Like slack seat tubes much? Here’s a Merckx built for Steve Bauer for the 1993 Paris Roubaix using a 60 degree seat tube angle.
from flickr …
An unusual lugged steel racing bike built for the cobbles of the Paris-Roubaix race of 1993. A special saddle made for this bike by Selle San Marco featured a raised back (based on and similar to their “Concor” model design) - obviously to help keep the rider from slipping back. The very long wheel base of this bike must have offered a comparatively comfortable ride.
An interesting racing bike design experiment.
However, Bauer did not even place among the top 10… Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle, age 39, won the race (for the second consecutive year) riding a bike with a massive MTB-style fork with front shock suspension.
from discussions on another forum …
IIRC, Eddy did not want to make it but did so only on the condition it be returned to him after use so he could destroy it! I would go look in the archives for this discussion if I was not so pressed for time
Pretty sure I remember that even Bauer admitted it was a bad idea and abandoned it.
Steve Bauer, the great Canadian champion, was hit by a truck on a training ride, i believe. He returned to racing w/ the pictured bike designed to lessen the pain. I don’t think he had great results, but still did amazingly well, all things considered. A courageous and daring rider.
