Installment Number Two: Speed
Scot and I have been talking about why riders seem to be so fast today, and ignoring the role that performance enhancing drugs may play, we have come up with a couple thoughts.
1. Weight. While the weight of an elite cyclist has remained pretty much constant, the weight of the bicycle has dropped dramatically. My 1989 Eddy Merckx Team 7-Eleven bike, tricked out with Dura Ace and Mavic Open Pro rims, was standard fare in the peloton back in 1989. This rig weighs around 19 pounds. Compared to a modern bike in the sub 15 pound class, and you can see a tremendous weight savings.
2. Exotic materials. First the use of titanium and exotic aluminums and then carbon fiber has provided cyclists with ultralight machines with exceptional stiffness. Carbon fiber in particular can be manipulated to provide stiffness where it is required and compliance where it is required. Now that I have ridden a full carbon bike (with a carbon seatpost) I can also state that in addition to performance, the carbon is exceptionally comfortable, and that also adds to better performance because you get hammered less.
3. Wheels. The best wheels today are exceptionally light, deep sectioned for aerodynamics, responsive and use exotic materials to their advantage. Tubeless is right around the corner (well, its here, but not in full force yet).
4. Shifting. Scot and I like to refer to this as "micro shifting" as a modern road bike has 20 gears (ignoring the "triple" crankset). In the "old days" of the 1980's there were only 16 gears and the shifters were on the downtube, meaning you had to take your hands off the bars to shift. Often, you would ride in a less comfortable gear, just to avoid taking your hands off the bars, and this would effect performance. Today, with 20 gears at your fingertips, all indexed and working perfectly, you can usually find a comfortable gear to spin at and that improves performance. I think this is one of the most overlooked improvements in cycling.
5. Training. More cyclists seem to keep in shape over the winter months and avoid coming to the new season with the "LeMond 15" or the "Ullrich 10". Top cyclists also benefit from the latest training methods using watt meters and wind tunnels to refine their technique and positioning.