Paris equipment

ilanpsi@gmail.com

Now that I've upgraded to a modern bike, I can actually converse with
the "elite" doing laps around Paris parks. I am quite impressed by the
number of people riding tubulars with carbon rims. I talked to a 60
year old guy who has been riding tubulars for at least 45 years and he
says he repairs them himself, it takes him between 30 minutes and an
hour, and since he's retired, he has nothing better to do. Maybe he
should start a business. Otherwise, I doubt that the younger guys
(still 40+) are doing that. The big question is: If they're already
riding 1200g aero wheelsets in training, what to they use in racing?
The answer: They don't race, they only ride laps around the park, and
apart from the old guy who rides over from Paris (I asked), they must
drive over to avoid getting flat tires. Oh, and not one power meter in
the bunch, probably too heavy.

After today's ride, I went to nearby Cycle du Tourmalet which supplies
these people with their equipment and leaning unattended on the the
outside wall was a Cervelo R3-SL. Of course that is a poseur frame, I
have the same one, but I don't have Lightweight wheels either. Yes,
the bike had a $5000++ wheelset. The bike also had what looked to be a
Tune quick release http://www.starbike.com/images/tune/ac14_sandstein.jpg
So a real "weight weenie" bike. I did find the fatal flaw: it actually
had a power meter, the one by Polar, so you have a bike with all the
lightest most expensive equipment with a second rate power meter.
Obviously, he thought that SRM or PowerTap were too heavy for hilly
Paris.

So, hardly any retro grouches around here. Mostly a lot of old men
with expensive bikes. In France, most people retire at around 60 years
of age and have very healthy pensions, so they are able to get good
equipment. As I said before, it's funny to see 80 year old guys on the
latest carbon frames.

-ilan

Bill C

On Jun 24, 1:12*pm, ilan...@gmail.com wrote:
> Now that I've upgraded to a modern bike, I can actually converse with
> the "elite" doing laps around Paris parks. I am quite impressed by the
> number of people riding tubulars with carbon rims. I talked to a 60
> year old guy who has been riding tubulars for at least 45 years and he
> says he repairs them himself, it takes him between 30 minutes and an
> hour, and since he's retired, he has nothing better to do. Maybe he
> should start a business. Otherwise, I doubt that the younger guys
> (still 40+) are doing that. The big question is: If they're already
> riding 1200g aero wheelsets in training, what to they use in racing?
> The answer: They don't race, they only ride laps around the park, and
> apart from the old guy who rides over from Paris (I asked), they must
> drive over to avoid getting flat tires. Oh, and not one power meter in
> the bunch, probably too heavy.
>
> After today's ride, I went to nearby Cycle du Tourmalet which supplies
> these people with their equipment and leaning unattended on the the
> outside wall was a Cervelo R3-SL. Of course that is a poseur frame, I
> have the same one, but I don't have Lightweight wheels either. Yes,
> the bike had a $5000++ wheelset. The bike also had what looked to be a
> Tune quick releasehttp://www.starbike.com/images/tune/ac14_sandstein.jpg
> So a real "weight weenie" bike. I did find the fatal flaw: it actually
> had a power meter, the one by Polar, so you have a bike with all the
> lightest most expensive equipment with a second rate power meter.
> Obviously, he thought that SRM or PowerTap were too heavy for hilly
> Paris.
>
>
> -ilan

How fat was the guy on the weight weenie bike? It really cracks me up
when someone going on and on about the weight of the bike and
equipment, and spending $100/gram to reduce it is overweight.
No problem if they want to do it, but it just amuses the hell out of
me.
Bill C

ilanpsi@gmail.com

On Jun 24, 7:16*pm, Bill C <tritonri...@verizon.net> wrote:
> On Jun 24, 1:12*pm, ilan...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>
>
> > Now that I've upgraded to a modern bike, I can actually converse with
> > the "elite" doing laps around Paris parks. I am quite impressed by the
> > number of people riding tubulars with carbon rims. I talked to a 60
> > year old guy who has been riding tubulars for at least 45 years and he
> > says he repairs them himself, it takes him between 30 minutes and an
> > hour, and since he's retired, he has nothing better to do. Maybe he
> > should start a business. Otherwise, I doubt that the younger guys
> > (still 40+) are doing that. The big question is: If they're already
> > riding 1200g aero wheelsets in training, what to they use in racing?
> > The answer: They don't race, they only ride laps around the park, and
> > apart from the old guy who rides over from Paris (I asked), they must
> > drive over to avoid getting flat tires. Oh, and not one power meter in
> > the bunch, probably too heavy.
>
> > After today's ride, I went to nearby Cycle du Tourmalet which supplies
> > these people with their equipment and leaning unattended on the the
> > outside wall was a Cervelo R3-SL. Of course that is a poseur frame, I
> > have the same one, but I don't have Lightweight wheels either. Yes,
> > the bike had a $5000++ wheelset. The bike also had what looked to be a
> > Tune quick releasehttp://www.starbike.com/images/tune/ac14_sandstein.jpg
> > So a real "weight weenie" bike. I did find the fatal flaw: it actually
> > had a power meter, the one by Polar, so you have a bike with all the
> > lightest most expensive equipment with a second rate power meter.
> > Obviously, he thought that SRM or PowerTap were too heavy for hilly
> > Paris.
>
> > -ilan
>
> How fat was the guy on the weight weenie bike? It really cracks me up
> when someone going on and on about the weight of the bike and
> equipment, and spending $100/gram to reduce it is overweight.
> *No problem if they want to do it, but it just amuses the hell out of
> me.
> *Bill C

I saw the guy in the store later. He was in good shape and was talking
about doing cyclosportives, so actually uses his bike. He also had a
large frame, he was about 6'4", so the choice of lightweight stuff
actually made sense, at least the frame which does not sacrifice any
strength or stiffness.

Speaking of which I saw that in the Dauphine and Tour de Suisse, CSC
riders, e.g., Sorensen in his stage win and Frank Schleck in his
crash, were using 800g R3-SL frames with 1100g Zipp 202 wheels and no
power meters so I doubt they made the 6.8 kg limit. In fact, during
the uphill time trial on Saturday, Andy Schleck was using a regular R3
with a power meter. I am assuming that they only weigh the bikes for
uphill time trials.

-ilan

Robert Chung

On Jun 24, 10:12*am, ilan...@gmail.com wrote:
> it actually
> had a power meter, the one by Polar, so you have a bike with all the
> lightest most expensive equipment with a second rate power meter.
> Obviously, he thought that SRM or PowerTap were too heavy for hilly
> Paris.

I can recall seeing only one other rider with a power meter in Paris:
an SRM on a randonee bike just before last year's PBP. I did have a
conversation with a guy once about PMs. He noticed my PT and started
asking about it. He used a Polar HRM so was leaning in the Polar PM
direction. I tried to be gentle.

ilanpsi@gmail.com

On Jun 24, 8:59*pm, Robert Chung <rech...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 24, 10:12*am, ilan...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > *it actually
> > had a power meter, the one by Polar, so you have a bike with all the
> > lightest most expensive equipment with a second rate power meter.
> > Obviously, he thought that SRM or PowerTap were too heavy for hilly
> > Paris.
>
> I can recall seeing only one other rider with a power meter in Paris:
> an SRM on a randonee bike just before last year's PBP. I did have a
> conversation with a guy once about PMs. He noticed my PT and started
> asking about it. He used a Polar HRM so was leaning in the Polar PM
> direction. I tried to be gentle.

There was a guy there today with a Garmin 705 and was raving about all
its functions, and I had to tell him that I had already downloaded the
manual so knew all about it. He also told me that he was going to get
the power functionality soon, and I had to break the news to him that
there are only 3 compatible power meters, 2 of which haven't come out
yet, the third sells for almost 3000 Euros. Apparently, the person who
sold him the power meter hadn't been entirely forthcoming about the
power aspect of the Garmin 705. I also told him that I wanted to get a
Garmin, but at the time no power meters were compatible, so it was
either GPS (and the superior Garmin computer) or power measure, so I
told him: "C'est les Watts que je prefere". In case you don't get
this last part (you have to have be totally immersed in outdated
French popular culture): http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=F0ivS16j6FM
and no power meter company has thought of using this as a slogan
either....

-ilan

Keith

On Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:12:05 -0700 (PDT), ilanpsi@gmail.com wrote:

>Now that I've upgraded to a modern bike, I can actually converse with
>the "elite" doing laps around Paris parks.

I've been meaning to get back on the Vincennes track for 5+ years
now...do you ever go there ?

>I am quite impressed by the
>number of people riding tubulars with carbon rims. I talked to a 60
>year old guy who has been riding tubulars for at least 45 years and he
>says he repairs them himself, it takes him between 30 minutes and an
>hour, and since he's retired, he has nothing better to do. Maybe he
>should start a business. Otherwise, I doubt that the younger guys
>(still 40+) are doing that. The big question is: If they're already
>riding 1200g aero wheelsets in training, what to they use in racing?
>The answer: They don't race, they only ride laps around the park, and
>apart from the old guy who rides over from Paris (I asked), they must
>drive over to avoid getting flat tires. Oh, and not one power meter in
>the bunch, probably too heavy.
>
>After today's ride, I went to nearby Cycle du Tourmalet which supplies
>these people with their equipment and leaning unattended on the the
>outside wall was a Cervelo R3-SL. Of course that is a poseur frame, I
>have the same one, but I don't have Lightweight wheels either. Yes,
>the bike had a $5000++ wheelset. The bike also had what looked to be a
>Tune quick release http://www.starbike.com/images/tune/ac14_sandstein.jpg
>So a real "weight weenie" bike. I did find the fatal flaw: it actually
>had a power meter, the one by Polar, so you have a bike with all the
>lightest most expensive equipment with a second rate power meter.
>Obviously, he thought that SRM or PowerTap were too heavy for hilly
>Paris.
>
>So, hardly any retro grouches around here. Mostly a lot of old men
>with expensive bikes. In France, most people retire at around 60 years
>of age and have very healthy pensions, so they are able to get good
>equipment. As I said before, it's funny to see 80 year old guys on the
>latest carbon frames.
>
>-ilan

joseph.santaniello@gmail.com

On Jun 24, 7:12*pm, ilan...@gmail.com wrote:
> Now that I've upgraded to a modern bike, I can actually converse with
> the "elite" doing laps around Paris parks. I am quite impressed by the
> number of people riding tubulars with carbon rims. I talked to a 60
> year old guy who has been riding tubulars for at least 45 years and he
> says he repairs them himself, it takes him between 30 minutes and an
> hour, and since he's retired, he has nothing better to do. Maybe he
> should start a business. Otherwise, I doubt that the younger guys
> (still 40+) are doing that. The big question is: If they're already
> riding 1200g aero wheelsets in training, what to they use in racing?
> The answer: They don't race, they only ride laps around the park, and
> apart from the old guy who rides over from Paris (I asked), they must
> drive over to avoid getting flat tires. Oh, and not one power meter in
> the bunch, probably too heavy.
>
> After today's ride, I went to nearby Cycle du Tourmalet which supplies
> these people with their equipment and leaning unattended on the the
> outside wall was a Cervelo R3-SL. Of course that is a poseur frame, I
> have the same one, but I don't have Lightweight wheels either. Yes,
> the bike had a $5000++ wheelset. The bike also had what looked to be a
> Tune quick releasehttp://www.starbike.com/images/tune/ac14_sandstein.jpg
> So a real "weight weenie" bike. I did find the fatal flaw: it actually
> had a power meter, the one by Polar, so you have a bike with all the
> lightest most expensive equipment with a second rate power meter.
> Obviously, he thought that SRM or PowerTap were too heavy for hilly
> Paris.
>
> So, hardly any retro grouches around here. Mostly a lot of old men
> with expensive bikes. In France, most people retire at around 60 years
> of age and have very healthy pensions, so they are able to get good
> equipment. As I said before, it's funny to see 80 year old guys on the
> latest carbon frames.
>
> -ilan

Tubulars are making a big comeback here too with all the deep carbon
wheels. I get those guys to give me their punctured top-dollar tires.

"What do you want that for?"

I guess the guys at the bike store figured somebody who dropped $3000
on a flexible wheelset would swallow the bit about being told to just
throw the tire away. Lots don't even know how to change the tire, so I
guess they were just going to let the bike shop throw them away for
them when they brough t the wheel in to get the tire changed.

Joseph

Robert Chung

On Jun 24, 1:38*pm, Keith <nos...@nospam.com> wrote:

> I've been meaning to get back on the Vincennes track for 5+ years
> now...do you ever go there ?

You talking 'bout the Cipale, or the piste cyclable with the
corbeilles?

ilanpsi@gmail.com

On Jun 24, 10:38*pm, Keith <nos...@nospam.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:12:05 -0700 (PDT), ilan...@gmail.com wrote:
> >Now that I've upgraded to a modern bike, I can actually converse with
> >the "elite" doing laps around Paris parks.
>
> I've been meaning to get back on the Vincennes track for 5+ years
> now...do you ever go there ?
>
> >I am quite impressed by the
> >number of people riding tubulars with carbon rims. I talked to a 60
> >year old guy who has been riding tubulars for at least 45 years and he
> >says he repairs them himself, it takes him between 30 minutes and an
> >hour, and since he's retired, he has nothing better to do. Maybe he
> >should start a business. Otherwise, I doubt that the younger guys
> >(still 40+) are doing that. The big question is: If they're already
> >riding 1200g aero wheelsets in training, what to they use in racing?
> >The answer: They don't race, they only ride laps around the park, and
> >apart from the old guy who rides over from Paris (I asked), they must
> >drive over to avoid getting flat tires. Oh, and not one power meter in
> >the bunch, probably too heavy.
>
> >After today's ride, I went to nearby Cycle du Tourmalet which supplies
> >these people with their equipment and leaning unattended on the the
> >outside wall was a Cervelo R3-SL. Of course that is a poseur frame, I
> >have the same one, but I don't have Lightweight wheels either. Yes,
> >the bike had a $5000++ wheelset. The bike also had what looked to be a
> >Tune quick releasehttp://www.starbike.com/images/tune/ac14_sandstein.jpg
> >So a real "weight weenie" bike. I did find the fatal flaw: it actually
> >had a power meter, the one by Polar, so you have a bike with all the
> >lightest most expensive equipment with a second rate power meter.
> >Obviously, he thought that SRM or PowerTap were too heavy for hilly
> >Paris.
>
> >So, hardly any retro grouches around here. Mostly a lot of old men
> >with expensive bikes. In France, most people retire at around 60 years
> >of age and have very healthy pensions, so they are able to get good
> >equipment. As I said before, it's funny to see 80 year old guys on the
> >latest carbon frames.
>
> >-ilan

I was there today. It's actually quite pleasant. The nice thing is
that there are different types of groups, the old guys who ride 22-24
kph, the average big group 28-32kph depending on mood, and the "fast"
group at 40kph (it usually breaks off from the main group). People are
generally friendlier than you would expect, given the proximity to
Paris.

The most amazing thing I saw recently was 2 weeks ago, a 75 year old
guy riding there with a 2007 California champion jersey. I asked him
about it and it turns out that his brother, who is also French, moved
to California 40 years ago and is now totally cleaning up in the 70+
age group, so he gives his brother some of his extra jerseys. I tried
looking him up without success, he apparently lives in LA, right near
the Hollywood Bowl.

-ilan

ilanpsi@gmail.com

On Jun 24, 10:55*pm, "joseph.santanie...@gmail.com"
<joseph.santanie...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Jun 24, 7:12*pm, ilan...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>
>
> > Now that I've upgraded to a modern bike, I can actually converse with
> > the "elite" doing laps around Paris parks. I am quite impressed by the
> > number of people riding tubulars with carbon rims. I talked to a 60
> > year old guy who has been riding tubulars for at least 45 years and he
> > says he repairs them himself, it takes him between 30 minutes and an
> > hour, and since he's retired, he has nothing better to do. Maybe he
> > should start a business. Otherwise, I doubt that the younger guys
> > (still 40+) are doing that. The big question is: If they're already
> > riding 1200g aero wheelsets in training, what to they use in racing?
> > The answer: They don't race, they only ride laps around the park, and
> > apart from the old guy who rides over from Paris (I asked), they must
> > drive over to avoid getting flat tires. Oh, and not one power meter in
> > the bunch, probably too heavy.
>
> > After today's ride, I went to nearby Cycle du Tourmalet which supplies
> > these people with their equipment and leaning unattended on the the
> > outside wall was a Cervelo R3-SL. Of course that is a poseur frame, I
> > have the same one, but I don't have Lightweight wheels either. Yes,
> > the bike had a $5000++ wheelset. The bike also had what looked to be a
> > Tune quick releasehttp://www.starbike.com/images/tune/ac14_sandstein.jpg
> > So a real "weight weenie" bike. I did find the fatal flaw: it actually
> > had a power meter, the one by Polar, so you have a bike with all the
> > lightest most expensive equipment with a second rate power meter.
> > Obviously, he thought that SRM or PowerTap were too heavy for hilly
> > Paris.
>
> > So, hardly any retro grouches around here. Mostly a lot of old men
> > with expensive bikes. In France, most people retire at around 60 years
> > of age and have very healthy pensions, so they are able to get good
> > equipment. As I said before, it's funny to see 80 year old guys on the
> > latest carbon frames.
>
> > -ilan
>
> Tubulars are making a big comeback here too with all the deep carbon
> wheels. I get those guys to give me their punctured top-dollar tires.
>
> "What do you want that for?"
>
> I guess the guys at the bike store figured somebody who dropped $3000
> on a flexible wheelset would swallow the bit about being told to just
> throw the tire away. Lots don't even know how to change the tire, so I
> guess they were just going to let the bike shop throw them away for
> them when they brough t the wheel in to get the tire changed.
>
> Joseph

I don't get why they ride tubulars. At the track, I got a rear disc
which weighed 1500g (400g more than their wheelsets!) and I ended up
being faster than before. I don't see how a 1700g aero clincher
wheelset is going to be such a disadvantage. Anyway, that's what I
plan on getting (though it will be 200g heavier because of the
PowerTap). Apparently, people are also starting to ride clinchers on
the track, which seems to confirm my theory.

-ilan

Michael Press

In article
<e221bc67-3444-427b-aa6c-3da303c2ec22@l42g2000hsc.googlegroups.com>,
ilanpsi@gmail.com wrote:

> Now that I've upgraded to a modern bike, I can actually converse with
> the "elite" doing laps around Paris parks. I am quite impressed by the
> number of people riding tubulars with carbon rims. I talked to a 60
> year old guy who has been riding tubulars for at least 45 years and he
> says he repairs them himself, it takes him between 30 minutes and an
> hour, and since he's retired, he has nothing better to do. Maybe he
> should start a business. Otherwise, I doubt that the younger guys
> (still 40+) are doing that. The big question is: If they're already
> riding 1200g aero wheelsets in training, what to they use in racing?
> The answer: They don't race, they only ride laps around the park, and
> apart from the old guy who rides over from Paris (I asked), they must
> drive over to avoid getting flat tires. Oh, and not one power meter in
> the bunch, probably too heavy.
>
> After today's ride, I went to nearby Cycle du Tourmalet which supplies
> these people with their equipment and leaning unattended on the the
> outside wall was a Cervelo R3-SL. Of course that is a poseur frame, I
> have the same one, but I don't have Lightweight wheels either. Yes,
> the bike had a $5000++ wheelset. The bike also had what looked to be a
> Tune quick release http://www.starbike.com/images/tune/ac14_sandstein.jpg

I am trying to determine what the they are lying on. Appears to
be an uncured naugahyde.

--
Michael Press

Bill C

On Jun 24, 4:07*pm, ilan...@gmail.com wrote:
Apparently, the person who
> sold him the power meter hadn't been entirely forthcoming about the
> power aspect of the Garmin 705. I also told him that I wanted to get a
> Garmin, but at the time no power meters were compatible, so it was
> either GPS (and the superior Garmin computer) or power measure, so I
> told him: "C'est les Watts que je prefere". *In case you don't get
> this last part (you have to have be totally immersed in outdated
> French popular culture):http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=F0ivS16j6FM
> and no power meter company has thought of using this as a slogan
> either....
>
> -ilan

That's really really bad....;-)
Bill C

John Forrest Tomlinson

On Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:12:05 -0700 (PDT), ilanpsi@gmail.com wrote:

>http://www.starbike.com/images/tune/ac14_sandstein.jpg

I'd be scared to ride a bike with those.

ilanpsi@gmail.com

On Jun 24, 7:12*pm, ilan...@gmail.com wrote:
> Now that I've upgraded to a modern bike, I can actually converse with
> the "elite" doing laps around Paris parks. I am quite impressed by the
> number of people riding tubulars with carbon rims. I talked to a 60
> year old guy who has been riding tubulars for at least 45 years and he
> says he repairs them himself, it takes him between 30 minutes and an
> hour, and since he's retired, he has nothing better to do. Maybe he
> should start a business. Otherwise, I doubt that the younger guys
> (still 40+) are doing that. The big question is: If they're already
> riding 1200g aero wheelsets in training, what to they use in racing?
> The answer: They don't race, they only ride laps around the park, and
> apart from the old guy who rides over from Paris (I asked), they must
> drive over to avoid getting flat tires. Oh, and not one power meter in
> the bunch, probably too heavy.
>
> After today's ride, I went to nearby Cycle du Tourmalet which supplies
> these people with their equipment and leaning unattended on the the
> outside wall was a Cervelo R3-SL. Of course that is a poseur frame, I
> have the same one, but I don't have Lightweight wheels either. Yes,
> the bike had a $5000++ wheelset. The bike also had what looked to be a
> Tune quick releasehttp://www.starbike.com/images/tune/ac14_sandstein.jpg
> So a real "weight weenie" bike. I did find the fatal flaw: it actually
> had a power meter, the one by Polar, so you have a bike with all the
> lightest most expensive equipment with a second rate power meter.
> Obviously, he thought that SRM or PowerTap were too heavy for hilly
> Paris.
>
> So, hardly any retro grouches around here. Mostly a lot of old men
> with expensive bikes. In France, most people retire at around 60 years
> of age and have very healthy pensions, so they are able to get good
> equipment. As I said before, it's funny to see 80 year old guys on the
> latest carbon frames.
>
> -ilan

One of the guys I talked to today was riding Campagnolo Bora wheels. I
didn't realize they cost $4000.

-ilan