Gallery: SRAM wireless and other TT gear at USA Pro Challenge
The junction box on Kristin Armstrong’s SRAM wireless TT setup
Kristin Armstrong won the opening time trial of the inaugural Women’s USA Pro Challenge aboard this Felt with SRAM’s still-not-released wireless TT group
Single buttons are wires to the junction box, which transmits wirelessly to the derailleurs
The buttons are pressed once to shift the rear derailleur in one direction, and pressed at the same time to shift the front derailleur
The wires from the extensions and the cowhorns feed into the junction box
What exactly does the junction box do? SRAM won’t yet say
With the Eurobike trade show coming up next week, we expect SRAM to finally start talking about its new group
Kristin Armstrong’s SRAM Quarq with unbranded rings. Rotor isn’t a team sponsor
We expect to see more logo’ing soon on these derailleurs
K-Edge took its name from this rider, having built the original chain catcher for Armstrong’s succesful bid at the Beijing Olympic time trial
Speedplay’s Aero pedal
K-Edge accoutrements can be found across Armstrong’s bike, such as this Garmin mount
No, these are not Vittoria tires. Why do you ask?
Armstrong’s road bike for stages 2 and 3
This is the first year the race has had a women’s component, which is three days
What self-respecting racer would run this many spacers?! Well, one who has won numerous Olympic and world champion medals, thank you very much
SRAM eTap wireless road group made numerous appearances at the USA Pro Challenge, including on Armstrong’s road bike
SRAM eTap rear derailleur
50/34 Rotor Q Rings for Armstrong’s road bike
Not all teams use K-Edge mounts
Microshift components aren’t often seen
Check out the chainstay
A few of the women’s teams had pre-race setups not too dissimilar from amateur squads
Robin Farina flies the flag for Selle SMP
Farina’s race pedal for the time trial? Shimano 105
The low-stack design of Cipollini’s Nuke TT bike
The young Axeon team enjoys a full complement of SRAM/Zipp equipment
The front end of the Cipollini Nuke, with removable caps for brake access
Axeon had a few bikes with SRAM wireless and a few mechanical setups
Drapac’s Swift TT bikes have this unusual single-column riser
SwiftCarbon will be coming to the US market in 2016
The gusty winds and steep climb in the middle of the course had riders considering all manner of options. This is Trek rider Matthew Busche’s bike
Funny bikes bring out the funny saddle arrangements. This is SmartStop rider Evan Huffman’s bike
Stack it up (at back) or slam it down. Diamondback’s Serios TT bike gives riders some height-adjustment options
Tri saddles snuck into TT. Now these ISM saddles are being increasingly found on regular road bikes, such as this Diamondback belonging to Tom Zirbel
UHC’s Kiel Reijnen has been the one non-BMC rider to win a stage (on day 3) at the USA Pro Challenge
Guess why Wilier calls this bike the Twin Blade
Good for Reijnen – he had a wind-friendly rig on a windy day
Although Cannondale-Garmin could run internal Di2 batteries, the teams likes the accessibilty and the solid mount of the external option. And although the team could use Garmin’s Vector power-meter pedals, the riders generally choose to use an SRM for power
With multiple world and Olympic gold medals under her belt, the 42-year-old Kristin Armstrong can seemingly win time trials with the flip of a switch — or, as was the case on Friday at the USA Pro Challenge, the press of a button. Armstrong rode to victory in the opening stage of the inaugural Women’s USA Pro Challenge aboard a Felt with SRAM’s yet-unreleased electric time trial group.
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SRAM still isn’t talking about the group, but components are out in the open now. Armstrong’s bike had bare buttons on both the extensions and the cowhorns, with wires running to a junction box atop the stem. The junction box then communicates wirelessly with the derailleurs.
With men’s and women’s teams setting off on the 8.5-mile course in Breckenridge, Colorado, there was a heathy mix of time-trial gear on display. WorldTour squads like BMC and Cannondale-Garmin mixed with composite squads from Colorado. Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and Shimano 105 alike were raced.
While K-Edge chain catchers, Garmin mounts and number plates are somewhat ubiquitous now in the pro peloton, that wasn’t always the case. It’s only fitting that the original K won Friday on a bike with the equipment that was originally designed for her.
Check out the gallery above for a close look at the time trial gear at the USA Pro Challenge, and be sure to follow all the race action at Cyclingnews.
Single buttons are wires to the junction box, which transmits wirelessly to the derailleurs: single buttons are wires to the junction box, which transmits wirelessly to the derailleurs
