- I'm here on the Muur Van Geraardsbergen,
The final battleground for so many years
in the tour of Flanders.
(Si groans) - Sorry mate. Sorry I'm late.
It took me awhile to get ready this morning.
- Sorry, Si, is that you?
- Well, kind of.
Today, Matthew, I am Johan Museeuw.
- [Matthew] I'm not sure Johan Museeuw
would be particularly happy with you saying that,
but anyway...
- Well, no , that is a fair point,
however, I do have Johan Museeuw's very bike
that he used in the 2000 Tour of Flanders.
That's right, the era defining Colnago C40.
- Well that's a little bit of a coincidence
'cause I happen to be sat astride the Trek Domane
belonging to Yaroslav Popovych which he rode
in the Classics Campaign in 2016.
- You know what, Matt?
Wonder if we should put these through their paces?
- Do you mean, a retro v. modern?
- Classic special?
Let's do it.
(upbeat music)
- Firstly, Si, I think we need to put the bike
into a little bit of context,
or the rider in fact, Johan Museeuw,
an utter legend of the sport.
World Road Race champion,
three times winner of Paris-Roubaix,
and three times winner of the Tour of Flanders.
He is the Lion of Flanders.
An absolute living legend,
without a shadow of a doubt.
- That is right, and arguably though, this bike, the C40,
is even more iconic than its former rider.
So when it was introduced,
the first time in secret in to the pro peloton,
it was 1993.
And in '95,
it actually became the first bike, first carbon bike,
to win Paris-Roubaix.
And it amassed incredible number
of victories until it was eventually retired
from the pro peloton, about a decade later.
Now I said it was carbon,
but it's carbon in a very different way to yours,
even though they share the same material.
Because it was made by bonding carbon tubes to carbon lugs.
And it gives it one very, very big advantage
in that it can be made to be entirely custom.
So this is Johan Museeuw's own personal custom geometry.
And it is certainly quite a unique feeling bike to ride,
that's for sure.
- Well, in fact, Domane is made of the same material,
carbon fibre, but it's a little bit different.
It's made in a mold.
It's monocoque and whilst Trek didn't have the luxury
of having custom frames made,
but they did have a race-specific,
limited edition geometry which had limited availability
to the general public as well.
Built-in to this frame,
as you can see,
is an IsoSpeed decoupler,
adjustable from the rear,
giving the bike quite remarkable vertical compliance,
and of course the bike itself,
is tremendously stiff.
- Well, that is a funny point, actually,
the stiffness side of things,
because with these skinny tubes,
this one definitely doesn't look anywhere near as stiff,
and I think, if I was to really stamp on the pedals,
I'd probably find it very different to that one.
But the comfort, even though it has no Iso-Speed Decouplers,
it is still a very comfortable bike,
and I think that comes down firstly,
to those skinny tubes again.
Then also to choice of wheels.
So even in 2000, Classics riders
were still using these box-section aluminium wheels
and they are significantly more comfortable,
although less aero-dynamic,
than your deep-section carbon bad boys there.
(upbeat music)
- How does it feel like there?
That was the Bosberg, by the way, we just rode up.
How does it feel?
You look pretty comfy.
It's a really laid back position,
but I tell you what Si,
you look like you could be Johan Museeuw.
- Oh Matt, that is the nicest thing anyone
has ever said to me.
"Like a slow Johan Museeuw."
- [Matthew] Look at that!
- Yeah. Yeah! Yeah!
- [Matthew] How does it feel, though?
'Cause you're very, very long.
I mean, the position's quiet aero itself,
but how does it kinda handle?
- I'll tell you what, position
is a really interesting thing because even though this
is entirely custom, he's put a 140 stem on here,
but, yeah, there's hardly any drop
between the saddle and the bars.
So although I'm still super stretched out,
it contrasts completely with modern-day race bikes.
And aside from handling, kinda slow actually,
it feels really good.
Feels like I could just cruise around on this all day.
Just, effortlessly floating through the bunch.
- I think another thing we need to mention.
We talked about the frames.
Talked about handling of the bike.
What about gears?
'Cause on this bike, of course,
I've got Shimano Di2.
Giving me a really wide gear ratio.
11 to 28, I think it is on this bike.
Twenty-two gears to choose from where,
as back in 2000,
as I remember well,
I was racing as a pro back then,
far more limited availability as well.
A limited range of gears, sorry.
- That's right. So this C40
has got Shimano-Dura 7700 on there.
Which, actually, this is the 25th anniversary group
so it's particularly special.
And I think, you correct me if I'm wrong,
was introduced back in 1996.
And actually wasn't changed until 2004.
And so we've only got nine-speed at the back
and Museeuw rode 39/53 chainrings in Flanders.
And with a 12/23 or 11/23 block, I think.
But the fact that this group set
didn't change for eight years,
and the frame didn't change for ten,
means that even just, what, 17 years ago,
pros didn't change bikes half as much as they do now.
There was much slower turnover of technology, wasn't there?
- Definitely and I think another interesting point
about your gears selection, a narrower range of gears.
And Museeuw actually used to ride 177.5 cranks
whereas Popovych, 172.5, a smaller rider.
But that just shows about this leverage
and the sort of slower gears.
Lower cadence over the climbs as well.
- Yeah, these are monster cranks. 177.5.
- You're rolling them beautifully!
- There's a reason why I'm peddling at 50 rpm.
It's just a cruiser, this bike.
A cruiser that's also won the Tour of Flanders.
And Paris-Roubaix.
- Privileged.
- And the Worlds.
(upbeat music)
- I'll tell you what, Si.
The top of the Bosberg, the other side,
I might just give it a bit of a nudge on the cobble descent.
You coming with me?
- (Car passing drowns out speaker) I'll probably go a bit.
It's Belgian heritage. I think I might walk.
- You sure? - Yeah
- All-right, here we go!
(intense rock music)
- Sweet as a nut!
(Si emits a sustained cry)
- Belgium heritage! Imagine what they'd do
if I broke Johan's bike.
(Matthew emits a sustained cry)
- Here he comes! Here he comes!
Mr. Modern-Day, cruising down on his "cobble eater".
- Look out, Si!
- Heritage! Heritage!
- Uh, Si, we're heading towards the Muur.
- Yeah - Do you fancy,
for old times' sake, giving it a nudge?
- A retro modern race?
- Definitely. - Go for it!
Hey Matt, who do you think
would have won? Cancellara or Museeuw?
(intense orchestra music)
(sound of bicycle gears
(heavy breathing)
(Si groans)
(Heavy breathing)
- Well, Si, what an absolutely wonderful ride that was.
A mini cycling pilgrimage. - Yeah!
- And I can tell, by the look on your face,
now and out on the road, you were having a whale of a time.
- I was, I did have a whale of a time.
I was a little bit unsure about the bike
to start with because it felt so different.
The position and the geometry was just so different
to what I'm normally used to.
But by the end, it was like it was on rails.
It was so fast, and super-duper stiff.
One issue, though, that I think we need to address
before everyone raises it in the comments.
Is that for a lot of you, and us included, the year 2000
doesn't actually feel all that long ago,
but in bike-terms,
I think these two are like chalk and cheese.
- Yep - There is an awful lot
that has happened in the last 17 years
and so actually the year 2000,
when you're looking at a classic bike like that,
is definitely retro. 17 years prior to that, in 1983,
really not quite so much a change, really.
Just toe-clips, some straps and down-shift shifters.
- And maybe, I think, a difference in weight.
But in terms of look and geometry, pretty much the same.
- Yeah
- But what about the other key factor about a retro bike?
The aesthetic. (Si moans in agreement)
The aesthetic of the bike. I mean, both bikes are beautiful.
But in particular, Colnago.
It's got this real sense of reverence.
It's always a piece of art.
- Yeah, it is a piece of art, isn't it?
We are super, super lucky to have that.
It must be said though,
that if I was going to have a bike to ride now.
I'd go for the Trek.
(Matt hums in surprise)
I'd go for the modern bike.
The kind of riding that will do
short, fast, full-gas efforts now.
That Trek is just robust and it's fast
and you just wanna thrash it.
- I mean whatever the road threw up today.
It kind of ate it for breakfast.
That descent of the Bosberg,
I just wanted to go faster and faster.
The bike had no problem dealing with the cobbles,
even at really high speed.
But yeah, that is the way to go.
But perhaps this one?
A nice gentle, tranquil ride to the cafe, perhaps.
- One day, I will have a classic bike and ride to the cafe.
- Definitely. Now, for all things cycling,
you'll want to talk shop in fact,
how 'bout clicking on the globe?
And that way you would not miss another GCM video.
- That's right and make sure you subscribe.
And then, if you want more content?
Well why not click just over there?
Where Matt got to ride a bike
even older than Johan Museeuw's Colnago C40.
A genuine retro piece.
The 1987 Battaglin of Stephen Roche.
- Now right now I'm sitting next to Simon Richardson,
dressed as Johan Museeuw.
If you want to see the real Johan Musseuw,
in conversation with myself,
how about clicking just down here?