The Trek Domane 6-Series of prologue winner Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) arrives at the start of Stage 1 in Liège, Belgium. The rest of the team was on the new MadoneJames Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) uses a 44cm-wide Bontrager Race Lite Anatomic aluminum handlebar fitted with Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 mechanical leversJames Huang/Future Publishing
A 140mm-long Bontrager Race XXX Lite molded carbon fiber stem and Cane Creek’s Forty headset for Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek)James Huang/Future Publishing
Trek’s IsoSpeed concept seems gimicky but it legitimately works extremely well at isolating rear wheel impacts from the riderJames Huang/Future Publishing
Gold cable end caps for Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek)James Huang/Future Publishing
Radioshack-Nissan-Trek mechanic Roger Theel builds Fabian Cancellara’s bikes with Nokon cable housingJames Huang/Future Publishing
This decal was shot on Fabian Cancellara’s (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) standard machine but it also made its way to his special yellow bike, tooJames Huang/Future Publishing
The fork legs on Fabian Cancellara’s (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) Trek Domane 6-Series are swept very far forward for comfort but reach back toward the hub at the dropouts to maintain a normal rakeJames Huang/Future Publishing
The UCI has stated that filed fork tips would no longer be allowed but teams have been defiant so far. After all, when was the last time you saw a front wheel self-eject in the Tour de France?James Huang/Future Publishing
Schwalbe Ultremo HT tubular tires mounted on Bontrager Aeolus 3 D3 carbon wheels for Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek)James Huang/Future Publishing
A bit of electrical tape keeps the valve from rattlingJames Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) prefers the very traditional shape of Bontrager’s Team Issue saddleJames Huang/Future Publishing
Team mechanics denote the status of Fabian Cancellara’s (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) Bontrager Team Issue saddle with a simple, ‘used’, label. In this case, it’s not so much ‘used’ as it is ‘broken in’James Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara’s (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) standard Trek Domane 6-Series wear this name label but his yellow bike gets a simpler ‘Fabian’ stickerJames Huang/Future Publishing
The seat stays on the Trek Domane 6-Series don’t join the seat tube at all, instead flowing around them directly into the top tubeJames Huang/Future Publishing
An SRM power measuring crank with gold highlights for Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek)James Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara’s ((Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) yellow Trek Domane 6-Series frame may be new but the parts were apparently transferred from somewhere else, judging by the chainring wearJames Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara’s (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) Trek Domane is intentionally built without the supplemental bottom bracket seal on the non-drivesideJames Huang/Future Publishing
Trek’s BB90 wide-profile bottom bracket system allows for a huge down tube and very widely set asymmetrical chain staysJames Huang/Future Publishing
Ultralight Speedplay Nanogram pedals for current Tour de France leader Fabian Cancellara (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek)James Huang/Future Publishing
The timing transceiver is attached just behind the Bontrager Duotrap wireless speed and cadence sensorJames Huang/Future Publishing
More Nokon cable housing and a Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 rear derailleur on the back of Fabian Cancellara’s (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) Trek Domane 6-SeriesJames Huang/Future Publishing
Radioshack-Nissan-Trek team bikes differ from consumer-issue stock by virtue of their one-piece dropouts with non-replaceable derailleur hangersJames Huang/Future Publishing
Fabian Cancellara’s (Radioshack-Nissan-Trek) Shimano Dura-Ace rear derailleur is equipped with aftermarket pulleys, presumably intended to reduce frictionJames Huang/Future Publishing
The Trek Domane 6-Series of prologue winner Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan-Trek) arrives at the start of stage 1 in Liège, Belgium. The rest of the team were on the new MadoneJames Huang/Future Publishing
Swiss powerhouse Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan-Trek) rumbled to victory in Saturday’s prologue, becoming the first rider in this year’s Tour de France to don the maillot jaune. In keeping with recent traditions, Cancellara was covered in yellow from head to toe for stage 1, as was his Trek Domane 6-Series bike.
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Even without the bright yellow livery, Cancellara’s machine is still unique in that he’s running a Domane model instead of the new Madone used by his teammates. The Domane is Trek’s ‘endurance’ machine for the cobbled Classics, with dedicated features such as detuned handling, a much lower bottom bracket and the unique IsoSpeed ‘decoupler’ pivot at the seat tube/top tube junction that allows for an extraordinary amount of saddle movement.
Trek’s isospeed concept seems gimicky but it legitimately works extremely well at isolating rear wheel impacts from the rider: trek’s isospeed concept seems gimicky but it legitimately works extremely well at isolating rear wheel impacts from the riderJames Huang/Future Publishing
The IsoSpeed concept is designed to isolate rear wheel impacts from riders
This year’s Tour de France Tarmac obviously won’t match the brutality of Paris-Roubaix’s cobblestones. But since Cancellara was intimately involved with the development of the Domane and has spent much of the early season on it (he won the Strade Bianche on one in early March), he’s decided to stick with it for now. It’s only marginally heavier than the Madone and virtually identical in terms of drivetrain efficiency, so Cancellara isn’t putting himself at an advantage regardless.
Consumers can purchase their own all-yellow Domane through Trek’s Project One custom program. But even then it won’t be same chassis as the one Cancellara rides. Team bikes feature special one-piece rear dropouts with non-replaceable derailleur hangers, for improved shift accuracy and durability. Being a RadioShack-Nissan-Trek rider is also the only way to get a Domane with the lower, more aggressive ‘pro-fit’ front triangle, although Trek are obligated to release it to the public before the end of this calendar year.
Cancellara’s build kit closely mirrors that on his everyday Domane, including a Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 mechanical group, SRM cranks, Schwalbe tires, Speedplay Zero pedals (ultra-light Nanograms in this case), a Cane Creek headset and Nokon cables and housing. The rest is filled out by Trek’s Bontrager component arm: Aeolus 5 D3 50mm-deep carbon tubular wheels, a Race Lite Anatomic aluminum handlebar, Race XXX Lite molded carbon fiber stem, Team Issue saddle and RXL carbon fiber bottle cages.
Ultralight speedplay nanogram pedals for current tour de france leader fabian cancellara (radioshack-nissan-trek): ultralight speedplay nanogram pedals for current tour de france leader fabian cancellara (radioshack-nissan-trek)James Huang/Future Publishing
Super-light Speedlay Zero Nanogram pedals on Cancellara’s stage 1 Domane
Team mechanic Roger Theel has snuck in a few subtle go-fast tweaks on Cancellara’s bike, though, such as the aftermarket derailleur pulleys and bottom bracket that’s installed without the normal supplemental outer rubber seals. Ceramic bearings of some sort are a virtual guarantee, too.
Actual weight is 7.56kg (16.63lb).
Find out more about Cancellara’s yellow Trek Domane with the video below.
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Complete bike specification:
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Frame: Trek Domane 6-Series, 58cm ‘pro’ fit
Fork: Trek IsoSpeed full carbon
Headset: Cane Creek 40, tapered 1 1/8-to-1 1/2in
Stem: Bontrager Race XXX Lite, 140 x -7°
Handlebar: Bontrager Race Lite Anatomic, 44cm
Bar tape: Bontrager cork
Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-7900 w/ carbon-specific pads, grey compound
