Trek-Segafredo's John Degenkolb has custom new Aeolus XXX wheels for his Trek Madone, but he is riding a special Madone for the Tour of Flanders - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Bontrager just launched Aeolus XXX wheels, which have a laser-etched brake track, and, for Degenkolb, laser-etched custom graphics - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
What Bontrager calls its Laser Control Track has a bit of texture for more friction with the brake pads - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The wheels match Degenkolb's Chasin' Aces bike paint scheme - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
On his regular bike, Degenkolb uses 54/39 rings - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Shimano doesn't endorse mixing rings, but the bike shifts fine - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
On his regular bike, Degenkolb uses 172.5 cranks, but 170mm on his cobbles bike - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The Madone bar has an integrated Garmin holder - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Trek integrates the Garmin holder, but the mechanics use good, old-fashioned electrical tape to tidy up the satellite shifters - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The Madone has an ultra-clean front end, with all cables tucked inside - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The Madone brakes are easily adjustable for width and toe in - a novelty for aero calipers - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
This is the bike Degenkolb will race at the Tour of Flanders, which has a standard handlebar but also shorter cranks and a Shimano power meter - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Degenkolb's Dura-Ace power meter has the standard 53/39 rings - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
After testing on the cobbles last winter with Trek and geobioMized, Degenkolb opted for shorter cranks just for the cobbles - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Instead of the integrated Madone bar/stem, Degenkolb and many of his teammates prefer the compliance and round-bar grip of an IsoCore bar for the cobbles - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Although not as cleanly integrated as the integrated bar/stem, the front end is still tidy - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Sprint shifters are tucked under the tape in four places - two on the tops and two in the standard spot in the drops - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Sprint shifters peek through the tape - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Degenkolb has 28mm Vittoria tubulars for Flanders, and 30mm tubies for Paris-Roubaix, which he won in 2015 - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The Shimano meter charges with a magnetic cable underneath the plastic cover nestled into the spider - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Degenkolb's race bike shows its share of wear and tear - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The Madone has an integrated chain catcher - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Many of Degenkolb's teammates have a similar Madone-with-standard handlebar steup. Here the team rides a very serious recon on the Kwaremont - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
The rest of the team has Trek's standard race red scheme on the modified Madones - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Former Paris-Roubaix winner John Degenkolb is lining up for the Tour of Flanders on a custom bike that has been modified in a few unusual ways. Laser-etched graphics on brand new wheels, and cranks shortened after gebioMized testing on the cobbles highlight the uniqueness of his Trek Madone.
Trek-Segafredo technical director Matt Shriver worked with German biometric company geobioMized to test a variety of product and positions with his riders over the winter, measuring pressure on their saddles and under their feet. Riding on pavement and cobbles, the team tested various types of frames, handlebars, wheels and positions.
On his regular bike, Degenkolb uses 172.5 cranks, but 170mm on his cobbles bike - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
One takeaway for Degenkolb was a shift from 172.5mm cranks to 170mm cranks for the cobbled classics.
"Degenkolb tends to shift his pelvis and close off the hip angle, and [the geobioMized testing] showed a drop in power and less stability," Shriver said. "So a shorter crank allowed him to keep his pelvis open and power stable. Pressure data correlated to his feedback. He stays on 172.5mm for other races."
Two bikes are pictured here. One, with the custom wheels and integrated bar, is the bike Degenkolb will race most of the year, Shriver said. The other, with the standard bar, is what Degenkolb will race on Sunday at the Tour of Flanders. (He will race yet another bike, a Trek Domane, for Paris-Roubaix, which he won in 2015.)
This is the bike Degenkolb will race at the Tour of Flanders, which has a standard handlebar but also shorter cranks and a Shimano power meter - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Sometimes, aero isn't everything
Trek engineers spent considerable time and effort integrating the front end of the bike, tucking all cables inside the integrated bar/stem in the pursuit of lowering drag. But sometimes, aero isn't everything. For the Tour of Flanders, Degenkolb and many of this teammates will use standard handlebars because they are more comfortable.
Degenkolb is using a Bontrager XXX IsoCore bar, with sprint shifters on the tops and in the drops.
Instead of the integrated Madone bar/stem, Degenkolb and many of his teammates prefer the compliance and round-bar grip of an IsoCore bar for the cobbles - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
"We spent time over the winter testing all the wheels, and all the bars with John and Jasper [Stuyven] on the cobbles," Shriver said. "That bar was the winner. There is an aero penalty for sure, and it is a little bit heavier, but they felt the compliance was worth it."
Also, it's easier to grab the tops on a traditional round bar, compared to a thin and flat aero bar.
Although not as cleanly integrated as the integrated bar/stem, the front end is still tidy - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
But for wheels, aero is an advantage
Bontrager just launched its new Aeolus XXX carbon wheels in 28, 47 and 60mm depths. Degenkolb will most likely race the 60mm XXX 6 wheels Sunday. While the cobbled hellingen feature prominently in the Tour of Flanders, it is still a 250km race with lots of smooth asphalt and high speeds. So, for wheels, aero it is.
Bontrager just launched Aeolus XXX wheels, which have a laser-etched brake track, and, for Degenkolb, laser-etched custom graphics - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Bontager has a new laser-etched brake track for the Aeolus XXX. To show off the new technology, Bontrager laser'ed up a pair of XXX 6s with custom graphics for Degenkolb. He, Trek and Bontrager are all hoping that Sunday will come up aces for Trek-Bontrager at the Tour of Flanders.
Click through the gallery above for a closer look at two of Degenkolb's bikes.
Many of Degenkolb's teammates have a similar Madone-with-standard handlebar steup. Here the team rides a very serious recon on the Kwaremont - Ben Delaney / Immediate Media
Ben Delaney is a journalist with more than two decades of experience writing for and editing some of the biggest publications in cycling. Having studied journalism at the University of New Mexico, Ben has worked for Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, VeloNews and BikeRadar. He has also previously worked as Global Brand Communications Manager for Specialized. Ben covers all things road and gravel, and can be found logging big miles in the Rocky Mountains that nestle alongside his home in Boulder, Colorado. He has covered the most important bike races in the sport, from the Tour de France and Tour of Flanders, to the Unbound gravel race, and specialises in tech content, showcasing what the pros are riding and putting everyday equipment through its paces.
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