4 Bits Of Retro Cycling Tech You Should Know About

Clock00:00, Thursday 23rd November 2017

Matt and Jon bring you four of their favourite weird and wonderful tech pieces from the past decades... which would you love to try?

Subscribe to GCN: http://gcn.eu/SubscribeToGCN
Register your interest in the GCN Club: http://gcn.eu/sO
Get exclusive GCN gear in the GCN shop! http://gcn.eu/sN

For more great content just like this, make sure you subscribe to the GCN Tech channel: http://gcntech.co/subscribe

Here at GCN, we really do love a bit of retro-tech, and we know you do too. So we thought we'd share with you some of our favourite bits of old school tech. Starting with these Spinergy Rev X wheels. Now the company was set up in the early 1990's by a former Cannondale engineer called Ralph Schlanger. With a distinctive, striking design, they certainly cut a dash in the Pulsar.

- I love what you did there, Matt. That's right, they were distinctive, certainly. I mean eight carbon spokes, essentially bonded together. You could also stiffen them up with some little Rev X inserts in there as well.

- You could indeed, and they really had, as well as distinctive design, a distinctive sound, as well.

- They certainly did.

- A little bit like a helicopter, really, wasn't it?

- Yeah!

- Now aside from ourselves, because both John and I did ride these quite amazing wheels in the 1990's. That is actually a picture of John in his back garden. Despite the pixels, he is there somewhere. This is retro after all. Now lots of other top pros used them, didn't they? Mario Cipollini when he was riding at the Seiko, Paolo Batini rode them as well. As well as Michele Bartoli, But, shat a legendary rider he was. But as the 90's progressed there're increasing stories of these wheels quite literally exploding underneath the riders, as well as other stories of them causing quite nasty and gruesome injuries as well.

- Yeah, let's face it, Matt. Essentially they were eight blades of carbon flapping around in the peloton weren't they?

- Indeed like llamas almost.

- Yeahthat's right. So in the end, in 2001 the UCI took it upon themselves to ban them, ban them in competition. And then the Spinergy Rev Xs were essentially sent to the carbon scrap heap in the sky.

- Tell you what, that despite the risk of them sort of, at any moment, exploding underneath you, they're still one of the coolest wheels ever, aren't they?

- Yeah, absolutely gutted I sold mine.

- Power pedals, the pedals that make you a winner. Oh, well that's what it says on the box anyway.

- What a tag line. Now these retro pedalling tech actually date back to 1995, he used them, and came from Norway. What was most interesting about these was the fact there was a clutch mechanism inside of the spindle, making it impossible to backpedal. Which, in theory anyway, created more leverage by adding the length of the shoe sole to the length of the crankarm during the upstroke phase of the pedal stroke.


If you'd like to contribute captions and video info in your language, here's the link 👍http://gcn.eu/sP

Watch more on GCN...
Retro VS Modern! 📹 http://gcn.eu/1CbcdDS
Retro VS Modern on the cobbles of Flanders 📹 http://gcn.eu/8h

Photos: © Bettiniphoto / http://www.bettiniphoto.net/ & ©Tim De Waele / http://www.tdwsport.com

About GCN:

The Global Cycling Network puts you in the centre of the action: from the iconic climbs of Alpe D’Huez and Mont Ventoux to the cobbles of Flanders, everywhere there is road or pavé, world-class racing and pro riders, we will be there bringing you action, analysis and unparalleled access every week, every month, and every year. We show you how to be a better cyclist with our bike maintenance videos, tips for improving your cycling, cycling top tens, and not forgetting the weekly GCN Show. Join us on YouTube’s biggest and best cycling channel to get closer to the action and improve your riding!

Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside cycling

Thanks to our sponsors:

Alta Badia: http://gcn.eu/AltaBadia- // Maratona Dles Dolomites: http://gcn.eu/MaratonaDlesDolomites-
Assos of Switzerland: http://gcn.eu/Assos
KASK helmets: http://gcn.eu/KASK
fi’zi:k shoes and saddles: http://gcn.eu/fizikshoes and http://gcn.eu/fiziksaddles
Topeak tools: http://gcn.eu/Topeak
Canyon bikes: http://gcn.eu/-Canyon
Quarq: http://gcn.eu/Quarq
DT Swiss: http://gcn.eu/DtSwiss
Science in Sport: http://gcn.eu/SiS
Orbea bikes: http://gcn.eu/Orbea
Trek Bicycles: http://gcn.eu/-Trek
Vision wheels: http://gcn.eu/Vision
Zipp wheels: http://gcn.eu/Zipp
power2max: http://gcn.eu/power2max
Wahoo Fitness: http://gcn.eu/Wahoo-Fitness
Park Tool: http://gcn.eu/-parktool
Continental tyres: http://gcn.eu/continental-
Camelbak: http://gcn.eu/camelbak-

The GCN Club - http://gcn.eu/club
YouTube Channel - http://gcn.eu/gcnYT
Facebook - http://gcn.eu/gcnFb
Instagram - http://gcn.eu/GCNInsta
Google+ - http://gcn.eu/gcnGPlus
Twitter - http://gcn.eu/gcnTW

Leave us a comment below!

More GCN videos

Link to The Best Emergency Snacks To Keep You Cycling
Play
YouTube video zdDXV7Ifmxc

The Best Emergency Snacks To Keep You Cycling

Hit a wall during a long ride? We've all been there. Bonking on a ride isn't fun but what should you eat to get yourself cycling again? Conor asks nutrition expert and founder of @precisionfandh what to eat on a bike ride.

Clock
Link to What Gear Do You Need to Start Cycling?
Play
YouTube video ork7X4dgTRM

What Gear Do You Need to Start Cycling?

What kit do you need as a beginner cyclist? Hank talks you through the essentials to help kick-start your cycling journey. From cycling clothes to puncture repair kits, this checklist will get you on the roads in no time!

Clock
Link to Is Oxytocin The Secret To The Cycling Buzz? | GCN Show Ep. 585
Play
YouTube video xAQJREs2_do

Is Oxytocin The Secret To The Cycling Buzz? | GCN Show Ep. 585

Scientists have found that cycling increases levels of the love hormone, oxytocin. How does this affect your mood? Could cycling improve your social or even love life? In cycling shorts, the first openly gay man to cycle around the globe and Mathieu van der Poel signs another 10-year Canyon deal.

Clock
Link to Was This Peak Bike? We Ride A 90s Super Bike
Play
YouTube video l5CILKV30uY

Was This Peak Bike? We Ride A 90s Super Bike

Is this bike the pinnacle of cycling engineering? Si thinks he's found the ultimate bike... a vintage Pinarello Dyna, ridden in the Tour de France by climbing legend, José María Jiménez. Si tests this spectacular Pinarello Dyna against the latest Dogma to see whether his peak bike theory rings true.

Clock
Subscribe to the GCN Newsletter

Get the latest, most entertaining and best informed news, reviews, challenges, insights, analysis, competitions and offers - straight to your inbox