The Giro d'Italia bunch sprint of 173km Stage 10 turned into chaos with about 700 meters to go. A ride went down in a technical section approaching the launch of the sprint, and a large portion of the peloton crashed as a result. However, Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Rigoberto Uran was not one of them.
Uran placed 13th, and lost no time to Maglia Rosa wearer Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team). OPQS escorted Uran to the front as they also helped chase down a two rider breakaway, and then they kept him always near the front in the final kilometers as tension rose in anticipation of the group arrival. His ideal placement in the peloton helped him to avoid being caught up in the crash.
Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ.fr) won the stage, with Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek Factory Racing) 2nd and Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEDGE) 3rd. Evans was 9th, but the Colombian rider of OPQS was close behind.
Alessandro Petacchi was caught behind the crash. Though he stayed upright, he was unable to relaunch his sprint.
OPQS looks next to a Stage 11 medium mountain stage. The 249km course features two categorized climbs, but the second climb is followed by a descent to a somewhat flat finish. Stage 12 — the Barbaresco to Barolo ITT of 41.9km — could prove to be crucial to the GC on Thursday.
"Today it was relatively easy until the last kilometers," Uran said "I felt well the entire day. Then at about 20 kilometers from the finish, the fight to take the last climb in the best position possible started. The team did a great job another time and I took the climb really in the front. The speed was really high, even in the downhill. I managed to stay in the front surrounded by the OPQS guys. Then in the last few hundred meters, there was that crash. I don't know what happened, but suddenly I saw a few riders going down on the ground. The crash happened on the left side of the road and I was lucky that I was on the other side of the road and I passed. As I said already, every day something can happen here at the Giro. I'm happy that this stage is behind us."
"Tomorrow is not an easy stage," Sport Director Davide Bramati said. "In the first 100 kilometers we will cross the Appennini to go to the sea. Then we will stay along the sea along the Riviera Ligure, where the wind can be a factor. The stage is also long. It is more or less 250 kilometers. At about 30 kilometers to go there is a GPM of 2nd category. After all those kilometers, the climb can remain in the legs of a few riders."
IN a little over a month Mark Renshaw will find out if he will be riding for Omega Pharma-QuickStep in this year’s Tour de France, but the Bathurst cyclist has certainly presented a good case to his team officials.
As the Tour of California came to its conclusion on Sunday, Renshaw played an important role in helping team-mate Mark Cavendish to take out the honours on the 135.2 kilometre Thousand Oaks stage.
That is exactly what QuickStep signed him up to do.
However, it was not a lead out job that Renshaw provided for the noted sprinter as he had done in when Cavendish took out the opening stage of the tour. Instead he worked to get his team-mate back in contact with the leading bunch after he was dropped on the day’s decisive climb.
It was something Cavendish made sure to mention after taking out the eighth stage over Giant-Shimano’s John Degenkolb and Cannondale’s Peter Sagan.
“I got dropped a bit, but I had Mark Renshaw and a few strong guys from other teams with me,” Cavendish said.
“The guys who were with me wanted to get back on. So, we went full gas on the descent and we almost got back. Then my team-mates Niki Terpstra and Carlos Verona, who were in the breakaway, came back. They chased for the team and we got back on.”
Back in 2011 when they were team-mates at HTC Highroad, Renshaw played a major role in Cavendish winning seven Grand Tour stages.
The next two years the men were rivals in the peloton, but for 2014 Renshaw was reunited with Cavendish who wanted the Bathurst talent to increase his chances of winning more stages.
Renshaw has certainly delivered thus far and in the process earned himself three podium finishes as well – a second in the Tour of Dubai, a team time trial victory at the Tirreno-Adriatico and third in the Tour of Turkey.
That sort of effort shows he is in good touch and given Renshaw missed last year’s Tour de France after breaking his collarbone in the Tour of Turkey, he would love take part in the 101st edition.
QuickStep officials will not name their team for this year’s Tour de France, which gets underway on July 7, until a week before the Grand Tour event starts.
In the meantime Renshaw will keep stating his case.
Renshaw had battled some hot temperatures during this year’s Tour of California, day six especially tough as the mercury hit 47 degrees, but he survived to line up for the final stage.
Mercifully for the riders, they faced much cooler temperatures, but with the stage including three climbs it was not going to be an easy one for sprinters such as Renshaw.
Not surprisingly a breakaway formed and when Cavendish punctured at the bottom of the second climb, a sprint finish did not look part of the equation for QuickStep.
But Cavendish hauled himself over that climb then was joined by Renshaw. That pair, along with BMC duo Taylor Phinney and Thor Hushovd, got themselves back in contact with the peloton with about 10km to ride.
Renshaw continued to work for Cavendish before handing over the lead out job to his team-mates inside the final 5km.
Cavendish took out the win after two hours, 53 minutes and 50 seconds with Renshaw crossing the line 2:28 later after showing QuickStep officials his willingness to do a job for the team.
“The guys rode really incredible today. They really had some guts and I’m proud to again finish the job of a great team effort,” Cavendish said.
Manx Missile secures opening and closing stages of the race
Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) started the Tour of California with a narrow victory over John Degenkolb (Giant-Shimano) and ended the race in the same manner. An early celebration almost opened the door for Degenkolb pip the Great British national champion on the line but Cavendish held on to become the only multiple stage winner of the 2014 edition of the race.
Despite suffering a flat during the race and unsure as to whether he was even going to pin on a race number, Cavendish fought his way back to the front of the bunch and finished off his team's good work on the 122km stage around Thousand Oaks.
"To be fair I wasn't anticipating a sprint today," Cavendish said after claiming his eighth win of 2014. "I wasn't going to start today, let alone finish. But then I just thought I'd start. I'd maybe get dropped the first time, maybe do another lap for training, and then that would be it. I had a small breakfast and we started. A few guys suffered the first lap, but the second lap I actually punctured on my own at the bottom of the climb. So I had my wheel changed by neutral service and rode the second climb alone.
"But, I had good power. I was passing a lot of guys. Then over the top I could see the group and I was chasing the group. Then I got back on, on the descent. I thought if I could do that, then I've got a shot of getting over on the last lap as well. So, I just thought I would try and hang in there on the last lap. I got dropped a bit, but I had Mark Renshaw and a few strong guys from other teams with me. The guys who were with me wanted to get back on.
Omega Pharma-Quick Step had placed both Niki Terpstra and Carlos Verona in the break but when they were reeled in, it was all about delivering Cavendish to the stage win.
"Matteo Trentin put me in perfect position for the last kilometer," Cavendish said. "Niki Terpstra also did a great job. I just wanted to follow Peter [Sagan]. Then Giant-Shimano came, so I got in there, squeezed in, and that's about when Peter launched. I knew with 200 meters to go, on that finish, I would be able to to have the speed after a week's racing. So I just went and I was a bit fortunate.
It was only after replays of stage one on a phone that Cavendish knew he had the win and it was almost another photo finish today with Degenkolb once again just coming up short.
"I celebrated early and John nearly beat me," Cavendish said. "But overall I'm super happy with the group and my condition. I'm in good shape and the guys rode really incredible today. They really had some guts and I'm proud to again finish the job of a great team effort."
FDJ sprinter is aiming to win a stage on his Tour de France debut
After following up his recent overall victory at the Four Days of Dunkirk with another GC success, this time in his “home” Tour of Picardy, FDJ.fr sprinter Arnaud Démare is turning his sights towards his Tour de France debut.
The 22-year-old Frenchman says his goal in July will be a stage win and firmly believes he has the ability to pull this off. He has told L’Equipe that this will a difficult proposition, but added that he believes he knows how to beat Mark Cavendish.
Asked about his chances of beating the British sprinter, Démare said: “It was only the start of the season, but at the Tour of the Algarve I was already aware that there is a way to beat him…”
Démare’s victory in Picardy, where he won two of the three stages as well as the overall, gave him further reason for optimism with regard to the Tour. Marcel Kittel won the title last year, while Kittel’s team-mate John Degenkolb won it the year before. Both of the Germans went on to win multiple grand tour stages in the wake of their Picardy success, Kittel at the Tour and Degenkolb at the Vuelta.
“They took this path and that gives me a huge amount of ambition. I will go to the Tour with the objective of winning a stage even though I will perhaps end up being disappointed because there will be such huge competition,” said Démare. “You can’t win sprints every day, but if there is an opportunity I know that it is feasible.”
He explained his self-belief has been boosted by his growing capacity in the mountains. “They don’t particularly frighten me. I could see at Tirreno that I had progressed when compared to the [2012] Giro. I’m even starting to recuperate when I’m in the gruppetto in the mountains, which is also a good sign,” he said.
The French sprinter’s successes at the weekend put him level with his FDJ.fr team-mate Nacer Bouhanni on seven wins for the season, one behind Cavendish and Alejandro Valverde, who are currently the most prolific winners in the peloton. Reaching this mark on his home roads gave Démare particular pleasure.
“I really enjoyed riding in front of my fans in the sun. It was super,” he said. “I went through the villages where I used to win when I was a youngster. So many memories came back to me.”
Police are asking for information after two mountain bikes were stolen.
The thieves broke into a garage at Stepping Stones in East Morton between April 5 and April 19 and took away the Specialized S Works bikes (one pictured above).
Both of the two stolen bikes are black and made of aluminium and carbon fibre.
“We would be interested to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area between the above dates, or anyone who might have been offered these mountain bikes at a reduced price.” said Detective Constable Paul Walker, of Bradford District CID.
Anyone with information is asked to get in touch with Det Con Walker on 101 or Crime stoppers on 0800 555111.
Mongoose is the latest fabulous bike brand to cooperate with Halfords and capitalize on the United Kingdom’s leading retailer's unmatched consumer network. Mongoose has been manufacturing high quality bikes since the company was built in a Southern Californian garage in 1974. Actually, this is a year of celebrating its 40th anniversary. Mongoose rapidly rounded into a reputation that is synonymous with the world of BMX and is also well honored among mountain bikers. The overall 2014 Mongoose bikes collection will be available through the Halfords website, with a range that features mountain bikes and compound models as same as BMX’s and women's particular selections. Along with the brand debuting at Halfords.com, the partnership will also see the introduction of a particular series of bikes that will go into 300 Halfords stores. Mongoose’s Russell Merry said: “We are thrilled to partner with Halfords to provide their consumers with our 2014 line-up and an exclusive in-store range of Mongoose bikes and accessories. This new association underlines the growing popularity of our brand and provides exciting potential. Action sports participants and enthusiasts shopping at Halfords will be inspired to get out and ride.” Halfords exclusive bikes Mongoose has three mountain bikes that are destined for Halfords stores, ranging from £229.99 to £299.99.
The Mongoose Sector 29in hardtail mountain bike The Sector is an alloy framed 29er hardtail that packs an adjustable fork with 100mm travel, 24-speed Shimanogearing and mechanical disc brakes. It’s set to be one of the most affordable ways for a rider to get their leg over a 29in wheeled mountain bike. Resisting the shift to 650b wheels, the Mongoose Vanish hardtail arrives with 26in wheels and an 80mm suspension fork. A 21-speed Shimano drivetrain offers the range for various terrain while braking is taken care of by mechanical discs both on the front and rear wheels.
The Mongoose Vanish gets an 80mm suspension fork and mechanical disc brakes Completing the exclusive mountain bike line-up is the Evict. Designed for junior riders, the Evict uses 24in wheels and gets a 50mm suspension fork. Like the other bikes in the range the Evict also stops using mechanical disc brakes. Mongoose has also included a quick-release front wheel and centre mount kickstand to keep the Evict from toppling when not being ridden. Three Mongoose BMXs are also being offered exclusively via Halfords as part of the Scan range; these will start at £179.99 and will top out at £229.99.
Three new Mongoose BMX bikes are heading for Halfords stores For those who are after two-wheeled thrills of a different kind, Mongoose is now also offering two stunt scooters that will start at £49.99. Finally, Mongoose will also be selling two styles of skate helmet, each will be £19.99. Mongoose products will be available in 300 Halfords superstores and online from 29 April.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Mark Cavendish has more than 100 victories throughout the world, containing 25 stages in the Tour de France, but he had never a victory as the one he had on Sunday. Cavendish was far ahead of John Degenkolb in an exciting sprint to win the first stage of the Tour of California in the hithermost finish in the nine-year history of the event. “It’s the first time in my career I really didn’t know the result until it was confirmed to me,” he said. Degenkolb pulled ahead of the most decorated stage winner in Tour de France history in the final stretch , before the British “Manx Missile” burnished his legacy again. The two raced shoulder-to-shoulder until Cavendish came up along the right side and threw the rim of his bicycle’s tire just ahead as he crossed the line in a photo finish. No one celebrated until learning of the final results, which were confirmed by photos, though Degenkolb looked depressed waiting for the final word. After the results were announced, he congratulated Cavendish with a heartbreaking hug. “I knew that I lost,” Degenkolb said. “Sometimes it’s really just 1 or 2 centimeters, but normally you feel it straight away.” Cavendish finished the 120-mile stage in 4 hours, 44 minutes, 7 seconds for the Omega Pharma-Quick Step Cycling Team. Belkin Pro Cycling’s Moreno Hofland of the Netherlands was third. Slovak sprinter Peter Sagan, who has won event-record 10 stages, got buried in the pack and finished fifth. The longest stage of the eight-day, 720-mile tour through California’s eclectic climates came down to a drama-filled finishing stretch— and even then it took another minute to know who had actually won. As the bell rang for one lap to go around the tree-lined intown circuit, the two teams of the big sprinters pulled to the front. Cavendish appeared to wait too long to attack — and had to work harder after teammate Mark Renshaw recovered from a punctured tire — before finally getting free and churning his legs for one formidable closing burst. Cavendish came up on the right of Degenkolb, the German riding for Team Giant-Shimano, and lowered his helmet to the line. Cavendish, who announced in April he would skip the Giro d’Italia — where he won five stages last year — for the Tour of California and Tour de Suisse after an illness, also won the Sacramento stage in 2010. “This fits in perfectly for what I want to do this year,” he said. “I should be fresh enough.” Carmen Small of the Specialized-lululemon team won the women’s circuit race. The Tour of California resumes with a time trial in Folsom on Monday. The race has grown into North America’s most celebrated cycling event, heretofore has lived up to the billing .This year’s field contains a few world-class riders, including Cavendish and 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins. The winner last year—Tejay van Garderen , an American , is not participating in the race and focusing on cycling’s marquee race in July instead. But his BMC Racing Team still has aspirations of challenging Wiggins, who will no doubt be the man to beat on the mountains. The entire winner figures to be picked out on those steep climbs, including the Stage 3 ascent up Mount Diablo on Tuesday — when a heat wave is expected to send temperatures soaring into the upper 90s — and the Stage 6 ride up Mountain High on Friday. The race ends May 18 over the same circuit in Thousand Oaks that concluded the 2010 edition.
Ironman proceeds
with growing its presence in Europe with the
newest addition to the series, the inaugural Sparkasse Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau
powered by KraichgauEnergie, set to take place on June 7, 2015.
“The Kraichgau region has made itself a
household name for German triathletes,” said Thomas Dieckhoff, CEO Ironman
Europe, Middle East and Africa. “Together with
the team that has organized all Kraichgau races up until today, we are looking
forward to making the race and the region known in all of Europe.
At the same time, we will focus on keeping its local character and respect its
heritage and tradition.”
To celebrate the opening race, sportsmen will
be given several privileges containing the opportunity to acquire one of thirty
qualification slots for the 2015 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.
There will be 100 qualification slots for the 2015 Ironman 70.3 World
Championship in Zell am See-Kaprun,
Austria, too.
Athletes racing Kraichgau will gain priority to enter into the 2015 Ironman Austria, the
2015 Ironman European Championship Frankfurt or the 2015 KMD Ironman
Copenhagen.
“We are thankful for the support of the two
largest existing sponsors, the Sparkasse Kraichgau and KraichgauEnergie and we
are delighted they support the direction we are taking with this race,”
Dieckhoff added.
The fresh Sparkasse Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau
event is ‘a dream come true’ for Bjoern Steinmetz who founded the race together.
“I am extremely proud of how we started out with the idea of a small race,
which has now become a triathlon festival,” he said. “It’s been thrilling
watching the race grow and we are so excited that we will now award slots for
both the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 World Championship triathlons.”
“The Kraichgau Triathlon-Festival is the
original race and it’s always been our goal to create a perfect blend of elite
athletes and amateurs….This remains our promise for the future. Triathlon has
found a perfect ground unlike any other in Germany to grow here. Athletes like
Thomas Hellriegel and Sebastian Kienle are known world-wide. The success is
owed to the local team and hundreds of volunteers. We are looking forward to an
amazing future.”
About fifty percent of your Ironman will be spent on the bike. How you pace yourself will not only impact on how quickly you get round the bike course, but also how well you run the marathon.
Ironman performance is restricted not only by fuel but also by fitness. The more industriously we practice the faster we use our valuable but limited glycogen stores. When they are exhausted, we get that horrible feeling of hitting the wall. The answer is to ride at an average intensity, which enables the body to make use of more fat as fuel and save on glycogen for the run. Here’s how:
Power
Although a power meter is costly, it is the greatest way to ensure your effort levels are accurate and even. Once you have figured out your best power output for the Ironman distance you ride as near to the number as possible. If you divide the distance in half, a first-rank power profile would mean that each half was within about 5 percent of the other.
You should allow your power output to drift about 5 percent when riding up hills and you can let the power drop by 5 percent when descending. This is because the power required to overcome aerodynamic drag rises with speed.
Heart Rate
If you have figured out your heart-rate training zones on the bike, you should ride the whole distance in zone 2. Don’t make the mistake of using heart-rate zones derived from running, because they usually will be 8-10bpm higher. Besides, it is better to target a heart-rate range than a particular number, because of variables such as tiredness, heat, aquation, solicitude and morpheus.
You will also find that heart rate drifts higher for the same effort over the course of an Ironman because of cardiac drift – the result of increased tiredness and decreased aquation.
Speed
Maintaining a particular speed for the duration of the bike leg is a indeterminate way of pace judgment because of external factors such as gradient and wind. However, over a flat course such as Ironman Florida or Melbourne on a windless day, it can be used in conjunction with other ways of pacing.
Feel
Feel also can be called perceived exertion; it has been shown in research to associate well with other measures such as a heart rate, power and lactate. On a scale of 1-10 where one is resting on the sofa and 10 is the point of maximal effort, the first half of the Ironman bike leg should feel like a three and the second half like a four.
But the problem is that feel is very subjective. A bridle-wise sportsman is likely to feel good on the bike for the first few hours, so runs the risk of pushing too hard. In Ironman that means trouble on the run. As an isolated way of pacing, perceived exertion is deficient but not unnecessary.
Triangulation
If you do not have a power meter you can target a heart-rate range and a rough mean rolling speed. Knowing how those feel in the first half versus the second half of an Ironman bike distance, you can figure out how to pace your race. The key point rests with doing your homework. Have you researched the route? Considered the changes in gradient? Looked at typical wind speeds? Done the distance in training? Have you tried running off 180km? Pacing is an acquired skill and, like all skills, it’s improved by homework and hard work.
Make it work for you: Rolling loop race practice
If you’d like to keep things simple on your Ironman bike leg – or are new to tri and need a trick that will work in shorter races – learn to pace by feel with a rolling, twisty training loop that’s just a couple of miles long. All you need is a watch to learn to pace your laps evenly and experiment with how hard you can push yourself over different numbers of laps, up the gradients, and round corners. It’s good practice for multi-loop short races, too.
2015 specialized bikes Tarmac S Works called SL5? NO! McLaren Rider First Engineered™ new road framesets.
So what does Rider-First Engineered mean?It is a completely new approach to frame design that begins and ends with the rider.Real-time data was cllected which was then used to set optimal performance targets for each size frame.Specialized engineers then hit those targets,delivering unprecedented complete performance in acceleration,handling and compliance all in a weight-optimized package.
“TESTING THE BIKE ON DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLIMBS HAS PROVEN IT’S VERY FAST,ESPECIALLY WHEN STANING ON THE PEDALS. GOING DOWNHILL, IT’S A VERY GOOD HANDLING BIKE THAT GOES WHERE YOU WANT IT TO GO.IT’S AN UNBEATABLE FEELING.ONE OF THE BEST FEATURES IS THE ENORMOUS STIFFNESS,WHICH TRANSLATES TO A HIGH CAPACITY TO TRANSMIT POWER,AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE ALL LOOKING FOR.”–Alberto Contador,Winner of all 3 Grand Tours
The 2015 Tarmac represents a revolution in bicycle design that begins and ends with the rider. We call it Rider-First Engineered™ and it was inspired by our partnership with the leaders in Formula 1 development, McLaren*. Each of the seven frame sizes were developed independently, based exclusively on the real world stresses introduced by the corresponding rider. The result is a significant advance of complete performance in every frame size, from 49 to 56 to 61, and everything in between. In short – breakthrough climbing, sprinting, cornering and performance for riders of every size. Because there’s only one bike you care about. Yours.
Rider performance needs are defined to achieve complete performance.
Each frame size developed exclusively to its own performance targets
Rider input forces were measured and collected for every frame size.
Optimal stiffness and compliance targets were established for every frame size
Lower bearing size varies by frame size to achieve steering response targets established by Rider-First Engineered process.
Dedicated seatstays for each size frame tunes rear-end stiffness for optimized power transfer and handling.
Exclusive ROVAL SC S hub enables short chainstays required for optimal handling and ideal chainline for flawless shifting.
FACT Monocoque Chainstay/BB-Seamless design to optimize stiffness and handling across all seven frame sizes.
Disc brakes-Every model Tarmac is available disc brakes for unparalleled control and modulation-no matter the conditions.
SIZE OPTIMIZED Two measurements instead of one (previously torsional stiffness) to achieve most optimal ride depending on rider’s size.
Dynamic testing identified optimal power transfer (Rear Triangle Stiffness) for every size frame. Once these targets were identified, Specialized engineers achieved them to deliver consistent performance to every size rider.
Dynamic test data showed that SL4 small frames were too responsive to steering input for optimal handling, while larger frames were not responsive enough. The Rider-First Engineered™ Tarmac achieves optimal performance at every size.
RIDER-FIRST ENGINEERED™ TARMAC
Every aspect of the new Tarmac has been specifically designed to achieve the optimal balance of performance and ride quality.
INTEGRATED SEAT COLLAR
Improved vertical compliances in a seamless and efficient design.
RIDER-FIRST ENGINEERED™
Rider-First Engineered™ development approach for rider-size specific complete performance.
ONE-PIECE BB DESIGN
One-piece BB design for optimal power transfer.
TAPERED HEAD TUBE
Tapered head tube for direct and precise steering.
“THE NEW TARMAC IS SMOOTHER AND EASIER TO HANDLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN CHANGING SPEED AND OVERALL HAS A BETTER BALANCE OF STIFFNESS AND STABILITY. IT FEELS LIKE THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF THE SL4, RESPONSIVENESS AND STIFFNESS, ARE ENHANCED.”
2015 specialized bikes Tarmac S Works McLaren Rider First Engineered™ reviews
Some sizes of this new road bike flex more than their predecessors; others are heavier. And that makes this one of the best bikes we’ve ridden.
You won’t often hear a bike manufacturer claim that its latest high-end road bike, a model made for dominating WorldTour races, flexes more than its predecessor, or that it’s heavier. But in some cases, both statements are true of Specialized’s 2015 Tarmac.
The company unveiled the new bike to us last week at its offices in Morgan Hill, California, and over two days we put nearly 200 miles on it. In that time, Specialized engineers also explained exactly why, in some sizes, the Tarmac feels less rigid than the previous version, and other sizes are heavier. They also made the point, which played out on the road, that those changes vastly improved the ride.
When they set out nearly two years ago to replace the Tarmac SL4 (the new bike drops the SL designation and is simply called the Tarmac) Specialized engineers took a novel and exciting approach to frame design. In the past, engineers developed new models based on 54cm or 56cm frames that fit most riders and then extrapolated and tweaked the design for larger and smaller sizes. But with the new Tarmac, Specialized designed each frame from the ground up for a total of 13 different configurations (seven rim-brake sizes, another six for the disc version). Each size has its own carbon layup and performance targets. The design team’s goal was to make sure every size frame handled exactly the same way, whether the rider was as short as Alberto Contador or as tall as Tom Boonen, who both race on teams sponsored by Specialized.
Specialized’s Sam Pickman (second row, right) rides a 58cm frame and Chris D’Aluisio (front right) rides a 52. Their divergent experiences on the previous Tarmac influenced the development of this new model, which benefits from size-specific frame designs.
Based on feedback from its pro riders as well as input from its product-development team, Specialized had realized that even though the SL4 was a great bike (it was ridden to victory in the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France, among other races) it could be improved, especially the way some sizes handled in corners. With the new version, engineers hoped to reduce chatter on the smaller frames and make the larger frames more responsive, especially when the bikes are leaned over in corners or flicked side-to-side when linking turns.
Evelyn Stevens, who races on the Specialized-lululemon team, joined in for some product testing near Morgan Hill.
The Tarmac’s bottom bracket uses bearings that are pressed into place, but replaces the plastic sleeve used on the previous SL4 model with an aluminum insert that is quieter and more reliable, Specialized says.
The company also made subtle changes across the board, including giving each frame a 12 percent boost in pedaling efficiency. The new Tarmac also comes with three size-specific headset sizes and fork steerer tubes—a trend Specialized began with the current Roubaix SL4.
Before flying to Morgan Hill I had spent several weeks riding the SL4 version to reacquaint myself with the nuances of how the old platform rode. When I hopped on the new bike in California, it felt familiar—Specialized made no changes to the geometry—and it steered the way I remembered. But it seemed significantly smoother and clung to the ground in high-speed turns better than the SL4. I felt instantly comfortable, and that gave me enough confidence to dive into unfamiliar corners without using the brakes to check my speed. And when I needed to adjust my line, the bike changed direction quickly and with little loss of momentum.
Like the previous version, the 54cm test bike I rode had excellent straight-line power transmission and it sprang ahead when I sprinted. Climbing while seated felt comfortable and efficient. Some of that can be attributed to an internal seat binder, which allows the post to flex a little easier to take some of the sting out rough roads. A 27.2mm round seatpost helps, too.
Instead of a traditional seat collar, the Tarmac uses an internal binder that shaves 35mm from the seat tube. That allows the 27.2mm seat post to flex slightly, potentially increasing comfort.
The Tarmac comes in a version for rim brakes and another for hydraulic discs, which weighs about 80 grams more. Other than their stopping power, the bikes ride nearly identically. Most road models with disc brakes use 135mm rear-axle spacing that’s similar to what’s found on mountain bikes. But that setup can throw off the chain line on a road bike. Instead, Specialized used a 130mm road hub and added 2.5mm to the end of each axle to keep the cassette in its ideal position. Engineers also added a unique derailleur hangar that moves the derailleur 2.5mm close to the cassette. Shifts were quick and crisp every time.
The new bike will be available in three versions, setup for either hydraulic discs or rim brakes: The Pro and Expert options use the same frame, but come with different components; the S-Works uses higher-grade carbon that weighs 100 to 120 grams less. Specialized has not yet released prices or production weights, but the company claims that a painted S-Works frame weighs 966 grams and the fork comes in at 360 grams.
By focusing on small details like the rear-axle spacing and also by rethinking how it designed bike frames, Specialized made important strides with this new Tarmac that pay off on the road—it’s undoubtedly one of the best bikes I’ve tried.
On disc-equipped Tarmac frames, Specialized tucked the caliper neatly inside the rear triangle. Engineers slightly beefed up the stays to handle additional braking forces, but the changes add only 80 grams to the disc frames.
A lighter bike for easier climbing, optimum stiffness for efficiency and comfort, and our new aero profiles to make you go faster. Each one of our limited edition Project California series bikes is carefully hand laid up in Cervélo’s Project California engineering lab, resulting in the highest possible quality control.
Cervélo Cycles is a Canadian manufacturer of racing bicycle frames. Cervélo uses CAD, computational fluid dynamics, and wind tunnel testing at a variety of facilities including the San Diego Air and Space Technology Center, in California, USA, to aid its designs. Frame materials include carbon fibre. Cervélo currently makes 3 series of road bikes: the R series, featuring multi-shaped, “Squoval” frame tubes; and the S series of road bikes and P series of triathlon/time trial bikes, both of which feature airfoil shaped down tubes. The company also manufactures T seriestrack bikes.
Showcasing the best of our knowledge, testing, and industry-leading engineering processes.
As an engineering company dedicated to making all our riders go faster, we’re always testing new ideas and new processes. So when we want to engineer the lightest, stiffest and fastest bikes, we start with the toughest benchmarks in the industry: our own.
We’ve taken the lightest and made it lighter, while maintaining the optimal stiffness we achieved with the R5ca. We’ve developed Squoval 3™, giving our lightweight tube shapes a new aero profile. We’ve taken what we know from our category-leading aero S-series bikes and seamlessly integrated this knowledge into our pioneering light weight R-series.
The cervelo Rca is light and stiff, yet so forgiving you’ll almost forget that the frame is there – and with enough aero for the wind to forget as well. A lightweight bike ready for heavy road surfaces, the Rca withstands the roughest cobbles or potholes.
The most advanced concurrent engineering tools and iterative design processes don’t mean you will be faced with complex assembly. The Rca proves itself with a truly innovative design in that it offers a real performance benefit when built using standard parts. This means you have the flexibility of using the components you have now, while knowing that the frame design anticipates the components of the future. We’ve even moulded in an integrated magnet that works with crank-based power meters.
01. THE CHALLENGE
When it was launched in 2010, the R5CA set a completely new benchmark for light weight and stiff performance. Even two years later it was still the reference standard - 104g lighter than the nearest competitor and 32% stiffer (Tour magazine, Nov 2011). This was our starting point and the challenge was pretty simple: Make it even lighter and integrate the aero knowledge from the category-leading aero S-Series - all without any compromises to stiffness, ride and handling. In other words, engineer a bike that performed against all requirements: weight, stiffness and aero.
02. PROJECT CALIFORNIA
Our Project California facility is where we prove our leadership by engineering new manufacturing techniques and improved design processes. This is where we’ve created new bicycle-specific layup and ply analysis software to manufacture faster, stiffer, lighter and more comfortable bikes. This is where we push the composites R&D envelope. This is where we pushed our road bike engineering further.
03. DRIVEN BY DETAILS
Our unwavering obsession with every single detail, from cable routing to bulkheads, allows us to raise the bar to a level never dared before. With all our F1 engineering design tools in-house (CAD, FEA, CFD), we are able to virtually test all aspects of frame performance… even before we begin cutting the moulds.
The RCA showcases the best of our knowledge, testing, and industry-leading engineering processes: A lighter bike for easier climbing, optimum stiffness for increased efficiency and comfort, and our new aero profiles to make you faster.
Each one of our limited edition RCA bikes is carefully hand laid up in Cervélo's Project California engineering lab, resulting in perfect quality control.
04. THE RCA'S EVOLUTION
Using our Concurrent Aero & Structural Engineering (CASE) approach we brought our Toronto and California teams together in a cross-disciplinary process. The goal: maximize the structural and aerodynamic performance of the final design.
We performed 279 FEA analyses in a parametric design study evaluating 15 different parameters, such as downtube/seat tube fillet radius. This is the engineering preparation needed to begin the design of a Cervélo: It's doing our homework. A designer starts by designing, but an engineer first asks: if we change the dimension of this parameter, what effect does it have on performance?
Once we completed our homework, we started designing the bike. With optimum aero, stiffness, comfort and weight goals firmly in our sights, we began an iterative design process to create the first versions of the RCA’s frame shapes. This process was a cycle: design, virtually test, redesign, test again. Because we knew the effect of each parameter on every aspect of performance, with each iteration the new frame came closer and closer to the goals, step by step.
05. INNOVATIONS
WEIGHT AND STIFFNESS
We’ve taken the lightest and made it even lighter while maintaining the optimal stiffness of the R5ca. Our ComfortPly™ technology actually removes unneeded fibres to reduce weight and vibration and improve ride quality.
We’ve developed Squoval 3™, giving our light weight tube shapes a new aero profile, and giving you 7.4 Watts less drag than the current R-series, a savings of over 100 kilojoules over a 5-hour stage. That's up to 10.2 Watts less drag than typical road bikes.
The RCA has already won the globally-recognised 2012 JEC Composites Innovations Award, because we use innovative engineering in every detail of our bikes. This includes: The right carbon in the right spot, 3M™ Powerlux™, and Integran/PowerMetal Nanovate™ nickel coating.
06. FROM PAPER TO PAVEMENT
ANDREW TALANSKY
"The nice thing about the RCA is that it is vertically compliant to help smooth out the road, but laterally stiff, very stiff; and that’s what we need in cycling."
RYDER HESJEDAL
"When I test a new bike, it’s not just about getting up on the pedals or being lightweight, it’s the way that the bike works with your body and responds; the stiffness the bike provides me. The RCA certainly makes a big difference in that regard."
ROHAN DENNIS
"The RCA's handling is awesome. There is obviously more technology put into this to be aero, but it's also stiff and light. You seem to get everything out of the bike that you put into it. It’s unlike any bike I have been on before."
3M’s nano-silica filled 3M™ Powerlux™ resin system improves interlaminar shear & compression strength, the first nano-resin to demonstrate real structural improvements in rigorous carbon fibre coupon testing.
Used first in the RCA, PowerMetal Nanovate™ adds a strong, light coating on the fork steerer. PowerMetal Nanovate™ nickel increases yield strength by 7 times over conventional nickel, and results in higher ductility as well. Strength plus ductility is toughness, which is how we’ve been able to engineer a tougher fork without adding weight.
Stiff, light and now aero too. The first two generations of Squoval™ tube cross sections were engineered purely for high stiffness and low weight. Our new Squoval 3 frames reduce aero drag by a whopping 74 grams compared to second generation Squoval frames, without giving up any stiffness or gaining any weight. Now you can have your cake and eat it, too.
A strong magnet is laid in between the carbon fibre plies of the frame’s down tube near the bottom bracket, positioned at the perfect radius from the crank axis to be sensed by popular crank-based power meters.
A smart reversal of male and female coupling. Stays are bonded into dropouts instead of the reverse. This way we eliminate the sacrificial plies in the stays, saving 5 grams per frame. The hollow right dropout also gives the internal rear derailleur cable a straight shot through the chainstay and dropout, eliminating a source of cable friction.
