Mechanical Doping

[45K10]

Just read the following article:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lefevere-takes-mechanical-doping-seriously

Does anyone know what movie Lafevere references in the article and where I could view it?

I would love to see what type of motor it is and how one could hide it so it would be inconspicuous during the race.

I guess the UCI will have to implement pre and post race inspections a kin to F1.

[azrider]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nd13ARuvVE&feature=player_embedded


Pretty far fetched in my opinion

[MattTuck]

I think it is the gruber assist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGYqKBUEelw


Not sure if that is the right video, but one of them talks about the benefits of avoiding anaerobic activity. funny stuff.

If the motor is as loud as the video makes it sound, I doubt anyone in the peloton could get away with it. they'd have to wait till they were solo off the front.

[45K10]

That video is awesome, Thanks

Yeah I have my doubts as well but it is surprising how he accelerates (especially in the Ronde video) without any notable increase in cadence or pedal pressure.

I am just not sure.

[MattTuck]

That video is awesome, Thanks

Yeah I have my doubts as well but it is surprising how he accelerates (especially in the Ronde video) without any notable increase in cadence or pedal pressure.

I am just not sure.


As I understand gearing, (and this suspected device), it would be physically impossible to accelerate without either increasing cadence or shifting to a higher gear. All the device does is assist the rider, it doesn't have a separate drive mechanism to the rear wheel...

I dunno, we'll see.

[tele]

there is so much innuedo and rumor going on with this I thought it was not reality. Then this morning I read somewhere a DS said he saw one of these motors in a bike back in 2004 or so. Even being doubtful, now there is smoke and maybe there will be fire too.

[deechee]

very very cool. If its true, its a very ingenious cheat.

I can see it now, "Specialized bikes recalled for unintended acceleration."

hahaha.

[WadePatton]

awe come on, where's the weight weenies?

this apparatus plus batteries is over 4 pounds--what's that, a million grams or something?

and so what if he was solo--what about spectators? somebuddy would hear the vibrator buzzing up the post. no effing way.

and or if it was silent and weighed nothing and _could_ be used as a cheat, do you think it'd be advertised and sold to rec. cyclists?

[William]

and so what if he was solo--what about spectators? somebuddy would hear the vibrator buzzing up the post. no effing way.




Hmmm, makes me think the cycling market needs a new product. :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf8O1GXI5Sc&feature=related





William

[goonster]

As I understand gearing, (and this suspected device), it would be physically impossible to accelerate without either increasing cadence or shifting to a higher gear. All the device does is assist the rider, it doesn't have a separate drive mechanism to the rear wheel...

It drives the bb axle. The rider could be continually upshifting the rear while maintaining roughly constant cadence.

It really is incredible the way Cance accelerates away from that group in the Ronde. At first he is out of the saddle to catch a rider's wheel, then he goes on the hoods and gaps everyone in the blink of an eye. Of course, it's possible that the other riders are all letting up at the same time, but it sure looks like one heck of an effortless acceleration.

edit: Just looked at the RvV clip again - the other riders are clearly backing off, and the rider he passes first is obviously soft-pedalling. In the P-R clip it just looks to me like he's shifting.

Seems to me that a motored bike is highly unlikely to be used not because of weight or noise, but because the risk is too high that it falls into the wrong hands. Riders can deny a failed dope test to their graves, but it's hard to argue with a hunk of batteries and wiring.

[TAW]

Riders can deny a failed dope test to their graves, but it's hard to argue with a hunk of batteries and wiring.

Let's see:

1. Someone slipped this into my seat tube when I wasn't looking. I thought
the bike was faster, I just didn't know why.
2. I borrowed a friend's bike and he had this stuff in there.
3. I was having a few drinks with some friends and someone was playing with
this motor when it must've accidentally fell into my bike.
4. Those mechanics do all sorts of things to our bikes, how am I supposed to
know?
5. Everyone has one in their bike, I'm just leveling the playing field.
6. It keeps me from getting chased down by Lance when I accuse him of doping.
7. I only used it to help me recover from a recent injury.

[1centaur]

Doping has enough plausible deniability to allow the team and the sponsors to continue. Mechanized doping does not have that. The mechanics would know, the DS would know, and realistically the other riders would know. If this were true, Saxo et al would scatter to the four winds quickly (betting the sponsorship contract defaults on willful fraud or some equivalent). Upside/downside is horribly skewed. A team would have to be ridiculously stupid to pursue something that makes it score 98 out of 100 on the success meter instead of 95 when that something is easy to uncover and could drive the score to 0.

[45K10]

Doping has enough plausible deniability to allow the team and the sponsors to continue. Mechanized doping does not have that. The mechanics would know, the DS would know, and realistically the other riders would know. If this were true, Saxo et al would scatter to the four winds quickly (betting the sponsorship contract defaults on willful fraud or some equivalent). Upside/downside is horribly skewed. A team would have to be ridiculously stupid to pursue something that makes it score 98 out of 100 on the success meter instead of 95 when that something is easy to uncover and could drive the score to 0.


Good points and I agree but I am still shocked at the ease of Cance's attacks at Roubaix and the Ronde. I watched both of them live and something just didn't look right, almost too effortless. IMO the probability that he used a hidden motor is <10% I think he just hit his "fitness" at the perfect time but I still have a small amount suspicion.

[BumbleBeeDave]

Let's see:

1. Someone slipped this into my seat tube when I wasn't looking. I thought
the bike was faster, I just didn't know why.
2. I borrowed a friend's bike and he had this stuff in there.
3. I was having a few drinks with some friends and someone was playing with
this motor when it must've accidentally fell into my bike.
4. Those mechanics do all sorts of things to our bikes, how am I supposed to
know?
5. Everyone has one in their bike, I'm just leveling the playing field.
6. It keeps me from getting chased down by Lance when I accuse him of doping.
7. I only used it to help me recover from a recent injury.

. . . The "VDB Defense" . . . he had just been keeping the motor in his bike for his dog. :rolleyes:

BBD

[WadePatton]

remember the day floyd "motored" away?!

just sayin. :crap:

[Lionel]

This story is catching on big time here in France. It just made it to the evening prime time news... With Jalabert interviewed etc...

Pretty amazing.

They were saying that basically bikes are not checked at all except on TT and uphill TT. The Tour will probably start checking them later this year...

[FastVegan]

Looks like this video shows the bike changes prior to the "motoring". Can someone translate?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMFoDWrKAiM

[bikser]

This is just ridiculous. That youtube video is dubious. I watched the races on VS, and his motoring away was very gradual and natural. The video looks sped up to further enhance the creators story. And, the "buttom pushing" he claims is just silly. If you've shifted with RED you know there zero loss, the lever pushes a tiny bit, virtually no throw before it shifts much like a button.

[MattTuck]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7THIhZEP4QM

Were these products available in 2001 also?

I mean, c'mon. People accelerate off the front all the time. Is every impressive cycling feat now going to be met with skepticism? please. If that is your angle, why even watch the races? I say, sit back and enjoy.

[45K10]

Looks like this video shows the bike changes prior to the "motoring". Can someone translate? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMFoDWrKAiM

That video is hilarious I love the sound effects

[r_mutt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7THIhZEP4QM

Were these products available in 2001 also?

I mean, c'mon. People accelerate off the front all the time. Is every impressive cycling feat now going to be met with skepticism? please. If that is your angle, why even watch the races? I say, sit back and enjoy.

that was the other kind of "doping"....