Comments on: Carbon nanotubes enter Tour de France

Nanotubes are helping bike designers shave weight in the cycling world's premier event.
Photos: Nanotubes meet inner tubes

[Arbalest05]

All tour bikes weigh 6.8kilo's - the regulation minimum

Carbon nano tubes are high tech, but since the Tour De France requires that all bikes weigh a minimum of 6.8 kilos (14.99 lbs.) their low weight doesn't help much. Bikes that weigh the minimum have been made of all sorts of materials including carbon fiber, graphite fiber, aluminum, titanium and even steel alloys. The nano tubes are reported to stiffen the frame which may result in more efficient power transfer. I'd love to see Landis win the tour.

[richard.watson]

Yup, but

This way you get to choose where you put the weight instead of having it dictated to you. You can now play more with shaping the frame, adding technology to the bike/components, etc. All engineering is a tradeoff, having stronger and lighter material gives you more options.

[orbea847]

Nothing new

Why are you discussing this now? Because it's the Tour and trying to get people to read your crappy article.

It's old news pick up Cycle Sport America or Pro Cycling Mag and they do a "in depth article" on the bike.

Or better yet talk about Cannondale System 6 or low-speed wind tunnel testing the riders are using to test their time trial equipment ot Lance's F-1 project.