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2012 Tour de France PreviewBob Roll Picks The Winner

Comfort Without Compromise Trek, Specialized & BMC • Three Bold Bikes Lead the Way

Your Dream Bike?Inside the Handmade Bike Show

Do or Die:Carbon Wheel Debate Rages

2013 Trek Domane

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JULY 2012

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Introducing Trek Domane /It’s the perfect complement to our Tour-winning Madone, purpose built to smooth the road and keep you at full power longer. Learn more at www.trekbikes.com.

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WARNING: Much of the actiondepicted in this magazine ispotentially dangerous. Virtually all ofthe riders seen in our photos areexperienced ex perts or professionals.Do not attempt to duplicate anystunts that are beyond your owncapabilities. Al ways use discretionand wear the appropriate safety gear.

RBACONTENTS: VOLUME 6 - NUMBER 6 - JULY 2012

BIKE TESTS88 The Project Gravel Bike Has

ArrivedA Specialized Crux is the perfect starting point

96 The Battle For Your Four GrandJamis and Focus vie over the Ultegra Di2 market

FEATURES28 RBA’s 2012 Tour de France

PreviewHere are the facts and figures for you to follow along with

42 Bob Roll Picks A TdF WinnerBobke looks into the peloton to pick the podium

46 Hercules Would Be ProudThe minds and designs that make up the Handmade Bike Show

67 The Power of PavéHe who controls the cobbles may control your next bike purchase—here are three new bikes to prove it…

70 Specialized Wins On The New Roubaix

72 Trek’s New Domane Really Is Something Special

77 BMC Brings New Shapes To The Game

84 The Master Of The CobblesReaching out to former Paris-Roubaix winner, Andrea Tafi

114 Flirting With GreatnessWhy Peter Sagan is destined for big things

118 The Criterium FactorJesse Anthony shares his secrets on pack riding

TECH106 The Explosive Debate Of

Carbon ClinchersHow a website warning caught our attention

120 Put A Lid On ItTesting four new helmets

124 Kenda KountachThe company’s fastest rubber yet?

6 www.roadbikeaction.com

ROAD BIKE ACTION Magazine (ISSN: 1069-2649 CanadaGST 12500#9266RT: CPC INT’L. PUB MAIL 40024492)JULY 2012 (Volume 6, Number 6) is published 9 issues peryear by Daisy/Hi-Torque Publishing Company, Inc., witheditorial offices at 25233 Anza Dr., Valencia, CA 91355.Subscriptions $15.99 for one year (9 issues). Canada add$8 additional postage for one year. Foreign add $15 addi-tional postage for one year. Subscriptions $28.99 for twoyears. Foreign subscriptions are shipped by surface mailand may take up to 15 weeks to receive. Copyright ©2012by Daisy/Hi-Torque Publishing Company, Inc. All rightsreserved. Nothing in this magazine may be reprinted inwhole or in part, by any means, without the express per-mission of the publisher. Contributors: Photographs shouldbe submitted in digital form on CD or DVD. Images shouldbe 4 megapixels or higher. High-quality, low-compressionJPEG images are preferred. Please limit submissions to nomore than 20 photos at one time. Transparencies andprints will no longer be accepted for consideration; suchimages should be scanned and submitted as high-resolu-tion digital files. Captions should accompany all submis-sions. Make sure the photographer’s name, address,phone number and e-mail address are clearly labeled oneach CD or DVD. Submissions will not be returned. Writtenarticles should be submitted on CD (unless other arrange-ments have been made with the editors), saved as “text”files, and accompanied by a printed version. Written sub-missions, both on paper and CD, will not be returned. Thepublisher does not assume responsibility for unsolicitedmaterial. PERIODICALS: Postage paid at Santa Clarita, CA91383, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER:Send address changes to Road Bike Action Magazine,P.O. 957, Valencia, CA 91380-9947. Printed in U.S.A. ForCanadian returns mail to: Bleuchip International, P.O. Box25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.

DEPARTMENTS14 Zap’s Column

Reflections on the NAHBS

16 LettersMichael has a new best friend

18 Bike CultureSea Otter tech outtakes

24 Why We RideMore schwag contests and winners

126 RBA Q&ATime trial tips for one and all

128 Being ProUnitedHealthcare’s Jeff Louder

130 Girl TalkRaeLynn has her own Sea Otter outtakes

132 In The MixThree new bikes to consider

134 On The StreetsRapha proves their TdF genius

136 Last ShotsThe Spring Classics bring much to bear

ON THE COVER: Trek shocked theracing world with their radical newDomane, and on page 72 we headedto Belgium to give it a try.Photo: Courtesy Trek.

ON THIS PAGE: Once the dust from thecobbles is washed away, the Paris-Roubaix-specific equipment won’t beseen for another year.Photo: Glenn Kasin.

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EditorZapata Espinoza

Assistant EditorsNeil Shirley, Michael White

Featured ColumnistBob Roll

DesignersVicky Bertrand, Tim La Paglia

PhotographyPat Carrigan, John Ker

Contributing Photographers: Roberto Bettini,Brian Hodes

Contributing Editors: Paolo Galloni, Bob Sutton,RaeLynn Milley, Dr. Jonathan Edwards,Gregor Brown

European Correspondent: Tim Maloney

Test Consultants: Dorothy Wong, Bari Waalk, BobSutton, Sean McCoy

Online Editors: Tom Hinz

Production CoordinatorWally Deicken

Copy EditorsStephanie Sun, Cassandra Mittelberg

Prelim CoordinatorWilliam Hawley IV

AdvertisingAdvertising Director: Robb MesecherAccount Executive: Derreck BernardAccount Executive: Jerome DziechiaszAccount Executive: John BarilaAd Production Coordinator: Jennifer EdmonstonAccount Administrator: Lisa Beckwith

Hi-Torque Publications, Inc. President and PublisherRoland HinzAssociate PublisherLila HinzAssistant To The PresidentCassandra MittelbergAssistant To The PresidentKatharine McCoyAssistant To The PresidentTom Hinz

Circulation DirectorJeff Shoop

Promotions DirectorTim La Paglia

Editorial and Advertising Offices25233 Anza DriveValencia, CA 91355(661) 295-1910Fax: (661) 295-1278www.hi-torque.com

Subscription InformationTo subscribe to Road Bike Action please visit us at www.roadbikeaction.comOr call, (800) 767-0345 (8am-5pm PST, M-F)

www.roadbikeaction.com

Any change of address or subscription problems please contact us by e-mail: michelle@hi-torque.com or call (800) 767-0345.

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ZAP’SCOLUMN By Zapata Espinozazap@roadbikeaction.com

14 www.roadbikeaction.com

➥On page 46 of this issue you will findmy report from the eighth annual

North American Handmade Bicycle Show.This is a bike show that simply refuses tostop gaining popularity, due in no smallpart to the passion and vision of theshow’s founder, Don Walker, as much as tothe growing lore of the mind-bogglingcraftsmanship seen in the show aisles.

Regular readers may recall my reactionto last year’s show in Austin (RBA, June2011), where I came away simply over-whelmed by what I witnessed inside thearena in Austin, Texas (Don picks adifferent host city each year to help mini-mize travel costs for the small builders).Well, this year, my visit to the SacramentoConvention Center was nothing short of adéjà vu experience. I didn’t get more than20 feet into the convention hall when I wasstopped in my tracks by a beautifullycrafted bike built by Mitch Pryor. And then10 feet later, there was another, followedby another, and another. And that, in anutshell, is the reality of attending NAHBS.

And before you start shaking your headthinking that all I’m crowing about here areeither old bikes or “art bikes,” you’d bewrong. Sure, steel frames outnumberedcarbon, and there was no shortage offrames joined with lug construction, butthere is nonetheless a nod to modernity atNAHBS that is just as impressive as any-thing found at one of the bigger industryshows. In fact, many of these builders aresmall-time operations with neither anaccounting nor marketing department toanswer to. They are, in fact, more readilycapable of pushing known technicalboundaries than the big bike brands.

Further proof of the show’s significancebeyond sheer style and antiquity wasperhaps most evident with the presence ofthe dozen or so designers and productmanagers from mega-brands likeSpecialized, Felt and Trek, who weremaking the rounds with cameras in hand.And while their none-too-subtle level ofdocumenting efforts didn’t rival the level ofinter-industry espionage most often seenat the Eurobike and Interbike shows,where cadres of Asian product design-ers/manufacturers are famous for poringover their competitors bikes with theirbelt-buckle cameras, it was impressivenonetheless to see the “little guys” warrantsuch attention from the “big guys.” Canyou say trickle up?

It’s also curious to note that two of theshow’s biggest sponsors are drivetraincompanies who, while far and away aremore preoccupied with their list of multi-million-dollar clients, still see the signifi-cance of having a relationship with thesmall-time builders. Both Shimano andGates find plenty of fertile ground for theirelectronic and belt-drive componentsrespectively in what the handmade crowdis building.

Of course, all talk of technology aside,as usual, I remain most enamored by thepeople behind the products whose visionshelp the sport evolve and drive betterperformance. Yeah, as soft a spot as I’vehad in my heart for new technology, the ol’ticker is downright mushy for the crafts-men who dream it all up. From ErnestoColnago to Geoff Ringle, it’s the builders,with all their passion and creativity, whoinspire me the most. This year, Rob

English was a real standout. His RightSide bike was a marvel of inventivenessand original thinking.

However, it was a chance encounterwith an old frame-builder friend that madethe show for me. Like a long-ago-disap-peared family member returning to thedinner table, there stood a trim andsmiling Chris Chance of Fat City Cyclesfame looking at the latest incarnation ofsteel frames. Chris’ Fat Chance mountainbikes played a huge developmental role inthe late ’80s East Coast mountain bikescene, and his Slim Chance road bikeshave become valued collector items.When I asked him what he was up tothese days, he said, “Body work.”

Thinking it odd that such a notedartisan would be hammering out fendersand sanding Bondo, I countered, “Like oncars and trucks?”

“No,” he quickly corrected me, “onpeople.” Chris Chance, former bicycleframe builder, now human body corrector.It was cool to see him again.

What made meeting Chris so specialwas that I was able to somehow pick himout of the crowd of public bike freaks.That’s right—unlike our annual bike-indus-try show in Las Vegas that goes to anylength to keep consumers outside ourworld of privilege and self-importance,NAHBS founder Don Walker has kept anopen-door policy from day one. At theinaugural show, there were just under 700people in attendance. But this year, Donwas happy to report that over 8000 fansfilled the hall to see over 170 exhibitorsfrom around the globe. Fabulous!

By far the most telling sentiment ofwhat NAHBS represents came from TimO’Donnell of Shamrock Cycles whenI asked him what the show meant to him:“I love it and I hate it,” he admitted. “I loveseeing all the bikes, but I hate howhumbling it is. I see how some of theseguys come up with the most simple andelegant solutions to solve commonproblems, solutions that make such sensethat I should’ve thought of them butdidn’t.” That, in a nutshell, is the thoughtprocess of a custom builder.

I hope that my report from the NAHBScan somehow duplicate the level ofexcitement and enthusiasm that wasflowing through the aisles. The 2013 showwill be held in Denver, Colorado, but untilthen, you can also check out the handfulof live-action RBA videos found on bothour website and YouTube. For anyonewho loves bicycles and truly appreciatesthe quality of something handbuilt, this isthe one show you should attend. Seeyou there. ■

Celebrating with two old pals and Mountain Bike Hall ofFame brethren: pioneer journalist Charlie Kelly (center)and back-in-the-day frame builder Chris Chance (right).

zaps_p14_Layout 1 5/1/12 10:09 AM Page 2

Vincenzo Nibali Team Liquigas Cannondale, Antares 00

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16 www.roadbikeaction.com

LETTERS E-mail your submissions and photos to letters@roadbikeaction.com

MICHAEL’S NEW BFFThank you very much for the Ultegra

Di2 jersey, bib, RBA’s 2012 Bike Buyer’sGuide and the RBA decals. They fit meperfectly. This is so kind of you to sendthem, and fast too. Please find a photoof me, the jersey and the Ultgra Di2frame. I hope to finish the bike build assoon as all the components are in.I hope to participate on a group ride, theFarmlands Flat Tour 2012 on May 5,2012 (www.cjbc.org).

Victor “Keats” London

THE HEROES AMONG USGregor Brown’s article, “Never

Again…Until the Next Time!” aboutHaute Route was interesting and well-written. However, the photograph of thecyclist with a partial amputation of hisleft arm and left leg amputation wasincredible and inspiring. WOW!

Dave Lutz

Love what you do, but don’t youthink you had an editorial lapse by notletting us know who the “honorableguy” is on page 52 of the May 2012issue? As a military member, my guessis he’s a disabled veteran, but I canonly venture guesses. You left ushanging. The Haute Route story wasunique and very informative, and I sup-pose it’s nice to know Alain Prost isalso a cyclist who made a cameoappearance, but surely this man has a

story to be told. He deserved morethan just an honorable mention.

Marty O’HoroCanadensis, Pennsylvania

I think you should write about thegentleman and his bike shown onpage 52 of the Haute Route article inthe May 2012 issue. Wow, what aninspiration he is!

Georgena Terry

We can’t tell you how much we agreewith you. Unfortunately, the photo wassupplied by a freelancer who didn’t haveany info on the rider. However, if anyoneout there has any leads as to who he is,we would be more than happy to tell theworld his story. As for next month, we’llhave a story on another inspirationalcyclist we recently met who also has aninspirational story to tell.

NOAH IS BACK!No wonder your poor riding buddy is

confused and annoying—don’t “keepaccelerating” when you take your pull,keep a constant pace; your power andheart rate will go up. When you can nolonger maintain that constant pace, peeloff and decelerate. Guys launching intotheir pulls and half-wheeling everyoneand then cracking from the effort makefor an inefficient and chaotic paceline.

Noah J. GellnerNew York, New York

POLICE STORYDo the police really hate us? While

almost having completed my regularSaturday ride of 35 miles, I gave theproper arm signal for a right turn. A carin the opposing lane basically ran thestop sign and proceeded to try and beatme to the turn. After braking hard, I sawa blue-light special reflect off somechurch windows in front of me. Afterreminding myself that K-Mart is like 15miles away, I actually had a hint of asmile cross my face and thanked god,respectfully, that, finally, there is actuallysome justice in the world and that thejerk is going to have his plans delayed.But, alas, it was not to be.

No, Barney Fife was not interested inthe automobile, but instead turned hissneering eye and crooked hat to me.Yes, after asking me to stop the bike, hegot out of his car and walked back to meand instructed me, “From now on, pointto the road you’re turning to.” Drivers arenot required to know that, nor do theycare about needing to know it. Whilewalking back to his car with the bluelight still flashing, he shouted over hisshoulder, “You shouldn’t even be outhere, anyway.”

Randy HubbPennsylvania

Randy, I think it’s safe to say that weall have our own experiences withJohnny Law—some good, some bad.Coincidentally, if you saw the last issue(June 2012, page 30) with the story onPasadena Chief of Police PhillipSanchez, we can vouch for the fact thathe is as much of a passionate bike geekas any of us. ■

Pasadena Chiefof Police,Phillip Sanchez.

Victor’s Ultegra Di2project bike is nearingcompletion.

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18 www.roadbikeaction.com

LIGHTWEIGHT FERNWEGGerman wheel maker Lightweight

was showing off two of their newestwheels, but it was the 81mm-deepFernweg that really caught our eyes.Weighing in at just 1355 grams per set,these hoops become much more thanjust time trial wheels, with a weight thatmatches many of the “climbing” wheelson the market. The Ferweg’s roundedprofile at the nose of the rim differs fromLightweight’s traditional design of asharp nose profile. The design is saidto improve aerodynamics andcrosswind handling, much likeZipp’s Firecrest wheels.

www.lightweight.info

KAPPIUS EVOLUTION HUBSOne of the most talked about

products at the Sea Otter were thebeautifully crafted Kappius hubs thatrely on a unique external drive designwith magenetic pawls that provide astunning 240 points of engagement(competitors range anywhere from18-120 points) which translates intoinstant acceleration. The rear hub, whichuses a modified SRAM cassette, is thebrainchild of Russell Kappius who saysit was one hub failure too many thathelped him conceive the idea. The rearhub sells for $699 ($999 per set) andboth a disc compatible and single speedversion are available.www.kappiuscomponents.com

With hundreds of industrybooths showing off their latestwares, the Sea Otter Classic isundoubtedly America’s largestpublic bike show. It is also uniquefor being a single event that offersracing for every category anddiscipline imaginable.

www.seaotterclassic.com

BIKECULTURE

SEA OTTER OUTTAKES

bike culture_p18-22_Layout 1 5/1/12 3:22 PM Page 2

Two years ago our top-of-the-line Xenith SL, outfi tted with Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and Zipp 404’s, set a hedge fund manager back eleven grand. Last year, the Dura-Ace Di2 equipped Xenith Team ate up credit cards to the tune of nearly seven grand. So what you’re looking at here -- the 2012 Jamis Xenith Pro with Shimano’s new Ultegra Di2 for just about

one third the cost of our electronically-shifted Xenith from only two years ago -- is not your everyday, run-of-the-mill dribble-down phenom. It’s a miracle. Think Noah’s ark and you get the picture. Forget trickle. This is a deluge. Order one now from your local Jamis dealer before supply slows to a, you know, trickle.

Shimano Ultegra Di2. MSRP: $4000.

©2011 Jamis Bicycles. All rights reserved. Jamis®, Xenith® are trademarks of Jamis Bicycles registered in the U.S. and other countries.

We just opened the floodgates

2012 Xenith Pro.

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20 www.roadbikeaction.com

BIKECULTURE

MAGURA RT8 BRAKESCreated in conjunction with Canadian

bike manufacturer Cervelo, Magura’sRT8 hydraulic rim brakes are claimed tobe the lightest and most aerodynamicever. Specifically designed for time-trialand triathlon bikes, the aluminum RT8calipers run with Magura’s own RoyalBlood mineral oil.

www.magura.com

TRP HYDRAULIC LEVERSTRP loves turning heads at Sea Otter.

Last year they did it with their uniqueParabox mechanical/hydraulic brakesystem. This year they showed up witha complete hydraulic system using theirown levers with integrated shifters forShimano’s Di2 electronic drivetrain.Very impressive.

www.trpbrakes.com

FORMULA DISC BRAKESAs if any further proof was needed

that disc brakes are coming to the roadworld, renowned mountain bike brakemaker Formula showed up with a well-designed prototype hydraulic disc brakesystem that was integrated withShimano Di2. This is the production sys-tem for the 2013 Colnago C59 disc bike.

www.formula-italy.com

RBA PUTS TWO ON THE PODIUMWhen he wasn’t out chasing down new products, our own Michael White used

the circuit race to score the first win of his fledgling pro career. Rounding out theCategory 5 box was our ad slime, Derreck.

DANNY SHANEFor 2012, Danny Shane is bringing

his signature tartan patterns fromjerseys to a variety of new apparelproducts, including a line of commuterpolo shirts, caps and a jacket. All threenew products will feature the brand’sunique fabric blend, which includeseco-friendly bamboo white ash.

www.dannyshane.com

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NEW

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SPECIALIZED ’74 CONCEPTAs eye-catching as this Specialized

concept bike is, you won’t be seeingTony Martin lining up on it in the Tour deFrance since it’s not UCI-legal. The ’74aero road bike celebrates Specialized’sfounding in 1974 and takes the aerotheme to a whole new level with a TriShiv frame hopped up by integrating acomputer into the carbon cover over thestem and hiding the Di2 battery insidethe frame’s fuselage, which was firstdesigned for a hydration system.

www.specialized.com

TURN CRANK PROTOTYPETurn Crank is a sister company to

Praxis Works chainrings, and they wereshowing off a carbon crank and spindledesign, with a proprietary one-piecealuminum double chainring. Turn claimsthat the one-piece chainrings and theirinterface with the crankarm will greatlyimprove stiffness. Although the spindlethey showed us used an aluminum capfor the splined interface with the drive-side arm, the production spindle will befull-carbon. Expect to see productionversions by Interbike. No word yeton pricing.

www.turncranks.com

To see Road Bike Action’sexclusive video contentfrom the 2012 Sea OtterClassic, scan here with yoursmart phone, or visit RBA’sYouTube channel at:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccfdZgrSNfM

IBIS MAXIMUSAlways at the ready to inject some humor into the

world, Ibis Cycles rolled into Sea Otter with the1000-pound Ibis Maximus that sported 59-inchJohn Deere tractor wheels.

www.ibismaximus.com

DUAL EYEWEAR V6Using an innovative lens design, Dual Eyewear

combines a sport sunglass with reading glasses.A magnification area is molded into the lower insideportion of the lens, allowing you to view the screenof a phone or cycling computer with ease. The V6from Dual retails for $49.95.

www.dualeyewear.com

BIKECULTURE

bike culture_p18-22_Layout 1 5/1/12 10:17 AM Page 4

The cardo BK-1 is a hands-free Bluetooth® device that allows cyclists to talk

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and MP3 devices. To get the conversation rolling, contact your local bike dealer.

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24 www.roadbikeaction.com

If a picture is worth a thousandwords, then I probably exceeded myword limit here explaining why I ride.

—Norm JonesSt. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

Why do I ride? Because I sufferedthree abortions, but God gave me twodaughters. Because I suffered two brainstrokes, and I have hemiparesis in myright arm and leg. Because I have animmune disease called antiphospholipidsyndrome. Why do I ride? Because whenmy two daughters see me smile, they say,“We are proud of you, Mom.” Why do Iride? Because I am thankful I am alive.

—Ileana R. JimenezCamuy, Puerto Rico

I ride to be alone, and I ride to bewith friends. I ride to escape myself, andI ride to escape others. I ride to appreci-ate technology and to enjoy the simplethings in life.

—Ran Mayron

When I was 18 years old, I wasinvolved in a dispute with a bus while Iwas on my bike. I didn’t ride again until Iwas 40 years old. Now, at 69 years old, Iam proud to say that I ride 3000 to 4000

miles a year on my road bikes. I’m tryingto make up for 22 missing years. Loveyour magazine, by the way, and I lookforward to every issue.

—Bill McNab

RBA FACEBOOK CONTEST:Are you fan of Road Bike Action on

Facebook? If not, you’re missing out.We offered up a pair of RBA socks andan RBA water bottle to the Facebookfan who had the best answer to thefollowing question: You know you’re abike geek when…

• “When your wife crashes on herbike and you check out the bike first.”—Dan Caplan

• “You tattoo the equation of motionon your leg.” —Scott Evans

• “You stop random cyclists who ridepast your house and fix their clickingderailleur because it annoyed the crapout of you!” —Brent Hartman

• “You’re agonizing over trying tothink of a good answer for this questionso you can get a free pair of socks anda water bottle.” —John Webb

WHYWERIDE E-mail your submissions and photos towhyweride@roadbikeaction.com

• “Eddy Merckx calls just to tell youto stop obsessing about bikes.”—Rich Miles

• “You decide to go to the Eastersunrise service so you can be home intime to watch Paris-Roubaix at 9 a.m.,followed by a ride before dinner.”—Rich Miles

And the winner is Rich Miles, notbecause he submitted two answers, butbecause that Merckx angle was classic!Be sure to “like” us on Facebook formore chances to win RBA schwag.

DAVIS PHINNEY AT THEREDLANDS CLASSIC

When we ran a Facebook updatefrom the Redlands Classic bike race onthe appearance of American cyclinghero Davis Phinney, we received thefollowing comments:

• “Hero and idol. Thanks for attend-ing, Mr. Phinney!” —Kenda Pro Cycling

• “Love to see a legend stillengaged.” —Dave Sheffield

• “Nothing I loved more than to be upclose and watch Ron [Keifel] leadingDavis into a last corner and just layingthe bikes hard into a corner! Those twohad some serious skills, and they werewonderful men off the bikes—two truegents and legends!” —Edward Daniel

• “One of my inspirations to get intobicycle racing.” —Patrick Shawn Bos

Davis Phinney.

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WHY WE RIDE/TOUR DEFRANCE FACEBOOK CONTEST

Heading out of the Spring Classicsseason and into the Tour season, weasked RBA’s Facebook fans why theyride and who they thought would win thebig one in July. The winner is DarrylBustamante. And for being selected, hewon an entire SRAM/Castelli riding kit.Be sure to follow along on Facebook foryour chance to win in the future.

1.) I ride to live. No, this is not a merecliche; I have Type II diabetes, andcycling has literally saved my life. My off-the-scale blood sugar and A1C numbershave all returned to normal since Ibecame hooked—yes, hooked—on roadcycling. With a more sensible diet to goalong with riding, I have also shed 15pounds and counting. Riding has openedup a whole new way of life for me. I wishI had discovered this 30 years ago!

2.) As for a TdF winner, I called CadelEvans last year, and he has an evenbetter support structure this year, so he ismy pick again for 2012.

—Darryl BustamanteGlendora, California

1.) I ride because it sets me free. I feellike a kid again every time I grab thehandlebars. I forget I am a grown-up forhowever long I am cruising along,whether road or trail!

2.) Andy Schleck will win this year’sTdF. And if for any reason other thanContador is out, he is a rider on amission and wants this one badly!

2.) I think Evans will win his secondtour. BMC is super strong, and thecourse is suited for a great time trialist.

—Alan Schenkel

1.) I ride because it’s outdoors,scenic, exhilarating, exercise, healthy,fun as heck and quiet! It is the only timeI can truly think freely. The other day Iwas mowing the yard and was stoppedat least 10 times by neighbors, kids andthe wife—not a chance while I ride.

2.) Chris Horner will win the TdF.He climbs like a goat and is on agreat team.

—Sean Kobylarz

1.) I ride because I love it. It’sbecome an addiction, and when I don’tget my fix, I start feeling twitchy.I started riding to help lose weight.I have lost over 100 pounds, mostlybecause of the riding. I also continue toride because my father picked it up atthe young age of 64. He just did over 25miles for the first time last week, andI couldn’t be more proud of him.

2.) This year’s TdF is tailor-made forCadel Evans because of all the TTingthat will be done. Unfortunately, theearly-season showing of the Schlecksdoes not bode well for their prospects atthis year’s La Grande Boucle, and theirTTing skills have not improved under thetutelage of Johan Bruyneel. ■

—Matt Carson

He has been so, so close in the past, butthis year it is his!

—Jack Schluckbier

1.) I ride because I enjoy it. Nothing isbetter than getting on the open road andcranking hard. Oh, and the exercise isgood for building a lean, mean machine.

2.) Bradley Wiggins will win. He hasrevenge on his mind, and all the timetrials will work in his favor. His form is onpar and will only get better as Julyapproaches.

—David Correia

1.) I ride for the sense of freedom I feelon the bike and for the unparalleledfitness it provides. Plus, everything looksbetter from a bike.

2.) Cadel Evans will repeat at the TdF.BMC is such a strong team, and Evans ishitting his stride.

—Kathryn Anderson

1.) I ride for the fitness aspect, and itis the closest thing to flying as I can get.

2.) Cadel Evans is going to win Tourde France 2012. He has the momentumfrom last year and is a strong road racer.

—Aaron Plawke

1.) I ride to save my life, literally. Myblood pressure and chemistry are terribleif I don’t ride. Plus, bicycling is as closeto flying as you can get—especially herein Colorado.

Darryl’s a winner!

Matt’s transformationis truly inspiring.

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A MOST UNCOMMON

THE 2012 TOUR DE FRANCE:

TOURBy Tim Maloney

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➥After a computer glitch lastOctober released the race route

earlier than planned, the big surprise ofthe 2012 Tour de France was spoiled.The route, which was eventuallyrevealed by Tour director, ChristianPrudhomme, tries to break out of theformulaic structure of Le Tour, dictatedby over a century of tradition, Frenchgeography and the three-week format.The stats show a race made up of 20stages covering 3479 kilometers, featur-ing nine new stage towns and three newmountaintop finishes. Prudhomme hasadded some twists, with more climbingin the first part of the Tour and moretime trials, but any way you slice thebaguette, Le Tour remains Le Tour, withsuspense and drama until Paris.

THE PLAYERSWith Alberto Contador absent due to

his suspension for doping offenses, the2012 Tour route favors complete riderslike defending champion Cadel Evans ofTeam BMC and Sky’s Bradley Wiggins.There is a total of 101 kilometers ofindividual time trials, the most since2007 and more than double the amountof the 2011 race. It is these specific kilo-meters that many pundits expect willplay the major factor in this year’s Tour.Defending champion Evans said of the2012 Tour route: “I’ll be going into theTour as a defending champion, which isa new experience for me. But I like theroute, and we have a good team. Thereare longer time trials, and they are a littlebit flatter this year, so that’s a little morefavorable for me.”

As for his competition, Evans singledout RadioShack-Nissan-Trek’s Schleckbrothers: “With Johan Bruyneel, theSchleck brothers are in—if not the besthands—even better hands. They’re cer-tainly going to be a force to be reckonedwith and more than likely the guys tobeat in July.” Johan Bruyneel’s take onthe 2012 Tour remained guarded: “It’sdefinitely a good Tour for Evans. But, itcould also be a good race for Wiggins. Itall depends how they get through themountains. It will be very difficult for arider who’s only good at one thing towin this Tour. A pure climber who’sterrible in time trialing cannot win, and apure time trialer who’s terrible in themountains cannot, either. Personally,I think that if Cadel is there the entirethree weeks like he was in 2011, it willbe very difficult to beat him.”

Saxo Bank’s team director Bjarne Riisechoed Bruyneel’s view of the 2012 Toursaying, “It’s a good course for CadelEvans. The biggest reason is that thereis a lot of time trialing. The climbingstages are short, but that’s not a

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Pho

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ettini

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problem. You don’t need long, longstages. Sometimes that’s OK, but notalways. Shorter stages can be veryexciting too.”

BREAKING IT ALL DOWNThe three weeks of the Tour de

France are little different from a playwith three main acts. The opening act ofLe Tour kicks off in Liège, Belgium, andthe “Grand Depart” has three stages inBelgium before zig-zagging acrossnorthern France as the riders head tothe Vosges Mountains of eastern Francefor the first mountaintop finish at LaPlanche des Belles Filles ski station. TheTour’s first selection is inevitable on thesteep slopes to the stage finish, with thefinal moments of the first act of the 2012Tour being played out on the hilly Stage

heads southwest toward the Pyrénées,where after two transitional stages thecurtain rises on the third and final act ofthe 2012 Tour de France on Stage 14from Limoux to Foix. This will be a toughscene for the Tour favorites, as thesteep, irregular ascents—especially inthe eastern Pyrénées—often upset theTour’s status quo. After a sprinter’s dayon Stage 15 and a rest day in Pau, thenext two stages in the western Pyrénéesshould be decisive in the 2012 Tour,especially the final uphill finish to thePeyragudes ski station, which comesafter the second climb of thePeyresourde in two days.

Once the Pyrénées are over, anothertransitional stage takes the riders northto the flat farmland south of Paris. Thisis where the final scene of the 2012 Tourde France will play out on the penulti-mate Stage 19, a dead-flat, super-fast,52-kilometer, individual time trial fromBonneval to Chartres. The 2011 Tourwas decided on the final ITT, and thescenario for the same outcome this yearlooks very promising. Sunday’s 130-kilo-meter Stage 20, from Rambouillet toParis Champs-Élysées, is a mereformality, as the rider who dons themaillot jaune on Saturday evening inChartres will be all but coronated winnerof the Tour de France.

THE PODIUM IN PARISWho will stand atop the podium in

Paris on Sunday, July 22nd, wearing themaillot jaune? Undoubtedly, 2011 Tourde France winner Cadel Evans is the defacto favorite. The 35-year-old formermountain biker, who was the first riderfrom the Land Down Under to win LeTour, has had a quiet buildup to his Tourdefense, but his win in the CritériumInternational in April has the Aussie onthe right track. The real question forEvans is not his riding, but his lack ofteam support. Instead of beefing up theteam for Cadel in the off-season, BMCbroke the bank hiring mega-star classicsriders Philippe Gilbert and ThorHushovd, neither of whom has deliveredso far in 2012, and neither of whom willbe much help to Evans in the mountainstages of the 2012 Tour.

BMC newcomer Steve Cummingshas been injured much of 2012, andCadel’s support from Amaël Moinard,Marco Pinotti, Mauro Santambrogio,Mathias Frank and young AmericanTejay van Garderen are riders who canclimb well enough to support Evans inthe high mountains, where once againhis GC rivals will try to isolate him.Evans was able to get away with thislast year, but his key rivals will look totake advantage of the BMC rider as they

9’s 38-kilometer individual time trial fromArc-et-Senans to Besançon.

After the Tour’s first rest day, thesecond act of Le Tour 2012 opens withthree days of tough climbing. The first isin the southern Jura Mountains, with thedifficult ascent of the Col du GrandColombier. Then one Alpine stage onStage 11, a short hard stage with threepasses, including the new mountaintopfinish to La Toussuire Les Sybelles,where the major drama for Toursupremacy should play out on the finalascent. The next day on Stage 12, thereare two tough Alpine climbs at thebeginning of the stage and a tough final30 kilometers, which could bring anappropriate horror show ending to astage held on Friday the 13th.

Once the Alps are over, the Tour

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did on the Galibier stage in 2011. RadioShack-Nissan-Trek will enter

the 2012 Tour with a stacked deck. Ledby 2010 Tour de France winner AndySchleck, who is still seeking his firstofficial Tour win (his 2010 Tour title cameafter Alberto Contador’s disqualification).Supported by his brother, Frank, and40-year-old American Chris Horner,Andy has a chance to win the 2012 Tour.But, the amount of time trialing could behis undoing, and just how the head-strong younger Schleck will bond withhis new boss, Bruyneel, remains to beseen. Andy is known to follow his owndirection and not take scientific trainingseriously, and if he fails to followBruyneel’s direction to the letter,RadioShack could be looking at a bigdisappointment in July.

Team Sky has a true Tour contenderin Bradley Wiggins, but his Sky team willalso have World Champion MarkCavendish for support in the sprints,which could muddle the focus of the UKsquad, as they’ll need to put 100percent effort behind “Wiggo” if theyplan to see him on the podium in Paris.But, so far Wiggins has had aninconsistent track record at the Tour andwill probably go off the rails at somepoint in the 2012 Tour. Despite the hype,his best hope is to make the podium.

Having already twice made the Tourpodium (second place in 2010 and thirdin 2008), as well as winning the 2009Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Españatwice, Denis Menchov is obviously acomplete rider who knows how to win aGrand Tour. After a disastrous year withGeox in 2011, Menchov moved to the

Cadel will enter the Tour as race favorite, and rightful-ly so. The defending champion has already shown hisform this year by winning the Criterium International.

Bradley Wiggins' (red) track record at theTour might not be the best, but he’s currentlyriding at the highest level of his career.

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Russian-backed Katusha outfit thisseason and should be considered adark horse for a Tour win. His teamsupport is uncertain, but the Russian isa qualified “hard man” who knows howto suffer. In the 2008 Tour, Menchovbeat Evans in the final 53-kilometer TT,while in the 2010 Tour’s final TT of over52 kilometers, Menchov beat AndySchleck by 2 minutes, 23 seconds, ascenario that could win him thisyear’s Tour.

Lotto’s Jurgen Van Den Broeckcould be another dark horse contenderat this year’s Tour. The big Belgian isstrong on the climbs, but all the timetrials will probably prove to behis undoing.

After Europcar’s Thomas Voeckler’smaillot jaune tenure in 2011, look formore bright moments from Frenchriders, like last year’s winner of theBest Young Rider classification, PierreRolland, and climbers Thibaut Pinotand Alexandre Geniez. But looking forthe first French Tour winner in 27 yearsis not in the cards for 2012.

Tour de France finish sprints arealways exciting, and 2012 should beenlivened as ever by World ChampionMark Cavendish, who will be using theTour as a final warmup for his plannedOlympic victory in front of the homecrowd in London. The “Manx Missile”will face a four-way battle for stagewins with a trio of fast men:

32 www.roadbikeaction.com

Argos-Shimano’s young Germanspeedster, Marcel Kittel,Garmin–Barracuda’s Tyler Farrar andLiquigas–Cannondale’s Peter Sagan,who will be making his Tour debut. ■

2012 TOUR DE FRANCESTAGESPrologue: Saturday, June 30,Liège-Liège6.1 km

The flat, fast and twisting six-kilometer route through the center ofLiège is for the prologue specialists, likeRadioShack’s Fabian Cancellara andSky’s Brad Wiggins, who will hope tomake their mark, as will local ladPhilippe Gilbert of Team BMC.

Stage 1: Sunday, July 1,Liège-Seraing198 km

The first road stage of the Tour isalways a nervous day. This hilly stage,which winds south of Liège through theArdennes, briefly crosses into Franceand then heads north for the finish inSeraing, atop of a 2.5-kilometer ascent

tailor-made for riders like Gilbert andSky’s Boasson Hagen.

Stage 2: Monday, July 2, Visé-Tournai207 km

Monday’s stage heads west acrossBelgium on rolling to flat terrain andshould give sprinters like Sky’s WorldChampion Mark Cavendish andLiquigas-Cannondale’s Peter Sagantheir last chance to strike goldin Belgium.

Stage 3: Tuesday, July 3, Orchies-Boulogne-sur-Mer197 km

Orchies is the site of the legendaryParis-Roubaix pavé stretch Chemin desAbattoirs. This nervous stage will headwest from Orchies to the finish inBoulogne-sur-Mer on the EnglishChannel via the Monts du Boulonnais(five steep coastal hills), with a final700-meter uphill finish.

Stage 4: Wednesday, July 4, Abbeville-Rouen214 km

After already having amassed 20 Tour de France stage wins inhis career, Cavendish will be looking for a second consecutiveGreen jersey to add to his Rainbow jersey.

A Schleck victory rests in the hands ofone man—Johan Bruyneel.

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Another nervous and likely crash-filledstage heads south along the Picardycoast to finish in Rouen, the capital ofNormandy. Coastal crosswinds couldshatter the peloton. Although this stagemay be another one for the sprinters, asmall break could get away on the run-into snatch the victory from the fast men.

Stage 5: Thursday, July 5, Rouen-Saint-Quentin197 km

Another day for the sprinters, whoshould reign on the relatively flatparcours from Rouen to Saint-Quentin,which should enjoy a favorable breezeto keep speeds high.

Stage 6: Friday, July 6, Épernay-Metz210 km

Stage 6 will start and finish withchampagne, as Épernay is the worldcapital of bubbly. The stage rolls upand up as it heads west to Metz, capi-tal of the Lorraine region, where LanceArmstrong took the TT win in 1999.

Europcar was one of the most successful teams in last year’s Tour,but it wasn’t only Thomas Voeckler’s 10-day stint in Yellow thatwas the highlight. Twenty-five-year old Pierre Rolland (left) made aname for himself by winning Stage 19 atop Alpe d’ Huez en routeto claiming the White Young Rider jersey and 10th overall.

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Sprinters should rule the roost hereat the finish near the city’sCentre Pompidou.

Stage 7: Saturday, July 7, Tomblaine-La Planche des Belles Filles199 km

Stage 7 offers the first serious climbof the 2012 Tour. The stage heads fromTomblaine, across the heart of theVosges Mountains, to finish atop the5.8-kilometer ascent to the ski stationof La Planche des Belles Filles, with anaverage gradient of 8.5 percent and asteep final with a 20-percent wall. TheLa Planche des Belles Filles climb willprovide the first real selection of the2012 Tour.

Stage 8: Sunday, July 8, Belfort-Porrentruy154 km

Another short and difficult mediummountain stage from Belfort loopsthrough the Jura Mountains in France

34 www.roadbikeaction.com

and Switzerland to the finish inPorrentruy, just inside the Swissborder. It’ll be a day for attacking ridersto put the pressure on over ascentslike the Côte du Passage de la Douleurand the Col de La Croix. This finalascent, just 20 kilometers fromPorrentruy, could be decisive.

Stage 9: Monday, July 9, Arc-et-Senans-Besançon38 km ITT

The climbing isn’t over with thishard, hilly time test on Monday. Racedon small, twisty roads in verdant terrainsouth of Besançon, Stage 9 shouldcause a big selection for the 2012Tour favorites.

Rest day: Tuesday, July 10, Mâcon

Stage 10: Wednesday, July 11,Mâcon-Bellegarde-sur-Valserine194 km

After rest day in Burgundy wine

capital Mâcon, the Tour peloton willhave another day of mediummountains. For the first time, the Tourwill climb the 1501-meter Col du GrandColombier. The 15.9-kilometerColombier ascent and the steep slopes(average grade of 7.8 percent) havebeen ridden in the Critérium duDauphiné and Tour de l’Avenirpreviously. The short ascent of Col dela Richemond and a screaming 20-kilometer descent to Bellegarde-sur-Valserine should see somespectacular racing.

Stage 11: Thursday, July 12,Albertville-La Toussuire Les Sybelles140 km

Starting in Albertville, home of the1992 Winter Olympics, Stage 11 is thefirst, most difficult alpine stage. It’s ashort but tough stage that climbs theCol de la Madeleine, Col de la Croix deFer and the Col du Mollard before afinal 18.5-kilometer ascent toward La

After the first rest day of the Tour, Stages10, 11, and 12 will be ones for the

climbers. After Stage 11’s 18.5-kilometerfinal climb, we will be able to count the

true contenders on one hand.

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roads of the Gard and Herault regions(probably with headwind), to asprint finish at the seaside resort ofCap d’Agde.

Stage 14: Sunday, July 15, Limoux-Foix192 km

The 2012 Tour enters the Pyrénéeswith a new climb in the Ariège region.After the steep Port de Lers, thedifficult Mur de Péguère should be anugly surprise for the Tour peloton.Originally slated for the 1973 Tour, theMur is only 3.6 kilometers long, buthas an average grade of 11.8 percentwith pitches up to 18 percent! Onceover the wall, there’s 39 kilometers toFoix, where Kurt-Asle Arvesen took thestage win in 2008.

Stage 15: Monday, July 16,Samatan-Pau160 km

This is a flat stage where sprintersmay have a good shot at a prestigiousstage win in Pau, which has hosted theTour de France 64 times. Alfredo Bindawas the first rider to win in Pau in 1930,while Pierrick Fédrigo was the winnerwhen Le Tour last visited Pau in 2010.

Toussuire. There is nowhere to hide onthis sawtooth profile stage, so expectfurther selection as the 2012 Tourfavorites emerge in the Alps.

Stage 12: Friday, July 13, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne-Annonay220 km

Watch out for bad luck on Fridaythe 13th as the Tour turns southwestout of the Alps. After the stage’s earlyclimbs of the tough Col du GrandCucheron and across the ChartreuseMassif via the Col du Granier, thesprinter teams will chase the breakthat is sure to go on during the firstpasses across the hot countryside andall the way to the finish in Davézieuxnear the Rhone River Valley. But theCôte d’Ardoix climb, with 19 kilometersto race, may complicate matters forthe fast men.

Stage 13: Saturday, July 14, Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux-Le Cap d’Agde215 km

After the Alps, the Tour has a long,hot day on Quatourze Julliet, France’snational day, as the peloton slogssouthwest from Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux, across the flat-to-rolling

Rest day: Tuesday, July 17, Pau

Stage 16: Wednesday, July 18, Pau-Bagnères-de-Luchon197 km

Four days before the end of the2012 Tour, this stage and the nextday’s stage will likely decide the race’sfinal general classification. Stage 16 isthe Queen Stage of the 2012 Tour deFrance. On the program are the majorascents of the Col d’Aubisque (1709meters), Col de Soulour (1474 meters),Col du Tourmalet (2115 meters), Cold’Aspin (1493 meters) and Col dePeyresourde (1559 meters) before thesteep 16-kilometer descent to thefinish in Bagneres de Luchon.

After a rest day, there’s alwaysuncertainty whether the legs will showup or not. But no matter what, thesePyrénées stages will be feared by themaillot jaune and his team, who willhave to defend the jersey with two harddays still ahead.

Stage 17: Thursday, July 19,Bagnères-de-Luchon-Peyragudes144 km

The final day in the Pyrénées isshort and brutal, with the steep Col de

Cavendish is always a favorite for the sprints, but other rivalsare sure to be American Tyler Farrar, who won Stage 3 lastyear, and Tour rookie Marcel Kittel.

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One of the most respected cyclists in the peloton, “BigGeorge,” will be lining up for a record-breaking 17thTour de France, and quite possibly his last. Hincapie

has ridden for three different Tour winners (Armstrong,Contador, and Evans) for a total of nine Tour wins.

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Mente, Col des Ares, Port de Bales, andfinally an uphill finish via the Col dePeyresourde on a brand-new, three-kilometer road to the first-time stagefinish at the ski station of Peyragudes.This stage should prove anotherdecisive day for who wears the maillotjaune three days later in Paris.

Stage 18: Friday, July 20, Blagnac-Brive-la-Gaillarde215 km

The Pyrénées are done and dusted,so the Tour peloton heads north toBlagnac for a sprinter’s stage to Brive-la-Gaillarde, but the 215-kilometerdistance and tired legs could let a breakstay away to Brive. The last time theTour visited Brive 14 years ago, it wasMario Cipollini who triumphed, andWorld Champion Mark Cavendish ishoping to follow in his footsteps.

Stage 19: Saturday, July 21, Bonneval-Chartres52 km ITT

After a TGV transfer from Brive, thefinal test of the Tour will be a flat, fasttime trial across the Beauce regionto Chartres. With possible hottemperatures and a strong crosswindfrom the west, the 2012 Tour could bedecided in this final race of truth.

Stage 20: Sunday, July 22,Rambouillet-Paris Champs-Élysées130 km

Starting south of Paris, whereLeMond embarked on his Tour-winningITT in 1989, the last stage heads backto Paris and the Champs-Élyséescircuits, where World Champion MarkCavendish will look to win anotherstage win.

TOUR DE FRANCE TEAMSAg2r-La Mondiale (FRA) Argos-Shimano (NED) Astana Pro Team (KAZ) BMC Racing Team (USA) Cofidis, Le Crédit En Ligne (FRA) Euskaltel-Euskadi (ESP) FDJ-Big Mat (FRA) Garmin-Barracuda (USA) Greenedge Cycling Team (AUS) Katusha Team (RUS)Lampre-ISD (ITA) Liquigas-Cannondale (ITA) Lotto Belisol Team (BEL) Movistar Team (ESP) Omega Pharma-Quickstep (BEL)Rabobank (NED) RadioShack-Nissan-Trek (LUX) Sky Procycling (UK) Team Saxo Bank (DEN) Saur-Sojasun (FRA) Team Europcar (FRA)

American Chris Horner will be a valuable weapon forRadioShack-Nissan in the mountains. If the Schlecks don’tstep-up, look for Horner to pounce on any opportunity toland a podium spot come Paris.

Getting two riders on the podium would beconsidered a success by most teams, but don’texpect Bruyneel to be pleased if Frank or Andycan’t claim the overall honors this year.

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➥It’s hard to be astonished aboutanything anymore, but it’s easy to

be astonished with the Tour de France.Each year it seems like the race justgets bigger and bigger. The anti-dopingstandards that have been put in placefollowing the Team Festina dopingdebacle in 1998 have finally borne fruit.It’s been painful to get here, but whenthe fans see the riders go by looking allhollowed out like a Christmas pig beingserved up for dinner, they know thatthey’re watching an authentic spectacleof proportions not found in any othermodern sport. Even though the world’sbest rider, Alberto Contador, won’t be

Tyson got out of jail, all the journalistssaid he was a killer and that he wouldsavage his next opponent, but EvanderHolyfield wasn’t listening to all that. Hewas like, “Hey, we’re boxers, and there’sstill a fight!” And look what happened,he took Tyson apart twice! The Tour deFrance is still a bike race that even thepresumed leaders face with doubt.

Still, the Tour de France is the racethat every pro rider aspires to race in forthe sake of his career. It’s the one racethat pays the bills, and that was aconcept that was really started byGreg LeMond.

THE RIDERSWhen you look at the overall course,

with over 100 kilometers of time trialingcombined with some really toughmountain stages, I think Cadel Evanshas the best chance to win. Looking atthe course and the kind of fitness thatCadel has been showing early season, Ithink even Contador would have a hardtime mustering the goods to beat theAussie. Bradley Wiggins is another guywho I’m confident can make the podiumin Paris. Over the last year, he hasfurthered his transformation to an all-around rider with exceptional TT talent.

As for the Schleck brothers, well, let’sjust say that if I was on the RadioShackteam that I might work for Frank thisyear and wait for a Tour with less time-trialing. Unfortunately, they alreadyannounced Andy as the leader in July,but it’s never too late to switch! Asmuch as the Tour’s drama revolvesaround the climbs, it’s not a climbingtest; there are sprints, TTs and tactics toconsider. The problem for Andy is thatthe Tour is a test that only the rider whohas the most complete talent can thinkabout winning. Andy’s early-seasontime-trial effort was nothing less thanabysmal. If you give up five minutes inthe time trial, there aren’t enoughmountains to climb to make up that kindof time, not against guys like Wigginsand Cadel. Unfortunately, being niceand a good climber won’t get you theyellow jersey. Andy may have somemomentum after last year and the mediamay be behind him, but Cadel doesn’tcare. More often than not, it’s the bestall-around rider who wins the Tour, andCadel is the classic all-rounder.

Of all the Americans, I think Hornerhas a great chance. I’m sure after lastyear’s disastrous race, he’s just lickinghis chops for a top 10 finish. ChristianVande Velde has consistently ridden well

there, the enthusiasm for the sport—andthe Tour de France specifically—is stillon the rise, and that’s the mostimportant thing. I really think that thekind of fervor shown by the fans back inthe ’50s has returned. The reverenceand adulation of the riders are real,because the suffering is real, and thefans recognize that.

The Tour de France is three weekslong. The physiological aspect is asimportant as anything, not to mention allthe other ingredients, like the media.You can hear the media tout certain rid-ers whom they expect to do well, but it’sstill a bike race. It’s like when Mike

BOBKE’S TOUR DE FRANCE BREAKDOWNBob Roll dispels some notions about that race in July

Cadel Evans becamethe first Australian towin the Tour de Francelast year, and with thisyear's course favoringhis strengths, he maywell do it again.

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in July, because he’s one of those ridersthat never opens his account until laterin the year. Tejay van Garderen has greatpotential, but I’m sure he’ll be pressedinto service working for Cadel, whichwill cancel out his overall abilities.

George—of all the American riders,there is no one with more talent andrace-winning savvy as George Hincapie,who will be riding his 18th Tour deFrance. What an amazing record. Theguy is like the Cal Ripken of cycling.Just the thought of riding the Tour thatmany times is mind-boggling, and thebest part is the list of guys lined upbehind him in Tour participations: StuartO’Grady and Jens Voigt.

Riding in the Tour takes incredibleemotional and physical endurance, andGeorge has shown himself to be a realstandout in that elite arena. I hope hegets the credit he deserves in America,because what he represents is nothingless than a pillar of American sportingaccomplishments in the same vein asJesse Owens and Muhammad Ali.

The thing that’s amazing, too, is thatno team he’s ever ridden for has eversent their second-stringers. He’s madethe Tour roster on some of the bestteams of the last two decades. It’s notlike making the grade on Liquigas,

where half the Italians don’t even wantto be there! George has been there tohelp win the race nine times—do youknow how many miles on the front andin the wind he’s had to ride all theseyears?! America definitely needs to giveit up for George!

THE TEAMSLeading into the Tour, some teams

are doing well while others seem intotal disarray. Still, timing is everything,and as much as Omega-Pharma hasbeen crushing it in the early-seasonraces, the Tour is a different beastaltogether. If you look at a race like theTour of the Mediterranean, out of 200riders, about half of them are softpedaling, and out of the 100 that arepedaling, only about 10 of those guysare really focused on doing well. But, ifyou compare that with the Tour, everysingle guy in that race is peaking andtrying to make a career-defining state-ment. Whatever exploits a rider enjoyedearlier in the season are old news byJuly. July is crunch time, baby, and it’sthe one race when all the riders cometo the fore.

One crazy thing about the Tour isthat as much talk as there is each yearabout all the teams, when you look at

how many teams are actually winningstages, it’s not that many. When MarkCavendish wins five stages and TonyMartin wins a couple, you’re only leftwith a handful of opportunities to pullone out. Last year, Garmin had fourwins, HTC had seven, and BMC won astage and the overall. The teams knowfull well what a Tour stage win bringswith it. All of the teams will chase astage win with pure desperation,because they know what the impact onthe purse strings it will be. If a teamlike Rabobank can win a stage, thatgets them their budget for the year.And although Johnny Hoogerland didn’twin a stage last year, getting taken outby the TV car got his Vaconsoleil teama lot of exposure—the Tour can be acruel taskmaster!

This is all the fabric of bike racing,where the meager pickings forunsuccessful teams are so plentiful. Noother athlete will face such failure anddisappointment. There’s so much losingto deal with in cycling, but when youdo win, there’s nothing else like thatfeeling in the whole world. The worstbaseball team in the league will still winat least 30 games in a season. If youcan manage to win 30 races in a year,you’re Eddy Merckx! ■

With Omega Pharma-Quick Step’s overall hopes a littlesuspect, much of the pressure will be placed once again onthe heroes of the Spring Classics—Boonen and Chavanel.

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The 8th annual North American Handmade Bicycle Show wasonce again overflowing with passion, talent,vision and humor…kind of like how the rest of the worldshould be

HERCULES WOULD

By Zap

BE PROUD

➥It was in a mid-aisle conversationwith world-renowned wheel man

Rik Hjertberg that the very essence ofthe North American Handmade BicycleShow finally crystallized for me. Or didit? Rik was telling me how a reportersent to cover the show for theSacramento Bee newspaper walked upto him and asked in the most enlighten-ment-seeking tone, “What is this?”Curiously, it seemed like the most vexingand obvious question at the same time.Rik had his own answer: “There are allthese frames with the builder’s names onthem, but the show is not just a ‘me’thing; it’s a confluence of art, technology,history and passion.”

Ah yes, the ol’ “P” word. Passion isprobably the most oft-repeated themewhen conversing about the NAHBSshow and what it all means. And withouta doubt, there is no shortage of passionto be found within the aisles of theever-growing show.

Long-time frame builder Don Walkerwas certainly onto something a decadeago when he first envisioned a gatheringof like-minded craftsmen for the purposeof showcasing the centuries-old talent ofjoining tubes into this wonderfully simpleand fantastic creation known as the

bicycle. That first gathering inHouston, Texas, attracted 23

exhibitors and 700 attendees.Seven years later, the North

American HandmadeBicycle Show has not

only become the dar-ling of the industry,

but an outright sen-sation with ardent

cycling fans theworld over.

For many (bike industry) people inattendance, the ascension of the NAHBScan best be understood in terms ofGreek mythology. To them, Don’s effortsare not unlike Hercules’ fifth labor, wherehe singlehandedly re-directed the watersof the Alpheus and Peneus rivers tocleanse the Augean stables. What Donhas done with the NAHBS is to cleanseand replenish the bike industry with theresurrecting, hype-free and passion-filledwaters that emanate from every smallframe builder’s workshop around theglobe. OK, maybe that’s a stretch, but toread one of the show’s mission state-ments, “The show facilitates andencourages personal conversationsbetween builders and customers, ratherthan being a showy trade show withenormous booths and neon graphics,” isto get a sense of just what the prevailingmood of the show is all about.

“The North AmericanHandmade Bicycle Show isabout the beautiful bicyclesmade by people who dedicatecountless hours poring overthe details of every bike theyput their name on.”

From those humble beginnings in2005, the show has grown to includeover 170 exhibitors with over 8000people filing through the gates in threedays this year. It’s a funny thing how ashow dedicated to such an old art formcan simultaneously represent the futureto so many people. The North AmericanHandmade Bicycle Show is all that,and more. ■

www.2012.handmadebicycleshow.com

To see Road Bike Action’sexclusive video content from the2012 NAHBS, scan here withyour Smart Phone, or go toRBA’s YouTube channel at:http://qrs.ly/bf1twiu

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Rob English stole the show with a collection of bikes that weighed heavily on innovationand ingenuity. Besides his impressive TT and Project Light bikes (a sub-11 poundcarbon/steel racer), he was most proud of his Project Right bike that omitted both the leftside fork blade and chainstay. The wild creation used a Gates belt drive system and waschock full of imported carbon. When the Oregon-based frame builder isn’t in his shop, he’s astate champ road racer and also works for Bike Friday. Impressive.

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www.roadbikeaction.com 49

Part dreamweaver,part dreamcatcher

“I see what I do as following in thetradition of the real French constructionstyle, with the generator-driven lights,shellacked bar tape, internal cablerouting and the fenders built into theframe. Frames like this take time, butwhen you’re dealing with some of themanacled maniacs that like bikes like

CHRIS BISHOP

A vexing combina-tion of performanceand innovation

“Maybe it’s because I am a racer atheart, but I really have no interest inbuilding lugged bikes with the replica’70s look. I think lugs add too manyconstraints in what you can do with tubeshapes and angles, whereas with TIG-and fillet-welded frames you can doanything you want. I mean, if one of mybikes looks pretty, that’s great, but that’snot what I’m worried about. I know thateverything has already been done. Forme, the challenge is to hopefully be ableto add a twist with my own interpreta-tion that will stand apart from the cook-ie-cutter carbon bikes that come out ofAsia. I mean, there’s a heap of bikes outthere that are derived from somebodyjust picking a bike out of the Taiwansourcebook and then putting their stick-er on the downtube. I like this processwhere a person can actually call up theperson who built their bike and talkabout it with them. For me, it’s the cus-tomer that gets me in the shop eachday. The Project Right bike was a realdesign challenge, and I’m not sure if I’ddo that one again. Of course, being aracer, I also have a need to design andbuild better race bikes, and that’s theproblem-solving part of the job that Ireally enjoy.”

www.englishcycles.com

ROB ENGLISH

this, it’s worth the effort. Most of thecost is derived from just drawinginformation out from the customer. Thisbike, for instance, went to a guy whosent me more e-mails than all my 2010customers combined! For a lot of theseguys, we’re building them their dreambike, so they tend to throw everything atit, and sometimes it doesn’t, orshouldn’t, work out the way they want.I mean, you want to make their dreamscome true, but there are a lot things thatthey don’t know about, and that’s wherethey need to let go and give the buildertheir due. At the end of the day—whether it’s the customer or me—it allcomes down to having a deep passionfor building cool bikes.”

www.bishopbikes.com

Chris Bishop scored a NAHBStrifecta with his city bike that wonawards for Best Lugged Frame,Best Fillet Frame and Best SteelConstruction.

Erik Estlund, the owner/operator ofWinter Bicycles, obviously understandswhat the purest definition of beautiful is.www.winterbicycles.com

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Where JohnBelushi meetsAndy Hampsten

“I built my first tandem in a backyardtool shed of my parents’ house whenI was 22 years old. The only tools I hadwere a vise, some string, a hacksawand some steel tubes. I kept at it andgot better, and when I built a bike for afriend and he showed it to the guys onthe Raleigh team [Thurlow Rogers, AndyHampsten, Roy Knickman] back in1986, I guess they liked what they sawand came by to see if I could build

JOHN SLAWTA

Like so many otherbuilders at the NAHBS,John Slawta is a one-man show who designs,builds and paints hisframes out of a home-based workshop.

them some bikes too. I was buildingone bike every two weeks, but theyneeded seven bikes in the sameamount of time, and that’s whenI started thinking about a productionprocess. I had to paint fake lugs on thebikes to make them look like the Vitusframes they were supposed to beriding. They liked the bikes and askedme to build them some personal bikesas well. Three years later, Andy askedme to build him a bike when he wasriding for 7-Eleven. I remember I got aphone call from someone who asked ifI knew that my bike had just won theGiro d’Italia; I didn’t even know what

that meant! I guess I’m most famous formy steel bikes, but I really enjoyworking with carbon fiber now, becausethe design possibilities are really limit-less. Although I have some strong ideasabout what makes a good bike, my aimis to build what people want, becauseafter all, it’s their bike, not mine. I usedto build about 225 steel bikes a year,but now I build about 100. I now have asmall workshop in Oregon where I stilldo everything myself, including thepaint. I like being alone, because I knowwhat I need to get done, and no one isthere to mess with the CD player!”

www.landsharkbicycles.com

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Longtime east coast builder Richard Sachsis regularly lionized for his cyclocross bikeswhich have been winning National titles foryears. At this year’s Handmade show healso brought along some of his elegant roadbikes to contrast and compare.www.richardsachs.com

When he’s not taking his time getting us apair of his highly anticipated MadFiberclincher wheels, Rik Hjertberg is theimporter of the beautifully crafted, woodenGhisallo wheels which are handmade in Italyby a father and son team. They are trulyunique and truly old-school. Available forboth clincher and tubular wheels for $185.www.wheelfanatyk.blogspot.com

There were over 1001 stories to tell from inside the NAHBS show. Take Mark Kargol’s, for instance. He only had one bike on display,because his beautiful rendition of a titanium-lugged carbon bike was the first and only frame he ever built. In real life, Mark is a full-timefireman in Nebraska and part-time frame painter who now yearns to be a full-time frame builder. When asked what inspired him to starthis Ventus bike line, he replied, “I grew up riding RAGBRAI, and this would be my perfect RAGBRAI bike, with consistent handling and anall-day-comfortable ride.” www.ventuscustoms.com

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MAURICIOREBOLLEDO

Thunder fromDown Under

“I was brought up in a workshopand started out as an arrogant16-year-old that thought I could buildbikes, and that’s what I’ve been doingfor almost 25 years now. I wasn’t realserious about the business until I gothit by a car out riding one day, and inthe time it took to recover, I studiedmechanics and aircraft maintenanceengineering. I started selling frames inmy mid-20s, and I build all styles ofbikes. We Aussies have a real DIY[do-it-yourself] culture, so I have sixpeople who work for me, and we doeverything from start to finish—frombutting the tubes to the paint.”

www.baumcycles.com

DARREN BAUM

For some, it’s acultural thing too

“I first started building bikes formyself in 2006 after a stint working atSycip. I’m really attracted to the luggedsteel bikes of the ’50s and ’60s, andthat’s what I concentrate on building.I was both flattered and surprised thatmy bike won the Best Track Bike award,mostly because it was a frame I built in2006, and as I look at it now, I can seethings that I not only do differently butbetter now. Beyond loving to ride andbuild bikes, one of the things that getsme in the shop each day is the fact thatI come from a South American familywith roots in Colombia, and despite thatbeing a complicated place, it has areally rich history in cycling. And witheach bike I build, my hope is that I’mable to change the narrative ofColombia just a little. The essence of mybikes is to be functional. I made onebike with stainless steel dropouts once,and I decided never to do it again. Yeah,it was shiny, but all it really did was addcost and labor to the build. There is aplace for jewelry, and I appreciate theamount of work that’s put into some ofthese frames, but I don’t want people tolook at my bikes and not want to ridethem because they’re too pretty. I wantmy customers to be smitten with whatI build, but also feel free to take it out ona rainy day.”

www.rebolledocycles.com

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The new artisan onthe block

“I’ve always been a cyclist for as longas I can remember. A long time agoI was a Cat 1 racer, and I also worked forQuintana Roo, but then I spent the last15 years in the corporate world. That allended last year; it all disappeared. AsI sat there wondering what I was goingto do with my life, I had a vision;

CURTIS ODOM I needed to create something pretty. Myfirst idea was to reproduce artwork ofclassic bike parts. But then I thought,why not build the parts? As I thoughtabout what that could mean, I made thedecision to bring something to themarket that didn’t exist. So, I startedmaking these hubs. I designed them,and I have a friend with a machine shopin Mexico that makes them. When I firststarted making them, I wondered, what ifnobody wants these? But then I realizedthat if it didn’t work out, at least I wouldhave some cool hubs on my bike!”

In a show where nary a minor detail indesign is overlooked, this one-piece forkcrown/brake-cable stop on the PeacockGroove ’cross bike was a real standout.www.peacockgroove.com

Curtis Odom showsoff his handiwork.

Coupled with the handmade Brooks leathergoods, the beautiful lug work of the Six-Eleven bike creates the quintessential “old-school” look favored by many at the hand-made show. www.sixelevenbicycleco.com

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Masi Evoluzione is the offi cial frame of Monster Media Racing

masibikes.com2012 Evoluzione Dura Ace

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And now forsomething reallydifferent

“There were two things thatmotivated me to build this bike. The firstwas the stories my dad used to tell meabout all the café racer bikes he saw inEngland in the ’50s and ’60s. At thetime, I was about 12 years old and juststarting to ride bicycles. In Hong Kong,where we lived, there was a big push forthese Schwinn Stingray knock-off bikes,and for some reason those bikes hadreally long cranks—that was when I firstlearned about not pedaling throughcorners! I know a lot of exhibitors don’tlike building bikes just for the show, andI get that, but this year I wanted to havesome fun. I understand the focus on artwith some bikes, but you don’t ride alug, you ride the whole bike, and it hasto be logical and functional. Also, I thinksometimes we should go outside thespecific culture of cycling and do some-thing just for fun. I hope by building it, italso shows a strength of mine, which is

to not be a niche builder. The experi-ence of building different types of bikeshas a crossbreeding effect, which isinvaluable for a frame builder. Now thatI’m starting to build road bikes with discbrakes, I’m able to draw on myknowledge of tube technology that I useto build mountain bikes. Of course, as a

ROLAND YIPSAN trained fit specialist, for me, nothing ismore important in building a custombike than the fit. For every bike I build,I try to get photos or videos of thecustomer on a bike; trying to imaginethe rider’s contact points over the phoneis useless.”

www.yipsanbicycles.com

Former NAHBS awardwinner, Signal Bicycles,is another small frameshop out of Eugene, Oregonthat specializes in steel frames—your choice between lugged orfillet brazed construction.www.signalcycles.com

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A few years ago most peopleprobably snickered at thethought of a bicycle made withbamboo tubes. Well, whatCraig Calfee started continuesto catch on, as Panda isanother innovative bikecompany choosing to use theorganic material (with steellugs) as a damping agent. ThisAction city bike sells for $2500complete/$1600 frame, whilethe Legacy road frame (withseven bamboo tubes) costsabout $1000 more. www.pandabicycles.com

Dean has been building titanium frames intheir Colorado shop for 22 years. The $3200Animas frame stands out with its radiallybutted tubes using the unique Exogridcarbon technology. The $600 Exogrid fork iseasily one of the coolest aftermarket forksavailable. www.deanbikes.com

In a convention hall filled with name-brand bikes, it was curious to find two people whoepitomize the rise to international fame with bikes named after themselves. Jim Felt(left) and Gary Fisher would probably have plenty of lessons to give theup-and-comers at NAHBS.

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Besides his duties as the NAHBSpromoter, Don Walker is also anaccomplished frame builder. Thisis his retro take on a Gernseytrack bike.

Typifying the boundary-busting school ofthought embraced by company namesakeCraig Calfee, this bamboo tandem runs witha diverse accumulation of technology. Fromthe bamboo frame and carbon fork totitanium handlebars to the disc brakes, it’san interesting mix, to say the least.www.calfeedesign.com

“Simple, minimal, strong and elegant” is the design criteria that David Kirk relies on tobuild his custom bikes. The two-time NAHBS award winner calls Bozeman, Montana homeand it’s obvious that he knows how to inject a sense of flair into his frame designs.www.kirkframeworks.com

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In a world dominated by custom bikes, Shamrock Cyclesbuilder Tim O'Donnell tried something different this yearby building a “spec” bike. Not only did the price dropconsiderably for this magnificent city bike ($5800complete), but he also walked away with a shared awardfor the show’s Best City Bike. www.lugoftheirish.com

More than just beginner’s luck—Santa Barbara, California, frame builder Lyle Harlow showed up for his first-ever NAHBS event and rolledaway with the shared award for Best City Bike. www.musecycles.com

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In attempting to conquer the rigors of Paris-Roubaix,the bike industry continues to prove that the influenceof this one-day classic is for real

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➥We all know that the Tour deFrance is the biggest bike race

on the calendar. It is the one race thatall ProTour teams and riders dream ofbeing selected to participate in. It’s theone event on the race calendar thatcan make or break a career. And yet,for all its international acclaim andimpact on both the sport and industry,

brutal Spring Classic of Paris-Roubaix.First run back in 1896, over the years,its cobble-strewn course has spawnedmore attempts at new, race-specifictechnology than any other event. Thesolutions to better isolate the rider fromthe sharp edges of the Napoleonicroads ranged from the quick, simple,double-wrapped handlebar tape to the

the Tour de France has never inspiredany race-specific technology. Sure,over the years plenty of bike brandshave relied on “Le Grand Boucle” tointroduce new models, but there isnothing unique about the race itselfthat has given rise to a specially blue-printed frame or component.

The same cannot be said about the

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expensive, extreme, fully suspendedbikes. However, as much as the bikemakers have tried their best to comeup with frame designs to help theirteam riders go faster through therough stuff, unlike their mountain bikebrethren who have pursued similarstrategies, weight and complexityremain as welcome to road

bikes as a plate of glazed donuts are toa diabetic.

Yes, there was a brief moment intime when the road world looked to theprolific world of dirt bike suspensiondesigns to attack Paris-Roubaix. Andyes, Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle rocked theworld when he won Paris-Roubaix in1992 using a limited-travel RockShox

suspension fork. But in the end, theconcept was deemed overkill and nevertook hold among the skinny-tire set.

WHAT’S THE ANSWER?It is a testament to the enduring

legacy of this one-day classic and,more specifically, the rough-hewnstones that make up its most drama-filled moments that the modern-daybike industry continues to obsess overit. As one bike-company engineercommented from the start of this year’srace, “Paris-Roubaix has created itsown arms race for new bikes!” Ofcourse, the big question has alwaysbeen just how big of an impact anycobble-specific technology could orshould have on production bikes. As itis with any bike race, the formula forsuccess is most affected by the riderpushing the pedals. However, sincegene-pool extracts from such cobblemasters as Tom Boonen and FabianCancellara have yet to be marketed,the next best thing is the bike they winon. And no one has proven moresuccessful at Roubaix than Specialized.In the marketplace of cobble-inspiredbike designs, they have proven mostadept at bridging the compliance/complexity gap with the static-dampingdesign of their Zertz elastomers.

And given the popularity of theSpecialized Roubaix and the resultingboon to the bike company’s bottomline—something that has not beenmissed by their big-league competi-tors—it’s obvious that there is definitemarket share to be gained by designinga bike influenced around the specificattributes of this single race. What weare talking about here are new framesthat can deliver on two long-opposingideals: performance and comfort. Anddespite the industry’s distaste ofapplying the word “comfort” to any oftheir high-end bikes, there is no escap-ing that the design origins of thesebikes lie in a synthesis of both tradi-tional notions of performance and thegrowing acceptance of increased com-fort (usually meaning taller head tubesand bump-force-absorbing frames).

While those attributes can generallybe represented by increased framecompliance and a higher hand position,it’s how each bike delivers the wholepackage—weight, geometry, handlingand component choices—that speaksto its overall potential. This year, a trioof bike brands attacked the SpringClassics with new models designedwith a distinct flair for the cobbledcourses of Ghent-Wevelgem, the Tourof Flanders and, of course, Paris-Roubaix. Here is a first look at each.

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When the history books are written,Tom Boonen’s 2012 Paris-Roubaix effortwill be remembered as one of the mostimpressive and dominant cobble winsever. Equally so, the same can be saidabout Specialized’s launch of the newRoubaix bike he won the race on. Forthe second consecutive year,Specialized rolled out a new model inrace conditions and completely domi-nated the event. Last year it was MattGoss winning Milan-San Remo on thefirst-time ride of the Specialized Venge.

CHRIS FILLS US INGiven the prototype nature of the

bike, Specialized chose an under-the-radar approach to launch the newRoubaix. We chased down ChrisD’Aluisio who, as with the developmentof all of Specialized’s race bikes,witnessed the new Roubaix’s evolu-tion—from grease board at SpecializedHQ to the start line in Compeigne,France. As excited as Chris was aboutthe new bike, there was much about itthat he was unable to talk about. Thereare new patents and technologies atwork that Chris said would have a

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bigger impact on future bikes than justthis one model. The one point that Chriswas adamant in making was that Tom’sbike was just a prototype and theproduction versions released this yearwill be very limited.

Chris also admitted that anotherreason Specialized was a little less thanforthcoming on all the bike-spec info inthe days leading up to the race was—you guessed it—their nervousnessabout the UCI rules that dictate that nobike can be raced unless it is alsoavailable to the public, or at least until ithas been “launched” publicly; hence thehurried soft launch of the bike two daysbefore the race. It’s this rule that ispartially behind many early-season(prototype) race bikes being paintedblack so as to avoid any detection and/or publicity.

To the degree that Specialized isseen as an industry leader in marketingrace-bred technology, perhaps the bestevidence of the public’s increasingclamor for more comfort on the roadcan be found within the whopping 12different models of their carbon-framedRoubaix bikes (plus two frame sets) that

range in price from $2000 to the top-of-the-line S-Works SL3 model spec’d withShimano’s Di2 drivetrain which sells fora cool 11 large!

ABOUT TOM’S BIKETo reflect its not-ready-for-prime-

time status, there is no new modeldesignation for the bike other than“S-Works Roubaix.” This latest versionshares some of the updated frameattributes of the Tarmac SL4, which isthe bike Tom used to win the Tour ofFlanders just one week before. Chrissaid that Tom had briefly consideredusing the new Roubaix frame atFlanders, but ultimately felt the cobblesthere didn’t require the dampingattributes of the Zertz inserts.

The bike we’re talking about isSpecialized’s latest incarnation of theirimmensely popular Roubaix bike whichstands alone in the industry with its useof their proprietary elastomer Zertzinserts used in the seat stays and fork(they were originally found in the seat-post as well). For the 2012 running ofParis-Roubaix, Specialized had eightriders between their three pro teams

The same as before, only this time better

Belgium’s Tom Boonen solidified hisplace as one of the greatest one-dayclassic riders when he won all threemajor cobbled classics this year.

SPECIALIZED ROUBAIX

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aboard the new bike. With only a fewframes at the ready, the pecking orderamong those lucky few chosen to ridethe new frame was how close theywere to riding a bike in the size thatwas used by Boonen or his teammate,Sylvain Chavanel. Boonen rides a 60cmframe, and Chris said that it weighsabout 150 grams more than the TarmacSL4 that Boonen used to win the Tourof Flanders.

Chris also told us that the bike had,of course, been in the works since lastyear, but that it wasn’t until January of

this year that they began actual testingwith Boonen and the QuickStep team.That testing consisted of both “out-side” testing, as well as many hoursspent indoors on the track. Admittedly,there are no cobbled velodromes tospeak of, but what the indoor velo-drome provides is a much-needed,controlled environment that allows for amore precise analysis of how differentcomponents work.

“The days when we would rely solelyon rider feedback are over,” Chrissays. “The track gives us a level of

quantifiable test data that you can’t getin the field. One of the goals was to getsome real power numbers to contrasttime savings on the pavement versusthe cobbles. We would have Tom try astandard box rim and small tire, andthen switch to his [Zipp] 303s tocompare speed and power output. Wewould even vary the amount of air inhis tires to see what impact that wouldhave on his performance. The idea wasto mix and match equipment so thatTom could make the decision aboutwhat to use himself. We looked ateverything—from Tom’s position on thebike to all the different parts onthe bike.”

Eventually, though, the testing had tomove outdoors, and Chris said thatincluded real time on both Europeancobbles as well as “simulated” cobblesback at Specialized near San Jose,California. In the end, it all worked asplanned, as Boonen was able to ridehimself and his new bike into the recordbooks. It is a curious thing to consider,though, that after all the hours andmoney Specialized invested leading upto the race that Boonen’s Roubaixwon’t be used again this year. No, thepurpose-built bike achieved everythingit was meant to and will no doubt hangon a wall somewhere to bask in itsdeserved glory, knowing that the realrace that it inspired—the race at thedealer floors—has only just begun.

While the Zertz materialis the same as previously

used, the new Zertzattachment design not

only allows the frameto be stiffer and lighter,

but also makes forsignificant performance

enhancements.

Boonen’s prototype 2013Specialized Roubaixmoments before he rodeit to a historic win.

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Engineering a more compliant bike tobetter handle the brutal conditions ofParis-Roubaix—and, to a lesser extent,the Tour of Flanders—has been onTrek’s R&D whiteboard for years. Backin 2004, they famously introduced theirone-off SPA (Suspension PerformanceAdvantage) bikes for the Discoveryteam, which, one year later, GeorgeHincapie used to finish third overall atParis-Roubaix.

Fast-forward to 2010 when word gotout that Fabian Cancellara was seenriding the cobbles on a Madone withstrain gauges fitted in the frame so Trekengineers could quantify the bump’seffects on each part of the bike as wellas the rider. “I want to be smoother overthe cobbles, but I don’t want to give up

anything,” was Cancellara’s straightfor-ward demand. Astutely, Trek realized itwas going to take more than just anupdate to the Madone—they needed awhole new bike—and thus the newDomane, which takes its name from theold Latin (pronounced “Domani”) wordthat is translated to mean “king’s cross”or “full gas,” according to FabianCancellara. A Swiss rider developing anAmerican bike made in Taiwan for aFrench race with a Latin name—talkabout cross-cultural origins!

FIRST THINGS FIRSTFrom speaking to Trek’s product

manager, Ben Coates, the endurance-oriented Domane is intended to act as acomplement to the all-around racing

Madone and shares the same prop-rietary OCLV frame constructionprocess. Quite simply, the Domane is abold new entry into the world of per-formance road bikes that is unlike any-thing else we’ve seen. There are threehallmark features of the new Domane:

1.) The most notable is what’s called“IsoSpeed De-Coupler,” which is a com-pletely unconventional and potentiallygroundbreaking design. The top tubeand seat tube junction on the Domane isnot a molded joint; rather, the tubes arejoined by a “de-coupler” that essentiallyacts as a pivot point, eliminating thetraditionally fixed joint in order to allowgreater fore-aft compliance from theseat tube, so much so that Trek claimsthe Domane has 100 percent more

TREK DOMANEWhere the radical and sensible collide

Unfortunately for Fabian Cancellara,he and his Trek Domane crashedout of the 2012 Tour of Flanders.

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compliance than its nearest competitor.Although Trek avoids using the word“suspension” to describe IsoSpeed, it isan active design; however, it does notuse elastomers or anything of the sortfor damping and thus doesn’t requireany type of adjustment or setup. Tworeplaceable sealed bearings are what“unlock” the tubes’ joint, and they resideunder a carbon fiber cover to keep dirtout. It is for this same reason that arubber boot is placed between theframe and de-coupler. In all, the de-cou-pler, which is molded into the carbon,accounts for a mere 50 grams of weightto the claimed 1050-gram frame (56cm).

2.) The second component to theDomane’s design is “power transfer,”and, as a race-engineered bike, theDomane was designed with efficiency inmind. In comparison to the Madone, theDomane ends up being 9 percent stifferin the head tube and 6 percent stifferacross the entire frame. Most of thisincrease is due to the downtube’sshaping and what we have to assumeare updated layups. The Domane stickswith Trek’s BB90 bottom bracket, cur-rently the widest bottom bracket shellbeing used in the industry. The wideshell allows for a massive downtube toadd the necessary rigidity. The Domanealso carries over the 1 1/8- to 1 1/2-inchtapered head tube used on the Madone.

When Cancellaraasked for a bikethat would besmooth overthe cobbleswithout sacrificingperformance, Trekdelivered theDomane.

With the carbon cover removed, thede-coupler’s simplicity is revealed.

The IsoSpeed fork uses rear-set dropoutsto achieve the desired handling.

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3.) “Endurance geometry” is the thirdpiece to the Domane’s makeup. Withincreased stability being a priority in itsdesign, longer chainstays and a morerelaxed head tube angle are used tolengthen the wheelbase by nearly 2cmover the Madone (size 56cm). TheDomane also has a 7.8cm bottombracket drop, a full 8mm lower than theMadone. The added stability is some-thing that is as much a benefit to thenon-racing consumers as it is to theRadioShack-Nissan-Trek pros. Whilethese changes might not make it theideal choice for the criterium racerswanting to pedal through the corners,that’s not exactly a market the Domaneis going after, either.

THE SPECIFICSGoing after the success Specialized

achieved with their inaugural“endurance-style” Roubaix bike, theDomane is designed with a focus as

much on its race performance over thecobbles as for the rougher roads facedby the 99 percent of cyclists who willnever find their way to the ArenbergForest section of pavé used in the race.In explaining the bike’s unique framedesign, Trek product manager BenCoates is quick to counter any notionthat the Domane is a suspension bike;instead, likening its 33–35mm seat tubedeflection as an “active isolationsystem,” Coates says. “We’re notchanging the way we measure compli-ance, we’re just maximizing the bike’sperformance in regards to the amount offorce it can absorb while maintaining asmooth ride.” Coates also added thatthe IsoSpeed places no weightrestrictions on the bike, and althoughthe design is serviceable, it’s intended tomaintain itself for the life of the bike.

The Domane’s 6-series OCLV carbonframe is made up of nine differentpieces. The head tube, top tube and

downtube are all one piece, as is theseat tube and bottom bracket. Thebrake bridge, the chainstays and seatstays are all individual pieces, which arejoined by aluminum dropouts. Theconstruction of the frame involves alug-type tube integration, which uses astep joint with a longer but thinnermale end of the tube compared to atraditional lug; this allows wall thicknessto remain consistent between the jointand the rest of the tube to evenly spreadthe stress load. While the Domaneshares the OCLV manufacturing processof the Madone, it doesn’t share theWisconsin manufacturer that hashistorically defined the high-end OCLVcarbon bikes.

A new IsoSpeed fork is designedwith increased sweep and extendedrake to allow for more compliance incomparison to the Madone’s fork. Whilethe extended rake would normally slowdown the handling and make steeringless precise, Trek got around this byusing rear-set dropouts (similar to theCannondale Evo) to maintain the desiredwheelbase while achieving additionalfork compliance—all the while getting a30 percent boost in stiffness over theMadone’s fork. Hidden eyelets on thefork and frame make adding fenders aneasy task, and there’s enough room touse a 28c tire without the worry of anytire clearance issues.

In yet another industry nod to thefolks at K-Edge, who have singlehand-edly advanced the cause of chaincatchers, Trek has added their own 3SChainkeeper to the Domane. Althoughit’s a mystery as to why it has taken thislong for a major brand to integrate oneinto their frames, the removablealuminum guide is a great idea.Additionally, with internal cable routingpractically mandated these days, theDomane, too, adheres to the revitalizedtrend, but with a refined routing thatkeeps the cables straighter in order tominimize friction, and, most important ofall, makes replacing them an easierprocess—thank you, Trek.

For the immediate future, the Domaneis available for purchase only throughTrek’s Project One custom bike program,where you get to create the exact buildyou’re looking for, in addition to a myriadof paint options. Complete bikes startaround $4600 for an Ultegra build. Dura-Ace, or similar builds, will run closer to$8800. Trek does their best to maintainat most a 30-day wait from the time youorder your bike to the time it’s delivered.That is a remarkable turnaround time fora custom-spec’d bike, and Trek standshead and shoulders above the industryby offering this program. The only

The proving grounds—if the Domane can handle these,imagine what it can do for you on your local roads.

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standard model currently available is aRadioShack team version with the Dura-Ace Di2 that runs just shy of $12,000.A king’s cross for a king’s ransom!

DOMANEBy Neil Shirley

➥Whether to ride a bike or justwatch a race and eat frites, it’s

never a bad thing when you get invitedto the Spring Classics. For the intro-duction of the Domane, Trek followed awell-worn industry practice by inviting a

group of journalists to the upperreaches of France to ride some of thecobbled sections of the Tour ofFlanders. After a handful of presenta-tions, we were given the chance to ridethe Domane for two days over thecobbles. So, how does it work?

Bouncing up and down on theDomane gives the rider an immediateidea what the IsoSpeed de-coupler isall about. To say there’s a noticeableamount of fore-aft movement in theseat tube when slamming down on thesaddle is an understatement. The feelof compliance was reminiscent of theshort-travel suspension mountain bikesof old. While riding along on a smooth

road, there was nothing to notice interms of seat tube movement, but uponhitting our first section of cobbles, thereaction was immediate—IsoSpeedreally works! I could hit the cobbles atfull speed without being thrown aroundon the saddle, which allowed me tokeep the pressure on the pedals with-out the hits affecting my pedal stroke.The difference in compliance comparedto any other road bike I’ve ridden,including the Specialized Roubaix, wastruly night and day.

After a couple of cobbled sectors,one thing that stood out was animbalance between the front and rearof the bike. The rear was unbelievablyplush and efficient over the roughestterrain, but the front end wasnoticeably harsh in comparison—evenwith the IsoZone RXL handlebar. Withthat said, I don’t think the front wasnecessarily any harsher than otherendurance-oriented bikes I’ve ridden;it’s just much more noticeable whenyou’re not feeling the jolts to yourbackside that you would on a standardframe. On the typical less-than-smoothcountry road, the imbalance wasn’tnearly as extreme as what was felt onthe brutal sectors of the cobbles.

Overall, frame rigidity seems to beon par with Trek’s claims of improvedstiffness over their Madone. Despite itbeing a “de-coupled” bike, I never felta loss of acceleration with the Domane.For a longer-wheelbase bike, it still hadgood acceleration when I punched itover the many Vlaanderen climbs.Although it didn’t have the samesnappy feel as the Madone or other toprace bikes, I would point to the longerwheelbase for this versus the IsoSpeedsystem. No doubt its benefits on roughterrain (i.e., just about any road inAmerica) are far more valuable for themajority of riders out there who wantmore comfort in their performance bike.

Yes, the Domane is slightly heavierthan the Madone, the longer wheelbaseslows its reaction ever so slightly, andthe frame is now “hinged,” but not oneof those differences takes away fromthe bike’s real-world performance—andfor most of us, that world has nothingto do with the cobblestones that origi-nally drove its design. One key, out-standing question that remains is howthe IsoSpeed parts will endure the testof time. As of our Flanders intro, therewas no word on an updated Madoneframe, but with some of the tweaks andimprovements in stiffness made on theDomane, it’s easy to assume we’ll seesome crossover technology coming theMadone’s way sometime soon…maybeby that other big race on the calendar.

RIDING THE

After riding theKoppenberg, Hoogbergand Paterberg, it onlytook one stretch ofcobbles to realize thatIsoSpeed really works.

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➥BMC’s squad list for the 2012Paris-Roubaix could best be

described in one word: stacked. Notonly did the team roster include twoWorld Champions and former Paris-Roubaix podium finishers in the form ofAlessandro Ballan and Thor Hushovd,but keeping them company was GeorgeHincapie who, with 17 Paris-Roubaixstarts to his credit, had more cobble-stone history than any other rider linedup at the start in Compiegne, France.Last but not least was America’s prideand joy, Taylor Phinney, who is a two-

time winner of the U23 Paris-Roubaix.With that roster of talent, there was narya single other thing that the Americanteam and Swiss bike brand could bringto the race. Wait, there was one morething—a brand-new bike designedspecifically for the rigors of Roubaix.

Much in the same way that BMCcompetitors Trek and Specialized wereintroducing new models intent onproviding a smoother ride over thecobbles, so, too, was BMC. And to setthe record straight, the GranFondoGF01 is a brand-new model for 2013.

GRAN TURISMO OFCYCLING

It began life on the chalkboard atBMC headquarters 18 months prior toits launch, included testing by the bulkof BMC’s pro team and was the bike ofchoice for each member of BMC’s 2012Paris-Roubaix squad. But, it is less arevelatory new bike akin to Trek’sDomane than it is an evolution of atried-and-true platform, which is morein line with Specialized’s updatedRoubaix prototype that tookTom Boonen to victory.

BMC GRANFONDO GF01Swiss-style twists and turns

Former World Champion, AlessandroBallan, rode his BMC GranFondo to a thirdplace finish at the 2012 Paris-Roubaix.

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For their U.S. launch, BMC rolled outthe GranFondo just a few days prior tothe 2012 Sea Otter Classic in Monterey,California. And given that BMC’s leadproject engineer, Jonas Muller, likenedthe GranFondo to a high-performanceautomobile, it seemed fitting that we’dbe riding bikes in the shadow of theworld famous Laguna Seca Racewaythat, within a few days, would be hometo Sea Otter.

“The GF01 is a new bike series fromBMC, and we think of it as the granturismo of cycling,” says Muller. “Theterm ‘gran turismo’ usually refers toautomobiles that are full-on race cars,but are comfortable enough to be drivenlong distances. This bike is a race bike,but it’s for those who want to enjoy longrides without suffering. We took our‘Tuned Compliance Concept’ one stepfurther and added ‘Angle ComplianceTechnology.’ Bicycle frames alwaysconsist of triangles with straightelements. We decided to include a bendelement to introduce more compliance.”

If you’re not familiar with BMC roadbikes (the Swiss-based brand did winthe 2011 Tour de France), then you’d beforgiven for not having heard of theirTCC technology, which is also found onthe current TeamMachine andRaceMachine models. In a nutshell, it’sthe combination of unique tube shapesand carbon lay-ups that give BMC roadbikes their specific amounts of vertical

The BMC GranFondo doesn’tsport any elastomers like theSpecialized Roubaix. Nor doany of its tubes feature a de-coupler like the Trek Domane.Instead BMC engineers modi-fied the brand’s TCC tubeshapes to get the most verticalcompliance.

The bike’s “foundation”(head tube, downtube andchainstays) includes somethickly sculpted shapes.

The GranFondo’s seatstays havea subtle kink, or “bend element.”

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compliance and trademark silhouettes(including the low-mounted seat stays).For the GranFondo, BMC engineersfine-tuned the TCC with new lay-upsand also developed an offshoot of TCCcalled “Angle Compliance,” otherwiseknown as the “bend element” thatMuller previously mentioned.

WE THREE KINKSWhereas the Specialized Roubaix

utilizes Zertz elastomer inserts to helpdampen road vibrations and the TrekDomane has its IsoSpeed De-Couplerpivot point to accomplish an evengreater level of rider isolation, the BMCGranFondo steers clear of such compli-ance additives. Instead, BMC relies on avariety of dramatic kinks, or bends, inthe seat stays, chainstays and fork thatare designed to deflect much more ofthe bump force than a straight tube witha similar lay-up ever could. Andalthough engineers would agree thatadding such a bend to a straight lineinherently creates an area more suscep-tible to stress, BMC reps assured usthat the GranFondo is no less durablethan any other BMC road bike.

When comparing the GranFondoGF01 to BMC’s proven TeamMachineSLR01, Muller claimed that the former is40 percent more vertically compliant and30 percent stiffer. Yes, you read thatright: the GranFondo is stiffer than the

pure-race-bred TeamMachine. Thisstems from both improved carbonlay-ups as well as BMC’s “core stiffnessphilosophy,” which Muller explained isBMC’s belief in a solid foundation oftubes to maximize power transfer, andthis includes a large head tube, a wide,boxy downtube, and tall chainstays.Together, these elements form the basisof a chassis that is laterally and torsion-ally stiff, while the remaining areas dotheir duty as the purveyors of deflection.

Although the GranFondo will comestandard with an internally wiredShimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain, BMCwanted to give customers the freedomto swap in a mechanical system. Thisled to the GranFondo’s “DualTransmission integration” (DTi) feature,which is basically a set of externally-mounted cable stops and othermounts that can be easily attachedand removed to suit yourdrivetrain preference.

The GranFondo frame features aBB86 press-fit bottom bracket, andclaimed weight is 995 grams (size54cm). The fork adds an additional 380grams, and it features a 1 1/8- to 1 1/2-inch tapered steerer. The 27.2mm seat-post is BMC’s own creation and comesin three setback options (3, 18 and30mm) while being outfitted with its ownTCC and Angle Compliance design. Infact, each seatpost features its own

unique carbon lay-up and flexcharacteristics, intended to avoiddiscrepancies in ride quality betweenthe three. The 18mm setback versioncomes standard, while the other two areoptional. The GranFondo is available inany color of your choosing…as long asit’s their signature red-accented blackcarbon scheme that’s shared with alltheir race bikes in the catalog.

ONE BUILD FORONE AND ALL

The initial batch of GranFondos willbe available only as complete bikes (noframesets) and in only one build optionwith a retail price of $6599. This buildincludes a Shimano Ultegra Di2electronic drivetrain, Ultegra brakes anda compact crankset, a set of tubeless-ready Easton EA90RT wheels wrappedin Continental GP 4-Season tires in size28c, an Easton EA70 handlebar andstem combination, and a Fizik Aliantesaddle. The GranFondo comes in sixframe sizes: 48, 51, 54, 56, 58 and61cm. And like SRAM with their newestRed gruppo and Trek with the Domane,BMC has included a chain catcher onthe GranFondo, which is mounted onthe bottom bracket shell.

GF01By Michael White

➥For the last 22 years, the bikeindustry has converged on the

famed Laguna Seca racetrack inMonterey, California, for the Sea OtterClassic. What originally began as adedicated mountain bike race hasevolved into the nation’s largest publicbicycle trade show, now with road and’cross races added to the schedule. Sowhen BMC decided to unveil the all-newGranFondo GF01 to the American mediaduring the days leading up to the ’12Otter, the timing—and location—couldn’t have been better. Monterey is apicturesque seaside town with an avidcycling community and more than its fairshare of both pristine and pothole-stricken roads. Although it lacked thecobbled sections of Paris-Roubaix, thelocal roads were far more emblematic ofthe type of tarmac that the rest of usride, the type that the GranFondo wasdesigned for.

The first thing that nearly everyjournalist in attendance did upon receiv-ing his demo bike was to push down on

RIDING THEGRANFONDO

Thor Hushovd (r), on his GranFondo,shadows Omega Pharma-Quick

Step’s Sylvain Chavanel.

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the saddle, trying to feel the amount offlex present in the rear triangle.Somewhat disappointingly, there wasno “aha!” moment here, as the bike feltpretty solid. It was only after our merryband of media misfits rolled out that thebike’s true colors emerged.

Having ridden BMC’s Tour deFrance-winning TeamMachine SLR01along these same roads only a fewmonths prior, I was expecting a differentfeel to the GranFondo, but not nearly asbig a difference as what the bikeactually delivered. Along the flat roadsrunning down the Monterey coastline,the GranFondo felt stiff, lively and quitesimilar to the TeamMachine; it had notrouble putting down the power duringthe group’s long, climbing effort. As theroads began to deteriorate and thecracks, potholes and imperfectionsbecame more prevalent, the GranFondoreally began to set itself apart.

Along these stretches of road, boththe front and rear end of the GranFondoabsorbed vibrations far better than theTeamMachine while allowing me to stillmaintain a fast pace with the group. Infact, the feeling was so tangible that,against my better instincts, I beganseeking out the road imperfections andhitting them as if I hadn’t seen them.

While this is something I would neverrecommend, it definitely gave me agood understanding of the difference invertical compliance between the GF01and SLR01.

Soon enough, our group ride turnedaway from the stunning coastal sceneryand headed inland toward a bevy ofshort, punchy climbs and constantlyrolling terrain. Standing on the pedals,the GranFondo felt very nearly as stiffas the TeamMachine, its front-endstiffness being particularly impressive.In fact, had it been fitted with the size23c tires used on the TeamMachineinstead of the spec-size 28c rubber, Iwould probably say with confidencethat the stiffness is identical.

Despite this, while climbing somesteeper hills in the saddle, I concludedthat I preferred the TeamMachine onsuch ascents. This is chiefly because Idon’t feel the GF’s added rear-endvertical compliance improved myclimbing experience at such lowspeeds, where a crack in the road hasfar less impact on the bike and riderthan on high-speed descents or flats.Speaking of descents, the GranFondo’sstable platform provided superbhandling traits through the high-speedtwisties that line the lush mountains.

Also, its damping characteristicsremove much of the shaky, fear-inducing feel that accompanies manystiffer bikes when bombing downsteep inclines.

No, the GranFondo doesn’t absorbroad shock like a bike with activecompliance parts. And no, don’t expectBMC pro riders to be taking theGranFondo to any average race. This isa purpose-driven bike for them, but agreat option for the rest of us. Even withmy stem slammed, the GranFondo’staller head tube had me riding in a moreupright position than I would have beenon a TeamMachine. Its striking amountof vertical compliance gets the jobdone, and the bike remains stiff enoughto satisfy anyone looking to attack aclimb or take a flyer off the front withoutthe penalty of a harsh ride.

When I asked Jonas Muller whetheror not this new compliance technologywould find its way to the TeamMachine,his response was immediate: “Oh,absolutely! That’s the next logical step,making sure every bike is as efficient aspossible in every way.” As the old adagegoes, “To finish first, you first have tofinish.” And, the GranFondo shouldcertainly help both BMC’s customersand team riders do just that. ■

The GranFondo is adeptat climbing, but its truespecialty is providing acomfortable ride withoutsacrificing stiffness.

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➥There are very few cyclists whodon’t dream of riding the great

cobbled classics of the northernEuropean spring. Luckily, there are manyof us who have had the chance to makethe pilgrimage to the windswept, barrenlands of northern France to taste the gritand feel the pounding and jarring of thegreat cobblestones of Paris-Roubaix,arguably the greatest and toughestsingle-day bike race in the world.

These ancient and rough-hewnchunks of solid rock are not a place forthe faint of heart. And, truth be told,many of the great champions—braveand tough as they may be—still chooseto shy away from their tortures.

The names and legends of the greatcobbled sectors are the cornerstones tobike-racing history. Each rocky sector ofthe “Hell of the North” has its own taleof woe and glory to tell, and each has itsown characteristics too. Some aresemi-paved and relatively smooth, whileothers are little more than broken tracksand are often inches deep in mudand slurry.

Doubtless we’ve all seen the TVcoverage of the great race andwondered how it’s possible to rideskinny tires over such horrific terrain.Well, it takes a whole lot of experience,grit, nerve, skill and determination totake on these baby’s-head-sized beasts,which are so much rougher and tougherthan the cobbled bergs of Flanders. Toget an idea, we talked to cobbledclassic maestro, Italian Andrea Tafiabout the race and about conqueringthe “l’Enfer du Nord.”

IT’S TAFI’S ROUBAIXThere are many great Paris-Roubaix

riders that spring to mind, but AndreaTafi is definitely one of the men whoalways makes the list. On the bike hispower and force were always apparent,but his grace always stood out too. It’snot often you see or hear slurred bad-ness from this former giant of a rider.

It’s been a while since he hung up hisracing wheels, but the Roubaix velo-drome remains a place that he knowsvery well. Despite having retired, Tafi’spassion for the cobblestones of the grimnorth remains strong, and he now runsan agritourism business and cyclingtours in his native Tuscany. There are

several rooms on the small rural com-plex, each named and themed after oneof his great classics victories, the mostgrandiose of all is, of course, the Paris-Roubaix suite. He can still be foundthundering over the cobbles each springwhen he takes part in the Paris-RoubaixChallenge, the official ASO-promotedcyclosportive event, which this year tookplace a week before the great race itself.

A LAST SWINGIn 2005, it had been predetermined

that Tafi would retire after his last Paris-Roubaix, and he intended to go out in afinal blaze of glory. Unfortunately, itdidn’t work out that way.

He seemed to have the form, butLady Luck was not on his side on thatfinal, fated day of his illustrious racingcareer. “I focused for six months onthat race and was in really goodshape,” recalls Tafi. “But, after dinnerthe night before, I did not feel good.My throat was sore and swollen.I called my wife to say I was not good.I woke at 4 a.m. and was burning up,and the next day it was just toomuch to ask of my legs. I wasreally disappointed.”

THE BROKEN BODYThe rugged path to Roubaix started

many years ago when a young Tafisigned on for Gianni Savio’s SelleItalia team. “I had seen great victoriesfrom Moser in the race and reallywanted to see it for myself. It was1990 and I finished 47th on a standardbike. I was really pleased, especiallyas I rode well on the cobbles. But thenext day it was like my whole bodywas broken. I had gripped the barstoo tight. I realized then that thisrace is very much about learningand experience.”

The race was taken deeply to heartby Tafi. “I thought, this is my race, butI knew it would take time to learn andprogress. Sure enough, winningFlanders and other races was great,but not like Roubaix.” As time movedon, his performance in the raceimproved. Then, in 1995, came the all-conquering Mapei clean sweep of thepodium. “At Mapei, we always hadmany captains, which was good forthe team; it leaves many options for

victory. It was Museeuw, Bortolamiand myself away together coming intothe velodrome. The finishing order hadalready been decided. I was happywith that, but also knew that I reallywanted to win that race, and the onlyway to do it was to go back again andgo even faster, so fast that even myteammates could not stay with me.”

And following up on that wasexactly what he did. In 1999, “I knewI was in good shape, and I didn’tsleep the night before. I told my team-mates to follow me. I knew that I hadto take it slow to start with and had toeat plenty. I had the experience now.Coming into Arenberg Forest, I knewI had to be at the front. It would be agood test to see if I had the legs to gofor the win, and I did.”

MASTER OF THE COBBLESAndrea Tafi was one of the all-time great cobbled classicsriders; we rattled by to talk about his passion for Paris-Roubaix and how to master the cobblesBy Steve Thomas

“I knew that it would be adisaster to puncture, and I did—without any support around.Then ahead I saw a spectator atthe side of the road with awheel. It was that wheel thatsaved my race. I never got tosay thank you to him.”

A commanding ride saw him aloneout front. “I knew that it would be adisaster to puncture, and I did—with-out any support around. Then aheadI saw a spectator at the side of theroad with a wheel. It was that wheelthat saved my race. I never got to saythank you to him.”

In regards to some great Roubaixriders he has ridden with over theyears, Tafi responds: “JohanMuseeuw—not only as a greatclassics rider, but he is also a humbleand very good man off the bike too.”And about the current crop of riders?“Well, what can you say about FabianCancellara? He is pretty amazing andfor sure has more wins left in his legs.Then Tom Boonen is not far behind.Also, George Hincapie could win if hegot everything right on the day. Thereis also Alessandro Ballan; he hasmade some mistakes in the past, butI am sure he will learn and be theresoon. I also think that Ivan Basso iscapable of winning the race if hefocused more on it.”

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THE BIKE TO FINISH“I think a standard road bike is the

best choice for Roubaix, as most ofthe race is not on cobbles, so youneed to focus on the overall ride.Extra padding on the bars isnecessary, for sure, but I don’t thinkthe suspension and other stuff thatriders have used at times is worththe compromise.

“As for frame material, I think thatcarbon is perfect and by far the bestfor comfort on such roads. If theconditions are wet, then a bike with aslightly longer wheelbase is a goodidea, as it provides more stability andallows you to push and pull on thebars and pedals easier.

“For me, I believe that normal,regular-spoked wheels are also wise.They are strong and are less likely tobreak, but also give a little on thecobbles, which helps reduce impactand puncture danger.

“For tires, I would normally use alittle wider than normal tubular,usually 25/26mm wide. The exactchoice of tires would depend onconditions on the day. Some ridershave changed bikes and wheelsafter the initial road sectors, butthat’s always a risky thing to do, soI generally prefer to play it safe anduse the same tires and wheelsright through.

“Paris-Roubaix is a very long race,so you need to be smart with yourgear choices. For the first part of theroute, it pays to use regular gears andconserve energy, but when you hit thecobbled sections, it’s a differentmatter. It usually pays to ride aslightly bigger gear on the cobbles—to power across them—but, of course,you need to keep your pedallingaction smooth, especially if it’s wet.Too big a gear can cause your wheelto slip or force you off your line.”

BE PREPARED“Experience is a big factor in riding

well on the cobbles and in the race. Ittook me a long time to learn how toconserve my energy and stayrefueled. After my first Paris-Roubaix,I really set about learning how tomaster the cobbles. My whole bodywas so beaten up as I’d grip the barstoo hard and my upper body was tootense. It takes time and confidence,but you must stay relaxed.

“With so many cobbles and suchtension, it’s also easy to neglectnutrition, and it’s a long and toughride. You must eat a lot, right from thestart, especially during longer spellsbetween cobbles. It’s also veryimportant to change your drink bottleregularly, or at least keep it clean—thedirt can easily make you sick.”

UP FRONT, OF COURSE“First of all, you need to be calm and

relaxed; otherwise, you can easily makemistakes. There is always a lot of tensionin the race, and getting to the firstsection of cobbles is almost like gettingto the finish line itself—there is even a lotof tension in the sportive versions.

“You must also be near to the front ofthe peloton to avoid crashes and to bebetter positioned if you puncture or haveproblems, which is almost inevitable onthe cobbles, especially if it’s wet. For thecitizen race, staying safe is important, soyou should avoid visibly nervous orshaky riders, and always leave a littleroom for error on their part.

“You should be fully aware of theriders around you and of theconditions—not all sectors are the same.Look for the smoothest and safest path,where you are also least likely topuncture. On many smoother sections,this is the center ridge, while on very badsectors it is often at the edge of theroad. Conditions change drastically withthe weather, too, so staying intact andhaving enough room for switching toother lines if things change or if there isa problem are important. Always try andhave a clear view of the sector ahead ofyou, and choose your line positively.Don’t just follow other riders—unlessyou figure out that they really know whatthey are doing.” ■

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Tafi took the 1999 Paris-Roubaix victory, sharing thepodium with Mapei-QuickStep teammates,Wilfried Peaters andTom Steels.

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BIKETEST

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Photos: Pat Carrigan

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THE GRAVEL

A Specialized Crux project bike helps define a newbike category that’s been around for years

➥We first heard grumblings aboutthe coming age of “gravel bikes”

at last year’s North American HandmadeBike show in Texas. And then, at thisyear’s show in Sacramento (page 46),someone we spoke to about this projectbike asked if we’d be using it to contestthe Gravel Bike World Championships.Gravel Bike World Championships?! Didwe miss the UCI memo that announceda new rainbow jersey? It turns out wedidn’t, because in reality the outlawevent (August 18th in Lincoln, Nebraska)is simply coining the official-soundingstatus for a bit of levity—until the UCIlawyers call. But clearly a new line hasbeen drawn connecting the opposingworlds of on- and off-road cycling. Now,we know what you’re thinking: “Ridingroad bikes off-road—yeah, it’s calledcyclocross!” And you’re right, but there’sa lot more to the gravel bike movementthan just elbowing your way around atwisty track and dismounting for a setof barriers.

No, riding road bikes off-road is not anew idea—but if ever there was anindustry that has proven itself capable ofreinvention by constantly creating newinter-sport niches, it would be the bikeindustry. Road bike, adventure bike,gravel bike, ’cross bike, touring bike,dual-purpose bike—yes, it can all be abit confusing, but, hey, at least roadiesaren’t still debating what the “right”wheel size is like those knuckleheadmountain bikers are!

DIFFERENT VARIETY OFTHE SAME THING?

What’s a so-called “gravel bike,” youask? Well, a better term for it mightactually be an adventure or dual-purpose bike. It’s a bike that can beridden on the road without giving upmuch in the way of efficiency, but whenyou veer off the pavement to explorethat fire road you’ve always beencurious about, you have the means todo so without worrying about holes onthe gravel-strewn washboard that wouldnormally eat a 23c tire. The two biggestpriorities in a gravel bike are adequatetire clearance for at least a 28c tire anda longer wheelbase than what’s foundon a typical race bike. After that, it’s upto the eye of the beholder to find theirideal setup.

There are a handful of endurancegeometry bikes on the market that couldeasily be made gravel-worthy with theaddition of wider tires. We wanted a bitbigger of a project, so we dusted off aSpecialized Crux Comp Disc Apexcyclocross bike that had been hangingin the back room since December, thelast time we raced ’cross on it. Theframe had most of the elements wewere looking for in our gravel bike, andwith a little work, it would be equallyefficient on both pavement and gravel.

THE FRAMESpecialized offers four different

versions, plus two framesets, of their

BIKE HASARRIVED

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head tube angle, it has a wheelbase thathits 102cm—that’s approximately 3cmlonger than a typical road racing bike ofthe same size. This helps give it stabilityon rough terrain and on high-speed dirtdescents. Another component of thebike’s stability is its bottom bracketdrop. Since the Crux was designed forriding on potentially rougher terrainwhere pedal clearance might become anissue, the bottom bracket drop is about2cm higher than preferred for our

needs—but unless you have a customframe made, it’s going to be a giveand take.

The Crux uses a disc-specific FACTcarbon fork, which is beneficial to ourproject since disc brakes on the road(and gravel) are no longer tomorrow’stechnology—they are the technology oftoday. Along with the disc mounts, thefork uses a tapered 1 1/8- to 1 1/2-inchaluminum steerer tube with a carboncrown and legs.

THE PARTSThe stock Crux Apex Disc weighed

21.2 pounds, not too bad whenfactoring in the $2100 price and thestandard disc brakes. But, in addition totaking it from a cyclocross racer to ahybrid of sorts, we also wanted to knocka couple pounds off to make it feel morelike the road bikes we are accustomedto riding. We left the SRAM Apexderailleurs and shifters alone since therewas no need to mess with success—they worked great and didn’t warrant achange. Also unchanged were the AvidBB7 mechanical disc brakes. SRAM willbe launching a hydraulic Red versionlater this summer, and a Shimano Dura-Ace version is on the way (but as ofnow, the Avid BB7s are still thebest solution).

We zeroed in on two places to cutweight off the stock Crux—wheels andsaddle/seatpost. Swapping outSpecialized’s SBC Axis CXD aluminumwheels with $1850 Reynolds Assault CXcarbon clincher wheels netted us a 413-gram weight reduction while giving usanother 20mm in rim depth for addedaerodynamics. We cut off another 220grams by switching out the in-housePhenom Comp saddle and Sportaluminum seatpost with Selle Italia’sMonolink saddle and carbon postcombination. There are a number ofbrands, including Specialized, that couldcut the same amount of weight for farless cost than the $539 Monolinkcombo, but the increase in stiffness thatthe carbon monorail provides when onthe very nose of the saddle, in additionto the hard-to-find-elsewhere level offore-aft adjustment, made it a goodchoice for the project.

Once we met our weight-cuttingquota, it was time for the rest of theCrux’s gravel bike makeover—and itdidn’t take much. The first things to gowere the 46/36-tooth chainrings. Thesewere replaced with a 50/34-toothcombination in order to give us a tallergear for the road, in addition to lowergear for steep, loose dirt climbs. Withouta doubt the most important changedealt with tires. We wanted a tire that

Crux ’cross bike, ranging in price from$1450 to $2800. The E5 aluminum frameof the Crux gave us the foundation ofwhat we were looking for in “ProjectGravel”: plenty of tire clearance, a longwheelbase, relaxed head tube angleand, a bonus, disc brake mounts. TheCrux’s chainstays and carbon fork legseasily provided more than enough tireclearance for what we would need.

Between the Crux’s long 42.5cmchainstays and a relaxed 72-degree

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With 65psi in the tires, the amount oftraction and bump absorption you getfrom the 32c tires was impressive.

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The Crux’s fork had more than adequateclearance for the Continental Gator Skin 32ctires, but most road forks won’t allow nearlyas much room.

Selle Italia’s Monolink seatpost and saddlereduced weight and performed flawlessly;but other, less expensive options wouldwork equally as well.

wouldn’t hold us back on the lunch ride,but would have adequate air volume for adetour anywhere our curiosity might takeus. There are a number of brands offeringa tire that would meet our needs, butContinental’s 32c Gator Skin was justwhat we were looking for—fast rolling,high volume, with siping on its shouldersfor a little help in loose corners.

THE RIDEOn the road, the Crux basically feels

like an endurance geometry bike—responsive but not the least bit explosiveunder hard efforts. We ran the Continental32c tires at 90 psi until we left the road forthe dirt, then dropped them down to 65psi for better traction and bump absorp-tion. The overall feel of flying along agravel and pothole-littered road with littleeffort is a far cry from the drudgery of rid-ing a mountain bike over the same terrain.

We did hit a couple of climbs thatforced us to rethink our gearing. Oneparticularly steep kicker, which was tooloose to be tackled out of the saddle, hadus searching for non-existent lower gears.After grinding up in our 34x28, we had arealization that SRAM’s WiFli 32-toothcassette would be a welcome addition.Disc brakes are by no means a must-have, but the consistent feel and powerthe Avids provided on long descentsrequiring consistent braking would betough for any rim brakes to match. In fact,

one of our worries pre-ride wasmodulating the power to keep the tirefrom breaking traction, but it ended upbeing a nonissue. Between goodmodulation and an adequate contactpatch between tire and dirt, we minimizedthe number of times the tire broke tractiondue to braking.

Once back on the road, depending on

how much road riding was still to be done,we would either ride back with the lowertire pressure, or take a minute to pumpthem back up. The rides we’ve done onour gravel bike are some of the mostexhilarating ones we’ve done in quitesome time, and there’s even been talk ofseeking out some gravel races for thenext test.

While the Crux is intendedas more of a cyclocross-specific bike, Specializedalso markets a four-bike

line of TriCross bikes($990–$2000) that are also

intended for more multi-purpose cycling with fewer

race-specific features.

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THE VERDICT Our Crux gravel bike’s versatility

makes it possible to be taken almostanywhere on a whim—truly anadventure-oriented, multi-purposebike. Our ride list grew exponentiallynow that routes that were once out-and-backs can now be loopedtogether thanks to the forest roads.We’ll be playing around with more tirewidths and pressures to find theperfect balance of traction andcomfort with speed and efficiency. Ifwe had our druthers, our gravel bikewould have a lower bottom bracket,but we’ll save that for “Project Gravel:Part Two,” so stay tuned. ■

STATSPrice: $2100 (stock)Weight: 21.2 pounds (stock), 19.6pounds (Project Gravel)Sizes: 46, 49, 52, 54, 56 (tested),58, 61cmwww.specialized.comwww.conti-online.comwww.selleitalia.comwww.reynoldscycling.com

WHAT IS AGRAVEL BIKE?

Mention the notion of riding roadbikes off-road with a sense ofnewness and excitement to any certi-fied road geek and you will likely berebuked with the usual dose of that’s-such-an-old-idea attitude as to imme-diately leave you feeling like a dampsquib. Sure, the roads that the originalTour de France riders competed onback in the day could, at their best, becalled dirt roads. And yes, many in theindustry are aware that, among others,Tom Ritchey has been logging dirtymiles on his road bike for decades.

And when we mentioned the gravelbike concept in a recent meeting withSpecialized, their eyes lit up as if tryingto send us a nonverbal message thatthey were on it already. In other words,just as we predicted years ago thatroad bike disc brakes were on the hori-zon, gravel bikes, too, are on their way.

Undoubtedly there are dozens ofdifferent interpretations of what makesa proper gravel bike. To help find outwhat differentiates a road bike from agravel and cyclocross bike, we calledcustom builder John Caletti who, alongwith his wife, Cori, was responsible forstoking what he calls the “adventureroad bike” fire with us in Austin lastyear to find out his design philosophiesin building bikes of different genres.

“For me, gravel bikes are closer to

a standard road bike than to either acyclocross or touring bike. I like mygravel bikes to still be light and quickwhile still incorporating some specificdifferences that allows them to beridden off-road. Typically, the first thingI consider in building a gravel bike is thatit will run bigger tires [28–32c], so wheelclearance is my first concern. From thereit’s a question of what brakes will beused, because whether it’s a disc,cantilever or V-brake, they each requiredifferent mounting. From there I considerwhat adjustments to the geometry thebigger tires will require; I’ll go with aslightly longer wheelbase and chainstaysfor added stability. Although I’ll back offon the head angle just a bit, I keep thebottom bracket drop low as I would on aroad bike. My cyclocross bikes usuallyhave longer chainstays, a taller fork foreven bigger tires and a more relaxedhead angle with more offset.

“In building custom bikes, the linesseparating each style of bike aren’t asdistinct as they’d be if I had to make acatalog of bikes with specific models.For me, the adventure bikes are forpeople still most interested in riding aroad bike. It’s not about riding single-track like a mountain biker would, butsimply opening up new routes forroad cyclists who could extend theirrides if they just had a bike withbigger tires. Near our shop in SantaCruz, there are miles of fire roads inthe mountains to ride that change thewhole experience of what a normalroad ride is all about. My goal inbuilding my adventure road bikes is toallow you to efficiently get to thosedirt roads like you normally would, butthe change in geometry and tiresgives you a more confidence-inspiringride on the dirt.”

www.caletticycles.com

John Caletti: customframe builder andgravel road aficionado.

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BIKETEST

➥It’s a funny thing about the bikeindustry that, while very few of us

would ever consider a $4000 bike inexpen-sive, a carbon bike spec’d with Shimano’selectronic Ultegra Di2 components is nowdeemed a “budget bike.” Still, while by nomeans considered a budget bike by mostpeople’s standards, that doesn’t meanthere’s not good value to be found. Likeevery other consumer product category

recently enhanced with some kind of“future technology,” there is still a price topay at the checkout counter if you want tobe among the early adapters and have apiece of the future now.

Although it’s been three years sinceShimano first introduced their electronicdrivetrain (and recall that the original Dura-Ace version was priced at $5000 for justthe drivetrain)—and the new Ultegra

version is their attempt at selling a morecost-conscious version—the collection ofbatteries, solenoids and wiring still isn’tas cheap as the old-fashionedcable-drawn shifters.

THE Di2 DIFFERENCEPositioned between real “entry-level”

price points and the mega-dollar prices ofthe fancy superbikes, the market for $4000

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Focus and Jamis join the battle of entry-level electronic shiftingA PRICE POINT ON

Jamis_Focus_p96-104_Layout 1 5/2/12 11:33 AM Page 2

www.roadbikeaction.com 97

bikes still gets a lot of sales, but it hasnever received much clamor orattention…until now—and that’s all thanksto Shimano. There is no better example oftrickle-down technology than Shimano’ssecond electronic group, the Ultegra Di2.What was once technology for thosewith only the deepest pockets is nowavailable to a much wider market ofbattery-inclined cyclists.

Although the Ultegra Di2 falls below theDura-Ace Di2 group in status, the differ-

ence between the two is more in the num-bers than actual shifting performance. TheUltegra Di2 derailleurs and shifters weighabout 150 grams more than Dura-AceDi2’s, with the difference in weight comingprimarily from the increased size of theservo, which results in larger derailleurs.Price-wise, the Ultegra Di2 (shifter andderailleurs) retails for about $900 less thanthe Dura-Ace Di2, but over $800 more thanUltegra’s mechanical version.

Currently, a battle is raging between

most of the bike brands to offer up anUltegra Di2-equipped bike at the mostcompetitive price possible. And while theUltegra parts have begun popping up onbikes in a variety of catalogs, there is onetelling feature to look for to see whichbrand is really committed to the trend—arethe frames wired specifically for the newstyle of cables? Here, the German brandFocus and America’s Jamis are just twobrands who have entered the realm ofentry-level modernity and have done soimpressively with frames that are designedsolely for internal wire routing.

FOCUS CAYO EVO 2.0Within the Focus line, the Cayo Evo fits

between the Izalco Pro, a ProTour-designed race bike, and the IzalcoErgoride, an endurance-oriented bike.Borrowing traits from both bikes, the CayoEvo receives performance geometry,mirroring the Izalco Pro’s, but it alsocontains features from the Ergoride thathelp it gain compliance. Those comfortfeatures include the sloping top tube thattapers one-third in diameter by the time itmeets the seat tube and a flat monostaythat sprouts into wide and equally thinL.R.C.S. (Lateral Reinforced Comfort Seatstays) seat stays. At the bottom bracketjunction, the chainstays use a tall, rectan-gular shape to retain as much stiffness aspossible, but then flattens to provide com-pliance at the rear wheel. The left chainstayis home to the Di2’s power source, whichmounts just behind the bottom bracket viatwo hex bolts that thread into the frame—tidy and out of the way. The front end is allabout stiffness, using a tapered 1 1/8- to1 1/2-inch fork and a head tube withexternal ribbing to reduce lateral flex.

Focus didn’t cut any corners when itcame to equipping the Cayo Evo, the onlyUltegra Di2-equipped bike in their line; itreceives a full Ultegra group, includingcranks (with the option of compact orstandard gearing), brake calipers and acassette. FSA’s Team Issue carbon seat-post and stem, along with Fulcrum Racing5 wheels, have it tipping the scales at17.3 pounds.

CAYO EVO 2.0 PARTSShifters: Shimano Ultegra Di2Front derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2Rear derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2Brakes: Shimano UltegraCranks: Shimano Ultegra, 50/34 (optional53/39)Cassette: 11-28Wheels: Fulcrum Racing 5Tires: Continental Grand PrixStem: FSA Team Issue CarbonHandlebar: FSA Wing CompSeatpost: FSA Team Issue CarbonSaddle: Prologo Nago Evo

THE FUTURE

Jamis_Focus_p96-104_Layout 1 5/1/12 12:58 PM Page 3

JAMIS XENITH PROThe Xenith line consists of six different

models all sharing the same monocoqueframe mold and geometry; it’s the carbonblend that goes into the mold that differ-entiates them. The Xenith Pro’s frameuses Dyad Elite carbon, the fourth from

the top. The difference between theblends is the modulus of the fibers used,which greatly influence the frame’s impactresistance, stiffness, weight and dampingabilities. The Xenith Pro’s Dyad Elite blendisn’t the lightest or stiffest Jamis employs,but it does offer the greatest impact

98 www.roadbikeaction.com

resistance and damping properties. When it comes to the frame design,

the Xenith Pro’s predominantly roundtubes take a more standard approachcompared to the Cayo Evo’s use ofelaborate shaping. Its use of robust seatstays stand out among the flattened seatstay bikes we’ve become accustomed toseeing among our fleet of test bikes.Asymmetric chainstays, with a 10-percent-larger right-side stay, are used tooffset the additional stress the drivesidehas to endure. As with the Cayo Evo, theXenith Pro opts for the same fork-steerertaper of 1 1/8 to 1 1/2 inches. Whilesome brands have reduced the size ofthe taper to 1 1/4 or 1 3/8 inches tosmooth the front end, Jamis obviouslydeems the stiffness it provides to be ofworth. To deal with the unsightly Di2battery, the Xenith Pro opts for a mounton the bottom of the downtube; this is adefinite improvement over a water-bottlecage mount, but still not as clean as theCayo Evo’s chainstay location.

The Xenith Pro is the least expensiveUltegra Di2 bike to come through theRBA offices yet. But in order toaccomplish this, the bike is stocked witha lower-level Shimano 105 cassette andBR561 brake calipers, which still use adual-pivot design, but fall below theUltegra line. A Ritchey Pro Carbonseatpost and their aluminum stem andhandlebar, along with Shimano’s RS10wheels, round out the Xenith Pro’s17.7-pound build.

XENITH PRO PARTSShifters: Shimano Ultegra Di2Front derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2Rear derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2Brakes: Shimano BR561Cranks: Shimano Ultegra, 50/34Cassette: 11-25Wheels: Shimano RS10Tires: Vittoria Rubino Pro SlickStem: Ritchey Pro 4-AxisHandlebar: Ritchey Pro Logic IISeatpost: Ritchey Pro Carbon Saddle: Selle San Marco Concor

THE RIDELet’s start with the main feature on

both the Cayo Evo and Xenith Pro—theshifting: Although it’s of little surprise, wehave to state that the Ultegra Di2 wasnever amiss, even when making the kindof shifts we were always told not to:under load with no let-up of power. Bothbikes shifted equally well and with nearlyidentical drivetrains, which was to beexpected. Even with increased shiftingfrequency from our battery-assistedshifting enthusiasm, we never wentthrough a full battery charge over thecourse of a few weeks on each bike.

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Shimano says that a battery charge willlast between three to six months,depending on shifting frequency.

While the shifting didn’t differentiateanything between the two bikes, their ridequality did. Even though the Xenith Prouses a carbon blend with an emphasis oncompliance, the Cayo Evo’s damping-specific tube shapes offered less transferof road vibration when the road gotrough. In terms of overall stiffness, bothbikes had an impressive amount of front-end rigidity, but the Xenith Pro came outon top in the overall acceleration depart-ment. Superior bottom bracket stiffnessgave it power transfer that was noticeablymore efficient than the Cayo Evo’s whensprinting. Both bikes matched up equallywell in handling, which should suit riderslooking for race-inspired geometry.

THE VALUEThe overall value between the two

bikes is open to debate. With a $300difference between the Xenith Pro andCayo Evo, some might feel that getting agood frame and the Ultegra Di2 drivetrainis enough for them. If that’s the case,then the Xenith Pro is without a doubt thebike to go with. For those who don’t mindspending the extra money, then the CayoEvo is overall the best value of the two.Yes, it is more expensive, but what you’regetting for the additional $300 is a com-plete Ultegra group and slightly sturdierwheels, in addition to a half-pound-lighterbike. Although we didn’t have any com-plaints with either of the wheelsets, theFulcrum Racing 5s of the Cayo Evo useeyeleted rims and a higher spoke count—20 front and 24 rear. We feel that in thelong term they will hold up better than the16-spoke front and 20-spoke rearShimano RS10 wheels on the Xenith Pro.

THE VERDICTWith both Focus and Jamis claiming

they can hardly keep the bikes in stock,it’s clear that the Ultegra Di2 buzz is in fullswing with consumers. If you’re dying tohave the latest tech gadgetry, then boththe Cayo Evo and Xenith Pro will satiateyour desire. But if you’re looking for themost bike for your money, then it’s notwith electronic shifting. As good as theUltegra Di2 works and as fun as it is tohear the servos working when changinggears, we still feel that you give up toomuch bike to get it at this price range. Inour opinion, adding weight whilesacrificing the quality of the rest of thecomponentry isn’t worth the small gainsin shifting performance compared tobikes with the less fashionablemechanical drivetrains.

Within the Focus line you can get theIzalco Pro 3.0, which runs with SRAM

Force and a higher-end build than theCayo Evo 2.0, for $3700. Aiming just a bithigher, there’s also the Izalco Pro 1.0 withmechanical Dura-Ace and undoubtedlymuch less weight for $4600.

The same holds true in the Jamis line.The Xenith Race uses the same exact

frame as the Xenith Pro, but with Ultegramechanical components and a fairlycomparable build for $2800. At $4900,the next step up in the Jamis line is a bigone, but weight savings and acomplete SRAM Red gruppo are someof the rewards. ■

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Ultegra Di2 shifts brilliantly, making it hardto differentiate performance from the moreexpensive Dura-Ace Di2.

Much of the Xenith Pro’s acceleration comes from good power transfer, with the bottombracket and chainstays playing a large part in that efficiency. Even though the chainstaysaren’t massively oversized, they handled the task.

The Xenith Pro is Jamis’s only UltegraDi2 bike in their line; and at $4,000, itis the least expensive we’ve tested.

XENITH PRO PUNCH LINES• Serves up a stiff ride—both laterallyand vertically• More of a racing bike than acruiser-type• Pared-down Ultegra group

XENITH PRO GEOMETRYWheelbase: 98.8cmHead tube angle: 73 degreesSeat tube angle: 73 degreesEffective top tube length: 56.5cmHead tube length: 16cm

XENITH PRO STATSPrice: $4000Weight: 17.7 poundsSizes: 48, 51, 54, 56 (tested),58, 61cmwww.jamisbikes.com

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The Cayo Evo chainstays are oriented to provide vertical compliance to the rear wheel. Thestrategic placement of the Di2 battery (underneath the non-driveside chainstay) keeps itout of the line of sight.

Flat seatstays, termed L.R.C.S., are just oneof the features that Focus designed toenhance the ride comfort of the Cayo Evo.

The German engineers at Focus did agood job blending performance,comfort, and aesthetics with theCayo Evo 2.0.

CAYO EVO 2.0 PUNCHLINES• Full Ultegra group—no skimping• Smooth-riding frame• German engineering and stylinghit the target

CAYO EVO 2.0 GEOMETRYWheelbase: 98cmHead tube angle: 72.5 degreesSeat tube angle: 74 degreesEffective top tube length: 54.3cmHead tube length: 13.5cm

CAYO EVO 2.0 STATSPrice: $4300Weight: 17.3 poundsSizes: XS, S,M (tested), L, XLwww.focus-bikes.com

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➥EXPLODE. As I read that word, myeyes drifted from the computer

screen over to the stockpile of carbonclincher wheels lining the walls of thepalatial RBA headquarters. Were theyticking time bombs set to detonate at anymoment? I had been registering for LeviLeipheimer’s King Ridge GranFondo, a100-plus-mile ride in and around itsnamesake’s hometown of Santa Rosa,California. Before entering any personalinformation to the event’s registrationpage, I had to read various liability stipula-tions and check a box indicating I’d doneso. Most were reasonable and standardfare for large events like this—such as“observe the center-line rule” and “thereare risks to riding in a large pack”—butnow this web page was telling me that my

information we’ve gathered, they seem tobe caused by outward pressure on thetire bead surpassing the rim’s ability tomaintain integrity under the high heatbrought on by excessive braking. That’swhy, in our understanding, we don’t seethis problem duplicated on tubulars oraluminum rims.”

Fisher admits that Bike Monkey is notan expert source on wheel manufacturing,but is merely acting as an event organizerwhose chief concern is participant safety,and the warning was put in place as aresponse to occurrences in years past.But if carbon clinchers aren’t explodinglike Acme dynamite at the hands of WileE. Coyote, what exactly are the “failures”that the folks at Bike Monkey havewitnessed? For the answer, we spokewith representatives from six of the bikeindustry’s leading wheel manufacturers,companies that actually manufacture therims that they sell.

DEFINING “EXPLODE”“I was there at Levi’s GranFondo a

couple of years ago when a rider withcarbon clinchers crashed,” says TomKattus, head of Campagnolo NorthAmerica. “It was on one of the steepestsections, and I didn’t look closely at thebike, but I think that the actual braking

wheels might explode at this event! Whatdoes that even mean, and why does itreference carbon clinchers specifically?

THE OFFICIAL WORDLevi’s King Ridge GranFondo is

organized by Bike Monkey, a cyclingevents company whose marketingdirector, Greg Fisher, was quick to shedsome light on why such a warning wasput in place: “We saw a repeating safetyissue that we felt we had to address.” Theword “explode” is quite a vivid use oflanguage, however, but it’s one that BikeMonkey used to draw attention to thespecific safety concern at hand.

“We’re trying to be illustrative,” saysFisher. “Admittedly, it does make onethink about cyclists running away fromdetonating wheels in slow motion, like inan action film. But, we’re referring to thepotential of failure due to heat buildup onlong, steep descents that are common onour ride. One in particular, Hauser BridgeRoad, is a technical corkscrew where thebulk of observed failures have occurred.It loses 840 feet of elevation in just over amile, with an average grade of over 13percent—and it’s far steeper than that inplaces. These failures could be from awheel design issue, or a mismatched padand rim combination. But, based on

Zipp thoroughly tests all of theirwheel models, especially their car-bon clinchers. Zipp engineer, JohnFearncombe, explains what's hap-pening here in this thermal image:“This is an explosive tube failureon the brake test machine. You canactually see the air escaping thetube as it's at a higher temperaturerelative to ambient temperature.”

Photo: Zipp Speed Weaponry, 2012

The King RidgeGranFondo warns ofthe dangers of carbonclincher wheels—here’s what the wheelmanufacturers haveto say about it.

THE CARBON CLINCHERDEBATE RAGES ONBy Michael White

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Carbon Clinchers_p106-113_Layout 1 5/1/12 1:05 PM Page 1

“I UNDERSTAND THAT

ARE HIGHLY DISCOURAGED… BECAUSETHEY CAN FAIL/EXPLODE UNDER THEEXTREME BRAKING NECESSARY ON

SECTIONS OF THIS ROUTE…

… HEATS UP THE RIMS BEYONDTHEIR FAILURE POINT AND THEY

DON’T BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.”

CARBONCLINCHERWHEELS

EXPLODE

EXTREMEBRAKING

Carbon Clinchers_p106-113_Layout 1 5/7/12 3:27 PM Page 2

surface broke away from the rim, causingthe tire to shoot off.”

Paul Lew, now with Reynolds Cycling,designed the first carbon clincher bicyclewheel back in 1998. He says there aretwo distinct types of carbon clincherfailures—a tire blowing off the rim and therim itself succumbing to damage. “Failurecan be sudden, as in the case of a tireblowout, or more gradual in the case ofrim warping. Clincher designs present arisk of failure from heat buildup as a resultof pad-to-rim friction.”

“Based on everything we’ve seen inour testing at Easton—and we test every-thing to failure—I think the word ‘explode’refers to the tire falling off the rim becauseof sidewall deformation,” says Easton’sAdam Marriott. “Rims can crack, andthat’s usually a result of a violent releaseof air that occurs from a tire blowing off.”

Jason Schiers, founder of ENVEComposites, claims, “Some wheelslegitimately explode, with excessive heatdetonating the carbon laminate. There areseveral different ranges of carbon clincherdegradation, from a deformation of thesidewalls that allows a tire hook bead tobe released and popped off to theextreme explosion of the rim sidewalls.”

“‘Explode’ is a bit of an extremeword,” says Mavic’s Zack Vestal.

“The biggest concern is a deterioration inbraking performance, while the worst-case scenario is when the rim bed can nolonger hold the tire effectively. So,really, it’s the tire that ‘explodes’ out ofthe wheel.”

IF YOU CAN’T STANDTHE HEAT…

So our wheel experts contend thatthere are two types of failures that canbefall carbon clinchers—the tire falls offthe rim or the rim physically breaks apart,which is a less common and moreextreme occurrence. But these samefailures can occur on a set of aluminumclinchers, so what makes carbonclinchers more prone to do so?

Like Kattus, Steve Hed, founder ofHED Cycling, witnessed carbon clincherfailure firsthand at Levi’s GranFondo:“I was there last year, and I saw at leastnine guys who melted carbon clinchers.Braking heats up the rim sidewallsbeyond their failure point and an actualmelting of the rim occurs that allows thetire bead to come out of the rim.”

“Some wheels legitimatelyexplode, with excessive heatdetonating the carbon…”

Mavic’s Zack Vestal agrees thatcarbon clincher failure occurs because ofexcessive heat buildup: “Brake heatsoftens the resin that holds carbon fiberstogether, and then expanding pressurefrom the inner tube pushes the beadhook and brake track outward until thetire bead can no longer be held inplace effectively.”

“The brakes slow the bike byconverting kinetic energy into heatthrough friction,” elaborates Zipp’s DaveRipley. “So something has to get hot,and in this case, it’s the rim and brakepad. The rim can then be cooled off bythe airflow, but it has to be hot in thefirst place. From the perspective of thetire and rim, heat is not a good thing,tires and tubes can weaken or bedamaged by extreme heat and the resinused in a composite rim can approachit’s glass transition temperature, whichmeans that it begins to soften andlose structure.”

“The length of time the brake pads arein contact with the rim and the pressureapplied to the rim by the brake calipersare the two variables that have thegreatest influence on rim performance,”adds Lew. “Levi’s GranFondo course istechnical, and based upon the steepgradient of the roads, and the fact that

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Torelli steel frames 100% hand crafted in Italy. High-end steel frames offer a livlier, more satisfying ride than carbon. (In fact, the ride is very similar to titanium.) Steel is also exceptionally durable and long-lasting 44 Stock paint/decal color combos! Torelli steel frame models:$ 899 Corsa Strada: Zona Nivacrom$1299 Countach: Columbus Life$1299 Delirio: Columbus Zona Lugged$1399: Zona Cross (lugged +$200)

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110 www.roadbikeaction.com

about them more these days. And havingthat lower rotating weight for accelera-tion and climbing is a real draw if you’regoing to be doing a lot of climbing.”

But, some companies not producingcarbon clinchers are quick to point outthat many of the perceived benefits ofcarbon clinchers can indeed be found inselect aluminum models. “If you’reinterested in the aerodynamic benefit ofcarbon clinchers,” says Mavic’s Vestal,“then you should consider a wheel withan aluminum tire bed and brake trackwith a carbon fairing. It’s the best of bothworlds, and, for the time being, Mavic issticking with that philosophy.”

Like Mavic, HED does not currentlyproduce a carbon clincher, but espousesthe mixed aluminum-carbon wheeldesign. “A fast wheel needs to be aero-dynamic, light, and especially to have theability to control braking. You canachieve all of that with an aluminumwheel with a carbon fairing. But considerthat, generally speaking, the deeper therim, the greater the weight—so if you’reriding an exceptionally hilly route, doyou need an incredibly aerodynamicset of wheels?”

When solely considering the benefitsof carbon clinchers over aluminum alter-natives, perhaps Reynold’s Paul Lewsums it up best: “There is not much moreor less that I can say about aluminumclinchers versus carbon clinchers thatone could also say about an aluminumframe versus a carbon frame. Thescience, the engineering, and thematerial are superior and offer a benefitto cyclists who upgrade.”

LET’S TALK TUBULARSBy now you’re probably asking

yourself, “If I want a carbon wheel, thenwhy not just avoid the hassle of aclincher and opt for a good ol’ fashion

cyclists are closely grouped together,there is a high likelihood that cyclists willbe ‘riding their brakes’ for prolongedperiods of time. This is a recipe for trou-ble, regardless of the wheel or material.”

“Carbon is incredibly process-sensitive, and, unfortunately, the marketdoesn’t understand that differences inproduction exist,” notes Schiers. “Mostpeople see carbon as carbon, but not allcarbon fiber is equal.”

AN ALUMINUM ALTERNATIVE

So if carbon clinchers are inherentlymore susceptible to failure thanaluminum clinchers, why use them?Our wheel experts claim that the benefitsrange from lower weights, improvedaerodynamics, a better ride qualityand, yes, a superior perceived senseof fashion.

“Compared to aluminum rims,weight’s a big factor,” says Chris Clintonof Bontrager. “You can get a deeper-dishcarbon wheel, for example, that’s as lightor lighter than shallower aluminum alter-natives. And with carbon clinchers, themanufacturer can fine-tune aerodynamicshapes much more so than an aluminumrim with a carbon fairing. You havemore control on the overall shape ofthe wheel.”

“There’s the aero aspect of carbonclinchers, the ability to create rimshapes that can’t be achieved with analuminum rim,” agrees Schiers. “But thereality is, once you’ve tried carbon, it’shard to go back—the ride quality issignificantly better.”

“It’s the same as with a carbon frame,the ride quality is different fromaluminum,” says Marriott. “There’s also abling factor as well with carbon.”

“There’s definitely a cache of havingcarbon,” adds Kattus. “People are talking

tubular? After all, that’s what the prosride.” Indeed, the professional peloton isa showcase for tubular wheels—both ofthe carbon and aluminum persuasion—but wheel manufacturers contend thatthe environment in which pros race isuniquely different from that in whichaverage cyclists find themselves.

“If everyone had a follow car, thenmaybe we’d all be riding tubulars,because they do provide a lighter-weightand a better ride quality,” says Marriott,“but flats are a way of life for cyclists,and clinchers are more user-friendly inthat regard.”

“When you compare carbon clinchersand tubulars, there’s a weight penalty tothe clincher,” agrees Schiers. “That’s thebiggest advantage of a tubular. But, theclincher is a more user-friendly product,with its ability to change a flat while onthe road without having to carry aspare tire.”

“Along with ride quality, one primaryargument in favor of tubular wheels thatI hear from pro racers is that, in the eventof a flat, a tubular will stay on the rimbetter than a clincher,” adds Clinton.“This allows the rider to continue ridingwith the flat and provides more controlwere the flat to occur on a descent.”

Campagnolo’s Tom Kattus claims that“95 percent of pro riders are usingsew-up wheels.” If that’s the case, whomakes up the remaining 5 percent rollingon clinchers?

“We rely heavily on our ProTour team,Ag2r-La Mondiale, for feedback andreal-world testing—or, quite frankly,abuse,” says Reynolds’ Lew. “We are theonly wheel manufacturer sponsoring aGrand Tour team racing clinchers, astheir tire sponsor, Michelin, does notmanufacture tubulars.”

“Tubulars have always been known as‘race wheels,’” admits Zipp’s Ripley.“But, we’ve seen scenarios whereclinchers are a better race option. TonyMartin won the 2011 World Time TrialChampionship on a set of clinchers withlatex tubes. Coming back to the generalconsumer level, most people don’t knowhow to glue tubulars, and they’re moreexpensive than clinchers. If you get a flatwith a tubular, you have to buy a newone for around $100 instead of spending$6 for a new inner tube.”

WHAT ABOUT DISCBRAKES?

Consider that whether you’re usingcarbon or aluminum clinchers, or eventubular wheels, the manner of applyingbraking forces remains the same: brakepads grip the rim surface. When the UCIauthorized the use of disc brakes forcyclocross competition in 2011, it

ENVE is another wheel company thatthoroughly tests its products in-house, usingcustom equipment to investigate the effects

of various elements on rim construction.Photo: ENVE Composites

Carbon Clinchers_p106-113_Layout 1 5/1/12 1:07 PM Page 4

Pho

to: B

ettini

Ag2r-La Mondiale’s riders use bothcarbon clincher and tubular wheelsfor racing.

www.rotorbikeusa.com

info@rotorbikeusa.com(866) 391-0493

FOLLOWUS ON

www.rotorbike.com/tryq

IT’S OVAL.

GET OVALIZED!

Carbon Clinchers_p106-113_Layout 1 5/10/12 10:11 AM Page 6

I wouldn’t feel confident doing aGranFondo on just any carbon clincher,but a set from Easton, yes.”

“It’s a legitimate warning for alegitimate reason,” adds Schiers. “Thereare products out there that suffer fromfailure problems, and the consumerneeds to be aware of it. I can’t speak forother manufacturers, but my hope is thatthe consumer is as informed as possibleabout the products they buy from ENVE.”

“There are so many wheelmanufacturers coming in, and who knowswhat their testing procedures are,” saysKattus. “You should do your research andbuy wheels from a credible company thatcan show you the data that their wheelscan withstand appropriate amounts ofheat without failure.”

“It’s a good idea to have a warningabout carbon clinchers put in place, butit’s pretty scary as is,” says Clinton.“I think it’s worth suggesting to partici-pants to have some experience ridingtheir carbon clinchers on hills similar tothose found at the GranFondo.”

“I think the disclaimer hits it right,”says Hed (HED does not market a carbonclincher), who also agrees that cyclistsshould consider their own bike-handlingskills and experiences before entering achallenging event. “Riders should beaware of how their equipment functions,and everyone should take personalresponsibility for themselves. I mean, areall melted rims the sign of faultyequipment, or of someone who hasn’tridden in the mountains before?”

“We at Zipp are completely supportiveof the Levi’s GranFondo statement thatpeople need to be aware of their technol-ogy on this type of ride,” says Ripley.

“I think Levi’s warning is a responsibleand safety-minded statement, and I thinkhe is well within his rights as a responsi-ble promoter to make the statement hemade,” says Lew. “Levi cannot promote aproduct or brand, and legal complicationscompound the problem if he were tomake such a statement. Additionally, howwould Levi know which brands andmodels are safe? There currently are nostandard testing requirements. The clos-est standard testing that exists is UCI’swheel homologation and CEN’s wheeltesting, but neither of those organizationsaddress clincher reliability under braking.”

WHAT’S A CYCLIST TO DO?All of our wheel experts agree that

carbon clincher wheels possess a greaterpotential for failure than aluminumclinchers and tubular wheels and that theLevi’s GranFondo warning is anappropriate action of alerting the public tosuch information. But, ultimately, as withyour bicycle frame and every part

112 www.roadbikeaction.com

rekindled industry interest in disc brakeapplications for road bikes. After all,

wouldn’t disc brakes eliminate anyand all concerns about rim-basedbraking as they did withmountain bikes?

“Disc brakes would removethe heat element from carbonclinchers,” says Marriott. “You’dbe able to really modify the rimshape, removing one morebarrier to the rim shape itselfand opening doors to

improved aerodynamics.”“Disc brakes address a lot of

issues,” agrees Schiers, “one of thebiggest being that you can remove

weight from the outside of the rim.Performance in wet conditions would alsobe dramatically improved.”

“From a neutral support standpoint,I like the idea of disc brakes because youwon’t have to worry about discrepanciesin rim widths and clearance issues,”adds Clinton. “It will take a lot to get allthe frame and wheel manufacturers onboard and for the UCI to approve itall, however.”

“I know there’s a lot of researchgoing into disc brakes for road bikes,but there are still issues to overcome,”says Kattus. He notes that retrofittingthe average road bike to accept discbrakes is not a straightforward, bolt-onapplication. “Braking forces would putan extreme amount of load on forksand rear dropouts, so companies are

now trying to develop a strong enoughmounting system. But since discs arealready becoming popular in cyclocross,we’ll start seeing them on the road,maybe around the 2014 model year.”

“Carbon mountain bike wheels withdisc brakes have been on the market fora long time,” says Hed. “If we start usingdisc brakes, carbon clinchers can then bemade with different types of carbon, ones

that are cheaper to manufacture sincethey won’t need to be so robust as to

provide adequate and safe brakingas today’s versions.”

LEVI’S GRANFONDO WARNING: JUSTIFIED?

“The event organizers arearticulating an experience thatI think more cyclists have hadthan the bicycle industry cares to

acknowledge, that being carbonclinchers’ greater potential for

failure than other types of bikewheels,” says Vestal.“I think the warning addresses a

black eye on the industry,” agreesMarriott. “Based on the testing we’vedone, I’m certain that some wheels willnot hold up at an event like that.

Bontrager Aeolus 5 D3 carbon clinchers.

Easton EC90 carbon clinchers.

ENVE Smart System 3.4 carbon clinchers.

Carbon Clinchers_p106-113_Layout 1 5/1/12 1:08 PM Page 6

attached to it, the decision is up to you.“You have to measure the benefits and

the drawbacks of descending with acarbon braking surface,” says Kattus.“I totally trust Campagnolo’s Hyperoncarbon clincher wheels, and I’ve neverhad any problems with them. But, if I wasgoing on a ride with a lot of descentswhere I’d be going fast and braking late, Iprobably wouldn’t use a carbon clincher.”

“Because we make everything in ourfactory in the U.S., we have a veryintimate relationship with our product,”says Schiers. “At ENVE, we have a dailyconnection to our product that lets usmonitor it daily. And if there’s ever aproblem, we can change it rapidly.”

“I’m sure every manufacturer says thattheir wheel passes their testing. I think itcomes down to the consumer and howthey feel about each company and thereputation of that company. I can’t controlothers’ testing or what they say, but whatI can control is what we do at Easton,”says Marriott. “With today’s marketplace,especially with the Internet, consumerscan do some research and get a feel forwhat the industry is up to.”

“I would say that a GranFondoparticipant has to look at the marketplaceand evaluate which companies manufac-ture reliable clincher wheels,” says Lew.

“Which companies have in-house stan-dards that they apply to all of their clinch-er wheels? The consumer has to evaluatethis information after the research hasbeen done to his or her satisfaction. TheGranFondo participant should also evalu-ate the course and riding conditions todetermine if his or her experience level isappropriate. This is a lot to ask, but we allhave the personal responsibility to evalu-ate our aptitude and equipment for ourown welfare. At Reynolds, we are alwaysdriven by safety, and the question we askourselves is, ‘Would we trust our lives,and our friends’ and families’ lives, onthese wheels?’ For us, it’s personal. Wealways have to answer ‘yes’ or we don’tput the wheel into the marketplace.”

What’s the best advice for consumersregarding carbon clinchers? All of ourexperts agreed, and Zipp’s Dave Ripleyputs it best: “Anyone riding carbonclinchers should follow the manufactur-er’s recommendations to the letter. Usethe specific brake pad. Don’t exceed therecommended tire pressure. Make sureall of your equipment is in perfectoperating order. Make sure your tires andtubes are in good condition. Zippemployees will be at Levi’s GranFondothis year en masse, and we’ll be ridingour carbon clinchers with confidence.” ■

Neither HED nor Mavic produces full carbonclinchers, but they do offer aluminumclincher rims bonded to carbon fairings,such as the Jet 6 Flamme Rouge and theCosmic Carbon SR, respectively.

Carbon Clinchers_p106-113_Layout 1 5/7/12 3:45 PM Page 8

114 www.roadbikeaction.com

Photos: Bettini

Peter Sagan_p114-116_Layout 1 5/1/12 3:00 PM Page 1

➥At just 22, Peter Sagan isalready being touted as one of

the most talented young riders in thepro peloton. The Liquigas-Cannondalerider is starting his third pro seasonand made a big breakthrough with hiswin in last year’s Tour of Poland.

Truly equipped with natural talentto be a great cycling champion,Sagan was born in Žilina, Slovakia,and showed his talent early on withthe Dukla Trenčín Mérida team. In2007, he was named “talent of theyear” in Slovak cycling, and, in 2008,Sagan won the Junior World MTBChampionship in Italy, as well asfinishing second at both the JuniorWorld Cyclocross Championships inTreviso and Junior Paris-Roubaix.

At the young age of just 19 yearsold, Sagan signed a pro contract withLiquigas, and the team doctors werevery impressed with his great VO2max test, natural physical strengthand blood lactate test (showingrecovery capabilities). Since his prodebut, Sagan has notched 20 winsalready and will make his Tour deFrance debut this July. On his way tothe Tour, Sagan has enjoyed a fineSpring Classics campaign, winningthe group sprint at Milan-San Remofor fourth, an excellent second placeat Ghent-Wevelgem, a strong fifth atthe Tour of Flanders and a close thirdat the Amstel Gold race.

Road Bike Action caught up withthe young phenom following his nearwin at the Amstel Gold race to talkabout the 2012 season so far, histraining and his future goals, which, ofcourse, include his upcoming Tour deFrance debut.

“I know I have a tough seasonahead of me this year, as I’m going toride my first Tour of France followedby the Olympic road race, so thisseason’s preparation is moreimportant than ever.” During thewinter months, Sagan prefers to buildhis early-season base near the home-town of his youth, where he rides hismountain bike in the hills, Malá FatraNational Park. After team trainingcamps and a return to Slovakia for theChristmas holidays, Sagan returns to

Remo that is seven hours, we willhave some longer rides to get used tothis time on the bike. But, I wouldmuch rather race than train!”

Sometimes Peter trains with hisolder brother, Juraj, also a pro on theLiquigas-Cannondale squad, withwhom he shares his apartment inItaly. “Juraj and I don’t always havethe same race program, so we traintogether when we can. Otherwise,I meet up with guys from the teamwho live nearby, like Mauro Da Daltoor Tiziano Dall’Antonia. We meet up atdifferent places, like a coffee bar, andthen have different routes we taketogether, depending on the trainingschedules. During the rides I like tostop once in a while and have a

his home (away from home) base innortheast Italy to continue to build hisbase miles in January and February.In the past two years, Sagan haspushed his preparation to be readyearly in the season, but for 2012, hewill look to peak later, first at the Tourof California and then for the Tour deFrance and Olympics.

“My preparation builds up to ridesof four to five hours a day, then westart racing in mid-February, soI change my training session basedon the races. At Liquigas-Cannondale,our preparatore [“conditioning coach”]is Paolo Slongo, and he gives us thespecific training programs to followand monitors our results. As theClassics get closer, like Milan-San

www.roadbikeaction.com 115

On the verge of superstar status, Peter Sagan reveals thesecrets to his success and offers some unorthodox tips foryoung riders

FLIRTING WITH GREATNESS

By Tim Maloney

Sagan is hoping his goodearly season fitness will sethim up for a strong showingin his first Tour de France.

Peter Sagan_p114-116_Layout 1 5/1/12 2:58 PM Page 2

coffee. Then, we keep on going; I liketo stop because it breaks up the longtraining rides, and we get to know thepeople in various bars along thetraining routes.”

Sagan uses an SRM power meterand heart rate monitor during trainingand sends the results weekly to PaoloSlongo to review, plus he talks withSlongo by phone during the week tocheck in. “Sure, we check out thewatts during training and have ourpre-determined training programs, butI decide how to train based on howI feel, not just my program.”

Sagan is convinced that hismountain bike and cyclocrossexperience has been invaluable for hisdevelopment as a road rider. “I think itis really important for young riders toride mountain bikes and docyclocross. My technical skills on theroad developed really well becauseI started out that way. I feel reallyconfident on descents and narrow,twisty technical roads because of theskills I developed on mountain bikesand riding cyclocross. That gives mesome advantage, and I had a lot offun doing it. I would tell all youngriders to do mountain bikes and to

116 www.roadbikeaction.com

ride cyclocross. Many coaches havetold me that these technical skills arebest developed at a young age, and itis a lot harder to develop later. Myadvice for young riders is to do allkinds of cycling, as that is the bestway to develop as a rider.”

With his natural talent, fitness,capacity for hard work and will tosucceed, Peter Sagan is on the fasttrack to the top in pro cycling. So,how far can Sagan go? “Whatevercomes, will come! I can’t predictanything,” exclaimed Sagan. “Mypreparation has been going well sofar, but the main goals are stillahead. I hope to do well in theClassics, but you also need luck alongthe way. It is not easy to win. I wantto do my best, of course, but I reallydon’t know my limits yet because I amstill young. I wanted to do Paris-Roubaix this season, but the teamthought it was still too early in mycareer. My main goals are the Tour ofFrance and Olympic Games roadrace. As far as the WorldChampionships go, it is still too soonto say if I will ride them."”

Young Peter Sagan, ready andwilling to take on the future. ■

Thanks to his days as a mountainbiker, Sagan has impressive bikehandling skills that he doesn’tmind showing off.

Peter Sagan_p114-116_Layout 1 5/7/12 10:34 AM Page 3

www.roadbikeaction.com 117

Mining for Gold

in the

Tour of California 2012

R970SL Magnesium JPS

Peter Sagan_p114-116_Layout 1 5/7/12 10:35 AM Page 4

118 www.roadbikeaction.com

➥Criterium racing is without adoubt the sharp-edged sword

and glitzy showpiece of road racing. It’san all-or-nothing, blood-and-gutsdiscipline that demands the utmost inbike-handling skills, intense high-endphysical powers and nerves of steel.

For many of us, these short-circuit

be crucial for gaining strength helpingus become solid all-arounders.

Most criteriums range from 45minutes to more than two hours induration, but the intensity rarely varies;it’s eyeballs out from the very secondthe starter pulls the trigger. With suchintensity from the get-go, it’s vital to

duels are where we first cut our bikeracing teeth; they could be consideredthe very core of the sport worldwide.Be it an early-morning park battle or acobbled Belgian nocturne, criteriumracing is a huge part of many of ourracing schedules, and learning tomaster these short-circuit shockers can

THE CRITERIUM FACTOR Jesse Anthony breaks down his top 10 tips to be ashort-circuit wizard By Steve Thomas

Crit Factor_p118-119_Layout 1 5/1/12 3:01 PM Page 1

prepare thoroughly; mentally, physicallyand technically, there is very littleroom for error.

Jesse Anthony of the Optum-KBSteam is a former multiple nationalcyclocross champion and something ofa whiz when the short circuits becomepaved, where his off-road handling

Challenge Strada tires. That’s a reallyfast setup with plenty of grip for thetight corners. Otherwise, I run the samebike and setup as I do for the road andtraining—changing positions or setupcould lead to physical problems.”

6.) Fuel for the fire: “You’ve got tobe fueled up well for a crit. Even thoughit’s short, you use a lot of energy. I alsotake a few Clif Shots with me and carryClif electrolyte mix in my bottles. It’sreally important to keep the sugarlevels up.”

7.) Starter for 10: “Your startposition can make or break you in somecrits. I always try to get a good startposition, and that’s usually moreimportant than a good warmup. Get inthe right gear to get away fast, befocused on the best lines for the initialhalf a lap, and be alert and on the ballwith the starter—and try and get well tothe fore without over-cooking thingstoo much.”

8.) Where to ride: “Obviously thereare so many variables on this one, butthe best place to ride the majority ofcrits is between 15 to 25 guys back.Some crits are easy to sit in furtherback in the field, but then you’re moresusceptible to crashes. If a circuit isvery technical or wet, then you need totry and stay a little closer to the front,as things can split and accidents canhappen. This is more important in anamateur race, where riders may be alittle less experienced and abilitiesvary more.”

9.) Rehearse your lines: “I alwaysdo at least a lap or two of a crit coursebefore I race in order to get a feel forthe different lines. Then, in the race,I try to stay safe, hold my position andfind the fastest side of the pack to rideon. Sometimes the inside line through aturn is faster, or sometimes you cancarry more speed on the outside andreduce the depth of the accelerations.Start at the front and work on beingsmooth and saving energy. Often ridersget caught up in fighting for positionand waste energy by taking bad linesand/or chopping other riders in thepack. Give an inch, gain a mile.”

10.) Relax to finish: “Most of thetime, if you relax and back off a bit inthe technical sections, you will havemore energy to accelerate in the sectionof the race that really matters. That wayyou will reduce your risk of crashing,also giving you a better chance ofactually reaching the finish line.” ■

www.roadbikeaction.com 119

skills and ability to put everything onthe line for a solid hour are called intoplay with a real sense of urgency.

Like many of us, Jesse wasintroduced to crits at a very young age.“I did my first crit when I was 13 yearsold. I don’t remember much about itexcept that it was downtown Keene,New Hampshire. Since then, I’velearned how to race my bike,” hemodestly recounts.

These short, sharp races are animportant part of his, and most otherpro riders’, racing program. “I thinkAmericans like crits because it’s easyto understand what’s happening, andthey’re more intense than road races.They’ve become a staple in Americanbike racing, so it’s important for us torepresent our sponsors at the majorcriteriums on the schedule.”

JESSE’S TOP 10 CRIT TIPS1.) Crossed purposes: “To be good

in crits, you need to practice somespeed work and accelerations. Theaccelerations are similar to a cyclo-cross race, but the effort level is mucheasier. Road races are long and steady,with more sustained accelerations. Theskill set required is quite similar to’cross, and ’cross definitely sharpensyour skills and ability to handle theduress of crit racing.”

2.) Fine-tuning: “I usually do someshort sprints and frequent accelerationworkouts to get used to the undulatingpace in criteriums. Without this, it canbe something of a shock to yoursystem, so it definitely pays to polish upyour high-end speed.”

3.) The mental approach: “Youreally do need to be in the right frame ofmind to ride a crit effectively. There isno time to ride into it and warm up inthe race; you have to be focused andprepared for the task ahead. During therace, I focus on not getting hurt. Thereare many opportunities to get intotrouble in a short and intense crit. IfI stay safe, I will provide more effectivehelp to the team’s sprinter at the finishor for myself if given the chance.”

4.) The final countdown: “I usuallydo a set of lung and leg ‘openers’ theday before any race—some nearmaximum bursts. And since most of ourcrits are in the afternoon or evening, Iwill go for a short ride in the morning.It’s very important to be both openedup and warmed up physically for a crit.”

5.) Rolling stock: “I like running theHED Stinger 6 wheels in crits with

Jesse Anthony leads hisOptum-KBS teammates.

Photo: VeloImages

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RBATECH

120 www.roadbikeaction.com

Four new helmets worth your considerationPUT A LID ON IT

mounted at the back of the head andunderneath the helmet shell. Lazer’s sig-nature Rollsys closure positions the dialon top of the shell. More importantly,unlike the others, the Rollsys designtightens and loosens a metal microfila-ment strap that completely encircles yourhead (versus just pressing against theback) and is covered with X-Staticantimicrobial padding. Luckily (for anyonewho finds the “Lion of Flanders” motif abit too loud) Lazer offers the Genesis inno fewer than 11 color choices.

THE RIDEWithout a doubt, the Rollsys retention

design makes the Genesis the mostunique helmet in our comparison andalso provides the most secure fit. Thestraps are easily adjustable and secureas well, with locking web splitters and astraightforward buckle. At speed, theGenesis vents adequately, if notsuperbly so. It’s also the second-heaviest helmet we tested, but offers acomfortable fit regardless, thanks largelyto well-placed padding and smoothcontours. There’s no height adjustabilityfor the retention device, something moreand more helmet makers are offering innewer models, but the Genesis featuressome plastic loops at the back that sitreasonably low on your head. So, again,top marks are scored for fit.

➥What’s the most important pieceof equipment in a cyclist’s

repertoire? Besides a bike, the answer isa helmet. Simply put, you need to wearone—we’re talking about your head, sokeep it safe! And if you’ve been rockingthe same lid for a few years—even if ithasn’t been involved in a crash—it’stime to start thinking about a replace-ment. And because everyone’s head isshaped differently, the most importantthing to consider when helmet shoppingis fit. Try before you buy, and make sureit can be easily adjusted to comfortablyencase your melon. We’ve rounded upfour unique options, all priced within $30of each other. Each has an easy-to-useretention system and passes both theCPSC and CE standards for use in theUnited States and Europe, respectively.But the similarities stop there. So, whichone is best for you?

LAZER GENESISBelgian outfit Lazer has been

producing helmets for 93 years, and theircatalog consists of protective lids forcycling, motorcycling and snow sports.The Genesis is one of five road modelsoffered, and it sports 19 vents andcomes in two sizes. The vast majority ofhelmets on the market (and, indeed, eachof the three other helmets in ourcomparison) use a retention device

LAZER STATSPrice: $175Weight: 309 gramsSizes: XXS–M (tested), L–XLwww.lazersport.com

LOUIS GARNEAU X-LITEFounded by the professional

Canadian racer of the same name,Louis Garneau offers an extensive lineof road and time-trial helmets, withtheir lightest option being the X-Lite.No fewer than 37 vents provide air-flow while keeping the weight down.Padding at the front of the helmet isremovable for washing, as is a swathof padding on the rear retentiondevice. This Spiderlock dial system is

Helmets BG_p120-123_Layout 1 5/1/12 3:27 PM Page 2

one-hand operational and features asmall amount of height adjustment forpersonalizing your fit. The side strapsfeature the brand’s Steplock SL

Dividers, which sport a small camdesign to quickly allow for strapadjustment. Three sizes and fivecolors are available.

THE RIDEWith a name like “X-Lite,” it better

be lightweight. And, sure enough,Louis Garneau’s option is the lightestin our helmet comparison. While mostdesigners would be forced to leaveout some bells and whistles toachieve such a low weight, theengineers at LG managed to sneak inall of the elements that we’ve come toexpect from a top-end helmet—fullyadjustable side straps, a hearty andsecure buckle, comfortable paddingand an easy-to-use retention dial.Unfortunately, the X-Lite’s fit is theroundest in our comparison, andtesters preferred the more form-fitting,ovalized shape of the other models.Despite having the greatest number ofvents, many of them are quite small,particularly in the frontal area. Testersfelt that the X-Lite had the leasteffective venting.

LOUIS GARNEAU STATSPrice: $169.99Weight: 204 gramsSizes: Small, medium (tested), largewww.louisgarneau.com

OUR TESTING GROUND

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RBATECH

MAVIC PLASMAWith over 100 years of wheel-

making to their name, Mavic has nowjumped head first into the soft-goodsmarket with some impressively tech-nical designs. As with the brand’sclothing and footwear, the name ofMavic’s game is “Ergo.” In its quest tobring some new headgear to themarket, the French brand surveyed nofewer than 25,000 heads to come upwith “Ergo Shape,” the overall fit thatMavic claims will comfortably suit thegreatest number of heads on theroad. “Ergo Fit” refers to the Plasma’spadding, which is a removable, one-piece design that features moisture-

wicking properties and multiple foamdensities. Finally, the retention systemis called “Ergo Hold,” which has itsown swath of padding and a largedial that provides up to 6cmof adjustability.

THE RIDEWhile the other three helmets in

our comparison each sport aparticularly impressive feature (lowweight, venting, secure fit), the MavicPlasma does not; instead, it doeseverything well, even if no one aspectis absolutely stellar. It does have themost ample padding, its retention dialfeels particularly sturdy, and the sidestraps are easily adjustable. Althoughthe heaviest model in our comparison,the Plasma ranked second in theventing category. But, what’sparticularly appealing about thePlasma are the details, such as therecesses in the padding, which allowthe straps to sit more comfortably onthe sides of your head, and thereflective details in the graphics. Ouronly real complaints with the Plasmaare the limited (three-position) heightadjustment for the rear retentiondevice, and its distinction as theheaviest helmet in this comparison.

MAVIC STATSPrice: $180Weight: 315 gramsSizes: Small, medium (tested), largewww.mavic.com

SPECIALIZED S3In this age of product and market

diversification, it’s become common-place for many legacy companies tobranch out into new product categories.Of all the bike brands pushing helmets,none have as much history of also beinga successful helmet maker asSpecialized—they’ve been in thebusiness since the mid-’80s. Like theirhigh-end Prevail model found scatteredthroughout the ProTour, Specialized’ssecond-priciest S3 model features thebrand’s signature “Mega Mouthport”front vent, in addition to 27 additionalvents. Its Mindset micro-dial fit systemincludes height adjustability for apersonalized fit, while minimalist, non-adjustable straps help keep the weightdown. Available in three sizes and fourcolors, the S3 also sports a Kevlar-rein-forced skeleton for added strength, aswell as padding that can be removed foreasy cleaning.

THE RIDEThe best thing about the S3 is its

simplicity, including a straightforwardoval shape that fits most heads. We’rebig fans of its retention system, whichfeatures a small, single-hand-operateddial and the most height adjustability ofour four test helmets. Simply pulling theretention device downward will get it tosit very low on your head, which sometesters greatly appreciate. Testeropinions were divided, however, on thesimplicity of the side straps, specificallythe Tri-Fix webbing splitter that leaveszero adjustability around the earsbecause the straps are fixed in place. It’sa one-size-fits-all concept that yields a

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lower weight, and is ideal for some, butmerely works for most. To accommo-date the fit needs of those with largeheads, this strap junction sits quite lowon the average rider’s head and leavesone wanting a bit more personalization.Out on the road, the S3 provided thebest ventilation out of all the helmets inour comparison, and it’s also thesecond lightest of the fourlids surveyed.

THE VERDICTLike saddles and shoes, helmets are a

very personal item, and what fits one riderperfectly may provide unbearable discom-fort to another. That said, each of the fourhelmets in our test offers a great list offeatures, making them all a smart choicefor the discerning cyclist. The SpecializedS3 offers the best ventilation, but islacking in adjustability. Lazer’s Genesisprovides the most secure fit and with aunique design to boot, but it could standto lose a few grams and vent a bit better.If you’re looking for a lightweight helmet,consider the X-Lite from Louis Garneau,but note that its fit is rounder than mostand its retention device is a tad flimsy.Mavic’s Plasma is a helmet that shouldplease most, with its combination ofcomfortable padding, solid closure dialand sharp aesthetics. ■

PUNCH LINES• Best venting? The Specialized S3• The Lazer Genesis offers the mostsecure fit• Weight weenies should choose theLouis Garneau X-Lite• The Mavic Plasma does it all

SPECIALIZED STATSPrice: $150Weight: 232 gramsSizes: Small, medium (tested), largewww.specialized.com

"A really outstanding product: very fast and reliable, but with an excellent grip at the same time. It’s the best advantage imaginable on rain-soaked alpine passes. That is why Schwalbe is RADIOSHACK NISSAN TREK’s top-choice tire."

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RBATECH

➥While it is true that all the bestracers in the world rely on tubular

tires, the rest of us don’t. It’s true, too,that the reason the racers prefer tubularis because they have a ride qualityunique to their glued-on existence. Asfor the tire brands that sell the clinchertires that the 99 percent of us use, the“tubular ride” has been the holy grail fortheir higher-end offerings

With nine different models alreadyfound in Kenda’s line of road tires, you’dbe excused for thinking that therewouldn’t be room for another.Apparently, Kenda thinks differently, andthat’s where their performance-orientedKountach comes in, which representstheir best effort at attaining their versionof that holy grail. Named after thelightning-fast Lamborghini sports car,the Kenda Kountach represents thecompany’s lightest and smoothest-ridingclincher tire yet.

KENDA KOUNTACHTrue racing rubber, no glue required

/ Optimized stiffness / Range of 110bcd rings (compact to standard) / Exceptional quick shifting / Latest carbon technology / Compatible with all groupsets / Integrated BB system / BB30 compatible

CARBON CRANKSET RS SUPERLIGHT CASSETTE/ Hardened Ergal 7075 / CNC machined sprockets / Very light – 154 gr (11/25, 11spd) / Exceptional shifting / Fully compatible with all drivetrains / Individual sprockets ensuring the perfect custom cassette for your needs using the Miche sprocket system

CARBON BRAKE CALIPERS/ Exceptional performance/appearance / Double pivot design / Light and stiff – only 158gr per caliper / Pad sets for aluminium and carbon / Perfected modulation control

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Kenda Tires_p124-125_Layout 1 5/7/12 3:19 PM Page 2

THE TECHThe top of Kenda’s racing tire heap

has traditionally been held by theKaliente Pro, a 230-gram tire with aKevlar-type material called “Iron Cloak”that encompasses the entire casing.Overall, the Kaliente has been a solid-performing tire that is within the weightrealm of race tires from the likes ofindustry rivals Continental, Michelin andMaxxis. The Kountach deviates from theKaliente Pro’s blueprint with one criticalchange, a change that adds perform-ance but can also result in potentialdrawbacks for some riders.

Rather than having the Iron Cloakstretch from sidewall to sidewall, it isonly under the tread of the Kountach.This reduces the weight to 204 grams;at the same time, it improves the side-wall’s flexibility and suppleness, giving ita smoother-riding experience. But, italso reduces the sidewall’s resistance toroad debris, a sacrifice most racers arewilling to make in the pursuit ofimproved performance. The Kountachretains the R2C dual-durometer rubbercompound found on the Kaliente Pro,

which uses a 68-durometer compoundon the center tread to minimize rollingresistance. The shoulders receive asofter, 60-durometer rubber tomaximize grip while cornering.

THE RIDEWe wanted more than just a few

hundred miles to test the Kountach—our test was going to be until failure,taking it down all the way to the cordsof the casing. It took 1554 miles beforethe rubber on the rear gave way to thecords. And in that time, we only hadone flat tire (a large goat-head thorn inthe rear tire) and no issues with sidewalldamage. Impressive. We normally run105 to 107 psi, and when we jumpedthe pressure up to a race-ready 110 psi,the ride quality was improved over theKaliente Pro. The dual-durometerrubber compound’s cornering tractionwas exceptional in dry conditions, evenwith pressure as high as 110 psi. In wetconditions, we dropped the pressuredown to 100 psi; this gave us adequatecontrol when cornering, without theunnerving feel of tire slippage in a turn.

THE VERDICTThanks to the ride quality and

weight savings, Kenda has a truecontender in the elite, racing clinchermarket with the Kountach. However,over the course of our review, it wasevident that they don’t need to beslipped on only for race day. As aneveryday-use tire, the Kountach heldup extremely well for being such alightweight, which is a boon forperformance-oriented riders whonever find their way to a sanctionedrace. We were also happy to learnthat a new 25mm-width version isslated for release in late summer, awelcome addition since 25s are thenew 23. If you want to spice up yourbike’s looks, the Kountach comes inyour choice of red, green and whitecolors, plus standard black. ■

STATSPrice: $59.99 Weight: 204 gramsSize: 23cColors: red, green, white and blackwww.kendausa.com

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RBAQ&A Send your questions to: letters@roadbikeaction.comBy Neil Shirley

126 www.roadbikeaction.com

SECONDHAND PARTSI noticed that pros get new gear

every year. Do teams sell their old kits,bikes and accessories? If they do,how can I pursue this to purchaseold items?

Harrison

The pros get new clothing andequipment every year. Depending onthe rider’s contract, he may or may notget to keep his bike(s), but the clothingis always the rider’s to keep. It wouldbe worth a shot contacting a team ifyou’re interested in a team issue bikeat the end of the season. They oftenhave extra equipment to get rid of, butusually they don’t advertise the sellingof it in order to avoid upsetting thesponsors that provided the product.As far as clothing goes, eBay is yourbest shot. Riders will either post old ornew kits at the end of the seasonthemselves or send them to athird-party seller. The Pros’ Closet andThe Pros’ Stuff specialize inselling pro equipment.

www.theproscloset.comwww.theprosstuff.com

ROLL IT OR ICE ITI’ve been having discomfort in my

right IT band and knee recently that’skeeping me from riding regularly. I’mcurious, when I do ride, what should mypost-ride therapy be: ice or foam roller?

Trevor Rice

Ice should always come first.Inflammation will be the highest immedi-ately after the ride, and the ice willreduce the inflammation and allow it torecover/heal quicker. Do two or three10-minute icing intervals as quickly aspossible post-ride. A foam roller can beused later on, but be conservative onthe injured muscle. Focus on rolling themuscles around the injured area to keepthem loose and to potentially alleviatethe cause of the injury in the first place.As the injury gets better and the paindecreases, you can be more aggressivein rolling the entire muscle.

YOGA—GOOD OR BAD?My friend says I should take a one-

hour yoga class the day before acentury ride in order to stay flexibleduring the ride. I’ve never tried yoga

before, and I’m more worried about itleaving my muscles too fatigued—what do you say?

Doing yoga can definitely be a bigadvantage to cycling, because on thebike, your range of motion is verylimited. Yoga can help prevent injuriesby increasing flexibility and bodyawareness. Increased range ofmotion, reduced muscle tension andincreased blood flow are all benefitsof the type of stretching that happensin yoga. But, even with all the benefitsthat yoga can provide, I definitely donot recommend doing it for the firsttime the day before a big ride.Chances are you’ll be a little sore for aday or two after the initial class—notsomething you want to deal with on aride that has been a goal. I wouldsuggest doing yoga consistently—either in a class or by watching avideo—at the very minimum once aweek, preferably two to three timesa week. Once your body adapts tothe yoga positions, it would befine to do it the day before abig ride. ■

The Pro’sCloset shipsaround 200packages a

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The riders of UnitedHealthcarePro Cycling Team regularly addyoga, stretching, and balancework into their schedules.

Photo: Courtesy The Pros’ Closet

ask_the_experts_p126_Layout 1 5/1/12 3:33 PM Page 2

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www.roadbikeaction.com 129

Hometown: Salt Lake City,UtahAge: 34Team: UnitedHealthcare U.S. to Europe and backagain: This is my 13th year asa professional, and I have tosay, it’s really nice being backwith UnitedHealthcare. Theteam was called HealthNetwhen I left in 2006, but it’s stillthe same management andeven some of the same riders,like Karl Menzies and RorySutherland. It was hard toleave HealthNet when I did, butI had to take the opportunityBMC was giving me, and I hadfour good years with them.There are a lot of new faces,but the atmosphere on theteam is good, and the entireprogram has grown a lot. Forme, it’s nice and comfortable.The team is growing up from asort of grassroots feeling, a100-percent American-grownteam with a family atmosphere.I’m looking forward to having adifferent role than what I’vehad the past few years, onewhere I’ll have opportunities inthe races, and that motivatesme. Even though my goals arefurther off in the season, themomentum is already building. BMC and Cadel: On BMC, itseemed like there was unlimit-ed funding for the team. Therewere so many staff members,and everything was reallyorganized and taken care of;we could just entirely focus ondoing our job—riding ourbikes. When I was first there, Iwas kind of at the top of thetotem pole, and then I startedsliding down, especially whenCadel Evans came in. It was abig change in roles, and a littlehard on the pride. From havingthe pressure to succeed to stillhaving the pressure to do well,but in a different way and a dif-ferent role, I felt like I hadbecome just a number or aspot on the roster. I have no

complaints about BMC,though. It was great,just different. 2012 racing goals: The bigthree—Colorado, Utah andCalifornia are kind of my per-sonal stage race goals. InCalifornia, my goal is to sup-port the team and help theguys who are better suited—like Rory Sutherland, who’sbeen top 10 overall the pasttwo years, and our sprinters.I’d like to improve on my fin-ishes in Utah and Coloradoand make my mark on thoseraces. The altitude at thoseevents hurts so many riders,but coming from Salt LakeCity, I’m already acclimated soit suits me. Tour of Utah is myfavorite race and the one Ithink about all year since it’smy hometown event.Family and racing: My wifeand kids are where I find a lotof my motivation, and thatmakes me work as hard as Ican to bring the food home.But, at the same time, this is ajob where you are on the roada lot, and so it’s hard to beaway as much as we are. Thataspect is hard. It’s hard tomiss milestones. You miss twoweeks in an 8-month-old’s lifeand he is different when youget home. But this is my pro-fession, and I’m doing my bestto support my family. Valuable advice: What haspaid off for me is trying to beas even-keeled as possibleand to try to roll with thepunches. This can be a disap-pointing sport, so you kind ofhave to find enjoyment out ofthe whole process. The endresult is to win races, but ithappens so infrequently thatyou have to find motivationand enjoyment in the processof being a bike racer. If youcan do that and enjoy everyday for what it is, then that’swhat gets you to the futureand through the hard parts. ■

Pho

to: Jo

nathan Devich/E

picIm

ages

Jeff Louder{BEING PRO}

Being_pro_p128-129_Layout 1 5/1/12 3:35 PM Page 3

GIRLTALK By RaeLynn Milley

130 www.roadbikeaction.com

SEA OTTER OUTTAKES

Three-time Leadville winner Rebecca Rusch hosteda daily “Ladies Lounge” event at the SRAM booth.She delivered insight and tips into the lives, habitsand training regimens of professional women cyclists.Discussions included racing, mechanics, training, andcountless Q&A sessions. Every day the women whoattended were treated to a large raffle with prizesdonated by Specialized, SRAM, Buff and more.

www.goldruschtour.com

Gnarlube, the “purveyors of fine cycling lubricants,”gets my vote for the company having the most fun atSea Otter. Their honey-bear-packaged lubricants smelllike vanilla and coconut and add a bit of excitementand humor to the lube world.

www.gnarlube.com

Christine Culver indulged the ladies with her unique jewelry andhand-screened notecards. I love what Christine said about herrecycled spoke bracelets: “I love making bracelets from oldspokes. Who knows how many miles they have traveled and whatadventures they have made possible.”

www.dhbetty.com

Fizik showed off their extensive line of saddles and shoes,including the R3 Donna women's model. It features an uppercrafted from a combination of kangaroo leather and microtex,Fizik's signature sail cloth closure straps, an aluminum buckle anda carbon fiber outsole. Available in Euro sizes 37-43. ■

www.fizik.com

girl talk_p130_Layout 1 5/1/12 3:38 PM Page 2

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INTHEMIX

IBIS SILK SLAlthough best known for making some

unique mountain bikes, Ibis also offers a roadbike and cyclocross model. The carbonmonocoque Silk SL is available in two framecolors and three build options, includingboth Shimano Dura-Ace and Ultegradrivetrains and a SRAM Rival version.In addition to a Rival crankset,shifters and rear derailleur, thisparticular build also includesaluminum cockpit components fromIbis and a set of Easton EC70 SLaluminum clincher wheels andMichelin tires.

Price: $2701.99www.ibiscycles.com

132 www.roadbikeaction.com

FELT Z4Felt’s line of Z-series endurance road

bikes is eight-deep, with the Z4 slottinginto the third-priciest slot. Its carbonframe features a longer wheelbase andtaller head tube than the brand’sequivalent F-series bike, both designedto add stability and offer a more uprightriding position. Built with a mixed drive-

train of Shimano Ultegra shiftersand derailleurs and an FSA

Team Issue Compactcrankset, the Z4 rolls onMavic Ksyrium wheelswrapped in Vittoria RubinoPro tires in size 25c. Thebuild is completed withFelt’s own cockpitcomponents, including an

aluminum stem and handle-bar combination and a

27.2mm carbon seatpost. ■Price: $3199

www.feltbicycles.com

GLOBE DAILY 2Globe is Specialized’s brand of simple,

affordable lifestyle bikes that are ideally suited forcommuting and casual riding. The Daily comes inthree build options, with the midrange Daily 2

featuring an aluminum frame that is paired witha rugged, steel fork. Its drivetrain consists of

a single chainring and an 8-speedcassette, with shifting duties handled bya Shimano Acera rear derailleur andAlivio Radpifire thumb shifters. Availablein four sizes and two colors.

Price: $660www.specialized.com/globe

in_the_mix_p132_Layout 1 5/1/12 3:40 PM Page 2

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ONTHESTREETS

134 www.roadbikeaction.com

RAPHA FIVEDECADES SHIRTS

In celebration of the 2012 Tour deFrance, Rapha has released a limited-edi-tion series of high-quality, cotton T-shirtscelebrating the greatest Tour de Francechampions from the past five decades:Jacques Anquetil in ’62, Eddy Merckx in’72, Bernard Hinault in ’82, Miguel Indurainin ’92 and Lance Armstrong in ’02. Eachlegendary cyclist went on to claim five ormore victories in Le Grande Boucle, andthose dates are printed on the right sleeve.On the back, below each collar, is aunique icon based on the rider’s nick-name, and the left-side panel is inspiredby his most popular team kit. ■

Price: $60 each or $240 for all five, plusa special musette bag

www.rapha.com

TIFOSI SUNGLASSESTifosi has carved out a niche by

offering a variety of performance eyewearfor low retail prices. With no fewer than 27models in the brand’s current lineup, Tifosicertainly offers something for everyone.Three models ideal for cycling are theTempt, Roubaix and Dolomite, and each isavailable in a variety of frame and lenscolor options. Each model features aframe crafted from Tifosi’s Grilamid TR-90material, a compound that is flexibleenough to resist breakage and is alsoresistant to UV rays. The Tempt andRoubaix also feature adjustable ear andnosepieces and interchangeable lenses.

Price: $59–$69.95 www.tifosioptics.com

PRESTA CYCLE RATCHET & LEVERPrestalever’s patent-pending design allows for

quick and easy tire removal and installation. Asystem of three nylon Prestalevers enables you toscoop even the tightest tires out of a rim bed,while the integrated “rim hook” ensures thatthe tool doesn’t slip out of the rim, causing adropped bead. Prestacycle’s Prestaratchetis an ideal tool for working on delicatecarbon fiber parts. Measuring only 5inches long, the Prestaratchet iscrafted from hardened steel andcan get in tight places that otherwrenches can’t. The Tool Bitset contains 20 bits touse in conjunctionwith thePrestaratchet.

Price: $19.95(Prestalever, pack ofthree) and $12.95 (Prestaratchet, ratchet only)

www.prestacycle.com

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And you think you've got it bad withtraffic! The start at Amstel Goldalways presents a challenge for 150riders as they try to fit themselveson a road clearly not intended for somany riders at one time.Photo: Bettini

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last shots_p136-138_Layout 1 5/1/12 3:44 PM Page 3

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After more than six hot, hard andbone-rattling hours on the bike, this iswhat the Paris-Roubaix riders lookforward to most—the showers at theRoubaix velodrome. It's not luxurious,but it is history.Photo: Glenn Kasin

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