# Titanium bikes in the Peleton?



## DRLski (Apr 26, 2003)

Do any of the pros race on titanium bikes in the peleton is does that become too light for the weight limit that the UCI has?


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## magnolialover (Jun 2, 2004)

*Most...*



DRLski said:


> Do any of the pros race on titanium bikes in the peleton is does that become too light for the weight limit that the UCI has?


Most bikes, in the peloton these days, are less than the UCI weight limit, and Ti is not the preferred material any longer. I'm pretty sure that there are some guys riding ti out there, but it's far more carbon everything these days, and I think most, if not all teams are riding carbon bikes for almost everything, except in some cases where they have special bikes (like Paris Roubaix) that they ride in certain events.


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

The reality of it is that Pro teams are PAID to ride the bikes they ride. CSC, Astana, Liquigas and the like all get paid by the manufacturers to ride the bikes they ride. The truth is that the Sevens and smaller ti makers of the world could never afford a pro tour team currently. It is very possible that in the near future a Tennessee based ti frame maker may make an entry back into the pro peloton very soon though.


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

I'm pretty certain that no team labeled as "Pro Tour" has used TI bikes. That takes us to 2005, and I'm pretty sure that those same teams were either AL or CF in 2004 as well.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

Didn't Magnus Backsted ride Ti when he was on Liquigas/Bianchi? I thought Alessandro Ballan rode a steel bike at Paris Roubaix two years ago as well. Not current but pretty recent.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

In 2002, Lotto - Adecco rode Litespeeds badged as such.

In years past and somewhat since, many have been ridden under different paint. For example, in Lance's early days with US Postal, his TT bike was a Litespeed blade painted to appear as an Eddie Merckx. More than a few Litespeed frames have worn that particular shade of green that usually denotes a Bianchi.

These days, the useless but pretty swoopy shapes of carbon tubes has made rebadging a metallic bike impractical.


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## danl1 (Jul 23, 2005)

davidka said:


> Didn't Magnus Backsted ride Ti when he was on Liquigas/Bianchi?


Yes. 

Now, he's always riding Ti. Well, at least the Ti plate is always in his shoulder. (from an operation following a 2006 training crash.)


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

DRLski said:


> Do any of the pros race on titanium bikes in the peleton is does that become too light for the weight limit that the UCI has?


Well, noting is too light for the weight limit. You can always load up on PowerTap, heavier seat post, whatever. Or you can do what Cannondale did for Simoni's bike in 2003 - put weights on it!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2003/tour03/?id=stage7/CH2961


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## Slow Eddie (Jun 28, 2004)

teoteoteo said:


> It is very possible that in the near future a Tennessee based ti frame maker may make an entry back into the pro peloton very soon though.


You're such a tease.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

DRLski said:


> Do any of the pros race on titanium bikes in the peleton is does that become too light for the weight limit that the UCI has?


Why would they ride Ti?


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

davidka said:


> Didn't Magnus Backsted ride Ti when he was on Liquigas/Bianchi? I thought Alessandro Ballan rode a steel bike at Paris Roubaix two years ago as well. Not current but pretty recent.


P-R doesn't count 

Museeuw rode a full suspension bike there once, but this is an isolated case and not what the sponsors really what them to be riding.


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