Re: Most significant advance in bike technology for speed?

AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

On 1/24/2025 5:51 PM, Roger Merriman wrote:

Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

In another forum, someone postulated that integrated brake & shift
levers (like STI) were the most significant bit of racing technology
ever designed for increasing speed. But that claim met with little
respect. One skeptic noted that there was no great increase in average
race speeds in Paris-Roubaix, Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders,
Leige-Bastogne-Leige or Giro de Lobardia since about 1960, including
during the era of STI adoption. By contrast, in the  years 1930 - 1960
average speeds increased around 30%. (Note: That does not mean that STI
is not tactically beneficial. That's a separate issue.)
 

On a broader point bit like disks eventually coming to road, MTB had if not
integrated brakes and shift levers that one didn’t need to move one’s hands
or even shift finger positions, with thumb shifters.
 
Ie it was being done on a related design so was inevitable just matter of
when.
 

But if not STI, what were the most significant tech developments
regarding bicycle race speeds?

 
 

 
Here’s my list:
 
Pedals & cranks, as opposed to scooting a “hobby horse” via feet on the
ground.
 

Probably that one actually I believe that Penny farthings could shift,
where raced around Herne Hill which is old ish Velodrome in East London.
And they certainly could shift probably the biggest jump.
 
Don’t get me wrong been lots of improvements, some have been speed by
default even in the 90’s MTB didn’t really last long in races be that
frame/components etc. be that getting a double puncture, loosing the chain
or something bending/snapping!
 
That’s certainly come a long way racers now expect their bikes to last the
race and even over multiple runs!
 

Tubular metal frames and wire tension (spoke) wheels.
 
Large driven wheels, to give a much higher effective “gear.” (The
Ordinary or Penny Farthing)
 

I believe that bikes went to cranks as they didn’t have anything drive
chain as such yet.
 

The “Safety Bicycle” with a diamond frame and chain drive, getting the
rider down lower, to greatly reduce aero drag as well as pitchover on
braking.
 
Pneumatic tires. Hard tired “safeties” had terrible rolling resistance.
7
The handlebar stem, invented by the heroic Major Taylor, to allow a much
more aero riding position.
 
Rim brakes, by whatever mechanism, as opposed to spoon brakes acting on
a tire.
 
Multiple gears, by whatever mechanism.
 
The derailleur, making multiple gears easy to shift, customizable and
light weight.
 
Recumbent geometry in some situations. Recumbents seem to be slower
uphill, but tend to be faster on level or downhills
 
Fully enclosed streamlined aero shells tremendously increased speed, but
at a great reduction in versatility and practicality.
 
Beyond those, ISTM that most developments have been chasing ever
diminishing returns.
 

Roger Merriman
 
 

 
Geared ordinaries are rare items:
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Geared_Ordinary_Bicycle
 
Truly outliers, never popular, especially after James
Starley's innovations of 1885.
 
https://aehistory.wordpress.com/1885/10/05/1885-first-chain-driven-bicycle-the-rover/
 
 
 

Used to see number of interesting bikes and trikes and so on, at the fair
at one of the royal parks which sadly doesn’t exist anymore!

Roger Merriman