Perhaps we could have done without the laboratory measurements for the five bikes in this comparison - because we are talking about so-called team replicas: racing bikes that are modelled on the originals of the pros, sometimes more, sometimes less faithfully.
We have tested these team replicas (you can find the entire article as a PDF download below):
- Cannondale CAAD10 Ultegra 2
- Canyon Endurace AL 7.0 Team
- Canyon Aeroad CF SLX 9.0
- Giant Propel Advanced SL Team
- Scott Addict Team Issue Di2
If you decide to buy such a bike, it is probably not so important to you how heavy or stiff the racer is compared to the competition. The main reason you buy a team replica is to show your passion for a favourite rider, a particular team or professional cycling in general.
The phenomenon is not new. Since its beginnings, cycling has always been a stage for bike manufacturers to present their products to the public. The bikes of the winners in particular have always held a special fascination for fans. Not only had they proven their technical class in tough racing conditions; they also had the fame of the stars attached to them, which was often even the more important selling point. For a long time, the technical differences between the bikes of the winners were only marginal. However, anyone who rode the bike of a Tour de France winner was at least visually on a par with their idol. Even before the Second World War, the brands of the great champions were particularly popular with amateur racers.
The first ideas of manufacturers to give bikes a brand image also date back to this time. The most famous example of a corporate colour in cycling to date was provided by the Italian brand Bianchi. Back in the 1920s, Costante Girardengo won on the brand's light blue bikes. However, the colour celeste only became a cult colour after the Second World War, when Fausto Coppi became cycling's first superstar. For thousands of fans, a celeste-coloured Bianchi was the dream of their sleepless nights from then on. If you like, these models, which Bianchi was already able to sell in large numbers in cycling-mad Italy, were the first team replicas. However, Bianchi was not alone in this type of sales promotion. Other well-known brands of the time also used unusual paintwork as a means of differentiation, such as Wilier Triestina (copper) or Mercier (pink). It is hard to imagine that these colours could have been sold in significant numbers if they had not been associated with stars such as Fiorenzo Magni or Raymond Poulidor.
In 1977, when Didi Thurau rode in the yellow jersey for a fortnight at the Tour de France, sparking an unprecedented enthusiasm for cycling in this country, the phenomenon also spread to Germany. Suddenly, every cycling fan wanted a red, black and yellow bike from the British brand Raleigh, like the one Thurau was riding. And when the Frankfurt native soon switched teams and started riding a Gios, sales of the Italian brand skyrocketed. It goes without saying that most of these bikes were dark blue - like Thurau's.
DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
There is nothing wrong with a close connection between stars and fans. Many sports thrive on the enthusiasm of their audiences. You only have to think of the legions of football fans who make the pilgrimage to the stadiums every weekend in their clubs' jerseys. However, anyone who identifies too strongly with a star or a team risks being held jointly liable as soon as success fails to materialise or - even worse - the image of a sport plummets. This is what happened to many cycling fans who were intoxicated by the successes of Jan Ullrich, Erik Zabel and their colleagues from Team Telekom. Suddenly it felt like every third amateur racing cyclist was riding in a magenta-coloured Telekom jersey. Quite a few fans went even further and bought a magenta-coloured bike from Ullrich's outfitter Pinarello, which was posting record sales at the time. When cycling enthusiasm imploded after the doping revelations, the sport slid into a deep crisis and Ullrich went from hero to tragic figure, amateur riders who continued to pursue their sport in the Telekom look risked being vilified as EPO users at every bus stop.
Fortunately, times have relaxed again in the meantime. Only incorrigible optimists believe that cycling is completely free of doping today. However, it is safe to say that the numerous efforts to solve the problem have borne fruit and that honest riders have a chance of winning again. This also lays the foundation for enjoying the successes of young riders like Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb again. Whether you have to go so far as to buy a team replica is of course still a very individual decision. However, there is no question that many of these lookalikes are real eye-catchers with their elaborate paintwork. All the better when
the technical values are right.
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