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Hidden motors in cycling: Van den Dreissche banned for 6 years, titles stripped

cyclingtips.com

11–20 of 205 posts

Re: Hidden motors in cycling: Van den Dreissche banned for 6 years, titles stripped

#11

If the motor was installed by a family friend, why would that person need to conceal the switch?

So that they could still boast about their own performance. Or not take ribbing about the motor, not much difference.

(I don't say that because I buy the story about the friend, it's just a plausible reason to keep it hidden)

Re: Hidden motors in cycling: Van den Dreissche banned for 6 years, titles stripped

#12

What about Ryder Hesjedal's bike spinning on itself a few years back? Are we addressing that as well? It feels like the UCI is only going after easy pickings to prove a point and not doing its best to actually to fight mechanical cheating in fear of yet another scandal.

These motors work by directly coupling to the pedal shaft in the bottom bracket. It's hard to tell but it seems pretty clear to me that the pedals on Hesjedal's bike are not turning when it lands. The angular momentum is just from the back wheel which is still spinning.

Re: Hidden motors in cycling: Van den Dreissche banned for 6 years, titles stripped

#13
post #8

What about Ryder Hesjedal's bike spinning on itself a few years back? Are we addressing that as well? It feels like the UCI is only going after easy pickings to prove a point and not doing its best to actually to fight mechanical cheating in fear of yet another scandal.

For some additional context / evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynLMfzLTc8M

[deleted]

Re: Hidden motors in cycling: Van den Dreissche banned for 6 years, titles stripped

#14
post #4

It makes me wonder if the engines would be this sophisticated if they weren't for cheating?

Even rather casual cyclists will want something as light as possible and the in-frame hub drive arrangement has nice aesthetics.

Re: Hidden motors in cycling: Van den Dreissche banned for 6 years, titles stripped

#15

What about Ryder Hesjedal's bike spinning on itself a few years back? Are we addressing that as well? It feels like the UCI is only going after easy pickings to prove a point and not doing its best to actually to fight mechanical cheating in fear of yet another scandal.

That's already been demonstrated to be a side effect of a still-spinning rear wheel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak7xP8eghog

It should also be noted that "incident" occurred on a fast downhill section while Hesjedal wasn't pedaling so even if there were a motor it is exceedingly unlikely it would still be engaged at the time of the crash.

With a plausible physical explanation and no way to go back in time to check the bike for a motor, there's not much for the UCI to go after even if it felt the need to.

Re: Hidden motors in cycling: Van den Dreissche banned for 6 years, titles stripped

#17
This is unrelated, but that has to be the most confusing way to write a price I've ever seen: 2.699,00 - a period for the thousands separator, and a decimal comma for the cents.

I am aware of decimal commas - but a period for the thousands? I thought they used a space, or an apostrophe? 2'699,00

It must be tough writing code in Europe - computers only use decimal points, not decimal commas. And how do you make an international interface for money, when you never know how people will enter things?

Re: Hidden motors in cycling: Van den Dreissche banned for 6 years, titles stripped

#18
post #12

What about Ryder Hesjedal's bike spinning on itself a few years back? Are we addressing that as well? It feels like the UCI is only going after easy pickings to prove a point and not doing its best to actually to fight mechanical cheating in fear of yet another scandal.

These motors work by directly coupling to the pedal shaft in the bottom bracket. It's hard to tell but it seems pretty clear to me that the pedals on Hesjedal's bike are not turning when it lands. The angular momentum is just from the back wheel which is still spinning.

Probably a different type of motor. If you watch the video the back wheel slides along sideways for a while. This would stop all usual motion of the wheel and there is no way that it would maintain sufficient power to move the bike as it does even if there was some residual rotation.

Re: Hidden motors in cycling: Van den Dreissche banned for 6 years, titles stripped

#20

Part of me wonders why only 6 years. It doesn't seem like someone who would do this has much respect for the sport.

If it put you out of the sport permanently then it could be assumed to be long enough.
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