Tour of wusses

[soezgg]

This is only minorly mountain bike related, but I’ve been re-watching the third stage of the Tour de France and the commentators are repeatedly talking about how the riders are scared of "cobblestones."

Not only do the riders switch bikes and wheels for the "cobblestones," but they add gel to their handlebar tapes and race fervidly to the front of the group so they are clear of other riders when they enter the cobbled sections of the course. Based on what I’ve seen of these "cobblestones," they’re hardly any worse than the country roads where I live and ride.

Perhaps the riders aren’t as frightened or stressed by "cobblestones" as the commentators make it seem. Still, the tour coverage is making the roadies seem like a bunch of pansies. I can’t imagine a world where I would stress riding on these "cobblestones."

Sigh. I’m glad to be a mountain biker. Makes me feel like a man.

[FBTrek321]

you gotta figure in the different tires, and the wheels, its not the bums that really matter. what i think scares them is the fact that if one of the super skinny tires pops or gets caught in a cobblestone it will probably be the front, and in the road bike stance that means a serious endo and at 20MPH-25MPH that would really suck…especially in spandex

but it could be the fact that they are all pampered pansies, but i dont think so since lance armstrong has been known to mountain bike.

[fleetwood]

"FBTrek321" wrote

that would really suck…especially in spandex

😆

[Johneblz]

Part of the reason that they dont dont want to fall is due to the fact that it costs them time to fall andf puts them further back in the race. I dont believe that they are actually scared. I think that maybe its just the way the announcers get it across. They dont have much to talk about while watching these guys ride bikes for hours every day.

[rmanla]

I could imagine eating it on a road bike at their speeds (30mph is considered an average speed!) with a large pack of riders behind you would be terrible. Its not like theyre wearing the full body armor DH and FR mountain bikers wear. Its just spandex and a road helmet. I have to give credit to these guys though for being hardcore, riding with broken collar bones and cracked elbows and covered in road rash is pretty tough.

I was once like the OP when i thought road bikers were lame (some still are a bit too snobby for my tastes) but then i started alternating MTB with Road Biking and realized that Road biking is just as "Manly" as MTB its just a different kind of gnar.

My biggest problem with the tour is that i have no idea who to root for hahhaa. The footage on the paid versus tour package is way better btw.

[soezgg]

I ride road about 50 percent of the time. I ride through 6" potholes daily. Complaining about cobbles seems weak. I think pros have it too easy – they’re always on the buttery smooth highways, not on normal roads like regular people.

[Jeff Barber]

Meh, I say to make things even more interesting the Tour should throw in an off road section. I’m talking an entire stage and the riders would be able to switch to mountain bikes (or ‘cross bikes at least). Sounds crazy but they already ride special bikes for the time trials and who knows, might bring in a whole new viewer demographic.

[rmanla]

cyclocross!

[soezgg]

"rmanla" wrote

cyclocross!

best of both worlds? 😀

[Suvacrew]

We seem to have some tall poppies here on this thread.
Guys, I’d dare any of you to go elbow to elbow with a 189 other riders on a 2000 yr old roman cobblestone rd, all out and knowing that you have the potential to fall and end your year of racing if not your career. I’d say some of the adjectives put forth by Ligget and Sherman are appropriate.
As for them being pampered pansies…HMM their pain threshold and mental stamina may rival a birthing mother whom has refused an epidural…but they do it every day. Considering here in the US that the drop out rate after 1 yr for Cat 4 is 90% in US Cycling….it may be due to the criterium experience and the risk of not being able to go to work on Monday.
Cyclocross for a blend…. many of the tour riders in euro play the CX game in Winter.

Those same adjectives verbalized by the Tour commentators have also been used by golf announcers to describe a 6 ft putt at Doral or Pebble Beach, clearly not comparable.

MTBing has the ability to handle the "rumble" of the trails, but the Tour caliber rider was cut from a different fabric. Look back to find the MTB rider whom has come to dominate the road…..some have had some great successes but not at the pinnacle….Larsen, Landis (he cheated), Tomac, and Armstrong dabbled for cross training. Anecdotally the boys that are on the podium at your local XC races in the Winter are actually racing Cat 2+ during the Summer.

Wusses?? Hardly.

Just some balance.
Cheers

[FBTrek321]

i think T7K has an awesome idea! that would really be interesting, and would probably put a little difference in who come in first.

my problem with competitive road biking is the fact that usually the same people are in the top, and there is so little difference between first and last place.

and

"soezgg" wrote

I ride road about 50 percent of the time. I ride through 6" potholes daily. Complaining about cobbles seems weak. I think pros have it too easy – they’re always on the buttery smooth highways, not on normal roads like regular people.

and what kinda bike are you riding? cuz if its not full carbon, with race tires then its a little different

[brianW]

Ask roaddies if the like riding across rail road tracks at speed if they are at a slight angle. Most likely they will say no. The rails are slick. Cobblestones are just as smooth as those rails. When I was stationed in Germany we ran over cobblestone roads and they were slick when wet. I would not really want to ride across them at 30mph of slick road tires in a pack.

However these are the best riders in the world and the should just man up. I have seen many of them bunny hop a curve ride across some grass and than off another curve with out loosing speed. They should be able to handle it.

[Jeff Barber]

Shoot, I’ve heard roadies complain about painted lines on the road. Sure, they’re raised a bit and get slick when it rains – but so do roots. You just gotta find a way around ’em or adjust your riding to clear ’em.

[garbanzo]

Tour of wusses indeed. Did any of you catch that poor effort of a fight between two riders the other day? One guy trying to hit the other guy with a spair tire. I’ve seen better fights in MLB 😆 😆

I like trek7k’s idea, just one day on dirt, will never happen but good idea still

[Asfyxiate]

"garbanzo" wrote

Tour of wusses indeed. Did any of you catch that poor effort of a fight between two riders the other day? One guy trying to hit the other guy with a spair tire. I’ve seen better fights in MLB 😆 😆

I like trek7k’s idea, just one day on dirt, will never happen but good idea still

I don’t normally follow the Tour de France all too much, but I just happen to catch a part of it on SC, and it was actually #2 on the Top Not 10 plays of the week. Anyhow, I was highly entertained and I saw this previous thread on "Tour of wusses", so I figured I’d toss this on in for those who missed it.

http://digg.com/other_sports/Tour_De_Fr … Wheels_VID

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