It is a truism in cycling that it is the rider who makes the race, not the bike. In fact, the decision to win or lose depends largely on the strength of the legs, the courage to attack, a feel for the right timing and, last but not least, a bit of luck. But the principle also applies: If two riders are equally strong on the same day, then the material decides who has the tyre in front at the end. Given the high performance density in professional sport, such situations are not exactly unlikely.
What difference does the material make?
A difference in weight of just a few hundred grams can make the decisive difference between the breakaway and the chasers on a climb - up to 30 seconds on a tough final climb. Whether 10 watts more or less power is needed for the same speed due to the aerodynamic quality of the wheels can be the deciding factor on a flat stage as to whether a breakaway is overtaken by the sprinters - or celebrates a solo victory. Aerodynamics are also important in the sprint: in a typical finale, an aerodynamically average bike loses out to a very good one over 200 metres a short wheel length. What's more, at the end of a long day of racing, even the Comfort is crucial - It has been proven that a hard bike makes riders tire more quickly.
Professional road bikes on test
We measure all these characteristics in our tests on test benches, summarise them in figures and make them comparable. We have also tested most of the professional bikes currently being ridden in the World Tour. We have compiled a selection of the most promising riders and their bikes here: Who has the lightest bike, who the fastest? Which bike is best suited for the classics, which for the mountains?
Professional racing bikes from the stars put to the test
Jens Klötzer
Editor
