Just 12 months ago, Australian Jack Bobridge was riding laps of a Melbourne velodrome attempting to take the world hour record. He fell just short (by an agonisingly close 550m) of the then record of 51.852km – not quite what the once U23 time-trial world champion was looking for.
Fast-forward to now, and the 26-year-old is once again proudly wearing the national colours on his fresh Trek-Segafredo team road jersey. The gold and green stripes come after an impressive 90km solo attack at the Australian National road championships from earlier in the month. Such a win is proof that Jack is very much back and now has his sights set on a return to the track for the Rio Olympics.
Team Trek-Segafredo's new signings Jack Bobridge and Ryder Hesjedal chat at the Tour Down Under
As a breakaway specialist, Bobridge is at the Tour Down Under on Trek’s recently released aero superbike – the Madone. More specifically, it’s the Madone Race Shop Limited with Project One paint.
Compared with the Madone 9.9 you may find in a store, the Race Shop Limited offers a lower ‘H1’ head tube and 700-series carbon. Additionally, it’s made in Trek’s own Waterloo, Wisconsin carbon factory.
Related reading: The radically new Trek Madone 9 series
The new Madone is part of a new generation in ‘integrated’ bikes, where items such as the brakes, handlebar, stem and seat post are all designed from the ground up to best suit the machine.
The frame is a effectively a manual in aero design. Using deep Kammtail Virtual Foil (KVF) tube cross-sections, the frame now looks quite similar to the brand’s Speed Concept time-trial bike.
There are few bikes on the market with such refined integrated features
Tube shapes are on thing, but it’s the integrated features that really set it apart. Such examples are the Trek brake calipers designed to sit perfectly flush within the fork and rear of frame. Built around this, the head tube features fairings that open to allow space for the front brake as the handlebars are turned.
Perhaps the Madone's most truly singular feature is its ride comfort, which we can attest defies its aero look. Here, Trek has employed the ‘IsoSpeed’ technology from its endurance-based Domane bikes, something that isolates the seat tube from the top tube via a pivot point and promotes frame compliance while seated.
The handlebar and stem form a key part in the reduced frontal profile
Up front, the Madone XXX integrated handlebar and stem is certainly an item worth mentioning. It offers an incredibly minimal frontal profile, with the add-on SRM bracket perhaps being the largest part. The 120mm stem length and 40cm handlebar width combination is readily available to order.
Related reading: 2016 Trek Madone 9.9 review
All seven members of the Trek-Segafredo Tour Down Under team are on special Project One bikes
Showing off Trek’s Project One custom bike program, all members of the Trek-Segafredo team are riding nationally coloured bikes at the Tour Down Under. Coincidentally to Bobridge winning the national jersey, his TDU bike is covered in a flawless coat of yellow and green.
The rest of the bike is familiar from past Trek team bikes. Shimano’s Dura-Ace shifting is used with an SRM crank. Meanwhile the rolling stock comprises 50mm-deep Bontrager tubular wheels with VeloFlex tyres.
Via Trek’s Project One program, you can buy a bike that’s near exact to this, although such a bike starts at a cool AU$16,000 / $13,000 / £9,750.
Related reading: What Jack Bobridge rode last year
Complete bike specifications
- Frame: Trek Madone H1, 56cm
- Fork: Trek Madone
- Headset: Madone integrated, 1-3/8" top, 1.5" bottom
- Stem: Madone XXX Integrated Bar/Stem, 120mm x -7 degrees
- Handlebar: Madone XXX Integrated, Shallow bend, 40cm (c-c)
- Tape: Bontrager Cork
- Front brake: Trek Madone integrated
- Rear brake: Trek Madone integrated
- Brake levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-9070
- Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 FD-9070
- Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 RD-9070
- Shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-9070
- Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CS-9000, 11-28T
- Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-9000
- Crankset: SRM Shimano 11-speed, 172.5mm, 53/39T
- Bottom bracket: Trek BB90, steel bearing
- Pedals: Shimano 9000 Dura-ace
- Wheelset: Bontrager Aeolus 5 DR3 tubular
- Front tyre: Veloflex Criterium, 23mm
- Rear tyre: Veloflex Criterium, 23mm
- Saddle: Bontrager Paradigm XXX, 138mm width
- Seatpost: Bontrager long, 25mm set-back
- Bottle cages: Bontrager XXX Cage (2)
- Computer: SRM Power Control 7, Bontrager DuoTrap ANT+ speed sensor
Critical measurements
- Rider's height: 1.8m (5ft 11in)
- Rider's weight: 65kg (143lb)
- Saddle height from BB, c-t: 752mm
- Saddle setback: 85mm
- Seat tube length (c-t): 525mm
- Tip of saddle to middle of bar: 615mm
- Saddle-to-bar drop: 100mm
- Head tube length: 140mm
- Top tube length (effective): 560mm
- Total bicycle weight: 7.21kg (15.90lb), without SRM Power Control 7 head unit