the last steel frame in the Tour de France?
10-31-07, 07:56 AM
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the last steel frame in the Tour de France?
I've been reading some TdF books lately, and looking at the pictures I still see what I think are steel framed bikes (they could be Ti) up into the mid 1990s, along with CF Treks, etc. Anyone know when the last team to ride steel framed bikes was? What about lugged vs. brazed? What about DT shifters? (Maybe 90-91 for Shimano bikes and 92-93 for Campy bikes switching to STI/Ergo - seems like yesterday to me, but it's 15 years ago now!)
Any steel used on the Pro Tour today at all, like in the Paris Roubaix?
Any steel used on the Pro Tour today at all, like in the Paris Roubaix?
Last edited by hhabca; 10-31-07 at 12:42 PM.
10-31-07, 09:44 AM
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Even into the late '90s some cyclists in the Tour used DT shifters to save weight on climbing stages.
10-31-07, 10:09 AM
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You are probably right since it is a climbing stage. Neat setup Lance has, brifter for the rear only. Jans didn't even bother with brifters at all.
10-31-07, 10:12 AM
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Nope. Look closely: you can see the thumb shifter and two cables coming out of the right (rear) lever. But yeah, they both went downtube for the left (front).
10-31-07, 10:21 AM
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I suspect the use of downtube controls for the front derailleurs had far more to do with shift accuracy than with weight. Campagnolo wisely provides for front derailleur cage position trim with its Ergo brifters, whereas Shimano mistakenly tries to apply hard indexing to the front derailleur.
Of course, back when men were men, they rode the TdF over cobblestones with long-wheelbased steel frames and downtube shifters.
Pictured is Austrian rider Adolph Christian on a Capo bike.
Of course, back when men were men, they rode the TdF over cobblestones with long-wheelbased steel frames and downtube shifters.
Pictured is Austrian rider Adolph Christian on a Capo bike.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
Last edited by John E; 10-31-07 at 10:27 AM.
10-31-07, 10:56 AM
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1991 team Castarama used Raleigh bikes made from 753. They could have used steel later than that, this is all I could find.
10-31-07, 11:02 AM
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10-31-07, 11:02 AM
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I looks like Motorola used lugged steel Merckx frames in the 1993 season, and possibly into the 1995 season.
https://bhovey.com/Masi/Merckx/index.htm
https://bhovey.com/Masi/Merckx/index.htm
Last edited by hhabca; 10-31-07 at 11:21 AM. Reason: removed bad link - fixed
10-31-07, 11:26 AM
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Some riders still go back to steel frames for some races or stages, but Miguel Indurain was the last TDF winner on a steel bike in 1993 if I remember correctly... all aluminum and carbon since!
Last edited by joe v; 10-31-07 at 11:39 AM.
10-31-07, 12:12 PM
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Oh yeah, I forgot about Indurain's Razesa win, I thought it was earlier than 1993. I think these photos are from the same tour:
10-31-07, 12:25 PM
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LOVE THIS THREAD!!
In 2003, CSC were on steel Cervelo Super Prodigy bikes for Paris Poubaix.
In 2002 Dede Barry won the womens World Cup race in Montreal on a steel Mariposa built by her Father in-law Mike Barry. https://www.bikespecialties.com/site/peloton4.html
In 2003, CSC were on steel Cervelo Super Prodigy bikes for Paris Poubaix.
In 2002 Dede Barry won the womens World Cup race in Montreal on a steel Mariposa built by her Father in-law Mike Barry. https://www.bikespecialties.com/site/peloton4.html
10-31-07, 12:35 PM
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Jet, just a quick remark here, but your 1st pic is from the infamous 'Riis tour' of 1996 ('anything you can take, I can take more' - resulting in hitherto unseen hematocrite-results from the cheater of all cheaters, Bjarne Riis); Indurain was riding aluminum frames from - I think - '94 on.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?...ures/pinarello
https://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?...ures/pinarello
Last edited by joe v; 10-31-07 at 01:30 PM.
10-31-07, 01:54 PM
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Pegoretti built the Indurain (at least) bikes for Pinarello. They were the first TIG welded steel bikes in the Pro ranks and in order to keep the bike stiff while still having a horizontal top tube Pegoretti extended the head tube or "dropped" the top tube which results in a tighter main triangle. It is now a main feature of all his bikes.
10-31-07, 02:38 PM
#23
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Jet, just a quick remark here, but your 1st pic is from the infamous 'Riis tour' of 1996 ('anything you can take, I can take more' - resulting in hitherto unseen hematocrite-results from the cheater of all cheaters, Bjarne Riis); Indurain was riding aluminum frames from - I think - '94 on.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?...ures/pinarello
https://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?...ures/pinarello
And yes, this is a very interesting thread, thanks for all the neat info guys.
10-31-07, 02:40 PM
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10-31-07, 02:40 PM
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