Wheels, too, have seen their fair share of evolution, becoming more streamlined and weather-resistant, enabling riders to achieve unbelievably high speeds over stages. The thin tyres on the cycles may not look like much but they require serious attention. Good tyres are selected six months ahead of the event and kept in a cool, dark place so they 'ripen' like meat. A good braking system can mean the difference between life and death, and the wheel gripping-pinching variety have long since disappeared. That system would prove fatal if applied to thin wheels.
Modern brakes stop the cycle gradually via slow pressure.
Over the years riders' clothing has seem more changes than most fashion lines. Since cycling is an extremely exhausting sport and heat has a very negative influence, cyclists' gear should absorb excess heat as well as their perspiration. Racing attire, streamlined in design, enables riders to 'cut' through the air, eliminating wind resistance. Fabrics have been windtunnel tested in the United States. Footwear, also, has undergone major development over the years.