Ag2r-La Mondiale's Kuota Kalibur time trial bike.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Tidy internal cable routing on Liquigas-Cannondale's Cannondale Slice time trial bikes.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Omega Pharma-QuickStep rider Bert Grabsch prefers an extra-low handlebar position so Specialized had to make a special batch just for him.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Tony Martin's (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) bars look to be particularly grippy.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Tony Martin's (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) Specialized S-Works Shiv sits on the work stand a few hours before his start in the 2012 Tour de France prologue.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The threaded bit on the bottom of Tony Martin's (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) Specialized S-Works Shiv stem acts as a barrel adjuster, pushing a piece of housing that's embedded inside.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) had a fleet of Zipp aero clincher wheels at his disposal for the prologue, including these carbon-rimmed flat clincher discs - which aren't even listed on Zipp's web site.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
A digital clock lets all of the Rabobank riders keep track of time while warming up.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Rabobank brought its own misting machine to help keep riders from overheating during warm-up.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Rabobank's Giant Trinity Advanced SL handlebars debuted four years ago but they still look modern.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Giant's rear-mounted front brake was a novel idea when they were introduced but we expect the next generation to be better integrated.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Team Movistar's Pinarello Graal time trial bike.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Lotto-Belisol's Deda Elementi time trial cockpits.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Vincenzo Nibali's (Liquigas-Cannondale) Cannondale Slice had a standard Mavic Cosmic Carbone 80 front wheel fitted instead of the newer Cosmic CXR 80.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Lotto-Belisol's Andre Greipel sported the new Campagnolo Bora Ultra aero cranks on his Ridley Dean.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The non-driveside Campagnolo Bora Ultra aero crankarm is notably deep.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Lotto-Belisol captain Jurgen van den Broeck had a new Campagnolo disc wheel fitted to his Ridley Dean today. We don't have specific details on it at the moment but the full carbon construction is certainly lighter than the antiquated model Campagnolo currently offers and the freehub body is finally properly sized for an 11-speed cassette.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The split-blade fork on Lotto-Belisol's Ridley Dean time trial bikes is said to pull air out away from the wheel.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Lotto-Belisol's Ridley Dean time trial bike.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Lotto-Belisol riders were using a new Lazer time trial helmet during today's prologue. In keeping with current trends, there are no forward-facing vents at all (likely for better aerodynamics). Two lateral ridges on the top are presumably there based on wind tunnel testing.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Campagnolo's new EPS time trial shifters were installed on the Lotto-Belisol team bikes.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The UCI has apparently taken issue with this sort of tape.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Rabobank's Giant Trinity Advanced SL time trial bike.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Saddles took a slight tilt upward on many bikes to help riders maintain their positions while tucked. The UCI recently decided that add-on friction material wasn't allowed unless it was built into the saddle.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Saur-Sojasun mechanics resorted to lots of electrical tape and zip-ties for this SRM PowerControl 7 computer head.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The Look Ergostem on this Saur-Sojasun time trial bike was noticeably unlabeled. The team's bike sponsor is Time.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Panaracer tubulars on the Saur-Sojasun time trial bikes.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The paint job on this Saur-Sojasun time trial bike was so convincing that we didn't even notice at first that it's actually a Trek Speed Concept, not a Time RXR. Saur-Sojasun had at least two of them in its pit area today.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Several Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank Specialized S-Works Shiv time trial bikes had down tube water bottle holes that were never drilled through.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank's Specialized S-Works Shiv time trial bike.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Castelli's Steve Smith checks in on the Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank's new skinsuits.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The handlebar setup of Vacansoleil-DCM's Bianchi Pico Carbon time trial bikes.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Bianchi claims the chain stay port on Vacansoleil-DCM's Pico Carbon time trial bikes improves stiffness.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
It's funny how things that were once touted as aero are looking downright dated today.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Saur-Sojasun riders were mostly aboard the Time RXR for Saturday's prologue.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
This Rabobank rear wheel was unlabeled but it looks like a HED disc to us.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
There's a lot going on around the bottom bracket of Radioshack-Nissan's Trek Speed Concept time trial bikes, including a battery mount, hidden rear brake, and a wireless speed and cadence sensor.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
This giant decal covers up the carbon 'spokes' of a Lightweight disc wheel.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The ultra-clean front end of Radioshack-Nissan's Trek Speed Concept.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Nissan) rode a Trek Speed Concept similar to this one to a victory in today's prologue.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The distinctly squared-off trailing edges of Radioshack-Nissan's Trek Speed Concept time trial bike.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Radioshack-Nissan runs seatposts that are slightly shallower than what's sold on consumer bikes.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The UCI doesn't allow Radioshack-Nissan to run the rear cover on the Speed Concept (saying it's a fairing) so team bikes make do with slightly exposed cabling.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Saur-Sojasun's Vision time trial bars.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Vacansoleil-DCM's Bianchi Pico Carbon time trial machines.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The seat stays of the Cannondale Slice hug the rear wheel until just above the dropouts while the chain stays and noticeably angled top-to-bottom.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
This Ag2r-La Mondiale rider needs a hinged stem to get low enough on his Kuota Kalibur time trial machine.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
2011 Tour de France winner Cadel Evans (BMC) runs an ultra-low handlebar position on his time trial bike.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
BMC's TimeMachine TM01 time trial bikes enjoy a bake in the sun before the start of the 2012 Tour de France prologue.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The Look 596 of French team Cofidis.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Euskaltel-Euskadi's Orbea Ordu.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The UCI has recently decreed that stick-on grip tape isn't allowed. We saw lots of upturned saddles and saddles with residual adhesive from patches that had been hastily removed.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Europcar's riders used a mix of the new Colnago K.Zero and old Flight time trial bikes for Saturday's prologue.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The new Colnago K.Zero of team Europcar features integrated brakes front and rear.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The integrated rear brakes allow for a sleek seat stay setup on Europcar's new Colnago K.Zeros.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Threaded bottom bracket shells on Europcar's Colnago K.Zero frames.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Vittoria Corsa EVO SC tubular tires for Marcel Kittel's (Argos-Shimano) Felt DA.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The aluminum stem on Argos-Shimano's Felt DA time trial bikes features a cutout for the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 control box.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Ag2r-La Mondiale riders used Reynolds' ultralight RZR 92 wheelsets for the opening prologue.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Sleek PRO Missile Evo integrated aero bars on the front end of Marcel Kittel's (Argos-Shimano) Felt DA.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Felt builds a battery mount into the bottom of the down tube on Argos-Shimano's DA time trial bikes but the team puts them up behind the seatpost.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Shimano Di2-equipped teams ran a wide range of battery mounts. Argos-Shimano places them behind the seatpost but others put them beneath the down tube, underneath the chain stay, or inside the frame.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The integrated rear brake on Argos-Shimano's Felt DA.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Marcel Kittel's (Argos-Shimano) Felt DA before the prologue of the 2012 Tour de France.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) runs a clipped Selle Italia SLR Team Edition saddle on his Felt DA.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The sleek seat stay-seat tube junction on Argos-Shimano's Felt DA time trial bikes.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Europcar team mechanics seem to be using the trainer quick-release to both hold the bike in the trainer and the wheel in the frame - which doesn't seem like a good idea to us.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The seatpost clamp on Europcar's new Colnago K.Zero time trial frames comprises just a slight bump to the top tube section.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Integrated brakes front and rear on the Wilier Triestina TwinFoil leave the seat stays nice and clean.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Vision carbon fiber aero bars on the front end of Vincenzo Nibali's (Liquigas-Cannondale) Cannondale Slice.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The integrated brakes on Liquigas-Cannondale's Cannondale Slice time trial bikes are essentially just mini V-brakes.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The integrated rear brake on the Liquigas-Cannondale Cannondale Slice time trial bike fits neatly underneath the chain stays.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Campagnolo marketing and communications director Lorenzo Taxis (left) and company president Valentino Campagnolo pay a visit to their old friends at Liquigas-Cannondale.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Cannondale's Si Aero crankset features a solid chainring spider whose shape flows cleanly around the crankarm.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The fork on Liquigas-Cannondale's Cannondale Slice features an external steerer and an integrated front brake.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Vincenzo Nibali's (Liquigas-Cannondale) Cannondale Slice time trial machine.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Vincenzo Nibali's (Liquigas-Cannondale) Cannondale Slice is still fitted with previous-generation SRAM Red.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Lampre-ISD's Wilier Triestina TwinFoil time trial bikes are certainly hard to miss what with their incredibly loud paint jobs.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The unique split fork of Lampre-ISD's Wilier Triestina TwinFoil time trial bikes.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The integrated brake gives the new Colnago K.Zero bikes of team Europcar a sleek and clean look.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Colnago offers the new K.Zero with an integrated cockpit but Europcar bikes were equipped with Deda bars.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
PRO Missile Evo integrated aero bars on the front end of FDJ-BigMat's Lapierre Aerostorm time trial bikes.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The Lapierre Aerostorm time trial bikes of FDJ-BigMat.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Garmin-Sharp riders were almost entirely on new Cervélo P5 machines for Saturday's opening prologue. 2012 Giro d'Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal's machine is in the foreground.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
_V6O6764 - Abbas Saeiditanha of Azad make a break away
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
_V6O6764 - Abbas Saeiditanha of Azad make a break away
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Orica-GreenEdge's Scott Plasma 3 time trial bikes before the opening prologue.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The ultra-sleek Canyon Speedmax CF of Katusha rider Denis Menchov.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
The sculpted stays on Liquigas-Cannondale's Cannondale Slice time trial bike.
Photo credit © James Huang/Future Publishing
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Gallery: Time trial bikes at the Tour's opening prologue
Cyclingnews.com
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