# Millar Bike Toss



## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

What think ye?


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## gizzard (Oct 5, 2005)

Can't see. Broken chain or pedal I think.


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## gizzard (Oct 5, 2005)

What pedals is he riding? I presume they are using Dura Ace chains? My first thought was a broken pedal axle.


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## culdeus (May 5, 2005)

So is a bike tossed over the barrier like a discarded water bottle? First come first serve?


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

I think so - you might want to change the pedals though....


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## brentster (Jul 12, 2007)

That was awesome!!! Its an absolute shame that he didn't get to compete for the stage win, but he OWNED the spotlight with that bike toss!!! 

Nobody will remember who won, but no one will forget the toss.


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## gizzard (Oct 5, 2005)

philippec said:


> I think so - you might want to change the pedals though....


What pedals is he riding Philip?


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

culdeus said:


> So is a bike tossed over the barrier like a discarded water bottle? First come first serve?


I wouldn't want to be the team guy trying to get that bike from some crazed fan.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

He's no role model acting like this.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Europsort said it was the chain. Coulda been the pedal. Either way, it's Shimano (or the mechanic).

.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

In all fairness, the bike toss was more awesome than his hissy fit on the Angrilu....


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

Creakyknees said:


> Europsort said it was the chain. Coulda been the pedal. Either way, it's Shimano (or the mechanic).
> 
> .


I didn't see him even try to pedal so I assumed it was either his chain or rear derailleur that went.


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## godot (Feb 3, 2004)

*Angrilu was great*



philippec said:


> In all fairness, the bike toss was more awesome than his hissy fit on the Angrilu....


"You made the race too hard, I'm taking my bike and going home"


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## Cyclo-phile (Sep 22, 2005)

Sucks to be him. He had a real shot at the stage win.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

philippec said:


> In all fairness, the bike toss was more awesome than his hissy fit on the Angrilu....


didn't riis do a bike toss years ago? I can't get to youtube at work to search on bike toss. haha

It's surely going to be classic

0km - After the dramatics with Millar, Pavel Brutt pulls away and claims a surprise victory at the Tour of Italy!! Brilliant stuff in that final climb from Tinkoff rider, as Johannes Fröhlinger is well behind in second at four seconds off pace!! But what happened to David Millar? We're still waiting to see a replay.

1km - Amazing! With one kilometre left to ride Scotland's David Millar suffers a failure with his bike of some sort!! Nobody can help him, and the frustrated Slipstream rider lifts up his bike and tosses it over a railing in disgust!!


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## gizzard (Oct 5, 2005)

I bet the Millar family jewells will be a bit tender tonight. Jokes aside, he is prone to throwing hissy fits periodically. That'll lose him more friends than it'll gain him though.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

Yep, and Riis gets extra points b/c the bike he tossed was the $$$$ Cygnus TT model.


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

gizzard said:


> I bet the Millar family jewells will be a bit tender tonight. Jokes aside, he is prone to throwing hissy fits periodically. That'll lose him more friends than it'll gain him though.


Millar does get more than his fair share of mechanicals. Remember last year's TdF final ITT where his rear Mavic Cosmic disk wheel blew up (twice), and then in the 2000 TdF prologue in Futuroscope (I recall this from the DVD, could have been another year) his chain came off after the mechanic tinkered with a new crank.

Today's bike toss was classic. The previous poster was dead on, nobody will remember years from now who won the stage, just the bike toss.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

Personally, I love the bike toss. I can totally understand the frustration and motivation, having done it myself with my first mountain bike, at the top of a brutal climb. It's a great release. Of course, I had to climb down into the brush to retrieve my bike so I could get home.


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## funknuggets (Feb 4, 2004)

Yep... just like headbangers love the guitar toss, or the classic guitar smash.... nothing feeds fan frenzy like the stars getting wild and out of control. 

Throw your panties, light your lighters.... Millar the bad boy is one step closer to ROCK RACING. Get it.. ROCK n Roll?

Ok, its a stretch.

Nothing to see here.


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## bikerjones (Mar 25, 2006)

I would have done the same thing and cursed everyone's mother while doing it. What do you expect after putting in that much effort and getting so close and you loose it because of a mechanical. I'd be livid.


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## bikersteve (Mar 25, 2004)

Oddly enough, i only see this as being good for publicity. I want to see it. Wasn't it also millar last year who destroyed 2 mavic disks in a TT and did something similar?

Who honestly cares about pavel brutt? Slipstream's having some bad breaks (har har) lately and this is probably one of the only ways to make a lost stage win interesting.


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

I'm still a Millar fan.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

He is understandably ticked off and besides, he'll get a new bike anyway.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

mohair_chair said:


> Personally, I love the bike toss. I can totally understand the frustration and motivation, having done it myself with my first mountain bike, at the top of a brutal climb. It's a great release. Of course, I had to climb down into the brush to retrieve my bike so I could get home.


Now, did your bike still work after that?


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## Run1stBike2nd (Oct 28, 2005)

uzziefly said:


> He is understandably ticked off and besides, he'll get a new bike anyway.


That's the way I see it. Who hasn't had an instance when they wanted to chuck something after it doesn't work properly? The only thing that might prevent us from actually chucking the item is the realization that we'll have to buy a replacement. Since Millar doesn't have to buy a new bike, then I say chuck away!


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## robbyracer (May 30, 2007)

mohair_chair said:


> Personally, I love the bike toss. I can totally understand the frustration and motivation, having done it myself with my first mountain bike, at the top of a brutal climb. It's a great release. Of course, I had to climb down into the brush to retrieve my bike so I could get home.


I've been there and I totally understand. :mad2: 
Unsportsmanlike, probably. Great PR, maybe. Lots of camera time and "buzz", for sure.
I just caught the streaming coverage to see that one. Sucks for DM, he's a great rider.....


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## funknuggets (Feb 4, 2004)

My wife... not a professional cyclist once threw a pot roast into the front lawn when she babied it all day and it came out as tough as shoe leather. Im out mowing when I see the front door open and a large chunk of meat goes flopping by. It was quite laughable... but throwing a bike is sacreligious... especially when it is worth more than mine.


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## ECF (Aug 19, 2003)

funknuggets said:


> My wife... not a professional cyclist once threw a pot roast into the front lawn when she babied it all day and it came out as tough as shoe leather. Im out mowing when I see the front door open and a large chunk of meat goes flopping by. It was quite laughable... but throwing a bike is sacreligious... especially when it is worth more than mine.


Now that is a funny picture.  I once tossed the christmas tree out the front-door after I got tired of fighting with the stand trying to get it straight. I completely relate to Millar. Now all I need is for someone to provide a link to the video clip. Please, please someone show me. 

Eric


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## rogger (Aug 19, 2005)

brentster said:


> That was awesome!!! Its an absolute shame that he didn't get to compete for the stage win, but he OWNED the spotlight with that bike toss!!!
> 
> Nobody will remember who won, but no one will forget the toss.


Pavel Brutt won and he was kinda shy with the podium girls. HTH.


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## bmxhacksaw (Mar 26, 2008)

mohair_chair said:


> Personally, I love the bike toss. I can totally understand the frustration and motivation, having done it myself with my first mountain bike, at the top of a brutal climb. It's a great release. Of course, I had to climb down into the brush to retrieve my bike so I could get home.


My rich ex-wife used to always complain about me trashing her stuff when we got in fights so one time I said I paid for this (BMX) bike right? Then went to town on it with a splitting maul. She started crying. :cryin: 

BTW, that was a long time ago and I have grown up. :thumbsup:


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## Greggb (Apr 15, 2002)

Note the chain on the road


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## litespeedchick (Sep 9, 2003)

hmmm...and I was just getting ready to say "that's a man thing," I get the urge to smack PEOPLE sometimes, but I never feel anger toward inanimate objects ;-) 

I hope they have footage of this on the VS show this Sunday.


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

Looks like Millar got same time as Francisco Perez Sanchez at least (25 seconds down). Velonews has a picture of Millar from the front, and he looks pretty pissed.


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## Jokull (Aug 13, 2007)

ECF said:


> Now all I need is for someone to provide a link to the video clip. Please, please someone show me.
> 
> Eric


Here: http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza.be/wielrennen/RondeVanItalie/fietserke_giro_2008/1.304911#
Click on laatste kilometer (Sporza will only have it up for 24 hrs, so be quick)


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## wiles (Apr 17, 2005)

*2nd bike toss for Millar*

Don't I remember Millar tossing his bike just in front of the finish line after a 23% climb to finish a stage of the Vuelta. It was so steep, he rode right up to the finish line and refused to finish. The Anglirou if I remember. Another "this is ridiculous" moment. I loved it then. I loved it today.


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## ECF (Aug 19, 2003)

Jokull said:


> Here: http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza.be/wielrennen/RondeVanItalie/fietserke_giro_2008/1.304911#
> Click on laatste kilometer (Sporza will only have it up for 24 hrs, so be quick)


Sweet! Thank you so much for finding that. I can completely relate to his emotion being so close to your goal and coming up so short. Listening to it in belgian is even better.  WOW.

Eric


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

litespeedchick said:


> hmmm...and I was just getting ready to say "that's a man thing," I get the urge to smack PEOPLE sometimes, but I never feel anger toward inanimate objects ;-)


It's far better to get mad at inanimate objects than people . . . objects don't hit back.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

uzziefly said:


> Now, did your bike still work after that?


I couldn't tell any difference. The reason I threw the bike is because it wasn't working all that well at the time. It was a hot day, on a totally exposed brutally steep climb, and the damn bike decided to get all fouled up. Fix it once, fix it twice, fix it three times, then #[email protected]!%^, toss the bike as far as I can. Just one of those bad days. It convinced me that I needed a new bike, and I bought a new one a few days later. I haven't thrown a bike since, nor have I had the urge. I don't recommend it, but I definitely understand the motivation for it.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

mohair_chair said:


> Personally, I love the bike toss.


I used to be a fan of the helmet punt. 

But now I have a more expensive helmet . . . and I'm a better rider . . . and a Buddhist . . . and I don't play soccer as much.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

I thought the team cars were still behind the break at that point? Or at least the Mavic car. 

Don't understand why he didn't get another bike and finish before the pack. Not that it matters, the race was over for him.

.


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## godot (Feb 3, 2004)

Creakyknees said:


> I thought the team cars were still behind the break at that point? Or at least the Mavic car.
> 
> Don't understand why he didn't get another bike and finish before the pack. Not that it matters, the race was over for him.
> 
> .


The pack was only 30 or so seconds behind, they usually pull the team cars when the gap gets to around a minute. Plus, the last 3km was a climb so they may have pulled the cars prior to the climb anticipating the leaders would get caught.

The lost time isn't a big deal for Millar, I don't think he had much of a shot at GC


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

i guess i can remember my wife throwing her bike. we were on some single track and there was a slight hill right after some sand. she ditched it in the sand, then couldnt make it up the hill. she picked the bike up, threw it up the hill, walked up the hill, kicked it, and started to cry.

she hasnt been on single track since.


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## Kenacycle (May 28, 2006)

someone posted a nice sprint clip of the bike toss in slow-mo on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqTKaDmUr1w


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

kdub said:


> someone posted a nice sprint clip of the bike toss in slow-mo on youtube
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqTKaDmUr1w


Well, I'm not much of a Millar fan, but after looking at that clip I have to sympathize with him. He's lucky he didn't hurt himself. It HAD to be frustrating.

JSR


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## DannyBoy (Feb 19, 2004)

*The realisation he'd forgotten to load up on EPO was too much.......*

Idiot.


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## nrspeed (Jan 28, 2005)

I loved the instant guttar reaction from Millar. I am big fan now!

From Slipstream blog- "After looking at the chain that Mr. Millar broke today, the mechanics are plain dumbfounded. It didn’t break on the pin, but right in the middle of the link."


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## Faser (Sep 11, 2006)

Video: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqTKaDmUr1w


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## brentster (Jul 12, 2007)

Here it is - straight from the source:

http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2008/05/14/my-chain-reaction/

My chain reaction
Author: David Millar 14

May

Today was odd. So much of it was right. I was having fun this morning and found myself off the front for no reason other than I was having fun getting mixed up in the action with Maggy and Danny. It was all happening on its own. I didn’t need to try very hard. 

Before I knew it, I was in a race winning break, and I rapidly switched into race winning mode. I started to get ultra switched-on and even a little short-tempered, a sure sign I’m in the zone.

It was hard.
I was feeling totally in control, but it was hard. I averaged 154 heart rate for 5 hrs. I have a max of 190 when fresh. So I was hurting myself, and yet I never doubted myself. I decided to win the sprint. So all I had to do was not hesitate a second when the other four started attacking me in the final. Because that was what they had to do. They all knew I would beat them in a sprint, so that would be their tactic. 

I did this until my chain broke. I was so raging and so focused that all the energy I had for winning the race was taken out on my bike. I’m not that person, I don’t see red. But I think it’s quite funny I did that. I’ve yet to see the footage…

Anyway, probably the nicest thing is seeing how affected by it ****** is. He’s never affected. Makes me remember how much he cares. The same goes for the whole team here. They’ve been lovely.

I love Grand Tours. I’ve got 15 more stages to rectify today. Brilliant.


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## roadie92 (Jan 21, 2008)

That really sucks for Millar. He probably had the best chance winning the stage


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*he looked like he had it*

looked in control of the stage

to get let down by an expensive piece of equipment that a couple guys are paid to take care of would piss me off as well


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

That video was awesome. He definitely looked like he was going to make a real sprint of it.


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## B2 (Mar 12, 2002)

"Millar throws his Felt Bike...."

Commentary from Cycling TV. I wonder if Felt will be advertising there soon?


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## godot (Feb 3, 2004)

Shimano announces far reaching chain recall, news at 9


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## Kenacycle (May 28, 2006)

godot said:


> Shimano announces far reaching chain recall, news at 9



thank God I just switched to Sram!


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*gawd*



kdub said:


> thank God I just switched to Sram!



I haven't used an S chain since the went from 8 to 9 speed


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## Kris Flatlander (Sep 9, 2006)

fornaca68 said:


> then in the 2000 TdF prologue in Futuroscope (I recall this from the DVD, could have been another year) his chain came off after the mechanic tinkered with a new crank.


Correction, Millar wanted to run the prologue without a front deraileur. Team director advised against it. Millar, at the time young and brash, went without anyways. First bump he hits and bam the chains off, so much for a good prologue showing.


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## Kenacycle (May 28, 2006)

What was his rationale on not running the FD? Was saving 76grams that important?


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## Kris Flatlander (Sep 9, 2006)

kdub said:


> What was his rationale on not running the FD? Was saving 76grams that important?


I did a bit more looking and found this situation actually happened in the 2003 tour.

https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/tour_de_france_2003/3047930.stm








You can see here there is no deraileur on the braze on. 

As for rational, no idea, since it was a prologue I'm sure Millar had no plan to take it out of the big ring, but the weight savings seems negligible to say the least, although it appears he had foregone his little ring as well. I'm sure I read reasoning about it somewhere but I can't seem to dig it up.


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## Cruzer2424 (Feb 8, 2005)

http://www.slipstreamsports.com/2008/05/14/my-chain-reaction/ said:


> I love Grand Tours. I’ve got 15 more stages to rectify today. Brilliant.


Respect +gajillion.

I believe that the "tomorrow is another day" type attitude is the best attitude to have in any situation.


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Cruzer2424 said:


> Respect +gajillion.
> 
> I believe that the "tomorrow is another day" type attitude is the best attitude to have in any situation.


15 more bikes to toss?


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

Kris Flatlander said:


> Correction, Millar wanted to run the prologue without a front deraileur. Team director advised against it. Millar, at the time young and brash, went without anyways. First bump he hits and bam the chains off, so much for a good prologue showing.


Add to that the team director went out a bought a bunch of cheap chain rings instead of getting campy rings and actually it wasn't the first bump Millar hit he was pretty close to the end of the prolog and was on a winning time. It was for sure a mistake by Millar to run no front deraillur tho even Boardman ran a front as a chain keeper when he had only one ring.


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## Susan Walker (Mar 21, 2008)

Angliru.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

uzziefly said:


> 15 more bikes to toss?


It sure is nice being a pro!


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## rogger (Aug 19, 2005)

DannyBoy said:


> Idiot.


Yeah, he should have done it the retro classic way and use amphetamines or "Le Pot Belge".


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

i don't find anything wrong with getting pissed. its human nature, and kudos to him for not giving a [email protected]$k about what people think. I throw golf clubs whenever I chunk a shot toward the end of a pretty good round.
i can't find the DAMNED VIDEO!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

The video is posted in this thread


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## CabDoctor (Jun 11, 2005)

kdub said:


> What was his rationale on not running the FD? Was saving 76grams that important?


At that level you'll do anything legal(or even illegal) for a win. If someone came to these guys with enough scientific proof saying that hoping on one leg before a TT would give you a 2% performance increase, you know how many guys we'd see hoping around?


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## Magsdad (Jun 29, 2005)

*Brings up an interesting point.*

I think that the next Bicycling bike test feature should be done this way. Forget weight, forget wind tunnel tests, or materials. I simply want to know which bike cuts through the air the best when thrown from a standing position.

2 to 1 its a Cervelo.......


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## brentster (Jul 12, 2007)

Magsdad said:


> I think that the next Bicycling bike test feature should be done this way. Forget weight, forget wind tunnel tests, or materials. I simply want to know which bike cuts through the air the best when thrown from a standing position.
> 
> 2 to 1 its a Cervelo.......



That's great. Post of the day, although its still early.


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## bikerjones (Mar 25, 2006)

If I could, this would be my new avatar:
View attachment 125758


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## godot (Feb 3, 2004)

Just think how much further the bike would have gone had it had the aero advantage of a Cervelo Soloist Carbon


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## toonraid (Sep 19, 2006)

Looking at it from a sponsor's point of view (shimano) it must be their worst nightmare specially given that the culprit was one of their weak products - i.e. CHAIN where both Campagnolo and Sram have a definitive edge.


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## yetidude (Dec 18, 2007)

Too fricking funny!!!


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## Snufkin (May 16, 2008)

Proof positive that David Millar is a tosser.
Although I'd rather see him toss the bike and get it out of his system than rip into his mechanic for what seems to be a manufacturing fault.


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## roadie92 (Jan 21, 2008)

jhamlin38 said:


> i don't find anything wrong with getting pissed. its human nature, and kudos to him for not giving a [email protected]$k about what people think. I throw golf clubs whenever I chunk a shot toward the end of a pretty good round.
> i can't find the DAMNED VIDEO!


I agree 100% he was close to winning a Giro stage and his chain broke. If I was a Pro Team and I did not have to pay for the bike I would have done the same thing.


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## Suzie Green (May 16, 2008)

funknuggets said:


> My wife... not a professional cyclist once threw a pot roast into the front lawn when she babied it all day and it came out as tough as shoe leather. Im out mowing when I see the front door open and a large chunk of meat goes flopping by. It was quite laughable... but throwing a bike is sacreligious... especially when it is worth more than mine.


I have done similar...except the culprit was a chicken breast from the BBQ. The neighbor's dog was there, faster than Jack Shite, so fortunately the embarrassment was short lived. I have never tossed my bike, though it has thrown me once (OK, twice..er...) :nono:


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## toonraid (Sep 19, 2006)

Todays politically correct used to be called anal ... yesterdays normal is now called raw emotions, I wonder what tomorrow has in store for us!


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