Re:Thermal camera footage allegedly shows pro cyclists using...
by thescriptkiddie on Tuesday April 19, 2016 @02:09PM
(#11528895)
At the amateur level, bikes are always customized by the rider to some degree. Teams are usually sponsored by both a manufacturer and a bike shop, so riders have a good source of discounted components. It's not uncommon for them to strip the bike down to the frame and rebuild it the way they like. The manufacturers also ask for feedback on the frame designs and tweak them every year. I can't imagine things are much different at the pro level.
Long gone are the days of a pro rider turning up on a relabelled bike of their choice (their bike, their sponsors' logos).
The bikes tend to be distinct enough that they are definitely riding the frame of their team sponsor, and the wheels have become similarly distinctive too (no more Lightweights disguised as Mavic).