The price of speed is getting ugly . . .

[OTB]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/photos/race-tech-cannondale-previews-new-slice-time-trial-machine-in-colorado-springs/187520

[steampunk]

the seatpost almost looks like an afterthought. just ruins the whole aesthetics of it.

[xjoex]

True, that looks ridiculous.
http://cdn2.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net/2011/08/21/2/cannondale_slice_seat_tube_600.jpg

[bart998]

"Oops! I know what we forgot!"

[avalonracing]

"Oops! I know what we forgot!"

As the engineer thinks to himself "I wish these machines didn't need a damn bike racer on top".

[Mudbug]

Looks like a stick that gets shoved up your ...

[mike p]

I'm a big fan of C-Dale and I'm sure that thing gets great numbers in the wind tunnel but man it looks ugly to me!

Mike

[FlashUNC]

If its fast, I'm sure I could live with the seatpost.

[fatallightning]

that fork to dt junction looks awful messy and tubulent.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . paint job doesn't help matters any. Where is the animated vomiting emoticon when we really need it? :crap:

BBD

[Chance]

True functional change requires more than a new paint scheme. Change requires change.

External steerer, tiny custom aero TRP mini-Vs with just enough clearance for racing tires, hidden brake cables, upright seatpost allows seat tube to wrap rear tire further up frame, very low seat stays and rear mini-Vs behind BBKT.

May be ugly but appears designed with purpose in mind. Besides, if it wins it’ll start to look fantastic.

[dcpdpayne]

I long for the days of the curvaceous funny bikes of times gone by..... Most of the latest generation of wind cheaters are a bit of an affront to the eyes.

[oldpotatoe]

If its fast, I'm sure I could live with the seatpost.

At least it's a seatpost and not a mast/billboard.

[Nooch]

i'll take the previous model, kthxbye..

[William]

. . . paint job doesn't help matters any. Where is the animated vomiting emoticon when we really need it? :crap:

BBD


http://wemissjerry.org/smiles/barf.gif







William ;) :D

[Ramjm_2000]

Definitely a big fail aesthetically speaking...

[rugbysecondrow]

I am not hip to these sorts of things, but reading the photo captions, it seems the UCI requirements might have impacted the dimensions of the seatpost...anybody know more about that. It is not my cup-o-tea, but if it is fast, who am I to question

[Chance]

This contraption may actually be ugly, but it’s hard to say unless we first wait 5 or 10 years. From previous initial reactions to significant change we could almost conclude anything new is ugly.

Titanium bikes looked ugly when first introduced. Then it was carbon bikes turn to look ugly. Threadless stems at first seemed hideous. Same for sloping top tubes, curved seatstays, and deep aero wheels. Many items considered attractive today were ridiculed at some point in time.

[cyclebencycling]

Absolutely!! A good rider will make any bike look great.



May be ugly but appears designed with purpose in mind. Besides, if it wins it’ll start to look fantastic.

[William]

This contraption may actually be ugly, but it’s hard to say unless we first wait 5 or 10 years. From previous initial reactions to significant change we could almost conclude anything new is ugly.

Titanium bikes looked ugly when first introduced. Then it was carbon bikes turn to look ugly. Threadless stems at first seemed hideous. Same for sloping top tubes, curved seatstays, and deep aero wheels. Many items considered attractive today were ridiculed at some point in time.


Kind of along the lines of what I was thinking when this came up...

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=95133

Not saying it will catch on, but I didn't think it was that hideous either. It's a good when people try to think outside of the box. Not that everything catches, but sometimes they can lead to other innovations.





William

[Chance]

Kind of along the lines of what I was thinking when this came up...

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=95133

Not saying it will catch on, but I didn't think it was that hideous either. It's a good when people try to think outside of the box. Not that everything catches, but sometimes they can lead to other innovations.





William
There is a difference with that design. Most innovation or major change strives to improve the item itself or the way it is brought to market. Titanium was to reduce weight and add a little damping, carbon to reduce weight further plus add more material damping plus frame stiffness, threadless reduced weight and simplified headset adjustments, sloping top tubes initially reduced inventory, curved seat stays improved ride and aero wheels are often faster. By contrast the Roundtail design seems mostly about making an artistic statement to draw attention to the rider with little if any functional improvement over previous designs. It’s difficult to imagine it going mainstream.

[67-59]

This contraption may actually be ugly, but it’s hard to say unless we first wait 5 or 10 years. From previous initial reactions to significant change we could almost conclude anything new is ugly.

Titanium bikes looked ugly when first introduced. Then it was carbon bikes turn to look ugly. Threadless stems at first seemed hideous. Same for sloping top tubes, curved seatstays, and deep aero wheels. Many items considered attractive today were ridiculed at some point in time.

And the citizens of Paris hated the Eiffel Tower when it was first built. Now I daresay they're pretty happy they didn't tear it down....

[keevon]

I am not hip to these sorts of things, but reading the photo captions, it seems the UCI requirements might have impacted the dimensions of the seatpost...
Bingo. 3:1 aspect ratio. Make it super narrow for aerodynamics, and it's going to look shallow.

We're just not accustomed to 90 degree seatposts.

[William]

There is a difference with that design. Most innovation or major change strives to improve the item itself or the way it is brought to market. Titanium was to reduce weight and add a little damping, carbon to reduce weight further plus add more material damping plus frame stiffness, threadless reduced weight and simplified headset adjustments, sloping top tubes initially reduced inventory, curved seat stays improved ride and aero wheels are often faster. By contrast the Roundtail design seems mostly about making an artistic statement to draw attention to the rider with little if any functional improvement over previous designs. It’s difficult to imagine it going mainstream.

I didn't infer that that design was an "innovation", just that it might help inspire people to think outside the lines. It may have been an "artistic statement", though I seem to remember a claim of damping properties of the circles in the video.



William

[1happygirl]

. . . paint job doesn't help matters any. Where is the animated vomiting emoticon when we really need it? :crap:

BBDHere ya go. Agreed on the lime green here. I like green generally though.

http://planetsmilies.net/vomit-smiley-9532.gif (http://planetsmilies.net)

[Kevan]

"Up periscope!"