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Anyone following the Tour de France this year?

73.26.163.178
Posted on July 19, 2017 at 17:56:43
free.ranger
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 I've been catching the nightly broadcasts on NBC. This year seems to be tight as they near the Paris run. Yet names heard before are near the front -- Froome, Aru, maybe Contador again. An extremely complex business, but there's no denying that these guys among the elites in world jockdom. Very fun.

 

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Yes, but my two favourites are out ;-(, posted on July 19, 2017 at 18:51:40
JDK
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Posts: 19654
Location: Sydney
Joined: June 26, 2000



Poor old Richie Porte (Aussie) crashed out in spectacular style, braking his shoulder and his pelvis.

And I still can't believe Peter Sagan getting kicked out for upsetting Mark Cavendish. Unbelievable!

Another Aussie Michael Matthews is wearing the green jersey now since Marcel Kittle crashed out, so I'm happy.

They are truly unbelievable athletes. To go that hard every day, over and over again. And keep riding through some amazing crashes and injuries with barely a murmer of complaint. I think it was 2 years ago Contador had a pretty bad crash - he needed a new bike and got back on to ride another 10km or so before giving up. Turns out he had a broken tibia ........



Trying to hide from entropy
John K

 

I like the post stage analyses., posted on July 19, 2017 at 19:27:57
free.ranger
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 The talk team puts a perspective on the events that I can't see during the race. The talking heads are agreeing that Froome is likely to take the win again. He just rides a smart race.
One more leg into Paris tomorrow.

 

I tried but I couldn't keep up, posted on July 19, 2017 at 20:08:09
AbeCollins
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...bada bing, bada boom!






 

Rookie. nt, posted on July 19, 2017 at 20:27:03
free.ranger
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RE: I like the post stage analyses., posted on July 19, 2017 at 22:37:38
JDK
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Location: Sydney
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 Froome is damn good, but Aru is only seconds away from him. Tonight they will let it all out!


Trying to hide from entropy
John K

 

I have this silly dream that one day there will be a TDF for truly safe recumbents: bicycles and tricycles. , posted on July 20, 2017 at 04:10:42
Timbo in Oz
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Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
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 The 'safety bicycle' even its racing form is not very safe.

Because the cyclist is up too high.

It was, back in the late 19C, a big improvement on the penny farthing.

But, recumbent bicycles and trikes are a lot safer in themselves.

Yes, they are harder to see than safety bicycles because they are lower.

I've never subscribed to the let's mix bikes and motor vehicles push, because it's a terrible idea.

There I go being a perfectionist idealist, once again.


Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

I cringe when there is a pileup., posted on July 20, 2017 at 06:50:52
FenderLover
 So many bad scrapes and broken bones. I guess shoulder, knee, and elbow pads (even sleek, aerodynamic ones) are out of the question.

Seeing them race 40+ MPH down a steep incline in those sheer racing gear--- reminds me of days in motorcross when no one wore MC-purpose gear. Just a good helmet and a mixed array of HS football gear.

 

Sagan was absolutely screwed, posted on July 20, 2017 at 09:12:55
Sondek
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 Stupid, stupid decision on the part of race officials. If anybody needed to be canned it was Cav. He deserves at least 90% of the fault for that crash. Not to mention the idiot race officials and their plan for the finish of that stage. A sprint finish through a tight section of road like that?!? WTF were they thinking, and why were they so aghast when a crash happened?!? Seems to me they got exactly what they planned for.

 

RE: Sagan was absolutely screwed, posted on July 20, 2017 at 11:48:56
pictureguy
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 Sounds a lot like NASCAR.
Too much is never enough

 

You get it! , posted on July 20, 2017 at 14:43:17
Timbo in Oz
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Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
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 I began cycling in my teens and haven't stopped.

Once I've paid for the 'new' mostly vintage system's DSP next year, I'll start saving for a trike, to add to my MTB-commuter bike, which I do not ride on roads, I'm too old and wise for that.

Canberra has a network of off-road shared-use 'foot' paths.


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Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

RE: Hard to believe in the E.U., n'est ce pas?, posted on July 20, 2017 at 14:44:27
kitch29
 You'd think in safety-terminal-lead-free land they'd mandate this:

 

RE: I cringe when there is a pileup., posted on July 20, 2017 at 16:26:23
JDK
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Posts: 19654
Location: Sydney
Joined: June 26, 2000
 Anything but tissue thin lycra gets too hot and clammy - but it is surprising tougher than it looks.
At least helmets have evolved into very useful and actually quite comfortable things to wear.
But yes, at times, like when you are flying downhill at 50mph, you wonder about your survival rate if you come off. I'm taking the descent, particularly the twisty bits, slower than I used to. There are no prizes for being first to the bottom!

One thing I really don't get, and it's becoming a trend trickling down from the pros is the no gloves thing. It amazes me that anybody would risk getting their hands hacked up, even in a minor crash, let alone a big one. But it seems to be a growing hip thing to be racing without gloves on ......


Trying to hide from entropy
John K

 

Bikes with teh rider a lot lower down would be a far better idea, no?, posted on July 21, 2017 at 03:27:58
Timbo in Oz
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 :-)!


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Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

I used to watch, posted on July 21, 2017 at 03:57:08
beach cruiser
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 Once the competition got to where chemicals were needed to compete at the front, I lost interest.

 

RE: Bikes with teh rider a lot lower down would be a far better idea, no?, posted on July 21, 2017 at 12:31:19
beach cruiser
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Posts: 7051
Location: so cal
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 I have ridden both, and the lower center of gravity has no real handling benefit, in my case. Slower in fact, in that steering is now done only with the front wheel, and jumping is out, as is body english, for the most part.

Surely it is more stable physically, granting your point, but since one is already balanced, and stable in motion, it makes little sense to trade the ability to use upright body weight to assist power, verses just lower torso only and working from a less agile seated position.

Most guys choose the lower position bikes only because of body problems.

 

Steering is just one part of safety., posted on July 21, 2017 at 14:58:44
Timbo in Oz
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Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
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 And is not hard on a recumbent, yes it is easy on a 'safety' bicycle, as we mostly do it by leaning.

But the bicycles being raced today are fundamentally unstable and the impacts on bodies due to their height are greater!

"it makes little sense to trade the ability to use upright body weight to assist power," hmmm - Enjoy your next fall? :-)

A high centre of gravity just is a bad idea. Dumb, IMO. And, 'stable in motion' is just nonsense. The system of rider up on top of a 'safety' bicycle is fundamentally unstable - all - the time. Moving or not.

We are consciously and unconsciously automatically stabilising the system, with bodily inputs all the time, because we must. And, this does chew up mind and muscle power. Even when it's habit.

This vital and demanding task just disappears on a tricycle and all but so, on a recumbent cycle.

More? There is a real cost in injuries, some permanently disabling, while this ancient and flawed design remains popular. Am I wrong here?

My basic issue is that the TDF and all racing of un'safety' bicycles is about an unquestioned and very costly tradition.

This is confirmed for me, by your macho? resistance to far safer HPVs.

Most people I know with recumbents commute on them because they will be safer. Most of them are young and can reason. And they seem manly enough to me. :-)

Ex-grunt, ex climber, ex-hunter and born questioner.



Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

Up to apoint I agree, and if we lived in a country with more temperate climate ...., posted on July 23, 2017 at 03:32:48
JDK
Audiophile

Posts: 19654
Location: Sydney
Joined: June 26, 2000

And flatter, then I would be in a velomobile in a flash.

Very fast on the flat
Comfortable
Can carry some stuff with you
Super cool looks ;-)

But - like all recumbents -
Heavy
Inferior handling at speed
Stinking hot!


Trying to hide from entropy
John K

 

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