Saddles of the Stars.

[Really Ancien]

I see Bradley Wiggins is using a San Marco Rolls. You too can emulate an Olympic hero for rather less than £25. What are the others using? I wonder if the Rolls will see a resurgence? All 370 grams of it.

Damon.

[MSeries]

I see Bradley Wiggins is using a San Marco Rolls. You too can emulate an Olympic hero for rather less than £25. What are the others using? I wonder if the Rolls will see a resurgence? All 370 grams of it.

Damon.

I do, I did this morning. I only use Rolls.  It's not about the bike though is it ?

[bikenerd]

I noticed that as well.  Was he using one in last years Tour de France?
With the UCI weight limit of 6.8kg for road bikes, and modern carbon fibre bikes being able to break the weight limit by at least a kilogram, will we see riders in the Tours using bigger, more comfortable saddles?

[Greenbank]

Don't they just use the lightest stuff possible and put extra weights into the frame as near to the bottom bracket as possible to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible?

[Really Ancien]

Our LBS is always being asked to send bikes in to C+, they did some 17lb number, I asked the racer in there who buys them. Sportive riders apparently, real racers wouldn't have one because the alloy would dent too easily in the first crash. I think that the bikes they use on the Tour are a bit more robust. They do ride them on ordinary roads at 60 kph after all.

Damon.

[Biff]

Don't they just use the lightest stuff possible and put extra weights into the frame as near to the bottom bracket as possible to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible?

A common trick is to put ice-cubes inside the tubes prior to the bike being weighed. Then they melt........

[bikenerd]

Don't they just use the lightest stuff possible and put extra weights into the frame as near to the bottom bracket as possible to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible?

There was a feature on (I think) bikeradar.com about how the bikes now have aerodynamic features, even those used for regular stages, such as deep section wheels and mini fairings.  The bikes still hit the 6.8kg limit, even with the heavy wheels and extra bits of carbon fibre.

[Rhys W]

The Rolls was a classic. Textured leather covering, and that shiny little brass plate.

I have a Ti-railed version on a little-used hack - very light in comparison.

[David Martin]

Don't they just use the lightest stuff possible and put extra weights into the frame as near to the bottom bracket as possible to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible?

A common trick is to put ice-cubes inside the tubes prior to the bike being weighed. Then they melt........

And then the comissaires weigh them immediately after the race...

..d

[gonzo]

And then the comissaires weigh them immediately after the race...

I was told the same thing; apparently the bikes are only weighed before.

[Frenchie]

Don't they just use the lightest stuff possible and put extra weights into the frame as near to the bottom bracket as possible to keep the centre of gravity as low as possible?

Yes, they do. Some of the top bikes come at under 6.8 kg. One issue with light bikes is the handling and/on the downhills, which is another reason why some pro riders are not necessarily after everything ultra light.

[Frenchie]

Going back to the OT the TT bike displayed in the bike of the week page on CW also has a Rolls. Of course weight may not be the main issue on a TT bike.

[David Martin]

And then the comissaires weigh them immediately after the race...

I was told the same thing; apparently the bikes are only weighed before.

Not to be relied upon. The comissaires can weigh them afterwards.

..d

[tiermat]

And then the comissaires weigh them immediately after the race...

I was told the same thing; apparently the bikes are only weighed before.

Not to be relied upon. The comissaires can weigh them afterwards.

..d

Especially if the tell tale trail of water is seen...

[andygates]

Rolls is good, comfy, cheap and survives rough use.  Great for a training bike, and if you race on what you train on, you're in a mental comfort zone.

I remember saving up paper round money for a Rolls, back in the day! 

[David Martin]

A nice feature on the BBC news yesterday on the company (advanced composites?)  who make the bikes for the British squad. They had a big poster of the Team Pursuit guys on the wall..

..d

[Frenchie]

I wish I had seen that. Did they show who designed the bikes and explained what technology they use? I thought BAe was involved as was Soton?

[David Martin]

I wish I had seen that. Did they show who designed the bikes and explained what technology they use? I thought BAe was involved as was Soton?

No, they just interviewed the equivalent of Christine the Carradice lady (one of the workers who does the CF layup) and the MD and how they were all terribly proud of the British team and seeing their craftmanship breaking records etc.. A fluff piece, not a Nature paper.

..d

[giropaul]

I wish I had seen that. Did they show who designed the bikes and explained what technology they use? I thought BAe was involved as was Soton?

They are only just up the road from you in Heanor!

[αdαmsκι]

I see Bradley Wiggins is using a San Marco Rolls.

Photo of Wiggins saddle from the Guardian:

[mattc]

That's not a PROPER Rolls! He's got some sort of fancy stuck-on bit - probably so he can ride on the nose [to get round the rule about being some minimum distance behind the BB axle. stop that! - Jingoism Ed]

[JT]

That's not a PROPER Rolls! He's got some sort of fancy stuck-on bit - probably so he can ride on the nose [to get round the rule about being some minimum distance behind the BB axle. stop that! - Jingoism Ed]

That looks like one of the Fizik gel strips that you stick on your handlebars under your bar tape.

[Rhys W]

All this nostalgia makes me want to dig out my old Rolls Ti, but, having comfortably ridden SLRs for the last couple of years, even a Flite looks like a Terry women's saddle to my eyes now.