Bike Racing

[Witton Park]

but accidents aside

gutted for him

[molehill]

A very sad way for it to end for him - thinking "what if".

[mr brightside]

Looked over and done with as he swept up the right hand side and could see something wasn't right as he lost momentum.

Saw the interview with him this evening, judging by what he was saying it sounded to me like a slack rear skewer, the slightest movement in the dropout will have the hyperglide trying to change up. I can't believe for a second his di2 was to blame, they can feel tight enough but slip under power.

[mr brightside]

A very sad way for it to end for him - thinking "what if".

If I were him I'd be planning my recovery and prep for a surprise return next year. You can't end it like that, it's effing heartbreaking, I know there isn't a lot of love for cav on here, but I was utterly crushed for him.

[PeteS]

Apparently a twist in the chain caused the gear issue at Bordeaux though I know not how that can happen nor what it looks like!
Terribly sad for Cav today though for once I found Christian Prudhomme's words both sympathetic and honourable.

[Graham Breeze]

Apparently a twist in the chain caused the gear issue at Bordeaux though I know not how that can happen nor what it looks like!
Terribly sad for Cav today though for once I found Christian Prudhomme's words both sympathetic and honourable.

He had had a rear wheel change at 60K to go but assuming the mechanic had done something odd one would have thought in the next 59K the rider would have noticed something was wrong.

CPs words were good. Although cynic that I am I don't believe much that is said to a camera.

Incidentally I have just re-watched the interview Mr Cavendish gave after he outrageously got Sagan chucked off the Tour following his idiotic attempted passing manoeuvre when there clearly wasn't room for him to get through to pass Sagan. At least over his fumbling mumbling "nothing to do with me" words his face displays his shame.

[Marco]

Saw the interview with him this evening, judging by what he was saying it sounded to me like a slack rear skewer, the slightest movement in the dropout will have the hyperglide trying to change up. I can't believe for a second his di2 was to blame, they can feel tight enough but slip under power.

With disc brakes there is no dropout, and there's no skewer as such. If the through axle is in, the wheel cannot move. And if it's not in you'd notice as soon as you pedalled.

[mr brightside]

With disc brakes there is no dropout, and there's no skewer as such. If the through axle is in, the wheel cannot move. And if it's not in you'd notice as soon as you pedalled.

Thanks Marco, it appears i stand corrected. How long does a wheel change take with this new system?

[Graham Breeze]

With disc brakes there is no dropout, and there's no skewer as such. If the through axle is in, the wheel cannot move. And if it's not in you'd notice as soon as you pedalled.

Thank you.

I don't have this new fangled system...so what do you think the problem with MC's bike was?

[Marco]

Thanks Marco, it appears i stand corrected. How long does a wheel change take with this new system?

I'm not using the 'new' system, so can't give you any real world figures. The only definite answer I can give you is "longer".

My guess, from watching pro mechanics at big races on the TV, is 10-15 seconds longer than an old-style quick release wheel with frame drop-outs.

Incidentally, calling it the new system may not be totally correct; in the mid 1980s I built an experimental (ie it failed) frame without drop-outs, and using a through skewer. Nothing wrong with the theory, I just couldn't interest anyone; if I'd told Mike Burrows (famous bicycle designer) it would probably have been mainstream decades ago.