Four Katusha riders in this year’s Tour de France have specially customized versions of Focus’s Izalco Team frame – and we’re not just talking paint
The molds on Katusha’s specially tweaked Focus frames are identical to consumer versions so there’s little distinguishing the differences on the surface
The seat tube on Katusha’s Focus Izalco Team frames are highly asymmetrical
Focus use fully split seatstays on Katusha’s team-issue Izalco Team frames
The four special Focus Izalco frames in Katusha’s arsenal have each been personalized in terms of stiffness and ride comfort based on specific rider requests
Confirmed! We surmised several months ago that the battery on Campagnolo’s electronic group wasn’t readily removable from the frame and the behavior of the Movistar mechanics seems to back that up. Extension cords were strewn throughout the team area with individual chargers hooked up to each bike. Potential buyers had better make sure to have a plug handy where they store their bike
Just in case you couldn’t tell by observation, Pinarello want to make it very well known that their Dogma2 frames aren’t symmetrical
As finished as the group looks, Campagnolo’s electronic group is clearly still undergoing final tweaks
Campagnolo have tidied up the battery mount on this latest version of their electronic group
Pinarello’s Dogma2 flagship still sticks with conventional threaded cups
Even Movistar’s brake pads are finished in white
At first, we thought this small button on the hoods of Campagnolo’s upcoming electronic group controlled a computer head but it’s actually used for setup – hold it down to enter the adjustment mode then move the paddles to tweak the cage position
Pinarello make sure consumers are well aware what type of carbon fiber is used in their frames
The chainstays on Pinarello’s new Dogma2 retain the predecessor’s characteristic curves
Carbon dropouts are used on Pinarello’s new Dogma2
The fork blades on Pinarello’s new Dogma2 are still curvy but they’ve lost some of their shaping on the sides – supposedly to help with aerodynamic performance
Do the left and right fork blades really undergo different forces or affect aerodynamics in distinct ways? Look closely – Pinarello seem to think so
Campagnolo have yet to announce that their electronic group will be available to the public, though we expect to see it displayed at Eurobike nonetheless
Interesting – Campagnolo’s electronic front derailleur attaches to the mounting tab with a nut, not a bolt
Movistar’s new Pinarello Dogma2 machines undergo final tweaks on the day before the start of the 2011 Tour de France
Pinarello have increased the lower steerer diameter on the new Dogma2 from 1-1/4 to 1-1/2in for additional handling precision
The red LED on Campagnolo’s electronic junction box indicates that the system is in setup mode
Gary Fisher aren’t the only bicycle company who can put a little face on the back of a seat tube
Campagnolo’s electronic rear derailleur is thoroughly modern and yet somehow manages to retain the company’s sense of aesthetic
Seatstays on Pinarello’s new Dogma2 are notably asymmetric
Even if you were to remove the logos, there’d be little mistaking the make and model of this frame
It’s hard to see but Pinarello say the top tube on the new Dogma2 is shifted slightly to the right – and the ribbing on the sides is different from one side to the other, too
UCI frame certification stickers are widespread at this year’s Tour de France – but they’re not on every frame
A little bit of wire wrap keeps things tidy on this Movistar Pinarello Dogma2
Movistar’s fleet of Pinarello Graal time trial bikes lies in wait for Sunday’s team time trial
Friction tape is proving to be a popular add-on on time trial bikes at this year’s Tour de France – hope the riders have good gloves!
Not every rider on Movistar is apparently ready to make the move to Campagnolo’s new bar-end shifters
Movistar’s Pinarello Graal time trial bikes are equipped with Campagnolo’s new bar-end shifters – though they’re still mated with 10-speed rear ends
SRM power meters are virtually requisite pieces of equipment for the Sky team
The Sky team have switched their trademark color from blue to green to bring attention to the Sky Rainforest Rescue Project, which aims to save a billion trees in the Acre region of Brazil
Pinarello’s latest Dogma2 head tube grows in diameter relative to the original Dogma
The Sky team are on Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 componentry exclusively, with some riders adding the sprint or satellite shifters
Even the Sky team rider decals have been swapped to the new color
Sky saddle sponsors Prologo have a number of saddle shapes to choose from with this channeled Scratch Pro TR being one of their latest variants
Sky saddle sponsors Prologo has also joined in the team’s efforts to save the rainforest with these green saddles to match
The Sky team’s Deda stems are labeled “Zero100 Blue” – but they’re green
The Sky team set off on Stage 1 with a mix of Shimano 50mm-deep carbon tubulars and also some handbuilt wheels using HED rims and standard Shimano Dura-Ace hubs
Team Sky captain Bradley Wiggins prefers his bars to be double wrapped at all times
The new Pinarello Dogma2: As swoopy as ever
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Sky and Movistar’s Pinarello Dogma2 machines retain their curvaceous personalities but undergo a number of changes that are said to make this new version a little more aerodynamic and lighter, too.
The key structural change is a move to a 1-1/8 to 1-1/2in tapered front end from the previous version’s 1-1/4in lower steerer diameter. The fork crown has been beefed up accordingly and it also flows more smoothly into the similarly enlarged – and notably lower – down tube. Taken in total, Pinarello claim a 19 percent boost in stiffness under braking.
In addition, many of the original Dogma’s pronounced ribs have been toned down in the interest of improving airflow. Changes in the layup schedule supposedly beef up certain sections subject to the most stress while still shedding 30g of weight in total.
Movistar’s new pinarello dogma2 machines undergo final tweaks on the day before the start of the 2011 tour de france.: movistar’s new pinarello dogma2 machines undergo final tweaks on the day before the start of the 2011 tour de france.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Movistar’s Pinarello Dogma 2 on the rack
Otherwise, Pinarello not only retain the first Dogma’s asymmetrical approach to frame design but perhaps even expand on it. The driveside fork blade and seatstay are visibly puffed up compared to their non-driveside counterparts, the chainstays are asymmetrical as usual, and even the top tube is slightly shifted over to the right with different ribbing on either side. According to Pinarello’s official marketing line, this “leads to an increase in the symmetrical pedal action of six percent”.
Pinarello’s latest dogma2 head tube grows in diameter relative to the original dogma.: pinarello’s latest dogma2 head tube grows in diameter relative to the original dogma.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
The head tube on the Dogma 2 has been beefed up compared to the previous version
Team Sky have also made a fundamental aesthetic change for this year’s Tour de France, switching from their characteristic blue to a bright green to draw attention to the new Sky Rainforest Rescue Project. We’re not just talking bikes, either – the team kit has been updated, too, as well as all of the support vehicles and online communications.
In co-operation with the World Wildlife Foundation, Sky are looking to raise €4 million that will be used to save over 1 billion trees in a region of Brazil – and the habitats of the people, animals and plants that call that area home. More information can be found at www.rainforestrescue.sky.com.
More clues revealed on Campagnolo’s mysterious electronic group
Interesting – campagnolo’s electronic front derailleur attaches to the mounting tab with a nut, not a bolt.: interesting – campagnolo’s electronic front derailleur attaches to the mounting tab with a nut, not a bolt.James Huang/BikeRadar.com
Campagnolo still have yet to officially reveal a shred of technical information on their new electronic drivetrain and while we’ve been able to figure out various pieces of the puzzle by inspection, there are still many remaining – but a couple fewer now.
As we previously suspected, it appears that the system’s rechargeable battery is hard-wired with the rest of the harness and is not readily removable from the bike as Movistar mechanics had a web of extension cords and chargers strewn about their work area at the team hotel Friday afternoon. What does this mean to consumers? Probably not much if the battery life is as generous as Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2 but either way, potential buyers will want to make sure they’ve got a plug handy wherever they happen to store their bike.
We also assumed earlier that the buttons on the inner sides of the hoods were to be used as remote switches for an as-yet-unseen computer head. As it turns out, they’re instead how you enter into setup mode to adjust the derailleur positions. We stood watch as a Movistar mechanic put the final touches on one team bike: push and hold down the button until the LED lights up on the display, then push the paddles to make microchanges in position. Sorry, folks, that’s all we’ve got. Baby steps…
Customized bikes for some Katusha riders
Four Katusha riders started this year’s Tour de France with starkly finished black Focus Izalco Team bikes instead of the usual – and far more colorful – white, blue and red livery. As it turns out, these are four structurally distinct frames that Focus created at the specific request of some of their riders.
According to Focus marketing head Herwig Reus, team riders have their choice of five different layup schedules (with one being stock) – all using the same mold so at least on the surface, they’re indistinguishable from consumer versions. Reus tells us that on average, the other four variants are about 10 percent stiffer in the bottom bracket but other parameters such as front triangle stiffness and ride comfort vary depending on preferences.
Each frame uses “10 to 15 percent” more carbon fiber to hit those stiffness numbers so the raw chassis are heavier. Since those four customized frames are only covered in decals and clearcoat, though, Reus says the finished weights are about the same (which tells us there’s probably a difference of about 100-200g raw).
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Reus adds that one or more of these variants might make it into the consumer channels depending on how much practical sense each rider’s requests make to the general public. Stay tuned.
