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Comments - Interbike Confidental 2009
October 03, 2009
I generally like Cadel. When Jens Voight got a slow neutral service wheel change in the Tour he bitched and moaned about it to anyone that would listen - and that was just at the chance to win a stage. Cadel likely would have won the Vuelta if not for the same reason, so I didn't think it was unreasonable to have that whinge. I did however, find it unattractive that after he won on Sunday he publicly criticised his team for their pre-race plan and effectively said 'shove it, I told you so.' There seemed to be nothing to gain from such a statement other than to alienate team members who killed themselves for you.
- Adam, hamilton
October 02, 2009
Also can't fathom the vitriol directed at cadel. He is far from perfect but at least has a multi-dimensional personality (i.e. his passionate and public support for the Free Tibet campaign, mixed with his volatility with the press) which is refreshing when compared to the inane banter spewing forth from most elite atheletes. I'd be cranky too if I was forever criticised for my riding style, knowing I was a clean rider in a dirty peloton. When I copmare this piece to the fawning drivel witten in one of your old blogs, largely supporting a cofirmed cheat (Floyd) who caused inestimable harm to the sport, I feel quite nauseous.
- Rick, Brisbane
October 02, 2009
Just lookin' at the 2010 Helium....in the desc it says Pozzato rode the Helium for the '09 Spring Classics - wasn't he mainly on the Damocles Pi (integrated mast) most of the time - even Roubaix?! Tough boy, tough bikes! Whatever he was on....
- Tom, Broomstick
October 02, 2009
It is common practice to explore and criticize the strengths and weaknesses of our heroes and villains in all other spheres of life. We do it in politics, art, science, finance and sport. Cadel has the rare privilege to be great enough to occupy the mindspace of so many aficionados and pundits to draw the barbs he deserved, and win the praise he so richly deserves. Our greatest champions understand the fact that they are truly fortunate to be so gifted and they accept the price with considerably more grace than Cadel has in recent years.
- Steve, Miami
October 01, 2009
I cannot believe that you have the audacity to whinge about Cadel. Cadel is by no means a media darling, and has had a few infamous spats to boot. This is how he is, apparantly, and I really don't think he will change as a person to suit how you think he should behave. The guy has been at the top of the game both off road and on, and is now a World Champion. He now has something in the trophy cabinet to suit his status as one of the best riders in the world. You sit behind a keyboard at a bike shop in Arkansas launching pithy barbs at people who have achieved more than you, or any of us, ever will. Whinging about Cadel is nothing new and not funny anymore. Also, your grammar is, um, creative.
- Craig, Tokyo
September 30, 2009
i haven't had a product fall into both my need and want list at the same time in a LONG time, but that Metrigear power meter has hit the top of the charts. I have been hemming and hawing about which power unit to get to dive into training with power, and this one will make me take the plunge.
brilliant!
- michael, vancouver, bc
September 30, 2009
You mentioned: "In 2009 skinny jeans and Rollie Fingers moustaches and tattoos and piercings have proven to be so ubiquitous it's unavoidable to ask if the origin of these statements is non-conformity and, if so, how does it feel now that they're mainstream which brings up a similar question of what amount of the original appeal of cycling to you was the fact that nobody else did it and is it awesome or not that it's no longer so?" So true, so true... though there seemed to be much more "unfortunate facial hair" at last year's show than this one. I attribute it to fixies jumping the shark in favor of the new trend of the downmarket cyclocross bike.
- Ron, Cincinnati
September 30, 2009
Don't look now, but Thor just put a smack down on you.
- Tom, DC
September 30, 2009
I for one am surprised by your optimism concerning the R-Sys - I can't imagine that anyone in their right mind would buy a set of these, fancy tests notwithstanding. Given the other wheels you carry, available in non-explosive format, why even bother risking it with these lemons?
Seems inconsistent with your otherwise high quality attitude.
- Crash, Niskayuna NY
September 30, 2009
Others have said it, but those videos do not inspire confidence. Where are the dynamic side load tests? -- Despite Mavic trying to reassure customers, I somehow doubt that you guys will start carrying these wheels again...
- Chris, Little Rock
September 30, 2009
Sad to say that the intrusion test does not come even close to matching the momentum forces that a rider would exert on the wheel. It is clear that the flywheel on the test is way too light or has a one way clutch to prevent the flywheel to continue the application of force after jamming. The pothole test shows that after a few potholes the stress at the "nipples" (stress risers themselves) would quite probably end in delamination or breakeage of tha spokes due to the huge deflection that occur at the hub interface. Kzyrium spokes are free to rotate and move in their deflection as are standard j-spokes.
- Froggy, Vega Baja, PR
September 29, 2009
What's with the lack of punctuation? The run-on sentence works for Cormac McCarthy, but it's not working here.
- Cru Doggy Dogg, Jonesboro, AR
September 29, 2009
Well said Thor.....
- Pete, Memphis
September 29, 2009
I understand the issue has been in turns. While cornering teh wheel expereinces a side load, although the videos have a high gee wiz factor, the failure mode is not the same. mavis should put a side load on the wheel simulating a hard cornering as in a race.
- Chris, SFO
September 29, 2009
"Here's to hoping [Cadel Evans] accomplishes two things: (a) He breaks the World's curse and actually wins something consequential in 2010. (b) He grows up a bit and learns that ranting & raving in public serves no one well."
Until only a few weeks ago, part (b) was the raison d'etre of this blog. You took cheap shots at nearly everyone (including your customers) and complimented only your calves, which you apparently study in mirrors, and your man-crush Craig Lewis. Are you seriously criticizing Evans for cracking a bit on the world stage when you can't even keep your shit together in Little Rock?
- Thor, NYC
September 29, 2009
"what amount of the original appeal of cycling to you was the fact that nobody else did it and is it awesome or not that it's no longer so?"
As a person who spent the better part of his teens and 20s trying to be different through punk rock and hardcore music (and the fashion, and politics that went along with it), I have never found an ounce of interest in the fact that cycling is a bit out there to most people. I take no comfort in being stared at, laughed at or having rocks thrown at me. Finding that aspect of cycling interesting, enjoying it or getting into cycling because of it seems a bit juvenile to me. Why not just dress like one of the pseudo goth kids at Hot Topic? You'll get more attention (particularly as an adult) and it will be cheaper. Look, I don't like having cars try to run me down, period. I don't want to be different...I just want to be left alone. Looking for attention is something I've outgrown, and enjoying the unusual aspects of any activity I may engage is seems stupid now. It's for this very reason that I don't like to wear bib shorts during my commute, opting instead to cover up nicely with some kind of cut off shorts. perhaps i'm still susceptible to public opinion either way (by relishing it, or trying to avoid it) but at least this way i'm less likely to have someone aim for my face with the rocks they will be throwing at me anyway. For some reason, tight shorts seem to anger the population to the point of insanity. Oh well.
- sleeper, Pittsburgh, PA
September 29, 2009
The "oddity" of cycling had nothing to do with me getting into it. It was Lemonds 1986 win and watching Hampsten on Wide World of Sports in 1988. Plus growing up in a small town and the nearest store was over 4 miles away, cycling was a way for me to get into town and buy comic books or audio cassettes.
That later involved into racing. I think the whole pierced up, tattoo, look at me I'm such an individual/ carbon copy thing is less about cycling attracting "fringe" people, and more about "fringe" people trying to make something their own.
There are plenty of upper middle class white guys who ride/race bikes too.
- Peter, Concord,NH
September 29, 2009
I have always said ( to Interbike via email ) that it would make sense to open the doors to the public, if only for a single day. Why not engage the public that they keep out? Oh because you'll get stupid questions and people bitching about product or asking for free stuff? How do car, electronic, guns, fishing, boats and RV shows seem to be able to do it?
- Hung Low, Philly
September 29, 2009
Did Mavic use the same hammer on both wheels? I don't think so!
- Pat, Honolulu
September 28, 2009
"what amount of the original appeal of cycling to you was the fact that nobody else did it and is it awesome or not that it's no longer so?" Nah, it being a weird, lunatic fringe activity was just a pleasant bonus to all the other great stuff about cycling. On the whole I'd say having more people involved, while not quite "awesome", is generally a good thing. After all, in the U.S. of A. cycling will never have the mass-appeal of golf, darts, Texas hold-em, or competitive hot-dog eating so it will still be oddball enough to attract those that prize eccentricity.
- PawleeWalnutz, NYC
September 28, 2009
You know what's almost as bad as the R-SYS? The Reynolds VT-1...I mean RZR.
- Josh, LA
September 28, 2009
Cannondale was at Interbike. They had a RTR (ride the revolution) booth complete with fake brick walls and urban bikes
- Josh, LA
September 28, 2009
its hard for me to put much stock in the mavic vids - independent testing would probably be better. their wheel failures might also be quality control issues... also they only stressed the wheel in one plane, i'd like to see the tests with lateral stressing at speed.
- sam, little rock
September 28, 2009
I meant 1994.
- MWT, Atlanta
September 28, 2009
Frankie's saddle with the hole was from the 1995 Tour.
- MWT, Atlanta
September 28, 2009
What the Mavic videos tell me: their engineers don't know why their wheel disintegrated.
If these tests had been bad, they would not have put out the wheel in the first place. They did tests they thought were indicative, then put the wheel out. They missed something. They don't know what. Neither do I, but I don't care what! Maybe if the company is sold the new owner will care more about perception and less about frustrated engineers.
- Dobbin, Horse Country
September 28, 2009
Props and a high-five on the cuddles / cadiva comment. Let's hope the finger pointing and the blame game stops with this win. Any thoughts on Red Kite Prayer? I miss BKW...
- Brent, Madison
September 28, 2009
@ Todd, San Jose
Seconded...I thought the concept was potentially really cool. Speedplay pedals that can switch between Bikes....
- Scooter, Rottenchester, NY
September 28, 2009
Dude, what happened to your grammar? You must normally have your Mom edit this blog for you - was she out of town this week?
- b, SO
September 28, 2009
Jon, what about the large drum rotating the wheel? Looks rather weighty to me.
- Erik, Atlanta
September 28, 2009
The R-Sys is an overly expensive wheel with a questionable safety record and horrible aerodynamic properties. Even if you ignore the durability issue, aero trumps weight, and the moment of inertia is still relatively high since the weight is saved not in the rim, but in the spokes. I don't know, my opinion of Mavic has completely soured after seeing their piss poor response to the Velonews article. The Ksyrium Elites are solid training wheels, but from a performance and track record standpoint, I can't see why anyone would be interested in these wheels.
- Dick, Seattle
September 28, 2009
The intrusion test is hardly a good indicator of carbon spoke strength. It's an entirely trivial test, since there is no momentum other than the rotational momentum of the wheel spinning. The momentum of half a kilogram of aluminum is not going to shear a carbon spoke. The momentum of an 80kg rider going at 30 miles per hour will.
- Jon, New York
September 28, 2009
In the second video, he pushes down on the rim for the Ksyrium, but on the hub for the R-Sys. You have to wonder why... Also, this still doesn't explain reports of spontaneous total failure. Even if an R-Sys can sustain a pothole, it still seems to have problems with left turns.
- Chris, Brooklyn
September 28, 2009
Did you guys get a chance to swing by the Metrigear booth and check out their new power meter technology? To me that was the most groundbreaking piece of gear at Interbike this year.
- Todd, San Jose
September 28, 2009
Has anyone heard about any other failures with the R Sys v2? Other than the VN piece I have heard and read nothing. I have been shy about using mine. It's hard to believe Mavic wold unleash a time bomb again after all they have done to correct the v1 issue. I also note that the wheels are being used by the cyclocross pros again this season.
- Erik, Atlanta
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