Chris71

I remember him being really good at climbs and TT apart from when he missed his start but found this on wiki
He was also a good time-trialist until the nineties, when it became difficult for him to adapt to technical changes in the time-trial bicycles.

What happened with technical changes, where they just lighter, why couldn't he adapt?


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DiabloScott

I'm not sure I believe that. But the technical change discussed is probably the switch from "funny bike" frames with bull horns to the more triathlon inspired kind of TT bikes with aero bars we see today.

Keith99

I've got to wonder if the stage of his Career and state of his team played a part.

Team leaders for Tours and guys who are great time trialists spend a lot more time of that discipline than the rest of the riders. Once Mig was the team leader Delgado had less reason to put in ht time needed to really dial in for new technology.

Leinster

I've always wondered, did the bullhorn bar funny bikes actually have any aero advantage over a regular road bike? Other than the disk wheels, the same 90deg elbows body position is surely attainable with standard drop bars, and it's only the aero-bars that bring the elbows and arms in that create the tear-drop position. Seems to me that the post-Moser TT bikes from '84/85 to the Lemond years (89 on) were more for show than go.

DiabloScott

I think the bike itself was more aero with the lower front profile, but the body position really wasn't that much different and that's a bigger factor.

Leinster

My thoughts exactly.

Here's Roche on a TT bike;

And on a road bike;


Other than the disk and skinsuit, I really can't see an aero advantage in the top pic.

God but those Delta brakes were gorgeous. Disk brakes may stop you better, but rim brakes are way nicer to look at.

Giacomo 1 

Heck, steel bikes are way nicer to look at to!

Graceful, proportioned and just proper looking when compared to the carbon bikes they ride today, which IMHO look out-of-proportion to the riders, especially the taller ones. I still prefer the DT shifters to. (Yes, I'm a vintage guy!)

Wouldn't you love to see one stage of the Tour done on steel bikes, wool jerseys, soft caps and DT shifters? That would really weed out the sissies in the peloton!

Chris71

thanks for the replies guys

fietsbob

birthdays add up over time..

Leinster

I can't see it ever happening; Trek, BMC, Bianchi, Campy and Shimano et al all want to sell the latest, greatest and lightest stuff, not some old fashioned lumpy grey iron.

I'd love it if they got interested in the vintage market and tried it, though, even as a novelty event. "Merckx-style" races happen all over, why can't they happen at the top level?

canam73

I like the gearing here. The front has a big ring and an almost as big ring. And in the rear a corn cob so small the hub covers it.

Leinster

Notice how in all the above pics, the rider has the cycling cap backwards in the aero configuration.

bruin11

Miguel Indurain came to town

busygizmo

This. 1990 Delgado was 4th, Indurain 10th. 1991 Indurain won and Delgado was 20 minutes back in 9th. Delgado was still strong, in 1992 finishing 6th and 9th in 1993. Indurain was almost unbeatable on his 5 year run so obviously the team was built around him during that period.

I don't recall Delgado being a great time trialist but he usually held his own during his prime. He did lose the Tour in 1987 in the final time trial to Roche. I do think it is not a coincidence that he tested positive for a steroid masking agent at the time he was time trialing at his best.

I'm always curious how someone like Hinault would match up against other great time trialist. I remember being amazed seeing a camera bike follow him and seeing how smooth he looked and comfortable he was handling his bike at high speed.

As far as those cow-horns I recall reading an article in Velonews, probably by Zinn, that they weren't really aero at all and if anything worse than standard bars.