I would just take the tailwind out, have my gf come pick me up and post to Strava.

I've taken a different approach to the off season myself. This year I'm trying to build strength seriously (which bulks me up) and then back off near the start of the season. Hopefully, I will lose some weight and maintain strength. Just some weird ass theory I concocted..

You " went from 2700 miles to 4100 " and that extra 1400 miles was just what you needed to improve your speed and power so much. Well also an Edmondo SLR is so light and aero looking that you'd have to go faster to take advantage of it; I know I sure as heck would.

I would say that the closer the cyclists are in ability (which includes weight, power, handling skills, etc.) the more that equipment matters.

Sagan and Froome (and other pro riders) are going to want equipment that they feel does not put them at a disadvantage to their competition. Because 4# of weight will make a difference in a race between them. These riders are very close in ability, so equipment matters to the point that they are not at a disadvantage. Look at Lemond's first TdF victory, where an aero package let him win the time trial by enough over a competitor with similar ability that he won the yellow jersey.

If the cyclists are not close in ability, then the equipment hardly matters at all. For example Lemond (even at his current age) could be riding the lowest level LBS road bike (I'm discounting BSO's because a Pro might break them in a race), let's say a BikesDirect bike with Claris, and he'd still beat me even if I was riding a bike that you see in the TdF (e.g. Pinarello Dogma, etc.). So the 4# would not make a difference here.

Obviously, these are the extremes, and there are points in between.

GH

Didn't Sagan switch teams and go from Cannondale (Sram) to Specialized (Shimano)?

http://roadbikeaction.com/wp-content...saganevo14.jpg

Those rainbow stripes tell me he adapted quickly to the change.

https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/hp...73874497_n.jpg

And I'm sure that neither of those bikes put him at a disadvantage compared to his competitors.

And he was already riding the S-Works when he won the World Championship.

http://static6.businessinsider.com/i...mpionships.jpg

I would say that almost all of the riders on the Tour (specifically the tour that the TdF is in) have access to bikes that don't put them at a significant disadvantage to their competitors. So they're riding comparable equipment where the difference is going to be mostly the rider. I'm sure that occasionally, equipment choices make a difference. But their teammate probably make a bigger difference in their results than the difference in their equipment.

And his switch was probably due more to sponsorship, and who would pay him more than due to equipment deficiencies with Cannondale compared to Specialized.

GH

The Ultegra hoods fit my hands better than the Tiagra ones I had years ago. To me that's meaningful.

I don't know what performance capabilities Ultegra has over 105, that you're incapable of using but that would benefit other riders. You don't need a 300w FTP to appreciate buttery smooth and quiet shifting.

He could have rode any bike that day. His move was timed to perfection. He rode a perfect race tactically. Which is a good example of equipment not mattering as much as tactics.

Is everyone here as preoccupied with what the other guy is riding when it's not the off season? :p

^ - this.

Gear gets old...and I'm in the business of selling it.

A TON of riders and racers really do spend an inordinate amount of time paying attention to what everyone else is riding. tbh - I seldom did that to begin with and anymore I nearly never remember what anyone was riding. It's always after a race where people are like, "did you see that guy on that Felt with the 808's when he chopped that guy with the ...." I'm always lost until they go, "The short dude with the attitude that's riding in that green kit. Had some sort of car company listed as a sponsor on his ass."

Exactly my point.

The darker the red the faster the bike was...

Except my Trek 510 is darker red than my De Rosa. But not faster. In fact not even as fast.

What color the rider sees is irrelevant. :roflmao2:

Ask Andy Schleck if equipment matters.

I agree with your point, but you could not have found two World Tour riders more different in ability.

Now is not the off season.

I disagree. If he had been riding a touring bike, he wouldn't have been in position to use the tactics to make his move to win.

If you mean that he could have ridden any brand that any other rider was riding in the race, I'll agree with that.

But with riders that are close in ability, equipment can matter. The point is that the equipment that these top riders are using are all roughly equivalent, so that the riders aren't at a disadvantage equipment-wise.

And to another poster, while Sagan and Froome have abilities that differ about as much as pros could differ, the sum of their abilities is roughly equal. Hence, one won the Tour de France, and the other won the World Championships.

But the Specialized S-Works and the Pinarello Dogma are roughly equal bikes, so neither one is at a disadvantage equipment-wise.

GH

I'm pretty sure his doping regime was much more important to his tour performance than his front derail issue....rather Contrador's doping regime.

I'd take issue with that. Walk into a bike shop and gauge how busy it is. Then go back in July and do the same. If' you're trying to imply that training done now wins the season down the road - then ...duh but no one around here is riding outside today with -1 temps. This is the off-season. They're just all in the gym.

Its not the equipment or the gym. It's the hair. That's what matters. The riders hair.

Sagan has great hair. Reference above.

Mario Cipollini. Spectacular. Nuff said.

http://www.headsetpress.co.uk/wp-con...Cipollini4.jpg

Merckx was down.

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images.../Merckx_74.jpg

Ask yourself why Lance fell from grace. Coincidence? Not even gonna post a pic.

Anthony Bourdain could easily win a major tour with a little coaching.

http://cdn-image.foodandwine.com/sit...n-portrait.jpg

Races are won and lost in the stylists chair. American Crew in your saddle bag is your best bet.

Off season is much more of a temperate zone thing - subtropical and tropical climates may have their own quirks - the wet monsoon season is probably the off season in someplace like India, perhaps.

Cycling per se - still doable here, been seeing a number of the dedicated locals switch to fatbikes or mt bikes. Not many riders out there on road bikes when there is ice and snow cover on the roads.

As you are looking at it from a business standpoint and based on this NOT being a racing forum I concede.

EDIT: Crisp, cool, sunny 60 something (here). And junior is riding home from gym...

We are fortunate enough to have a Tarmac and Venge (just own the Venge). There are at least 3 junior selection (so USAC trips to Europe) races that have a TT in them, all will use road bikes, but each race will likely have a different configuration of equipment. The selection of bike and wheels can mean the difference between a trip or not as that podium may be separated by 10 sec or so. Sure - a junior thing, but when you have similar fitness / ability competing the little differences matter enough to think hard about your equipment selection. While something may not be measurable or calculate-able, it still can matter, although I'm sure much less in a group.

Yeah - there's no events around here for a while and everyone is in the gym. Therefore: off season. Sucks.