Comments on: Michael Barry’s diary – Radio ga ga

By: hammerdog_callahan

hammerdog_callahan — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 02:06:13 +0000

So when they ban radios the illegal use of hidden radios will be very tempting to try. It would be a huge advantage if you had info and your mates in the peloton were otherwise clueless.

By: Jon Nelson

Jon Nelson — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:22:41 +0000

Radios be gone!

By: nolanwinkler

nolanwinkler — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:18:56 +0000

Bravo, Michael Barry and David Millar and DZ and all pro cyclists who wish the radios will be banned. This article made so much sense. Thanks so much

By: Keith

Keith — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 16:17:00 +0000

Tactics make bike racing more interesting. TTs are less exciting because of that IMO – why not watch a marathon? Running is “pure,” just an athlete with shoes; but there’s nothing terribly interesting about it!

Besides, as far as I’m concerned the “purest form of bike racing” lost the right to that claim a long time ago. The right skinsuit, specialized TT bike, aero helmet, disk wheels, power meter, and wind tunnel testing make huge differences; probably more, in fact, than a radio does.

And if the radio causes you to push yourself harder, how does that lessen the difficulty? If the race is closer, how does that make it less exciting? Sorry Michael, I’m not buying any of this … IMO radios and technical access have made world class cycling much more fun to watch – particularly in pack racing, where the impossibility of adequately coordinating 9 team members becomes clear very quickly in the absence of central planning.

Want “pure”? Take up running. If you’ve added a ball or wheels it’s already too late. Just my $.02.

By: radio free racing

radio free racing — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:50:00 +0000

radios are bad for cycling. with radios, rider’s don’t have to think anymore or calculate their efforts according to experience. chalkboard time checks from a car or motorcycle are fine, but radios – no way. want to talk on a radio? get an amateur radio license, cycling is about riding. poor riders with no radios…radios have become a “crutch” just like doping has.

By: David

David — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 06:19:07 +0000

I read this article when it was first published, and was interested to read it again. Much is made about races being made “safer” through the use of radios. I'd be interested to know if there are any statistics to back that up. Have there been fewer injuries and crashes in races since the radios started being used?? It seems to me that there are still plenty of crashes and significant injuries… just ask Pedro Horrillo how radios helped him…