Tour Tidbit du Jour - 7/23/2009

The bikes in a ProTour race have a minimum weight requirement, however the time trial bikes also have certain geometry requirements. In addition to height, angles, and lengths of the tubes which make up the frame, the angle, the length, and the width of the aerobars must also fall within a certain range, and this can impact the posture of the rider, especially the shorter ones. Levi Leipheimer, one of the shortest guys in the peloton, had to change his position on the bike, which was already a modified form of the "Praying Landis," after the UCI determined the hand positions covered the face too much. This would have been true for much taller riders, but didn't make much sense for the 5'6" Leipheimer. But rules are rules, and the bikes are even inspected according to a measurement template right before the riders start down the ramp during the individual time trial.