Tour de France bikes are some of the fastest, lightest and most expensive in the world. But while they might look like the ones you see on a Sunday morning club ride, there are several things that make them oh so special.
While there are some reasons why a pro bike is better than yours, there are also some ways in which your bike might be a little bit better. We take a look at the pros and cons of being a rider in the WorldTour peloton.
Are there any differences we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments 👇
#tourdefrance #tech #cycling
Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:24 Super-Low & Narrow
02:46 Pros Can’t Pick Components
04:44 Their Bikes Are Cleaner
05:48 Pros’ Bikes Are Heavy
07:19 Hidden Wheel Technology
Photo credits:
David Ramos / Staff
Luc Claessen / Stringer
DAVID PINTENS / Contributor
Michael Steele / Staff
ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT /
Tim de Waele / Staff
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38 Comments
Which pro bike tweaks would you like to make to your bike?
Really could not care less about Tour de France. I hate constantly being asked at work about the Tour de France
I also drive a car, it does not mean I like F1 motor sport is my normal response to the Tour de France question
I even have less interested in the Tour de France bikes, bicycle manufactures need to make bikes for normal people rather basing their road bikes on elite level racers. Most overweight middle aged cycles don’t need and don’t have the flexibility to ride them 🤔😂😂😏
🥱🥱🥱🥱🥱
Thousands of people have to wear a uniform for work, not everybodys change each year like a cycling pro,s. Perhaps you are out of touch with many cyclists.😉
Some pros use non-sponsored equipment, but cover them with 'fake' stickers!
Man, I really do love to have a privilege of personal bike mechanic and a service car. I just want to… focus on riding.
I’ve accepted the fact that my use case is very different than the pros. Basically ride the gravel bike everywhere. I can still drool over the race bikes though.
Got my aero bike down to 8kg with 60mm deep section wheels and still plenty I could do to get it under that so I am happy with my setup!
BikeRadar, the opposite of GCN . . . some days!
Rather have my own, thanks.
1. 2/3 of pros get their team kit and send the kit to Assos to get inserts sewn in. 2. Riders don’t ride common size helmets they get their heads measured. 3. There is still re badging of frames going on you just don’t see it. 4. As soon as pros settle jn to their training at home the gloves come off. Or – on. They’re usually a mismatch of their team kit and anything that they find comfortable. Gloves. Socks. Warmers. Etc.
Narrow bars aren’t uncomfortable. I’m 6-2 and I use 39mm bars. In general people ride with bars that are too wide for their shoulders.
Slammed and long would be a problem. Few of us have that flexibility, let alone the ability to support our upper body weight for more than a few minutes. But to go faster, it’s probably easier to train to get a bit more aero than to add tens of watts to our lungs, heart, and legs.
#1 reason they are less good: Disc Brakes!
pro bikes, cost more then a car. my bike, pocket lint and 6 pack of beer
pro bikes, high end gears and componentry. my bike, gears?
pro bikes, full carbon. my bike, 4130 Chromoly
overall I don't see to big of a difference XD
i've been using tubeless inner liners for a couple of years now. I'm not saying that they prevent me from getting more punctures, but having that peace of mind that I can still finish my ride once I get a major puncture is a big deal.
At 65 years old, I might be able to hang on for the neutralized portion at the start of a stage. However, there isn't a bike in the world that could keep me in the peloton after Christian Prudhomme waved is yellow flag.
my tarmac sl5 with bora ultra tubulars weighs 7 kg…and it is 6 years old…oh and it is pplenty fast enough as well….just sayin…also with rim btakes…
I am perfectly happy with my, old, Lemond Tourmalet in Reynolds 853. Goes plenty fast for an old man like me.
The biggest mistake every new riders (including me of course) was to copy that aero and #slamthatstem style of pros. For everyone who's new into cycling, please, for the love of God, don't. You'll make your whole cycling experience much better and enjoyable.
My bike puts a pros to shame
Been running a 130, 38 cockpit, 0mm setback on post with a 170 crank for years now.
I’m very comfortable on my rides.
My bike has rim brakes so in that respect it's demonstrably better than any pro bike.
Wouldn't mind trying narrower handlebars and slightly longer stem. But I wouldn't also mind to try before buying. Which is difficult for amateurs
For an obvious reason a latest 10k$ bike is way better than my 1.5k$ 8 yr old bike
It doesn't matter which bike your ride, the output power and endurance comes from the rider healthiness lifestyle habits 😂
That's crazy 'cause I'm definitely slamming my 130mm stem and riding 38mm bars.
Hey Folks! Oh the new Team Name 😅 Lidl ist not pronounced Liddl like Little. Ist a slow i and an solo d, so more like the name Lee plus a Del. Kudos from Germany
Fastest ? Because of the rider in the saddle. Most expensive ? Sure. Lightest ? Please. Due to disc brakes and stupid wide tyres on tubeless wheels, most are way over the 6.8kg limit.
amateur can still ride rim brake bikes and this is the best advantage with pros. I have a Bianchi xr4 that with high profile tubeless whelles sits around 6.9 kg, an aero bike with a climbing bike weight (with climbing wheels it is around 6.7). Whith modern disc brake it is almost impossibile.
I’ve 40cm aero bars on my BMC with the hoods at 36. Works for me for 200 miles a week. Im retired and in my 60s but was a 1st cat in my 20s and never stopped riding. Flexibility is the key. Stretch every day.
I'm happy with a team bike over any LBS bought 😁
Which are the differences between the women and men tour bikes? How can they get the same aero position if they are smaller and have to use the smalest frames available?
Perfectly happy with my rim brake 6.9 kg pinarello razha 2015
2:38 "don't rush to buy a narrow bar: it could land you with a very sore back"
You just linked the bar width to back soreness. Really? Don't spread fake info please.
won't stop the freds buying these bikes so they can do 25 mile loop to the cafe on a sunday and then head home to a shoutey wife.
I'll pass, those bikes are for the nubies w money. No real cyclists wants one of those
Have been riding my Scott Team Issue for 25 years and still love it. But now I'm building a carbon endurance bike, more for the fun of it and the stiffness, of course. Integrated cockpit at 380 mm hoods, but only a 90 mm stem for comfort. Instead of liners I use latex tubes for comfort and speed plus a little sealant for safety. Rolls amazingly, and gives me peace of mind in case of a puncture, because it will always keep some pressure.
185 cm (6ft 1). 380 mm wide integrated handlebars with a 120 mm stem. 170 mm cranks. Aero bike with 88 mm rear and 46 mm front. 32 mm Conti rear, 23 mm front. Latex tubes. Ultegra 11 X Di2. 8,1 kg. Probably too fast for me…
"Imagine wearing 5he same outfit for work every day of they year…". As someone who was in the military for longer than the combined pro careers of most pro teams, I think I can imagine that one.😂. Plus, not have to figure out what I want to wear when the morning comes too early isn't a bad thing!