VIAREGGIO – The technical features that a time trial offers, even more so if Tour of Italy, they are never banal and the focus is increasingly on personalization and customization.
Giant crowns are no longer a novelty, but the new frontier of time trial bikes focuses on advanced positions and prosthetic customizations, but that's not all. Let's look at some curiosities together.
Customized and “handcrafted” Deda components
Deda, technical supplier of the Polti-Visit Malta Team, has developed a customization system for prostheses mounted on time trial bikes. We had anticipated it to you in TiranaThe plate developed by Deda technicians is made of aluminium and milled directly in the company, with a sliding slot and several holes that allow you to position the shims between the handlebars and the elbow rest.
«The trend also in the time trial field – Davide Guntri of Deda tells us – is that of move much further forward than in the recent past. This is one of the reasons why longer extensions are also used in terms of length, considering that the measurements imposed by the UCI are always fundamental."
The customization of the prostheses also extends to the terminals of the extensions, customized for each rider, as well as the aerodynamic covers positioned on the rounded part of the handlebar.
The lenticular with the clock
Tudor will use the Timemachine (not the one developed in collaboration with Red Bull) with a setup that does not feature any major technical innovations. The peculiarity is in the livery of the rear lenticular signed DT Swiss and showing a watch, Tudor obviously.
De Bondt differentiated tubeless tires
«De Bondt's bike – he tells us Luis Lamas, mechanic of the Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale Team – is the Van Rysel XCR, therefore the specific model for time trials, with specific handlebars and Deda extensions. The transmission is Shimano Dura Ace (power meter included) with 11-34 sprockets and custom made 62 tooth front single chainring. The chain is treated with a ceramic finish. The wheels are Swiss Side, with a disc brake at the rear and an 80mm front.
«We fit Continental tubeless tyres, GP5000 from 28 for the rear and 26 Aero111 for the front wheel. The tire setup – explains the Spanish mechanic – is the same as that used on standard bikes. A separate section, since we use the 29 tire at the front and 28 at the rear, a sort of standard choice (not only for the Giro d'Italia). The main factor in these choices is the aerodynamicsThe weight of this bike is around 9 kilograms».
Affini and Van Aert, different crowns
Edoardo Affini and Wout Van Aert use the Cervélo P5, same Sram 1×12 transmission, same wheel settings, rear and rear disc brakes 99mm for the front and the tubeless ones are also the same (Vittoria Corsa Speed).
The comparison between the two is also evident in terms of the height of their prostheses (the two riders are physically similar) and they are equipped with the new Prologo saddle. Predator 01TTThe big difference is in the crown, from 64 teeth for the Flemish champion, 68 teeth for our European Champion. The sprocket range is 10/28 for this fast Giro d'Italia time trial.
Tarling and Bernal's Bolide
In addition to the futuristic shapes and components that are the perfect dress, the Bolide Tarling's livery is sure to catch the eye. The winner of the Albanian time trial rides a lenticular wheel paired with a three-spoke front wheel. Single 68-tooth front chainring and 11-34 sprocket range.
It goes down slightly with the gear ratio with the crown (single from 64 teeth) by Bernal, the reigning Colombian champion. The same setup is used for the wheels. It's interesting to note the C-Bear bottom bracket mounted on the Colombian's bike and the same crank length, the same one used on the Dogma F, 170mm.
But what is it?
We noticed it on the time trial bikes of Team Polti-VisitMalta. And' the control unit that allows the Sram AXS transmission to work on time trial bikes. Compared to the standard version of the AXS package, the shifters mounted on the time trial bikes only have space for the hydraulic brake chamber. Therefore, in order to function, the Blips buttons and satellites require a control unit that carries the shift signal to the derailleur. The control unit itself is hidden on some bikes, visible and external as in this case.
