Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) will take his first stab at the Ronde van Vlaanderen on the BMC GranFondo GF01 - James Huang/Future Publishing
Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) stands at nearly 2m tall and runs quite a lot - but not an extreme amount - of handlebar drop - James Huang/Future Publishing
BMC's trademark frame shaping is even more pronounced on the GF01 model - James Huang/Future Publishing
Carbon wheels were once rarely seen even at Ronde van Vlaanderen but now they're standard fare. Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) plans on using Shimano's 50mm-deep Dura-Ace carbon tubulars - James Huang/Future Publishing
Phinney's (BMC Racing Team) 58cm BMC GF01 is built with a whopping 196mm-long head tube. The stem is slammed atop the headset cap but with a typical -6° angle instead of something more aggressive - James Huang/Future Publishing
BMC intentionally builds the rear end of the GF01 with lots of kinks and angles, which the company says act as pivot points to help smooth out rough roads - James Huang/Future Publishing
Does BMC's Tuned Compliance Concept design work? Our experience says yes, at least as long as you're hitting bumps fast and hard, which Phinney is sure to do during both Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix - James Huang/Future Publishing
The Di2 internal wire routing is especially tidy on Taylor Phinney's (BMC Racing Team) BMC GranFondo GF01 - James Huang/Future Publishing
Phinney's main race bike was fitted with an SRM power meter on the Friday before Ronde van Vlaanderen - James Huang/Future Publishing
Phinney opts for 3T's shallow-drop Ergosum Team carbon handlebar, wrapped with two layers of tape - James Huang/Future Publishing
Even top riders are moving away from 23mm-wide tire - and not just for the cobbled classics. Phinney will run these 25mm-wide Continental Competition Pro Limited tubulars at 87psi up front and 94psi out back - James Huang/Future Publishing
Phinney is using a standard-geometry 58cm BMC GF01 frame for Ronde van Vlaanderen - James Huang/Future Publishing
Taylor Phinney has selected fi'zi:k's cushy Aliante VSX saddle with its generous levels of padding, flexible carbon fiber shell, and deep central cutout - James Huang/Future Publishing
Phinney records his data on an SRM PowerControl 7 computer. It isn't taped in place here but we're guessing it will be come race day - James Huang/Future Publishing
Sprint shift buttons peek out through cutouts in the bar tape - James Huang/Future Publishing
Shimano's new Dura-Ace Di2 9070 wire routing is very neat up front - James Huang/Future Publishing
The number holder is attached with extra-strength double-sided foam tape to BMC's flexy TCC carbon seatpost - James Huang/Future Publishing
BMC team mechanics don't bother to attach the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 wire to the rear brake housing - James Huang/Future Publishing
Shimano's new coated cables require the use of nosed ferrules - James Huang/Future Publishing
BMC builds an adjustable chain catcher right into the GF01 frame - James Huang/Future Publishing
The BMC GF01 frame makes good use of the extra real estate provided by the BB86 press-fit bottom bracket shell - James Huang/Future Publishing
Another look at Phinney's fi'zi:k Aliante VSX saddle - James Huang/Future Publishing
Once 'broken in', SPD-SL pedals will hang tail down. - James Huang/Future Publishing
Phinney runs his 3T Ergosum Team handlebars relatively level - James Huang/Future Publishing
Elite's Sior Mio bottle cages feature small metal clips that actively pull the fiber-reinforced plastic arms together - James Huang/Future Publishing
Phinney may run his handlebars relatively level but the saddle is definitely tilted notably upward - James Huang/Future Publishing
Shimano Dura-Ace WH-9000-C50-TU carbon tubular wheels for Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) - James Huang/Future Publishing
BMC normally recommends that a rider of Taylor Phinney's (BMC Racing Team) height ride a 61cm frame. However, the 58cm size allows for a 24mm-lower front end but requires him to use a 140mm-long stem - James Huang/Future Publishing
Rising US star Taylor Phinney (BMC Racing Team) will tackle his first Ronde van Vlaanderen aboard BMC's GranFondo GF01. Unlike some other companies' dedicated classics bikes, the GF01 doesn't feel particularly cushy when ridden casually. That's just fine in this case as Phinney isn't just out for a Sunday spin. He'll be hitting the cobbles fast and hard, which is exactly what this bike was designed for.
The distinctive-looking GF01 features a number of kinks and bends in its carbon structure that, according to BMC, effectively creates specific regions of flex to help cushion the blow of rough roads. This 'Tuned Compliance Concept' design methodology is most prominent in the flattened, leaf spring-like seat stays but it's also included in the curious bend in the chain stays just ahead of the dropouts and in the fork where it abruptly steps down in girth below the crown.
Does bmc's tuned compliance concept design work? our experience says yes, at least as long as you're hitting bumps fast and hard, which phinney is sure to do during both ronde van vlaanderen and paris-roubaix: does bmc's tuned compliance concept design work? our experience says yes, at least as long as you're hitting bumps fast and hard, which phinney is sure to do during both ronde van vlaanderen and paris-roubaix - James Huang/Future Publishing
Further helping matters are the slim 27.2mm seatpost (with lots of exposed shaft), cushy fi'zi:k Aliante VSX saddle, double wrapped 3T Ergosum Team carbon handlebars, and 25mm-wide Continental Competition Pro Limited PTX tubular tires inflated to a relatively soft 87/94psi front/rear.
Taylor phinney (bmc racing team) will take his first stab at the ronde van vlaanderen on the bmc granfondo gf01: taylor phinney (bmc racing team) will take his first stab at the ronde van vlaanderen on the bmc granfondo gf01 - James Huang/Future Publishing
That said, Phinney's GF01 also has a bit of a two-faced personality as the enormous down tube, monstrous chain stays, extra-wide PF86 bottom bracket shell, flared seat tube, and meaty 1 1/8-to-1 1/2in tapered head tube are remarkably stiff and yield fantastic pedaling efficiency – a critical feature for such power-intensive events as the spring classics.
James Huang is BikeRadar's former technical editor. After leaving BikeRadar in 2016, he worked at CyclingTips and Escape Collective. He now runs the Substack cycling publication N-1 Bikes.
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