Conference noted::bicycle

2643.0. "Some Info from the 1993 TdF from Velonews" by STRATA::ASMITH () Mon Aug 16 1993 16:50

         I was looking through the most recent addition of velonews and
    saw an interesting summary of what the teams in the 1993 Tour de France
    used.  I am writing this from memory, so please do not lynch me if I 
    get some of the information wrong.
    
    Frames:
    
     CroMo frames dominated by far.  Several Teams used frames of several
     materials.  About 6 of 20 teams used Titanium frames and 4 of 20 teams
     used Aluminum frames.  I don't remember exactly how many teams used
     carbon frames but I think the number was around 7.
    
    Components:
    
     No team used mixed components on it's bikes, all components were of
     one brand.  Shimano DuraAce had a field day, 10 of the twenty teams
     surveyed used it.  Six of the teams used Mavic Competition and four
     teams used Campagnolo.  Campagnolo had the best of the Awards Podium
     with the Yellow, Green and I think the Polka-dot jersey using it.  
     Shimano DuraAce took the best under 25 jersey.
    
    Rims:
    
     Mavic was a runaway winner here, there were a couple of other brands
     used but I don't remember them.
    
    Spokes:
    
     Swiss DT was the doninant brand in this category, as with rims there
     were a couple of bit players.
    
    Saddles:
    
     Selle San Marco was the winner in this category over Selle Italia. 
     The article did not state model types.  There were a couple of other
     brands other than the two selles' but those brands were only used by
     a total of about 3 teams.
    
    Tires:
    
     Five of the 20 teams used clincher tires, 15 teams used sew-ups.  Of
     the clinchers Michelin was used by 4 of the five teams with Pariba 
     being used by one.  Of the sew-ups most teams used Vittorias, with 
     about two teams using another brand.         
    
    Helmets:
    
     Sixteen of the twenty teams had riders who wore hardshell helmets
     during some or all road stages, the remainder wore hairnets or 
     nothing.  Giro was the dominant brand.
    
    Pedals:
    
     This one was a stunner.  Shimano was the top brand in this category,
     easily beating out Time and look.  Mavic, I think, was only a bit
     player.
    
    
         I don't remember much of anything about the shoe category.
    
         This edition of Velonews also had an add which listed the Tour de
     France winner by year back to 1948.  I can reproduce this list if
     there is enough interest.  It will take me several days to put the
     list toghether.
     

    
    Mavic would've won the KoM. (Rominger of CLAS).
    
    Graham.

    Graham,
    
         Good observation on Rominger, he was using Mavic.
    
         A couple of other errors, Mavic Gruppos were used by 5 of 20 teams,
    not 6.  Also, for pedals, there was a tie between Shimano and Time with
    8 teams using each.                               
     

Seems curious to me to talk of manufacturers 'winning' competitions. I am
interested in what pros use, and appreciate the basenote, but let's face it, 
Big Mig would have won on any decent bike with any decent components. The 
spread of any given manufacturer's components through the peloton most likely 
depends on the marketing muscle of the company concerned.


Rod