Pro-cycling thread

Anyone shared this yet?

https://youtu.be/7aHuolgTbYU

With the caveat that the bikes will have done done serious mileage and may have been chucked about a bit, ex-pro bikes do look decent value.

I know someone who had an ex team sky bike and it was immaculate. On the other hand a friend of a friend bought a used Katusha bike from Canyon and it was a bit tatty (I got the impression it was a training bike so not so well looked after). From memory, the Canyon was much better value for money if you could get past the scuffs and chips, sorry, "signs of use"

Speaking of pro bikes

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Harry Tanfield signs with ribble.

Never mind, too late, ignore this ha

So this is true then?

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/jumbo-visma-will-switch-to-cervelo-from-2021-according-to-reports-458193

Jumbo, Sunweb and Mitchelton just swapping bikes with each other

The enfants terribles of cycling have been excused for their racist views and scheduled programming will be resumed.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/quinn-simmons-suspension-lifted/

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/chloe-dygert-apologises-for-social-media-conduct/

He’d have won Flanders on that. With proper race wheels.

Going to be a shock doing Nat Bs after riding the Vuelta. Wonder if they’re stretching to paying him unlike the rest of their riders.

They reflect so badly on the brands with which they associate. Expected better than Rapha’s recent endorsement and its put me off the brand a bit. Needed some new bibs so bought elsewhere

It's strange for Trek given their statements after the BLM campaign and their bikes being used as weapons.

Maybe they believed Simmons' explanation, which was reasonably plausible, and thought that seeing as he was only 19, his youth might also be an excuse.

Rapha’s recent endorsement

Of one of those two?

Dygert. Can’t actually find it on their Instagram now, was possibly a story

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Probably tied into her signing to the Canyon // SRAM team, disappointing indeed.

I think this is just a case of Canyon-SRAM paying lip service. They are interested in the rider, not how awful her opinions are and the apologies are only to somehow address it. If she meant it, the apology would have been before her high-profile signing.

Yep, Quinn has definitely turned a corner.

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Liking Trump wasn't the issue and definitely shouldn't be a sackable offence, even if it is unpalatable and hard to understand.

Will you also never buy SRAM components or Canyon bikes?

I haven’t said that I’d never purchase Rapha again, just that while I was deliberating they endorsed Dygert so I shopped elsewhere. Clearly the reason that we connect with brands is that they profess to represent similar ideals and we therefore connect with them. Those two don’t represent what I’d like to see in the world, brands are choosing to pay them/advertise using them and we get to choose where to spend our money. From a branding point of view, I know little about Sram/canyon other than functionality. From Rapha I hadn’t expected this.

These particular brands associate themselves with these athletes because of their athletic potential and results. Their politics are, at best, secondary. Clearly you have the right to choose who you support and on what basis you will, or won't, support a brand, but it's multi-faceted and complex for you, as it is for the people making the decisions on behalf of brands.

as it is for the people making the decisions on behalf of brands

I get this. She is clearly hugely talented on the bike and that brands will wish to associate themselves with that success. The reason that I’d picked out Rapha in place of SRAM/Canyon (aside from a sense of proximity) is that I’d see them as a champion of diversity within a sport that needs it. Simmons & Dygert both have very different views to those I’d like to associate with & a quick scan of twitter will show that they seem to legitimise these views in the eyes of their fans & therefore the cycling world. I don’t really believe that Rapha aligns with those views/values and hence was disappointed to see it

principles mean nothing until they're tested, they say

Christ, the comment section on CN is an absolute dumpster fire of the worst of humanity.

It always is