The Grand Excursions are approaching, and riders are turning to the calendar’s key preparation races to high quality tune their kind and climbing.Â
This week, these on the Tour of the Alps have been going uphill on a regular basis. The race, which takes place throughout the Italo-Austrian border, provided 5 levels, none of which had lower than 2,000m of elevation achieve. Thursday’s queen stage counted virtually 4,000m.Â
Biking Weekly wandered the crew paddocks on the race, on the look out for tech modifications groups have made to maintain their bikes gentle and optimised for climbing. Here is what we discovered.Â
Underweight frames
(Picture credit score: Future / Tom Davidson)
A light-weight body is the plain first step for groups trying to save grams on the climbs. Euskaltel-Euskadi introduced two choices to the race: the light-weight Orbea Orca OMX, and the heavier Orca aero. Riders most well-liked to make use of the previous.Â
The OMX, Orbea claims, weighs simply 6.7kg, placing it beneath the UCI’s minimal restrict of 6.8kg. With a number of add-ons, although, like bottle cages, race numbers and transponders, the bike ideas into the authorized vary.Â
In accordance with Orbea, the newest OMX mannequin saves riders round three watts at a gradient of 5% and 6 watts at 10%, in comparison with an aerobike. On the Tour of the Alps, the climbs hit virtually 20% at factors.Â
Ultralight wheels
(Picture credit score: Future / Tom Davidson)
Alongside the body and groupset, wheels are one of many heaviest components of a motorbike, and a logical goal for saving weight.
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The above providing from Cadex, chosen by Jayco AlUla, are the model’s “lightest wheel system ever”. They’ve bladed carbon spokes, and “superlight” 40mm carbon rims to reinforce aerodynamics and weight.Â
Every set has a acknowledged weight of 1,249g, making them among the many lightest mid-depth wheels available on the market.
Carbon bottle cages
(Picture credit score: Future / Tom Davidson)
Quite a lot of groups, akin to dsm-firmenich PostNL and Ineos Grenadiers, have been utilizing Elite’s Leggero carbon bottle cages within the Alps. They don’t seem to be a brand new product, however they’re common amongst WorldTour groups, particularly at hillier occasions.Â
Every cage weighs simply 17g (“extremely light-weight,” says Elite). The model’s non-carbon choices weigh greater than twice as a lot.Â
To maintain their bottles safe, Ineos Grenadiers’ mechanics fitted sand paper to the within of their cages, as you may see beneath.Â
(Picture credit score: Future / Tom Davidson)
Bye bye bar tape
(Picture credit score: Future / Tom Davidson)
Why wrap components of the handlebar that you do not maintain?Â
The above cockpit belongs to Romain Combaud, one among dsm-firmenich PostNL’s stronger climbers. The Frenchman determined to solely cowl his drops in bar tape, leaving the tops of his bars open to the weather. Â
Moderately than a being artful weight-saving tactic, that is doubtless only a really feel desire, however it should knock off a number of grams, too.
Gap-riddled saddles
(Picture credit score: Future / Tom Davidson)
Although usually confined to crew sponsor manufacturers, one piece of tech that riders like to choose themselves is their saddle.Â
Above, from left to proper, are the alternatives of Anton Palzer (Bora-Hansgrohe), Riccardo Lucca (VF Group – Bardiani CSF – Faizanè) and Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale), that are all 3D-printed with tiny holes.Â
The benefit of that is twofold: it permits higher air circulation, and brings down the general mass. The look harks again to the ‘drillium’ fad of the Nineteen Seventies and Nineteen Eighties, when riders would drill holes into their frames and elements to avoid wasting a handful of grams.Â
By way of saddles, the hole-riddled design could make them round 20g lighter.Â
Tooth, enamel, enamel
(Picture credit score: Future / Tom Davidson)
Although not a weight-saving measure, a much bigger cassette vary could make steeper gradients much more manageable.Â
Bora-Hansgrohe riders have been working SRAM‘s largest highway cassette, the most important cog boasting 36 enamel. By comparability, Shimano‘s highway cassettes solely go as much as 34 enamel.Â
With a 39-tooth small chainring on the entrance, Bora-Hansgrohe have been working a really low gear ratio of 1.08, excellent for the steep Alpine roads.Â
