This week in the Tech Show Studio, Alex Payton joins Manon Lloyd to talk about the relationship between rider safety and technology in the professional peloton.
It comes after a series of high-profile crashes forced some of the sport's biggest names to take part in the summer block of the racing calendar. The question is: Can technology be held responsible for these crashes?
Racing these days is faster than ever. In fact, his first three monuments of 2024 were all earned in record-breaking speed. Sure, riders are fitter than ever, but technology is also playing a big role in increasing speed. Aero bikes, skinsuits, deep section wheels, and ultra-fast tires all mean riders can go faster with the same effort. This means that if a crash occurs, the consequences and severity are likely to be higher, as the rider is simply speeding up.
In addition to this, advances in component technology have allowed riders to be more aggressive with their bikes than ever before. Confidence in disc brakes has increased as they have been widely adopted by professional riders, allowing riders to brake harder later on, which can cause a bellows effect that can lead to a collision.
The same can be said about protection. In the 1980s, professional cycling was very different than it is today. Nowhere is this more evident than in the case of helmets, which were not compulsory at the time. Helmets are definitely a good thing and have saved many riders from serious head injuries, but they have also given the Proton some cushion against crashes as they rely more on the helmet's protection.
hot and spicy technology
Alex and Manon discuss rider safety as well as the latest technology news from the past week. With Paris-Roubaix only a year away, it's time to take a look at some of the technology used by the winners.
Mathieu van der Poel wins on a regular bike
Until now, Paris-Roubaix has been a race like no other when it comes to bicycle technology, with riders taking specific bikes and heavily modifying their components to race through the unforgiving pavés of Northern France.
However, in this year's edition, eventual winner Mathieu van der Poel won on a fairly stock bike. The only change he seemed to have made before the race was replacing the 28mm tires with 32mm tires. There's a good chance this is the most common race-winning bike, at least in modern cycling.
Lotte Kopecky used Tarmac instead of Roubaix
This year was a race without a Specialized Roubaix for both men and women, marking the first time since its inception in 2004 that there was no bike named after the race itself. She didn't hold Lotte Kopecky back at all and in the end she would emerge victorious. Again, the only notable change to the bike was moving to 32mm endurance tires rather than the standard 28mm tires she would use for the rest of the season.
Ride Paris-Roubaix on a gravel bike
Wider tires weren't the only thing teams were looking to do last weekend to help riders navigate the 29 pavé sectors scattered along the route. The team at Israel-Premier Tech went one step further and used Factor's gravel race bike, Ostro Gravel frame. It would be logical to think that this was so the team could run super wide tires, but they chose to only run him on 32mm tires. The decision to use the Ostro Gravel came from a desire to ride a slightly longer and more composed bike on cobblestones.
Castelli's new Super Aero Gava R Jersey
When the original Gabba was first released, it was a bit of a game changer when it came to inclement weather clothing. Although the Gabba is not waterproof, it is water resistant and breathable, making it a firm favorite among riders who want some protection from the weather without overheating by wearing a dedicated rain jacket. The new Gabba R jersey is claimed by the brand to be faster than San Remo's skinsuit, and adds some pretty notable aero benefits compared to the existing generation.
Topeak gift campaign
This week, Topeak is giving you a chance to win a Pakgo EX bike case and tune-up station. In addition, three more tune-up stations will be available for runners-up. For a chance to win these prizes, please complete your entry by April 19th using this link.
bicycle storage
If you want to see your shiny horse in the bike storage, don't forget to upload a photo to the uploader. If you don't know how, check out this guide.
Uploading may earn you a “very good” vote, but presenters are tough judges who expect the highest level of presentation.This week we have some special posts GCN Our staff members have undergone special scrutiny, but first we'll show you an example of how to earn a “Super Nice” rating.
What do you think about the new shoes? Let us know in the comments section below. For the latest technology developments, be sure to visit our dedicated Technology News section on the GCN website.
