# Specialized Signs Quick Step



## toronto-rider (Aug 16, 2002)

From :

http://www.canadiancyclist.com/default2.html

Later today an announcement will be made that Specialized has signed on to supply the ProTour Quick Step team with bikes, beginning next year. The deal will likely include other Specialized equipment and is a multi-year agreement. Up until now Quick Step has used Time bikes. This agreement puts Specialized on one of the biggest teams in the ProTour, with both new world champion Paolo Bettini and last year's world champion Tom Boonen now riding Specialized bikes. Specialized will also continue its agreement with the Gerolsteiner team.


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## n26ryan (Dec 14, 2005)

That's great news for specialized. Will Bettini's get a custom white/gold Tarmac??


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

Good because Specialized is an American company, bad because Time makes sexier bikes


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## crumjack (Sep 11, 2005)

Velonews says Boonen will ride a Roubaix. Interesting choice. I would have figured he would go with a Tarmac.


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## Cruzer2424 (Feb 8, 2005)

crumjack said:


> Velonews says Boonen will ride a Roubaix. Interesting choice. I would have figured he would go with a Tarmac.



Meh. I'm sure they'll have one of _every_ bike at his disposal if in case he does decide to ride something else.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*How popular are Specialized road bikes in the US?*

I always figured they were a minor player on US roads compared to Trek and Cannondale. This is a major investment for them, are they building on current success or trying to buy their way into the US road market ala Trek?


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## jukebox (Sep 6, 2005)

Theyre accually one of the bigger players in the us road market, as far as I can tell. The shop I work at does mostly spec, but thats just what I see really.


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## sbindra (Oct 18, 2004)

I do not see the S-Works bikes very often but in NYC, the aluminum race bikes and hybrid bikes are huge, like the Allez, Roubaix and Sirrus. You see them all the time.


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## Cruzer2424 (Feb 8, 2005)

MB1 said:


> I always figured they were a minor player on US roads compared to Trek and Cannondale. This is a major investment for them, are they building on current success or trying to buy their way into the US road market ala Trek?



Hmm... Interesting. I always threw them in with Trek and Cannondale as huge bike industry players. I've never actually seen the figures though... like overall revenue. They publish that stuff, right?


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## Edster (Aug 22, 2004)

*Campy or Shimano??*

Does anyone know if the bikes will be equiped with C or S??


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

They had C last year. Man it would be sweet to see a team of Tarmacs with Record. My suspicion is that, presuming Gerolsteiner runs Shimano still, Quickstep will either stay with Campy (or, there are SOME rumours that a protour team will run SRAM in 07) just to avoid the duplication. But that's guessing.

I'm guessing the Roubaix thing was PR stuff -- I'm sure they ALL will ride one at Paris-Roubaix.

You mean will Bettini get a red, white, green, white, rainbow, and gold bike? :S


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## Spunout (Aug 12, 2002)

European Market. Big for US bikes.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Argentius said:


> They had C last year. Man it would be sweet to see a team of Tarmacs with Record. My suspicion is that, presuming Gerolsteiner runs Shimano still, Quickstep will either stay with Campy (or, there are SOME rumours that a protour team will run SRAM in 07) just to avoid the duplication. But that's guessing.
> 
> I'm guessing the Roubaix thing was PR stuff -- I'm sure they ALL will ride one at Paris-Roubaix.
> 
> You mean will Bettini get a red, white, green, white, rainbow, and gold bike? :S


I think I read the SRAM sponsorship would be CSC but don't quote me on that...

What if Bettini would be to wear the leader's jersey at the Giro... red, white, green, white, rainbow, gold and pink! :cryin:


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## tubafreak (Apr 24, 2006)

Edster said:


> Does anyone know if the bikes will be equiped with C or S??


I think I saw some Specialized bikes at my local LBS rocking the Record (and SRMs). They looked pretty factory spec (they had Gerolsteiner logos on them), so you may have your answer right there.


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

Specialized's overpriced offerings are about to get even more overpriced.


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

FondriestFan said:


> Specialized's overpriced offerings are about to get even more overpriced.


At least Specialized is still in business.


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

fornaca68 said:


> At least Specialized is still in business.


And still pulling in suckers willing to overpay for their mass produced carbon bikes.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

Actually Fondriest found an investor and is still in business.

-- I'll take a Fondriest or a Time frame, thank you. ...I would not be pleased if I were a QSI rider and I had to turn in my Time for one of those POC.


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## MaestroXC (Sep 15, 2005)

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a serious racer that disliked their Tarmac so much.


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## stihl (Oct 27, 2005)

I'd have a sigh of relief if I was Boonen..
Those POC Time frames (a "reinforced" custom one for Tom) flex like a b****..probably gave him nightmares at night.

What a big blow for Time. First, Virenque's bad publicity, then this..


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## ultimobici (Jul 16, 2005)

stihl said:


> What a big blow for Time. First, Virenque's bad publicity, then this..


What bad publicity?

Festina were on Looks in 98, and I don't think Time supplied QS when Tricky road for them.


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## stihl (Oct 27, 2005)

Tricky Dicky is blaming his Time VXRS for his recent crash. Apparently, the fork snapped suddenly during a time trial causing serious injury.


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## MaestroXC (Sep 15, 2005)

ultimobici said:


> What bad publicity?
> 
> Festina were on Looks in 98, and I don't think Time supplied QS when Tricky road for them.


2003:


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

MaestroXC said:


> I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a serious racer that disliked their Tarmac so much.



Perhaps... However, I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a serious racer that whould chose a Tarmac over a VXRS barring tight budget considerations.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

stihl said:


> I'd have a sigh of relief if I was Boonen..
> Those POC Time frames (a "reinforced" custom one for Tom) flex like a b****..probably gave him nightmares at night.


Nonsense, why would Boonen have cause for concern if his frame was beefed up for him? Pettachi's C-50 is beefed up too so do you suppose he has nightmares because Colnago frames flex like a b****? All this talk about Time frames being excessively flexy dosen't amount to much more than some people squawking on about something they really don't understand like a bunch of parrots. ...a bunch of parrots who must have some strange notion that they themselves might be remotely as strong as Boonen. Go ahead and tell Sean Kelly about why you think Boonen probably had nightmares about his frame that flexing like a b****.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

stihl said:


> Tricky Dicky is blaming his Time VXRS for his recent crash. Apparently, the fork snapped suddenly during a time trial causing serious injury.



source?


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

rocco said:


> All this talk about Time frames being excessively flexy dosen't amount to much more than some people squawking on about something they really don't understand like a bunch of parrots. ...



I concur. According to the aussie magazine Ride's testing jig, the Time VXR has been one of the stiffest tested to date. In fact, they often reference it in relation to other frames tested.


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## stihl (Oct 27, 2005)

rocco said:


> source?


velonews

Whoa, that was defensive..

Oh wait, you OWN a Time.


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

That was a legitimate question. I don't own a Time, but "bring it up, back it up".


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## stihl (Oct 27, 2005)

That was for post# 25. I didn't think that I'd have to explain that.

I should've said earlier that Boonen almost lost 2 races earlier this year due to frame flex (bike shifting by itself). You want proof, try Googling it. 

I don't have time to argue with grown men online on whether their bikes are better than others.

p.s. I do not own any of the bikes mentioned above.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

stihl said:


> velonews
> 
> Whoa, that was defensive..
> 
> Oh wait, you OWN a Time.



Yeah I own a Time... big whoop. If you're attribute such a comment by somebody you should be prepaired to back it up. Do you have a web link or date of issue/issue number for the copy of Velonews that contains an article where he literally blames the bike? 

If he in fact did say that it's a rather silly conclusion because you can be next to certain his fork snapped because of previous crash damage.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

stihl said:


> That was for post# 25. I didn't think that I'd have to explain that.
> 
> I should've said earlier that Boonen almost lost 2 races earlier this year due to frame flex (bike shifting by itself). You want proof, try Googling it.
> 
> ...



Yet another unsubstantiated rumor parroted by grown men online.


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## stihl (Oct 27, 2005)

http://pezcyclingnews.com/default.asp?pg=fullstory&id=4410


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## pwagle (Jul 4, 2005)

stihl said:


> I'd have a sigh of relief if I was Boonen..
> Those POC Time frames (a "reinforced" custom one for Tom) flex like a b****..probably gave him nightmares at night.
> 
> What a big blow for Time. First, Virenque's bad publicity, then this..


Is this some joke? I'm a 6'4, 195-200lb cat 1 and can motor with the best of the locales on my Time VX Special Pro. BB flex is a non-issue on this particular frame. The most stable bike on 45+mph downhill's I've ever owned. Frankly you sound like some ignorant idiot.


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## pwagle (Jul 4, 2005)

stihl said:


> http://pezcyclingnews.com/default.asp?pg=fullstory&id=4410


Do you even read what you posted? There was an investigation and discussed below the paragraph you were referencing.

"Following on from the public shaming of their product by France’s fallen hero, management at Time went into publicity overdrive protecting their product and General Manager, Allain Descroix ordered a full crash investigation of the incident. Police and insurance companies are also investigating the crash which occurred whilst Virenque was racing a 6km uphill time trial. The ‘uphill’ time trial actually finished with a 500m descent and it was there that the helmetless Virenque fell.

Time’s investigation of the accident which included one Time expert and one independent expert has concluded and speaking to French magazine, le Cycle, Allain Descroix stated, “the result is the same for both the experts, the fork is not the cause of the crash…it is more than probable that the wheel has left it’s housing after Richard has jumped over a speedbump and the wheel was not tightened”

Hopefully lessons have been learned for Richard - make sure you do up the quick release tight before riding and also wear a helmet! Don’t blame your sponsor’s product for a crash is probably good advice also…"


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

stihl said:


> That was for post# 25..



Nope. don't own a Time. Please don't accuse me of being defensive. I was stating fact. I entered that info and gave the source because people often use this forum for advise on items they are contemplating on purchasing. Slamming a product without any factual info is a disservice to those who rely on the forum for that reason.


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## dagger (Jul 22, 2004)

*Eusketel.....*



Argentius said:


> (or, there are SOME rumours that a protour team will run SRAM in 07) just to avoid the duplication. But that's guessing.
> 
> :S


Orbea is specing SRAM on their top end stuff so I bet it's Eusketel.


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

This is the funniest thread I've seen in ages. You Time guys are worse than the Campos. - TF


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## OnTheRivet (Sep 3, 2004)

pwagle said:


> Is this some joke? I'm a 6'4, 195-200lb cat 1 and can motor with the best of the locales on my Time VX Special Pro. BB flex is a non-issue on this particular frame. The most stable bike on 45+mph downhill's I've ever owned. Frankly you sound like some ignorant idiot.


Hmmmm, cat 1 in S.D.? I thought I knew everybody down there, never seen that big bike on Swami's. Who do you race for?


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*For the record...*

Ah, never mind.


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## elviento (Mar 24, 2002)

Time makes good bikes. Give'em a break, folks.


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## MellowDramatic (Jun 8, 2006)

elviento said:


> Time makes good bikes. Give'em a break, folks.


Time does make good bikes. Great bikes, in fact. As does Specialized. Oh, and Cannondale...and Trek, Bianchi, Wilier, Look, Orbea, Pinarello, BMC, Giant, or any other bike you see out on the ProTour. I seriously doubt any of these guys will be suffering any because of having worse equipment than others.

Besides, riders like Boonen and Bettini would be good on anything with pedals.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

joehartley said:


> Besides, riders like Boonen and Bettini would be good on anything with pedals.




This part I agree with absolutely. ...and as I type this Bettini is about to...


All good bikes you mentioned but some are better than others, especially the one's that fit you best.


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## spartan (Sep 20, 2005)

german tour magazine tested all the protour bikes in the tdf. 

i own a cervelo r3 




Tested bikes: 

manufacturer/model [Pro team] total pts* weight frame/fork/hs lateral stiffness BB stiffness lateral stiffness of the fork 
Cervélo R3 [Team CSC] 65Pts 1005g/395g 97Nm/° 122 Nm/° | 43N/mm | 
Giant TCR Advanced ISP [Team T-Mobile] 61Pts 1346g/353g 76Nm/° 114Nm/° | 44N/mm | 
Specialized Tarmac SL [Team Gerolsteiner] 60Pts 1115g/357g 84Nm/° 100Nm/° | 44N/mm | 
Scott CR1 Team Issue [Saunier Duval] 57Pts 1026g/406g 89Nm/° 101Nm/° | 42N/mm | 
Trek Madone 5.9 SL [Team Discovery Channel] 55Pts 1307g/383g 76Nm/° 97Nm/° 41N/mm 
Lapierre X-Lite 995 SLP [FDJEUX.COM] 53Pts 1278g/348g 80Nm/° 109Nm/° | 41N/mm | 
Look 585 [Crédit Agricole] 53Pts 1195g/327g 69N m/° 99Nm/° | 44N/mm | 
Time VXRS Ulteam [Team Quick-Step] 52Pts 1146g/360g 62Nm/° 89Nm/° | 47N/mm | 
Pinarello Paris [Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears] 51Pts 1392g/449g 71Nm/° 99Nm/° | 46N/mm | 
Wilier Le Roi Squadra [Team Lampre] 49Pts 1238g/356g 77Nm/° 108Nm/° | 42N/mm | 
Orbea Opal [Euskaltel-Euskadi] 47Pts 1257g/434g 67Nm/° 89Nm/° | 34N/mm | 
Ridley Damocles [Team Davitamon-Lotto] 44Pts 1542g/418g 76Nm/° 112Nm/° | 34N/mm |


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## MellowDramatic (Jun 8, 2006)

rocco said:


> All good bikes you mentioned but some are better than others, especially the one's that fit you best.


That is the key part: fit. Something tells me the QSI studs will have bikes pretty much tailored to them. If not, I think Specialized will probably make some slight...shall we say, adjustments, to the frames. To have the World Champions of the last two years riding your bikes...that's big. You change for that.


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## hyfrir (Oct 7, 2004)

*Tarmac S-Works*

What is the tested # of the Tarmac S-Works 2006 TdF.
I need the # badly.

THX



spartan said:


> german tour magazine tested all the protour bikes in the tdf.
> 
> i own a cervelo r3
> 
> ...


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## MaestroXC (Sep 15, 2005)

Tour test results from the S-Works Tarmac vs. Cannondale System Six SI in this thread:

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21616&highlight=syssix+tarmac

Bottom line, the Cannondale was stiffer, and rated slightly higher overall. In the test quoted above, it takes 2nd place ahead of the Giant. The Tarmac with integrated crankset was lighter, but not as stiff. Values found in the test above are right in line with this newer test; the new one contributes data as to the stiffness of the integrated cranksets on both the 'Dale and the Specialized.


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## RickyRitalin (Dec 16, 2005)

Unfortunately, this list does not include all the teams or other evocative frames such as Phonak's BMC, Liquigas' Bianchi (the only non-CF frame in the TdF), Milram's Cannondale (switched to Wilier for the TdF) or Lightspeed Ghisallo. It also doesn't include Colnago's C50 used by 2 TdF teams.


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## stihl (Oct 27, 2005)

Milram's Cannondale?


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## RickyRitalin (Dec 16, 2005)

My bad: I meant Liquigas.


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## RickyRitalin (Dec 16, 2005)

Given the weight and flexibility characteristics of the carbon frames in the Pro tour, I wonder how 953 steel will stack up.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

MaestroXC said:


> I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a serious racer that disliked their Tarmac so much.





stihl said:


> I'd have a sigh of relief if I was Boonen..
> Those POC Time frames (a "reinforced" custom one for Tom) flex like a b****..probably gave him nightmares at night.
> 
> What a big blow for Time. First, Virenque's bad publicity, then this..





> As for his teammate Tom Boonen, the Belgian is reported to have flown back to Belgium on Monday after abandoning Paris-Nice before the last stage on Sunday. *In his home country, he is to consult with a chiropractor for some back pain the sprinter is suffering from since the team changed bikes this season.* Boonen will be back in Monaco on Tuesday for his final preparation leading up to the Italian Classic on Saturday.


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/mar07/mar19news2


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## erik99 (Apr 18, 2005)

Wait for the retraction from Boonen once Specialized gets wind of this.


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## euro-trash (May 1, 2004)

I haven't seen a quote where Boonen blames his new bikes for his back ailment. He said his back has been bothering him. As far as I can tell, the reporter is the one drawing the line between that and the bike switch. The lingering back problem could be something that occurred over the off-season and hasn't gone away. Sure, there is a perfect correlation, but that's not necessarily the cause.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

euro-trash said:


> I haven't seen a quote where Boonen blames his new bikes for his back ailment. He said his back has been bothering him. As far as I can tell, the reporter is the one drawing the line between that and the bike switch. The lingering back problem could be something that occurred over the off-season and hasn't gone away. Sure, there is a perfect correlation, but that's not necessarily the cause.


How can you tell whether Monika Prell came to that conclusion on her own?


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## crumjack (Sep 11, 2005)

rocco said:


> How can you tell whether Monika Prell came to that conclusion on her own?


Pez managed to mention his visit to the chiropractor without drawing a correlation to the bike.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

crumjack said:


> Pez managed to mention his visit to the chiropractor without drawing a correlation to the bike.


The absence or omission of a correlation from an article fails to prove that there isn't any.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/mar07/mar26news2



> _By Susan Westemeyer_
> 
> *Boonen gets new custom bike*
> 
> ...


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## terzo rene (Mar 23, 2002)

After MSR he said his back made him feel like an 85 year old man and that's on good roads. If they didn't get him a custom I don't know how he would have felt after 260km with cobbles.

With their stock geometry I think it was an impossible task to get him right. He has a long torso and doesn't sit that far behind the BB to start with since he lowered his saddle a couple years ago.


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## crumjack (Sep 11, 2005)

rocco said:


> The absence or omission of a correlation from an article fails to prove that there isn't any.
> 
> http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/mar07/mar26news2


Your quote blames his back issues on a crash that happened four years ago not a bike.

Not sure what the big deal is here. People are going on about this like their backs are hurt.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

crumjack said:


> Your quote blames his back issues on a crash that happened four years ago not a bike.
> 
> Not sure what the big deal is here. People are going on about this like their backs are hurt.



It sure reads to me like the bike change has re-aggravated his back.

From somebody who knows his stuff:



> it's not boonen's position that is aggravating him; there are people on a pro-tour level team who can adequatly replicate contact points through the use of high-tech technology like a plumb bob, a level and a tape measure....his position hasn't changed since last year; the frame sucks. the thing has geometry that makes boonen unable to relax on the bike; the front center is whacked; the geometry is weird and he's constanly struggling to stay on top of the thing. his back hurts because he's spending too much time correcting for the peculiarities of the frames geometry.
> 
> he's a big powerful boy and that bike is a monstrosity that has no place in the pro tour with its strange geometry. specialized can make him a bike that'll replicate the handling charachteristics and the torsional rigidity of the bikes he's used in the past and he'll be fine.
> 
> jerk


http://weightweenies.starbike.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=28524&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

I'm surpised no one has blamed all the Gerolsteiner crashes in MSR on Specialized bikes...


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## crumjack (Sep 11, 2005)

rocco said:


> It sure reads to me like the bike change has re-aggravated his back.
> 
> From somebody who knows his stuff:
> 
> ...


Yeah, I've read that thread. Seems Tom has a habit of complaining about the bikes he's given. I'm not sure what is odd about the Tarmac's geometry.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

crumjack said:


> Yeah, I've read that thread. Seems Tom has a habit of complaining about the bikes he's given. I'm not sure what is odd about the Tarmac's geometry.



Tom seems to like the new custom frame and geometry. The new bike has a 1.5cm longer headtube, 1cm shorter stem and I suspect the front center has been tweeked too for a more relaxed and stable handling. Probably very similar to his old Time geometrically speaking. Good bikes are made to fit the man.

https://www.sport.be/nl/images/2007/maart/covertom016.jpg

https://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/?id=/photos/2007/mar07/dwars07/Boonen_wins_sprint

https://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/?id=/photos/2007/mar07/dwars07/Boonen_wins_sprint_2


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## OnTheRivet (Sep 3, 2004)

rocco said:


> Tom seems to like the new custom frame and geometry. The new bike has a 1.5cm longer headtube, 1cm shorter stem and I suspect the front center has been tweeked too for a more relaxed and stable handling. Probably very similar to his old Time geometrically speaking. Good bikes are made to fit the man.
> 
> https://www.sport.be/nl/images/2007/maart/covertom016.jpg
> 
> ...



It's also ALUMINUM, the horror! Boonen will win everything on this bike this year and aluminum will make a comeback.


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## rogger (Aug 19, 2005)

rocco said:


> Tom seems to like the new custom frame and geometry. The new bike has a 1.5cm longer headtube, 1cm shorter stem and I suspect the front center has been tweeked too for a more relaxed and stable handling. Probably very similar to his old Time geometrically speaking. Good bikes are made to fit the man.
> 
> https://www.sport.be/nl/images/2007/maart/covertom016.jpg
> 
> ...


Since when is the stem part of a frame and wouldn't it have been a hell of a lot easier to just add 15mm of spacers? How does one "tweek" the front center? WTF exactly _is_ the front center anyway?


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## crumjack (Sep 11, 2005)

rocco said:


> Tom seems to like the new custom frame and geometry. The new bike has a 1.5cm longer headtube, 1cm shorter stem and I suspect the front center has been tweeked too for a more relaxed and stable handling. Probably very similar to his old Time geometrically speaking. Good bikes are made to fit the man.
> 
> https://www.sport.be/nl/images/2007/maart/covertom016.jpg
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info. Any word if Specialized built this or if it was made by someone else?


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

*Cipo sold it too him*



crumjack said:


> Thanks for the info. Any word if Specialized built this or if it was made by someone else?


Seriously tho it looks very much like the old S-Works alu frames which cipo rode to a great deal of success and that would be my guess as to what it is.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

rogger said:


> Since when is the stem part of a frame and wouldn't it have been a hell of a lot easier to just add 15mm of spacers? How does one "tweek" the front center? WTF exactly _is_ the front center anyway?



We're talking about a bike for a top pro who needs a custom fit for the highest level of performance... not just 15mm of spacers. In fact the frame is 13mm longer, the head tube 15mm taller and thus the stem which is part of the whole fit equation is 10mm shorter and might even have a different angle of rise. 

Front/center is the measure of the distance between the bottom bracket and the front wheel axle. If they changed the head angle a degree or two and or and the amount of trail then they can tweak the balance of weight between the front and back wheels and how stable the handling is. If you were doing 200 to 300 Km road race like MSR I'd better you would want less twitchy front end so you can keep your back, shoulders and arms more relaxed for the long haul.

All of those adjustments can add up to a very significant change in how the rider is balaned on the bike and the way the bike handles for that rider.


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