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Avg size of the TDF Bikes?

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Avg size of the TDF Bikes?

Old 07-13-14, 11:00 AM
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Avg size of the TDF Bikes?

From TV, I'd visibly call it at 52cm...with many of the leader bikes looking smaller.

If the avg rider height/weight is around 5'10" and 150lbs, assuming they are lying about both to some degree, and seeking the stiffest, lightest, nimbliest set up; logic suggests to me most of them will be on 49cm-54cm bikes.

Anyone know for sure?
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Old 07-13-14, 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted by FrenchFit
From TV, I'd visibly call it at 52cm...with many of the leader bikes looking smaller.

If the avg rider height/weight is around 5'10" and 150lbs, assuming they are lying about both to some degree, and seeking the stiffest, lightest, nimbliest set up; logic suggests to me most of them will be on 49cm-54cm bikes.

Anyone know for sure?
No, I don't know for sure. But most of the pros ride frames that you or I might consider too small for their heights, because the shorter headtube and consequently exaggerated saddle-bar drop helps them get really low.
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Old 07-13-14, 11:56 AM
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Originally Posted by FrenchFit
Anyone know for sure?
Cycling News has an ongoing series on Pro bikes, here's Froome and lots of others profiled on the website:

Tour de France pro bike: Chris Froome's Pinarello F8 | Cyclingnews.com

-Bandera
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Old 07-13-14, 07:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Bandera
Cycling News has an ongoing series on Pro bikes, here's Froome and lots of others profiled on the website:

Tour de France pro bike: Chris Froome's Pinarello F8 | Cyclingnews.com

-Bandera
That site has some issues. Generally, I expect most sites to rely on team/athlete publicity statements, which I doubt are truthful. Like most sports, I expect the sponser, team, athlete control what information is given to the media and it's tells the story they want to tell. In this instance, I'm not sure it's good PR to release specs on the size of riders bikes that most of us will recognize as woman-sized rides. Whatever, visually most those head tube lengths look about a 1/3 of my bike, and I'm not riding a hybrid.
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Old 07-14-14, 06:16 AM
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Originally Posted by FrenchFit
I expect the sponser, team, athlete control what information is given to the media and it's tells the story they want to tell.
Uh, sure.
It's a conspiracy, no way any team would give away super secret information like how tall Froome is.

It's impossible to verify any of this misinformation, even with the detailed gallery of photos:

"Critical measurements

Rider's height: 1.85m (6ft 1in)
Reach, saddle tip to bar: 59cm
Drop, saddle top to handlebar top: 12cm
Saddle height: 80cm
Stem length: 124mm"

Top Pros are adapted to ride a much more aggressive position than the local "B" riders, the equipment reflects that.
Like 12cm of drop to a 59cm reach and a 12cm stem for a 6.1' TDF rider.
Not really your average "woman-sized ride".

-Bandera

Last edited by Bandera; 07-14-14 at 06:20 PM.
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Old 07-14-14, 07:07 AM
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Originally Posted by Bandera
"Critical measurements

Rider's height: 1.85m (6ft 1in)
Reach, saddle tip to bar: 59cm
Drop, saddle top to handlebar top: 12cm
Saddle height: 80cm
Stem length: 124mm"

Top Pros are adapted to ride a much more aggressive position than the local "B" riders, the equipment reflects that.
Like 12cm of drop to a 59cm TT and a 12cm stem for a 6.1' TDF rider.
Not really your average "woman-sized ride".

-Bandera
No, not really. I'm 2" taller than Froome (though admittedly a lot older) and I ride with 57cm of reach, 2 cm less than him. And my saddle to bar drop is 8cm instead of 12cm. He is seriously stretched out.
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Old 07-14-14, 06:06 PM
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[QUOTE=FrenchFit;16935349]That site has some issues. QUOTE]

And on the other side of the peloton's size spectrum, but topping out serious watts, the recently wrecked Cavendish:

Tour de France pro bike: Mark Cavendish's S-Works Venge | Cyclingnews.com

"Critical measurements

Rider's height: 1.75m (5ft 8in)
Reach, saddle tip to bar: 53cm
Drop, saddle top to handlebar top: 7cm
Saddle height: 70cm
Stem length: 140mm"

Lies, damned lies & statistics or another dainty little ladies machine?
Pics photo-shopped?

Put the tin-foil hats away and watch fewer X-files re-runs.
These are TDF machines for the elite, not the dentists at Starbucks' parking lot "paceline ride" with the same brand stickers.

-Bandera

Last edited by Bandera; 07-14-14 at 06:09 PM.
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Old 07-14-14, 06:17 PM
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wow, didnt expect a 49 cm frame
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Old 07-17-14, 11:33 AM
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Originally Posted by chasm54
No, not really. I'm 2" taller than Froome (though admittedly a lot older) and I ride with 57cm of reach, 2 cm less than him. And my saddle to bar drop is 8cm instead of 12cm. He is seriously stretched out.
Comfortable?
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Old 07-17-14, 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by BikeYoung
Comfortable?
For a TdF pro, perfectly comfortable for long difficult stages and very fast.

-Bandera
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Old 07-17-14, 10:14 PM
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Reaction to the OP seems a little harsh in this case. It must be the women's rides comment. I think they are riding smaller listed frames than they would have a generation or 2 ago. For reference, Cavendish's specs are listed. I am also 5'8"...and a quarter. I'm 49 years old with a little paunch. Unlike Cav, I am built closer to a NFL running back than an elite cyclist. Just for fun, I went out and measured 3 of my bikes to compare with the Cav. specs. Here are the specs:

Rider's height: 5'8.25"
Reach saddle tip to bar: 53 inches
Drop saddle top to handlebar: 3-5cm depending on bike
Saddle height: around 70 inches

Measurements are almost identical. The difference is my bikes are old steel lugged bikes with level top tubes. All the top tubes are 55-56cm. The ST are 53-56cm. The stems are 8-9cm. The bike with the 53 ST and shorter HT has the most amount of seatpost showing and the 5cm drop. The 56 has the 3cm drop.

One of the reasons that fit works for me is that I weigh quite a bit more than Cav. A smaller frame and longer stem shifts more of that weight to the front of the bike. Not a good thing for me. I can keep it centered better on the bigger frame/shorter stem. One thing that never seems to get mentioned in these aero posts is how much upper body mass and more body mass in general inhibits the aero position. If I try to get my body level and in the aero position my quads are hitting the pecs and paunch on the upstroke. And in that position, a big neck and trap muscles makes it hard to see down the road. I can't hardly tilt my head back far enough so I end up glancing straight down, then down the road in a continuous cycle.
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Old 07-20-14, 09:26 AM
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Originally Posted by FrenchFit
That site has some issues. Generally, I expect most sites to rely on team/athlete publicity statements, which I doubt are truthful. Like most sports, I expect the sponser, team, athlete control what information is given to the media and it's tells the story they want to tell. In this instance, I'm not sure it's good PR to release specs on the size of riders bikes that most of us will recognize as woman-sized rides. Whatever, visually most those head tube lengths look about a 1/3 of my bike, and I'm not riding a hybrid.
You realize there are women of all heights out there. I didn't realize we were all relegated to riding tiny clown bikes.
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Old 07-21-14, 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by karenashg
You realize there are women of all heights out there. I didn't realize we were all relegated to riding tiny clown bikes.
Your point is well taken; my daughter's road bike was 56cm square until she went fixie. However, I suspect she would regard the avg TDF bike as similar to a clown bike. Just saying.
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