Is this chap's bike too small?

[vickster]

It was someone on here,can't remember who. I posted a picture of Bradley Wiggins,similar to the bloke in pink. I said his bike looked too small. They said they rode bikes as small as possible for a reason.

Post #9 explains things quite well

 

[ufkacbln]

It was someone on here,can't remember who. I posted a picture of Bradley Wiggins,similar to the bloke in pink. I said his bike looked too small. They said they rode bikes as small as possible for a reason.

This is the frequent confusion between "traditional" and compact frames

 

[jowwy]

http://road.cc/content/news/122645-tour-tech-2014-mark-cavendish’s-specialized-venge


Just for the naysayers

 

[Cumisky]

The bike was given to him by Trek for winning the 2008 Giro in which he rode a Madone, it isn't the bike he rode in the race, full specs of which are...

Frame: Trek 6 Series Madone, 56cm Pro Fit
Fork: Bontrager Race XXX Lite w/ E2 carbon steerer
Headset: Cane Creek E2
Stem: Bontrager Race XXX Lite, 120mm x -7º
Handlebars: Bontrager Race XXX Lite, 42cm (c-c)
Tape/grips: Bontrager cork
Front brake: SRAM Red w/ Bontrager Carbon Stop pads
Rear brake: SRAM Red w/ Bontrager Carbon Stop pads
Brake levers: SRAM Red DoubleTap
Front derailleur: SRAM Red w/ Force cage
Rear derailleur: SRAM Red
Shift levers: SRAM Red DoubleTap
Cassette: SRAM OG-1090, 11-26T
Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-7801
Crankset: SRAM Red, 172.5mm, 39/53T
Bottom bracket: Trek Madone BB90 integrated w/ Enduro ZERØ hybrid ceramic bearings
Pedals: Look KeO 2 Max Carbon
Wheelset: Bontrager Race XXX Lite tubular w/ Tune skewers
Front tire: Hutchinson
Rear tire: Hutchinson
Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Team Edition
Seat post: Trek 6 Series Madone seat mast
Bottle cages: Bontrager Race X Lite
Computer: Trek Incite

I'd imagine that this bike would be the same size, and as he is the same height as me, 5' 10", would be spot on.

So after all that waffle, yeh, I think it is a camera angle thing

 

[screenman]

http://road.cc/content/news/122645-tour-tech-2014-mark-cavendish’s-specialized-venge


Just for the naysayers

Nobody is doubting you, but my point is the bike is not too small for him.

 

[jowwy]

Nobody is doubting you, but my point is the bike is not too small for him.

The frame is too small, but with the longer stem and seatpost, the overall bike is made to fit

 

[screenman]

The frame is too small, but with the longer stem and seatpost, the overall bike is made to fit

How do you know the frame is to small? looks the right size to me.

 

[ufkacbln]

The confusion remains with the difference between "traditional" and compact sizing

If you use traditional dimensions to fit the bike and rider then the compact frame may be considered as "too small" as the frame is the key to a correct fit

With a compact frame it is the components that are the key to a correct fit

 

[oldroadman]

It's fine. No pro would use a bike wrongly set up. It leads to injury! Compact frames are great, nice and firm, and handle well. Wish they had been about in my race days, but then we were on steel or aluminium "standard" designs (built by a specialist and rebadged, as usual), aluminium rims, ordinary spokes. Amazing how anyone managed to race without modern kit, wrap around sunglasses, and helmets!

 

[oldroadman]

Just looking again at the picture, it appears to be one Alberto Contador Velasco, who knows a little bit about riding properly fitted bikes quite briskly.

 

[ufkacbln]

I remember the warm up for the PruTour in Portsmouth some years ago

There were some kids zipping up and down the closed road on their bikes

Stephen Roche an Michaela Strachan who were entertaining the crowd borrowed a couple and had a race...... Both bikes were too small, but he was still fast

 

[Cumisky]

Just looking again at the picture, it appears to be one Alberto Contador Velasco, who knows a little bit about riding properly fitted bikes quite briskly.

As I said earlier in the thread, it is Contador, riding the bike Trek gave him as a gift for winning the Giro in 2008

 

[oldroadman]

As I said earlier in the thread, it is Contador, riding the bike Trek gave him as a gift for winning the Giro in 2008

Indulge me, I'm ever so old today....

 

[Cumisky]

Indulge me, I'm ever so old today....

Ha, that makes two of us, must be a bank holiday thing!