English
Richard Land our guy in Merchandising tackled the Tour of Flanders randonnee last year for the first time and he wanted to pass on some useful info to all Wiggle customers. Here are some of the things that he learnt from last year.
Starting from the front of the bike:
Handlebar tape. Although not as rough as Paris Roubaix, Flanders still has a lot of cobbles, depending on the route up to 27 km. Last year I went for Fizik Gel pads and Fizik bar tape. While this proved to offer some comfort from the vibrations, this year I will go for the classic ‘Belgian Wrap’ this being two rolls of bar tape to absorb the pave. For most riders in the UK we are just not used to riding on that type of surface so any extra comfort is a welcome relief.
Tyres:
Last year I opted for the Vittoria Open Pave tyre, lured by the Pro look and the countless victories the tyre has been used for. The extra volume and lower tyre pressures added comfort while not detracting from the overall speed. Tyre pressure should be run at around 10-30 psi lower than normal depending on riders weight and the weather conditions on the day. Don’t like Vittoria tyres, well another good option would be to fit the Continental GP 4 Season or the Gatorskin tyres, again go for the 25 mm size as the bigger air chamber adds suspension (if only a limited amount).
Saddle:
Don’t be tempted to swap it to something that may be deemed more comfortable, stick with what you know.
Wheels:
Last year I ran a pre built wheel set. This was okay and proved no problem from a strength point of view, but for the pave it was maybe a little stiffer than I would ideally of liked. Hand built wheels are still very popular for this event with last year’s winner Stijn Devolder using a pair. Other good choices would be the Neutron (for Campag users), DT wheels or Shimano 105, all proving popular.
Bottle Cages:
Leave the lightweight carbon options at home and use either stainless steel or an alloy option as you can bend these a little to secure the bottle in place.
Finally, don’t forget to bring some nutrition, stick to what you know and avoid anything new (unless you have to)
The link below has some useful information regarding the stages of the Tour with some pics of what you will be riding.
Now you’ve got a good idea of what to take with you for the Tour Of Flanders why don’t you have a go yourself check out www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk for all your cycling holiday requirements.