In racing phrases, the motion on any given time trial is maybe much less frenetic than a highway stage of the Tour de France. They’re a gradual burn with ever-building rigidity, however for tech nerds who get enthusiastic about probably the most marginal of positive factors, they’re an absolute gold mine awash with shiny nuggets. Race chief Tadej Pogacar’s TT bike is a wealthy seam in itself, with loads of mods and a few brand-new components that haven’t been seen earlier than, so let’s dive proper in, or put it aside for when there is a lull in proceedings in the course of the stage 7 time trial.
The pictures herein are gleaned from a UAE Team Emirates tweet, however handily Colnago has additionally posted an honest gallery of the bike, which we have included under.
An very costly saddle
First up now we have a model new saddle from UAE Team Emirates sponsor, Prologo. I do have some insider data on this: There’s a claimed seven-watt profit to the saddle, due to aero enhancements and enhancements in rider posture. While the main edges appear to be on the forefront of any good aerodynamicist’s thoughts, this new saddle goals to easy the airflow because it detaches from the rider’s again, with an elongated rear and closely dropped aspect shrouds to protect the rails and seat clamp.
In addition to aero advantages, the form is claimed to permit ‘most pelvis rotation’, primarily for higher consolation. Finally, and to offer me a stunning segue into extra weight weenie mods, the load of the saddle is a claimed 140g, which may be very, very gentle. It’s additionally very very costly, with a price ticket of £1,020, and it seems to solely work with a proprietary aftermarket seat clamp system due to narrower than common, flat rails.
Aftermarket seatpost
Speaking of weight weenie-ism, the saddle sits atop a non-standard seatpost from Spanish boutique carbon gear model, Darimo. The customary Colnago TT01 seat put up incorporates a big rail on the high for an ideal diploma of fore-aft adjustment, however choosing a customized seatpost can get rid of this and easily put the saddle the place it’s wanted, shaving grams. Word on the road is that this aftermarket seatpost suggestions the scales underneath 130g, due to it being sliced off on the absolute secure insertion restrict. I even have it on good authority that Darimo is supplying aftermarket seatposts for the Israel-Premier Tech workforce too.
This seatpost has been developed with the 2 manufacturers and shall be accessible as an add on to the TT01 by way of the Colnago web site if you happen to actually wish to emulate this specific setup.
No paint, no logos
Even on a highway bike, the place there’s much less materials, ditching paint for uncooked carbon can prevent someplace within the area of 300g. On a TT bike, the positive factors are even higher, so it’s no shock to see Pogaçar eschew any fancy paint. His Colnago would ordinarily have easy white logos, however given he’s in yellow these have been caught over with yellow vinyl. Likewise, his wheels have been stripped of their logos in an effort to save lots of a couple of grams. The rear is an Aerocoach Aeox Ultra Orbit wheel, and whereas the entrance is unbadged it’s reportedly a deeper new Enve mannequin.
The newest race content material, interviews, options, evaluations and skilled shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
Lightweight rotors
Brake rotors are principally metallic, for us mortals anyway. Pogaçar, like his teammates, is working Carbon-Ti rotors, and whereas he has the choice to make use of a full aero set with a stable carbon centre, the Slovenian has as an alternative opted for the lighter extra spindly X-Rotor at €220 a pop.
One huge carbon ring and SRM cranks
Matching the brake rotors, Pogaçar can also be utilizing a chainring from Carbon-Ti. We do see him use a 2x setup steadily, however right here it’s arrange 1x. That will save a good quantity of weight as you’ll be able to ditch a complete chainring, bolts, and the entrance derailleur, and likewise add some aero positive factors too. I’ve had it confirmed that it’s a 60t ring for the primary time trial, although he could use a 2x for the second race in opposition to the clock later within the Tour.
This ring is then mounted to SRM cranks reasonably than Dura-Ace ones. This swaps the Shimano energy meter too, with a spider-based setup used right here. This swap alone is a £1,600 improve to what’s already a really costly bike.
No valves
It’s quite common for the disc rear to have a hidden valve, the port to which we are able to see taped over simply. What is much less widespread is to cover the entrance valve fully. Given the depth of the entrance rim it’ll require the usage of valve extenders anyway, so it is a easy case of inflating the tyre to the specified strain, then unscrewing the extender and taping over the opening. Now you’ve decreased your rotational mass and brought one thing asymmetrical out of the airflow on the entrance of the bike – a simple win for certain.
Lightweight derailleur hanger
As per his highway bike, and his teammate’s too, the rear derailleur is mounted to the body by way of a Frames and Gear aftermarket derailleur hanger which we additionally noticed on his highway bike. It’s lighter, and apparently stiffer to make shifting much more crispy. We can’t truly see this, however it’s there.
Raw carbon extensions
Poggi has been utilizing non-standard TT extensions for the reason that Giro d’Italia. At the time his new models had been flat black and badged up with Enve logos. Here the form stays unchanged, so I’ve no motive to suspect they’re new, however they’re uncooked carbon this time, so I believe they’re simply barely lighter, in addition to wanting trick.
Cooler brake pads
Nestled throughout the entrance and rear brake callipers are aftermarket brake pads from AbsoluteBlack. These function a raised lattice that stands out above the pad into the airflow and are mentioned to assist brake efficiency by holding temperatures down. There can also be graphene concerned within the combine due to its thermally conductive properties.
An previous tyre
This is one thing I do not suppose I’ve seen as but. Poggi seems to be working an previous, fairly worn rear tyre. It’s not the TT model of the GP5000 I do not suppose, although the precise mannequin has been sharpie’d out. My speculation is that that is maybe an older, non tubeless GP5000 S, run with latex internal tubes. Perhaps the extra put on on the tread has made it thinner and due to this fact extra supple, and in the end quicker, although now we have no affirmation on this entrance.