Originally Posted by
terrymorse
Chanteur said the increased number of crashes was in part due to an increasing amount of "street furniture" but was caused principally by the "increasingly avant-garde" materials used in making the bikes.
"Carbon is light and very rigid, so there's no room for error," he said. "Wheels and tyres are nothing like those used in the past. Drama can happen at any moment.
"Disc brakes in racing are too dangerous. The same applies to the gear ratios used. Today, we use 56x10. They're going 80 km/h downhill, even though they're almost naked. When there's a fall, you have no way of escaping."
...
I knew it! It's those devilish manufacturers, making bikes that are fast and nimble, forcing pros to go ever faster.
But seriously, didn't there used to be a "patron of the peloton", who would scold riders when they went too fast for the conditions?
Big Bike and their avant-garde materials.
I don't know about a "patron".