Hi gang,
I have to weigh in with Mr. Richie Sachs on his previous comments and also note the items below Brad Stockwell mentioned. Not everyone needs a high or low bar position.
Hinalt was not alone then or now with an extended steer tube setup. Many riders of that era (and forward) can be seen in pictures with extended steerers. American riders have been directed toward lower stem positions I feel because of our background and heritage in track and then criterium racing (and coaches from these disciplines). Euro's grew up with much more long road and stage racing than their American counterparts.
It is interesting that the trend toward zero stem rise is common (Pantani) today when ample research shows that a high bar position offers many aero advantages as the body (flat back mind you) drafts the arms. Lance Armstrong used this (old research) discovery in wind tunnels to find his ideal position a couple of Tours ago and was openly jeered by many even after he dominated the time trials in the 99 Tour. Naturally some people don't need low bars to get low (Lance and Hinalt were very aero on the bike with high bars) but some people don't need high bars cause their arms are so long. Greg Lemond had very arms and low bars.
On the extended head tube being ugly, depends on how it is implemented, beats a sloping top tube any day for style. The extended head tube may be more of a function of properly fitting the bike and adapting modern components.
Regards,
Gilbert Anderson
The North Road Bicycle Company your bicycle outfitter 519 W. North St. Raleigh, NC 27603 USA ph toll free in USA :800/321-5511 Local ph: 919/828-8999 E-Mail: cyclestore@aol.com
In a message dated 5/23/01 11:00:22 PM, BRAD.STOCKWELL@mpp.cpii.com writes:
<< CR FOLK:
In 1984 or so, a guy named Urs Fruehler, or something that sounds like
that, rode for the Bottechia team in riding togs with horizontal blue and
grey stripes (jersey and shorts both) - and his bike had a headtube
extension of an inch or more. He managed to win one of the classics on this
rig, and thus it is pictured in one of the 'Fabulous World of Cycling'
yearbooks.
Also note: in the early 80's Bernard Hinault rode his bike with the stem
always at the maximum extension possible. I gather this position is
associated with a greater risk of breakage, and of course it flexes much
more. At any rate, by the time he was writing his book on racing technique
(about 1985) he was using the rig someone on the list mentioned earlier: an
extra-long steerer tube and perhaps a half-inch or so of spacers. Perhaps
in another case one could consider it a kluge or an afterthought, but for
Hinault two things are clear: this man could get whatever bike he wanted,
and he certainly wanted to win.
Brad Stockwell
Palo Alto >>