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Race tech: Team Astana at Paris-Roubaix

The non-tapered 1 1/8in alloy steerer tubes required a step-down adapter to fit the tapered head tube

  • Team Astana used modified Trek Madone bikes for their run at Paris-Roubaix
  • Rear dropouts borrowed from elsewhere in the Trek family extend the chainstay length for greater stability
  • Astana also swapped their usual Madone forks for ones with extra tyre clearance
  • There's roughly 10mm of room between the tyre and crown here
  • The non-tapered 1 1/8in alloy steerer tubes required a step-down adapter to fit the tapered head tube
  • The matching paint job helps but there's still no mistaking the transition between the fork and head tube here
  • This Astana team tyre was badged as a Bontrager Race XXX Lite tubular…
  • …but this one clearly says 'Hutchinson'
  • A steel cage on a SRAM Red front derailleur body adds rigidity compared to the stock titanium unit
  • Double-wrapped bars are ready to take on the day
  • Many teams set off with Gore sealed derailleur cables and housing in order to maintain shift performance regardless of weather conditions
  • This Astana team bike crankset was fitted with the usual upsized inner chainring - but shouldn't that little tab be behind the crankarm?

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The non-tapered 1 1/8in alloy steerer tubes required a step-down adapter to fit the tapered head tube

© James Huang/Cyclingnews.com