All bicycles are not created equal. Just as there are varieties of electronics or clothing, there are, of course, bicycles that are higher in quality than others – and much more expensive. This got me to thinking about the value of the merchandise that’s rolling along the roads of Australia right now, at the first event of the UCI’s 2010 calendar.
Cycling is a team sport and the teams must have various sponsors in order to exist. Bicycle manufacturers agree to supply the bikes for a certain period of time and some manufacturers—like Specialized—sponsor several teams at a time.
This is good business for the manufacturer since the athlete’s win is also the bicycle company’s win. Seriously. They actually do count the spot on the podium as their own. For example, Gitane Bicycles says on their website that they have won all of the Grand Tours and their “bicycles have won just about every major road race over its ... history.” Trek Bicycles claimed in one of their advertisements that “it’s got to be the bike”, after 9 straight wins at the Tour de France.
Alberto Contador, the 2009 Tour de France champion, signed an individual contract worth 700,000 Euros (US$987,275.89) to ride Specialized Bikes. His team Astana, also riding the same brand, has its own separate contract.
Meanwhile, back at the lab, bicycle technology keeps improving. Early bikes were very heavy machines, the frames being made of iron. Today, engineers continue research to produce the lightest and fastest frames, and wind tunnels are used to test the bike’s performance. Now a cyclist can ride a bike that he could lift with one finger. The gears may be electronic. And when a high-profile athlete is part of the team, a bike is designed specifically for his height and build.
In this regard, VeloNews says: Contador said he’s satisfied with work with new bike sponsor Specialized to improve his position over the bike. “There was a study done by Specialized and I’m happy with it, because they are people with a lot of experience and we studied my position to improve the efficiency of the pedal stroke,” he said. “My sensation is that when it comes time to transfer power to the bike is better now.”
Because George Hincapie (at right) is 6-foot-3, BMC Bikes built a custom frame to suit not only his stature but that he's a Classics rider, that is, he specializes in one-day races.
Trek states that "all it took to produce [their newest Madone] was tens of thousands of hours of development, 70 designs and re-designs and a refusal to accept anything less than perfection." The goal is to have the cyclist go at least a fraction of a second faster than the next guy. And when there’s a major win, sales to the public will most likely soar.
Taking part in the Tour Down Under are 133 riders forming 19 teams. Specialized Bikes are sponsoring Astana, Saxo Bank and Omega Pharma Lotto. Each of these three teams sports high-profile athletes. Pinarello Bikes are supplying Team Sky and Caisse d’Epargne. Felt Bikes sponsors Garmin-Transitions, Scott Bikes supplies HTC-Columbia and Footon-Servetto, while Trek is providing for RadioShack. Other capable competitors in this bike race are Cannondale, Giant, Orbea, Merckx, Ridley, Focus, Lapierre, BH and BMC.
So just how much is the peloton worth? Let’s scribble some math.
I couldn’t find out the prices of the bikes that are being used in the race. However, I checked some online retailers and used the most expensive figure since it would cost the average consumer less than what it costs to outfit a professional at that level. (Figures are in US dollars.)
Specialized – $4,800.00
Pinarello – $9,000.00
Felt – $9,000.00
Scott – $5,300.00
Cannondale – $7,000.00
Trek – $8,000.00
Giant – $13,900.00
I reckon some of these figures are very conservative. Nonetheless, it's probably safe to assume an average cost of around $8,000.00 per bike. Multiply that by 133 cyclists and you get over $1,000,000.00 of ongoing scientific research under some firm and toned butts, racing around the roads of Australia.
And that figure excludes differently designed bikes used in races that have Time Trials and mountain stages, members of the same teams taking part in races in another part of the world (simultaneously) and other items – apparel, helmets, shoes and even costly eyewear – that make up each team’s entire outfit.
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