like the guys you most frequently hear saying "I don't do it for the money"... Bill Gates, Carlos Slim, Bernie Madoff.... :p

[rustychain]

These days Lance looks to have a custom built bike for every race. Says nothing other then he is in the money. Ten year old bikes that are in good shape and fit are of no disadvantage other then pros ride bikes to sell bikes And new bike are what they sell. I fear we are all are drinking the same coolaid thinking that everything new is 10% better then the year before

[oldpotatoe]

Really? After all the training and personal sacrifice, you would ride on a 10-yr-old bike? We are talking about competitive sports here and for cycling, equipment is a major part of the equation.

"pros ride bikes to sell bikes"-win on Sunday, sell on Monday.

Only if it breaks, then it is a major part of the equation.

[Vancouverdave]

I have to wonder when we'll hear about artisan/custom Chinese carbon builders. They have capability in other fine small-scale manufacturing--hell, they may save luthiery when it dies out in Europe.

[fourflys]

hell, they may save luthiery when it dies out in Europe.

I had to look that one up... ;)

[ergott]

its not about the material.

I want a bike from this cat. It's an added bonus that it would be carbon.

[daylate$short]

Are the logo's on her shorts upside down or did she put her shorts on backwards? :)

[jlwdm]

So said two of the Three Little Pigs. But they were wrong. :)
-1

Jeff

[fiamme red]

-1

JeffI was joking, but I don't know what nicrump meant by "its not about the material." Sure, a 10-year-old carbon Look is still a good bike, but I think we'll all agree that carbon fiber technology has advanced since it was made.

[acorn_user]

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/photos.php?id=/photos/2009/jan09/sanluis09/sanluis094/bettiniphoto_0033381_1_full

Here's a Cuban national team rider rocking 8 or 9 speed Campagnolo parts last year in the Tour of Argentina.