Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) will once again ride his trusty Trek Domane Classics at Paris-RoubaixJames Huang
Spartacus’ is once again hoping for victory in the cobbled ringJames Huang/Future Publishing
Perhaps it’s time for Bontrager to develop a new Spartacus-inspired helmet shape? Then again, maybe notJames Huang/Future Publishing
One of the only differences on Fabian Cancellara’s (Trek Factory Racing) Trek Domane Classics this year is the updated team name on the top tubeJames Huang/Future Publishing
The fork blades are angled more dramatically than usual in an effort to induce more flex over bumps. The dropouts reach slightly rearward, though, to maintain the proper rakeJames Huang/Future Publishing
Where once there was an SRM magnet, now there is no moreJames Huang/Future Publishing
According to team technical directory Jordan Roessingh, Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) will forego his usual Berner rear derailleur cage and oversized pulleys in favor of a standard setup that supposely provides better chain retentionJames Huang/Future Publishing
Just as at Ronde van Vlaanderen, Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) will rely on feel at Paris-Roubaix, not his power meter dataJames Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara’s (Trek Factory Racing) Bontrager RL Anatomic aluminium bars are wrapped with just a single layer of tapeJames Huang/Future Publishing
The Domane’s IsoSpeed pivoting seat cluster may seem gimmicky but it’s legitimately very effective at smoothing out the roadJames Huang/Future Publishing
Small pieces of grip tape provide a little extra security for the Trek BAT bottle cagesJames Huang/Future Publishing
While most Shimano riders prefer Di2 electronic transmissions, Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) sticks to a mechanical drivetrainJames Huang/Future Publishing
A custom etched aluminium SRM PowerControl 7 head unit for Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing)James Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara’s (Trek Factory Racing) bikes have featured gold anodized Nokon aluminium housing for some time nowJames Huang/Future Publishing
SwissStop carbon-specific pads are mated to the Bontrager rimsJames Huang/Future Publishing
The Bontrager Aeolus 5 D3 Classics carbon wheels have a larger-radius tyre bed than usual to better match up with high-volume tubularsJames Huang/Future Publishing
The integrated chain catcher on Trek’s Domane ClassicsJames Huang/Future Publishing
175mm-long crankarms for SpartacusJames Huang/Future Publishing
While many Paris-Roubaix contenders go with 44- or 46-tooth inner chainrings, Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) instead prefers to spin his 42T at a high cadenceJames Huang/Future Publishing
A pocket in the non-driveside chain stay accepts Bontrager’s DuoTrap wireless speed and cadence sensorJames Huang/Future Publishing
More gold Nokon housing is used for the rear brakeJames Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) is apparently a little superstitous as the number ‘7’ is a common theme throughout his bikeJames Huang/Future Publishing
Cables feed into the front of the tapered head tubeJames Huang/Future Publishing
A bit of tape is wrapped around the valve stem to keep it from rattling inside the rimJames Huang/Future Publishing
CeramicSpeed bearings are pressed directly into the 90mm-wide carbon fiber bottom bracket shellJames Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) plants himself atop Bontrager’s Team Issue saddleJames Huang/Future Publishing
Bontrager supplies Fabian Cancellara with blank, matte black stems as there is usually another custom metal badge glued on topJames Huang/Future Publishing
Aluminium handlebars for Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing)James Huang/Future Publishing
As the saying goes, “don’t fix it if it ain’t broken.” Save for just the slightest of tweaks, Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) will race across the pavé of Paris-Roubaix on the same Trek Domane Classics he used to win the event last year. Apparently this suit of armor works for ‘Spartacus’ just fine.
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To the casual observer, Cancellara’s bike is the same one as last year but if you look a bit closer, there are a few minor differences. The graphics now reflect the new team name on the top tube and his trademark Berner carbon fiber rear derailleur cage and oversized pulleys have been traded in for the standard Shimano Dura-Ace setup – a move team technical director Jordan Roessingh says was done in the interest of slightly improved chain security on the cobbles.
Spartacus’ is once again hoping for victory in the cobbled ring.James Huang/Future Publishing
Cancellara has also switched from his long-running Speedplay Zero pedals to carbon-bodied Shimano Dura-Ace ones but otherwise, it’s business as usual – or so it would seem.
As it turns out, we’ve been duped in saying that Cancellara’s bikes for Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix were identical to each other – as was every other media outlet that has profiled his classics machines, as far as we can tell. It’s only once you very carefully inspect the two bikes that you being to notice the differences.
Cancellara’s bike for Paris-Roubaix is essentially what Trek offers to the public as the Domane Classics, with the same bump-eating IsoSpeed pivoting seat cluster as on the stock version but with 25mm of additional reach and a whopping 50mm less stack height. Handling is also a bit quicker than standard Domanes while still retaining a little extra stability as compared to the Trek Madone platform, plus there’s room for fat 27mm-wide tubulars.
However, the bike Cancellara uses for Ronde van Vlaanderen – and for nearly every other race during the season – is an entirely different beast with geometry that more closely mimics a standard Madone.
