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Pro bike: George Hincapie's Giant TCR Roubaix special

The wide-profile brakes deliver maximum rim clearance but the lever feel leaves much to be desired.

  • Will this be Hincapie's year?
  • George Hincapie (Team High Road) would have ridden this one-off special rig had it been muddy
  • In the end with the dry weather, Hincapie didn't go with this unique build
  • Hincapie's carbon frame resembles Giant's OCR model more than the race-oriented TCR
  • There isn't nearly as much reinforcement in this area as we're used to seeing.
  • The fork is supposedly borrowed from Giant's 'cross frameset.
  • Hincapie's machine features an aluminium steerer tube.
  • The fork crown is somewhat ungainly in appearance but offers heaps of mud clearance.
  • Cantilever studs are cleanly integrated up front.
  • The wide-profile brakes deliver maximum rim clearance but the lever feel leaves much to be desired.
  • The curved seat stays should give 'Big George' a softer ride.
  • There's also lots of clearance out back, too.
  • There are no fancy aero wheels here, just box-section tubulars laced around Dura-Ace hubs.
  • A wider 25mm Schwalbe tubular gives a little more cush.
  • The tread wraps down the side of the casing for better sidewall protection and improved grip
  • The stem is drilled clean through to accommodate the front brake cable routing.
  • The extra security of an aluminium handlebar should be very welcome come cobble time.
  • Hincapie's bike is fitted with standard Dura-Ace crankarms.
  • The inner ring is upsized to a 44T to better suit the high speeds and relatively flat terrain.
  • Standard Dura-Ace fare here, and there's no chain watcher to stand guard against dropped chains.
  • The stock Shimano Dura-Ace rear derailleur is well proven on the cobblestones of Paris-Roubaix.
  • Dura-Ace STI Dual Control levers control the action.
  • The Dura-Ace SPD-SL pedals provide Hincapie with plenty of surface area.
  • The Selle Italia Flite TT Team Edition saddle is a ubiquitous choice among the pros.
  • Hincapie comments before Sunday's action

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The wide-profile brakes deliver maximum rim clearance but the lever feel leaves much to be desired.

© James Huang