Le Tour de France (and other cycling) Thread - The Bear and Badger

Kernowgaz

It could work .

Evans could have last years models cheaper again , so you could get a better bike for your Â£500

WorKid

Here's hoping!

Kernowgaz

How did the bike shopping go ?

ShabbyMcCrabby

After cycling to work (About 10km) for about 5 months I embarked on a cross America bike trip with my friend.

You can read about it here if you like: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/ShaunClintonUSA2012

It was pretty hard starting after 3 weeks of drinking and eating poorly in the US before the ride but it's been going pretty well. I'd say we average about 60 miles a day and we've climbed the equivalent of Mount Everest in hill climbs which I'm pretty chuffed about. It's good fun.

I found the ride to and from work was really rewarding too and my fitness improved pretty quickly so keep it up igor

Suhawk75

I'd like to be able to ride to work but, carrying 30kg of tools, a laptop, meters and various other bits makes it marginally impractical even accounting for the distances to some of my customer sites.

Only way I'd fit a cycle in every day though. At the moment I'm limited to 1-2 a week max

So Le Tour starts in just over a month (June 30th). Looking forward to it.

Wiggo looks in great form and with 2 individual TT stages and "only" 3 mountain top finishes (one intermediate) he might actually have a chance. I wonder if Evans might not quite have the motivation now he's done it (the route probably favours him as much as Wiggo).

Of the pure climbers I just think that Schleck loses too much on the TT stages to finally win it.

Knight

Schleck is going to have to go crazy on the climbs. None of this climbing we see sometimes where people wait until the last couple of K to attack. He'll have to go early to give him a chance to gain enough time and he'll have to go repeatedly to ride the likes of evans and wiggins off his wheel. To be honest if Wiggins doesn't win I'll be really disappointed by the route this year, 2 proper mountain top finishes is a joke.

Suhawk75

Of course when I spoke about Schleck winning it, I meant, winning it without someone being disqualified.

I suspect even Andy Schleck doesn't feel like he won it in 2010 (after Contador was stripped of it)

WorKid

Went to Evans, staff were great, talked me through everything, picked out a couple of bikes and off I went.

First one was a lot like my old bike, felt very comfortable, very familiar.

Then I went on a road bike - very fast, ridiculously light, and felt really twitchy. I didn't like the riding position, my arms hurt, felt a lot of vibrations too. But god it was fun.

Decisions, decisions.

ShabbyMcCrabby

Suhawk75 wrote:

I'd like to be able to ride to work but, carrying 30kg of tools, a laptop, meters and various other bits makes it marginally impractical even accounting for the distances to some of my customer sites. Only way I'd fit a cycle in every day though. At the moment I'm limited to 1-2 a week max

I reckon we're carrying about that much weight on our bikes, you could do it with the panniers potentially but it'd probably get annoying loading and unloading them all the time. Once a day is enough for us!

Kernowgaz

WorKid wrote:

Went to Evans, staff were great, talked me through everything, picked out a couple of bikes and off I went. First one was a lot like my old bike, felt very comfortable, very familiar. Then I went on a road bike - very fast, ridiculously light, and felt really twitchy. I didn't like the riding position, my arms hurt, felt a lot of vibrations too. But god it was fun. Decisions, decisions.

Road bike it is then !!Â

I'd never ridden a road bike before I bought mine Â but regretted that I'd taken so many years to get one.

Suhawk75

ShabbyMcCrabby wrote:

I'd like to be able to ride to work but, carrying 30kg of tools, a laptop, meters and various other bits makes it marginally impractical even accounting for the distances to some of my customer sites. Only way I'd fit a cycle in every day though. At the moment I'm limited to 1-2 a week max

I reckon we're carrying about that much weight on our bikes, you could do it with the panniers potentially but it'd probably get annoying loading and unloading them all the time. Once a day is enough for us!

I've done it for some of the sites in Glasgow and Edinburgh (about 35 and 15 miles away respectively - so 60 & 30 miles round trip) but it's just not practical to cycle to Dundee (120 mile round trip) every day with this much kit (and work a full day in the middle then get back in time for dinner etc)

ShabbyMcCrabby

Yeah, thems are knackering distances hawk. You'd sleep well though!

Suhawk75

ShabbyMcCrabby wrote:

Yeah, thems are knackering distances hawk. You'd sleep well though!

I do need to do some more cycling to be honest. Reasonable run shape and my swimming is okish but my bike fitness has gone to hell over the last few months.

LesterUnlimited

Is anyone using the Strava App? It's pretty cool, usual activity tracking/logging etc, except you can create segments in your activity as time trials. Set points A and B and then in future, anyone else passes those two points get ranked against your best time.

WorKid

Yeah, although I suspect most of the top times near me are bullshit, set on a motorbike or a car or something.

Great app though.

The Dauphine Libere looks like another great race, Wiggo's form will be interesting, but most interesting will be Evans.

Knight

The Dauphine is indeed very enjoyable thus far. Mainly cause Wiggo is tearing it up. I actually think he's going to win le tour at this point. The route could not favour him more.

WorKid

Agreed. Never thought there'd be a Brit so well set to win this thing. In an Olympic year too.

Suhawk75

Andy Shleck OUT of TdF

BBC were saying that it's a real boost to Wiggin's chances of winning the Tour but, as far I could see, 100km + of individual TT pretty much ruled him out anyway no?

Bought the official Programme pack (with maps, DVD, etc etc) so getting excited now. Flying to Paris on the Friday before the finish (to see the missus' family for a week or so). Will see about heading into Paris for the finish again like last year (but might go early to try and catch a reasonable spot)

Knight

Schleck would have attacked on climbs which would have put wiggins under more pressure than he'll be under on the climbs now Andys out. I'd back Evans to stay with A Schleck on the high mountains over Wiggins. So indirectly it might be a good thing for him. Also, who knows how much A Schlecks improved his TT, he'd have been mad not to work on it lots once the route was released.

WorKid

Suhawk75 wrote:

Andy Shleck OUT of TdF BBC were saying that it's a real boost to Wiggin's chances of winning the Tour but, as far I could see, 100km + of individual TT pretty much ruled him out anyway no? Bought the official Programme pack (with maps, DVD, etc etc) so getting excited now. Flying to Paris on the Friday before the finish (to see the missus' family for a week or so). Will see about heading into Paris for the finish again like last year (but might go early to try and catch a reasonable spot)

I think it probably does help Wiggo. I still wonder whether Sky's split loyalties (Wiggo and Cav) will hurt him a bit.

Still can't rule out a Sanchez/Valverde/Menchov/Hesjerdal or someone doing something awesome - but it looks a straight Wiggins/Cadel fight from where I'm standing, and as I probably said earlier, I have Wiggins a solid favourite. Sky look to be a rock solid team.

WorKid

Also, I hope LA is cleared. AGAIN. He's a hero to me.

Knight

We know loads of Armstrong's competitors, who he regularly beat, were doped. Ulrich for example. For that reason alone I think Armstrong was probably doped too. Would be good to have some closure though so I hope this latest investigation is the last against him, whichever way it goes.

WorKid

Never failed a test. Probably amongst the most tested athletes ever. You have to assume he was clean, since there is absolutely no evidence to suggest otherwise. Also he was outstanding from a very young age.

Knight

Thing is, there is evidence that suggests he doped. But I agree, he's never failed a test officially so he's innocent until proven guilty. I just struggle to believe he was the only clean rider amongst a group of doped up contenders and still managed to win 7 tours.

And I'm a big fan too, bought and read both his books a couple of times and he lit up the tour so often, that attack on the Alpe being just one example.

Suhawk75

Knight wrote:

Thing is, there is evidence that suggests he doped. But I agree, he's never failed a test officially so he's innocent until proven guilty. I just struggle to believe he was the only clean rider amongst a group of doped up contenders and still managed to win 7 tours. And I'm a big fan too, bought and read both his books a couple of times and he lit up the tour so often, that attack on the Alpe being just one example.

I suspect the balance of probabilty says he was doping (plenty of clever masking agents out there and WADA always seem one step. Plus, as Knight says, can we believe that, he alone, out of most of the lead riders was clean?).

However, in a totally clean sport Lance would probably have still won multiple TdF. Cycling is just getting back out from under the shadow of doping so I hope I'm wrong and he was clean.

WorKid

I am sure a few of his samples have been retro tested using newer tech and still nothing.Â

I don't see how he could have avoided testing positive. They got Marion Jones et al in the end.Â

IF you believe he was clean when he came back and finished third, is it so hard to believe he won at his peak?

WorKid

BUMP since it's starting today.

WorKid

Great ride by Boasson Hagen. Sky could have yellow tonight. Still plenty to come though.

Knight

Good start for Wiggins, puts time into all his rivals.

WorKid

Yes. Confirms his good form, and that Schleck needs miracles in the mountains to make up for his lack of TT ability.

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