Tour 2012

[Melas Zomos]

Enjoying the Tour this year. Looks like you Brits are going to come out looking pretty good here and then at the Olympics.

I know a few of you dabble in biking, I was wondering about electronic gears. WTF? They were talking about it during one of the early stages and how one of the riders was making a sprint and then just fizzled and they said probably the batteries went out on his electronic gearing. I just do not see the advantage at all.

[Cookie]

Enjoying the Tour this year. Looks like you Brits are going to come out looking pretty good here and then at the Olympics.

I know a few of you dabble in biking, I was wondering about electronic gears. WTF? They were talking about it during one of the early stages and how one of the riders was making a sprint and then just fizzled and they said probably the batteries went out on his electronic gearing. I just do not see the advantage at all.

TBH I think the tour has been a bit flat this year. Not enough attacks on the Yellow jersey for me. Shame BMC have not given Evans the type of team he needed to defend his title.

Only advantage I can see if a smoother transaction from gear to gear with less issues arising from gears sticking midway. Was only time before ideas from Forumla one racing crossed over to cycling.

Have to say I liked the idea of the new chain rings they're using on the time trial bikes for improved output.

[Cookie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/18880417

[Melas Zomos]

What would a Tour be without some banned substance controversy.

What would be the point of using a diuretic so many stages in anyway? I would think fluid retention would not be a problem and dehydration more of a problem. Is this typically used to mask other substances, or is this used because of IV's of saline after the race to hydrate. My knowledge of diuretics only extend to bodybuilding, which I can see why they use it, and of course hypertension.

Of course I see the article had to throw a little Lance Armstrong in their, they really just need to let that lie and move on and worry about the present and future.

As far as electronic gears, I really just do not get it. Mechanical gears can be machined to near clockwork precision. I think I would stick with the tried and true way, and if needed find a new way of machining if needed. I will have to ask my pro bicycling friend next time I run into him.

[Cookie]

Masking agent was my initial reaction too.

The Armstrong issue won't die because of the people he surrounded himself with & ex team mates saying he doped. I think its the UCI's last attempt to get to root out the last or worst of the dopers to make he sport more credible.

My only explanation for the electronic gears would be its easier to calibrate them off a computer program once everything's fitted together. Just like tuning a car.