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Invest in Cycling Kit with Range

Ryan Rish — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:49:01 +0000

Tis the season for wide temperature swings. Here in Western New York we have been enjoying a comparably warm and dry fall, which has extended our outdoor riding season. As with other areas in the country, it is increasingly common to have 20-30 degree temperature swings day to day or even during a ride. These temperature swings make selecting cycling kit tricky to find the balance between warmth and breathability. One way to simplify the decision making is to invest in cycling kit that accommodates wide temperature ranges. Below, I highlight some select offerings from Ornot, Shimano, and Velocio that I have found handy for a wide range of riding temperatures and conditions.

Ornot

Ornot is smaller clothing company based in San Francisco that offers clothing designed for the constantly changing temperatures in the Bay area. They know first hand what it is like to be caught out on a ride with the wrong cycling kit because the weather is sometimes impossible to predict. They design their clothing with the micro climates of San Francisco in mind, but the result is cycling kit that is useful in a wide range of riding conditions. Their focus may be on coastal “rain fog,” but the result is kit that holds up well in the “wintry mix” of the Great Lakes.

I am a huge fan of Ornot’s Cargo Bib Shorts, Decadent Winter Cap, and Merino Gloves. This time of year, I have those pieces on regular rotation. However, the standout of their clothing line is by far the Micro Climate Jacket. In 30+ years of riding bikes in inclement weather, I have not come across a jacket as versatile as this one. I have been packing it for almost every cycling trip this past year.

The Micro Climate Jacket is a lightweight shell, but unlike my other wind jackets it has far greater breathability. I have been wearing it in a range of conditions as the outer layer when temps dip down in the 20s or when you need some protection from the wind in the 50s and low 60s. Though I wouldn’t characterize it as a rain jacket, it does a descent job of keeping you dry when there is slight precipitation or spray from the road. I also appreciate the ample length in the sleeves with plenty of coverage over the cuffs of gloves. The two-way oversized zipper is also a great feature for modulating your body temperature.

In April, I was riding gravel roads with my masters team in Michigan the day after Barry Roubaix. The temperature was in the low 30s with some single-digit winds. The Micro Climate Jacket was perfect for all-day riding on top of a wool base layer and a long sleeve wool jersey.

Later that same month, I went on a ride down the Pacific Coast Highway south of Long Beach, California. The temperature was in the 60s with coastal winds in the double digits. I made an inland loop around the Newport Beach area. I was sweating quite a bit in the hills in a short sleeve jersey, but as I crested the last hill to dive back down to the coast I was met with those chilly coastal winds. I stopped and put on the Micro Climate Jacket and left it on the rest of the trip back up the windy coast. The jacket compresses down into its own rear pocket, easily fitting into a jersey pocket.

Ornot checks a lot of boxes. They are certified climate neutral. The clothes are made from recycled fibers, merino wool, and deadstock fabric. Many of the pieces are made in the USA. Lastly, their focus on microclimates means that you are getting kit that is adaptive for a range of conditions.

Shimano

There are two new pieces from Shimano that have become staples in my outdoor riding gear rotation this fall. The first is the Evolve Merino All-Season Jersey, and the second is the Evolve Prima Wind Vest. Together, they cover such a range of conditions that I can reach for them as almost a default before checking the weather for the day.

The Evolve Merino long sleeve jersey uses a lightweight synthetic material on the front facing panels to block the wind and merino wool panels in the back facing panels for breathability. The result is a jersey that offers wind chill protection but doesn’t overheat because it breathes and quickly dries through the wool panels. I wear the jersey with a wool base layer on days that are chilly, but not too windy.

For days where the winds are stronger and there is potential for more wind chill, I add the Evolve Prima Wind Vest. The vest features a fleece lining inside the front panels and over the shoulders. The back of the vest is thin breathable material that dries quickly. The collar is nice and high so that you do not have to always wear a neck gaiter on chilly days. The included double zipper is a must for vests to allow for temperature regulation throughout a ride. Despite the loft of the fleece, the vest does fold down into its own pocket for easy storage in a back pocket or bike bag.

Recently, I wore this combination on a gravel group ride. The morning ride started in the low 30s, and there was a lot of scrambling among the group to decide what to wear. We expected the temperature to rise throughout the day into the 40s, but most of the day was in the high 30s. A wool short sleeve base layer with the Shimano Evolve jersey and vest proved once again to be the best choice. The group was large and there was lots of stopping to regroup after climbs and to repair a few flat tires. Our moving time was 3:30 with an elapsed time of 4:26; that is almost an hour standing around. I find those kinds of rides hard to dress for because you are getting chilled standing around, especially if you overdressed and your clothes are wet from sweat. The breathability of the long sleeve jersey combined with using the double zipper on the vest to regular temps throughout the ride proved to be the best possible way to stay warm (but not too warm) on the bike while moving and standing around on the side of the road.

Velocio

The last piece I want to highlight is Velocio’s Alpha Long Sleeve. I layer in this jersey when the temps dip down into the 20s. I typically wear the Ornot Micro Climate Jacket over it or Velocio’s Signature Softshell Jacket if I am expecting “wintry mix.” The Alpha Long Sleeve features an insulating Polartec material on the front-facing panels and merino wool on the rear-facing panels. Same idea here as with the other pieces I’ve mentioned: warmth in the front, breathability in the back.

The Alpha Long Sleeve is a pull over with a quarter zip and a high collar. The pull over is a great idea for the middle layer between your base layer and outer shell because you don’t have overlapping zippers bunching up at the bottom. This long sleeve jersey also includes three rear pockets. The only time I ever use the pockets on a middle layer is for storing a water bottle that I am trying to keep from freezing. But, that is increasingly rare as I now spend more time riding indoors when the temps dip below freezing.

Velocio is another company that values sustainability. They use recycled and natural fibers to produce clothing that is designed for durability to counter the tendency in the clothing and cycling industries to produce disposable and single-use products.

Layering Tips

In summary, I have found the Ornot Micro Climate Jacket to be the most versatile piece of kit in this overview. It is my go to wind shell in temps in the low 30s, and I tuck it into my short sleeve jersey pocket when I’m expecting the temperature and/or wind chill effect to dip into the low 60s or even lower.

In the 50-60 degree temperature range, the Shimano Evolve Merino All-Season Jersey is perfect with a merino wool or Coolmax short sleeve base layer. If the temperature dips into the 40s, then adding the Shimano Evolve Prima Wind Vest is my go to. That combination will work down into the 30s.

If I am facing temps in the 20-30s, then that typically means three layers: wool base layer (typically no sleeves), middle layer like Velocio’s Alpha Long Sleeve, and an outer layer for wind like the Ornot Micro Climate Jacket or for precipitation like Velocio’s Signature Softshell Jacket.

Think Investment

None of these pieces are inexpensive. I am often in conversation with friends who want to extend their outdoor riding beyond warm summer temps. They have sticker shock when they first consider the amount of gear required to ride outside in the cold. My suggestion is always to start slow and pick up gear that extends their riding 10 degrees below what their current gear allows. I encourage them to think about these pieces as investments that they can use for years to come. Think about quality, think about durability, think about layerability, think about temperature range, and think about sustainability.

And if it’s truly cold weather, here’s more depth about winter riding in the 20s and below.

The post Invest in Cycling Kit with Range first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Canyon Issues Multiple Stop Ride Notices, Including Speedmax CF

Ryan Heisler — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 22:29:42 +0000

Bike manufacturer Canyon has issued multiple stop ride notices this week, covering the triathlon, mountain, and e-bike categories.

The Speedmax CF sold with the V21 aero stem is one such bike. Owners of these bikes, sold by Canyon in the U.S. up through April of this year, should “immediately stop use of your bike and do not ride it until you have had your fork checked and fixed by a professional bike mechanic,” according to emails sent to owners.

According to the email sent by Canyon, “we discovered rare instances where the fork steerer tube can crack or break, leading to a detachment of the cockpit assembly (stem and handlebar), mostly after a harsh impact such as hitting a deep pothole or another similar stress event. This might lead to a fall or in severe cases also an injury depending on the situation and the environmental conditions you are riding in.”

The Speedmax CFR and CF SLX are unaffected by this notice, as are Speedmax CF bikes sold after April 2024 with the new, single piece carbon cockpit.

Owners should expect remedies to start being available in December, with Canyon stating that they will cover the cost of repair.

Canyon also has issued stop ride notices for their Spectral:ON CF and CFR bikes, as well as the Torque:ON CF, as the battery casing / housing could catch fire.

The post Canyon Issues Multiple Stop Ride Notices, Including Speedmax CF first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

The Bikes of the Fastest Pro Riders in Kona 2024

Ryan Heisler — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 03:56:14 +0000

It was the fastest riding day in IRONMAN World Championship history, with six finishers all beating the prior bike course record. (Trevor Foley was unlucky number 7, who DNF’d after crashing in the final miles.) Sam Laidlow shattered the four hour mark in his attempt to defend the world title.

Breaking down the riding choices of the top bike splits from this year’s race in Kona, a few trends emerge. First, Continental retains brand supremacy in tires — eleven of the top 15 bike splits were taken by riders using their products. There’s also a consensus emerging for 1X cranks in Kona. And yes, customized cockpits are now the norm, rather than the exception and everyone was on tubeless.

Here are, in order, your fastest riders from the 2024 men’s IRONMAN World Championships and the bikes they used to get there.

1.) Sam Laidlow – 3:57:22

Frame: Canyon Speedmax CFR
Wheels: HED Vanquish V84 (front), HED Jet 180 (rear)
Tires: Continental Aero 111 (front), Continental GP5000TT TR (rear);
Cockpit: Canyon Custom
Drivetrain: Shimano 1X
Crank: 165mm
Pedals: Favero Assioma
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Ceramicspeed OSPW Aero
Saddle: Prologo Dimension Tri CPC
Front Hydration: Canyon, Dual Bottle XLAB Gorilla Cage
Rear Hydration: Canyon, XLAB Gorilla Cage

2.) Leon Chevalier – 4:01:38

Frame: Cervelo P5
Wheels: HED Vanquish V84 (front), HED Jet 180 (rear)
Tires: Continental GP 5000 TT TR
Cockpit: Drag2Zero
Drivetrain: Shimano 1X
Crank: 170mm
Pedals: Look Keo Blade
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Ceramicspeed OSPW Aero
Saddle: ISM PN 3.0
Front Hydration: Dual Bottle BTA
Rear Hydration: Single rear bottle

3.) Robert Kallin – 4:01:44

Frame: Orbea Ordu
Wheels: Ron Wheels Ultron (front), Ultron 105 (rear)
Tires: Continental GP 5000 TT TR,
Cockpit: Uniqo
Drivetrain: Shimano 2X
Crank: 172.5mm
Pedals: Favero Assioma
Rear Derailleur Hanger: unknown
Saddle: ISM PN 3.1
Front Hydration: 2 Bottle BTA, TriRig Cages
Rear Hydration: XLAB Gorilla Cage

4.) Magnus Ditlev – 4:02:52

Frame: Scott Plasma
Wheels: HED Vanquish V84 (front), HED Jet 180 (rear)
Tires: Schwalbe Pro One Aero
Cockpit: Custom
Drivetrain: Shimano 1X
Crank: 172.5mm
Pedals: Garmin
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Ceramicspeed OSPW Aero
Saddle: Wove V8
Front Hydration: Single Bottle BTA
Rear Hydration: 3 bottle custom, XLAB Gorilla Cage

5.) Kristian Høgenhaug – 4:03:32

Frame: BMC Speedmachine 01 ONE
Wheels: DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 80mm
Tires: Vittoria Corsa Speed 26mm
Cockpit: Profile Design and aeroGain.dk cups
Drivetrain: SRAM 1X
Crank: 170mm
Pedals: Shimano
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Ceramicspeed OSPW Aero
Saddle: Selle Itallia Watt 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow
Front Hydration: Mono Dual Bottle BTA with XLAB Gorilla Cage
Rear Hydration: Large plastic box with XLAB Gorilla Cage

6.) Cameron Wurf – 4:03:59

Frame: Pinarello Bolide F TR
Wheels: Princeton Carbonworks Mach 7580 TS V2
Tires: Continental Aero 111 (front), Continental GP5000TT TR (rear),
Cockpit: Most
Drivetrain: Shimano 1X
Crank: 165mm
Pedals: Shimano
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Ceramicspeed OSPW Aero
Saddle: Fizik Arione
Front Hydration: Single Bottle BTA, XLAB Gorilla Cage
Rear Hydration: XLAB Gorilla Cage

7.) Matthew Marquardt – 4:04:55

Frame: Trek Speed Concept
Wheels: Princeton Carbonworks Mach 7580 TS V3
Tires: Continental Aero 111 (front), Continental GP5000TT TR (rear)
Cockpit: Sync
Drivetrain: SRAM 1X
Crank: 175mm
Pedals: Shimano
Rear Derailleur Hanger: SRAM
Saddle: JCOB Type 5
Front Hydration: Dual Bottle BTA, XLAB Gorilla Cage
Rear Hydration: Single Rear Carrier

8.) Menno Koolhaas – 4:05:02

Frame: Scott Plasma
Wheels: Zipp 858 NSW
Tires: Continental Aero 111 (front), Continental GP5000TT TR (rear)
Cockpit: SpeedCo
Drivetrain: SRAM 1X
Crank: 170mm
Pedals: Look Keo Blade
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Ceramicspeed
Saddle: Syncros Belcarra
Front Hydration: Dual Bottle BTA, XLAB and Syncros Cage
Rear Hydration: Single Rear Carrier

9.) Nick Thompson – 4:05:28

Frame: Cervelo
Wheels: Princeton Carbonworks Mach 7580 (front), HED Jet 180 (rear)
Tires: Pirelli P Zero Race TLR RS
Cockpit: Vision Superbar
Drivetrain: Shimano 1X
Crank: 165mm
Pedals: Favero Assioma
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Ceramicspeed OSPW Aero
Saddle: Dash
Front Hydration: Single Bottle BTA, XLAB Gorilla Cage
Rear Hydration: XLAB Gorilla Cage

10.) Kristian Blummenfelt – 4:05:47

Frame: CADEX Tri
Wheels: CADEX Aero 4-Spoke
Tires: Continental GP 5000 TT TR, 25mm
Cockpit: Drag2Zero
Drivetrain: SRAM 2X
Crank: 165mm
Pedals: Shimano
Rear Derailleur Hanger: SRAM
Saddle: Wove V8
Front Hydration: Single Bottle BTA, XLAB Gorilla Cage
Rear Hydration: Mono Dual with XLAB Gorilla Cage

11.) Rudy Von Berg – 4:05:49

Frame: Factor Hanzo
Wheels: Cadex Aero 4-Spoke
Tires: Continental GP 5000 TT TR
Cockpit: Speedbar
Drivetrain: SRAM 1X
Crank: 175mm
Pedals: Look Keo Blade
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Ceramicspeed OSPW Aero
Saddle: Wove V8
Front Hydration: Single Bottle BTA, XLAB Gorilla Cage
Rear Hydration: Mono Dual with XLAB Gorilla Cage

12.) Kacper Stepniak – 4:06:01

Frame: BMC Speedmachine 01
Wheels: Evolve TroikaMAX (front), Prototype (rear)
Tires: Continental GP 5000 TT TR
Cockpit: Drag2Zero
Drivetrain: SRAM 1X
Crank: unknown
Pedals: Look Keo Blade
Rear Derailleur Hanger: unknown
Saddle: Bontrager Hilo
Front Hydration:
Rear Hydration:

13.) Gregory Barnaby – 4:06:08

Frame: Trek Speed Concept
Wheels: Vision Metro SL 81
Tires: Vittoria Corsa Speed, 26mm
Cockpit: AeroCoach
Drivetrain: Shimano 1X
Crank: 165mm
Pedals: Favero Assioma
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Ceramicspeed OSPW Aero
Saddle: Fizik Transiro Aeris
Front Hydration: Single Bottle BTA with Vision Cage
Rear Hydration: Single Vision cage

14.) Patrick Lange – 4:06:22

Frame: Canyon Speedmax CFR
Wheels: Swiss Side Hadron 800
Tires: Continental Aero 111 (front), Continental GP5000TT TR (rear); logos blacked out
Cockpit: Canyon Custom
Drivetrain: Shimano 1X
Crank: 165mm
Pedals: Wahoo/Speedplay
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Ceramicspeed OSPW Aero
Saddle: Selle Itallia Watt 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow
Front Hydration: Dual Bottles, XLAB Gorilla Cage and lower mounted aero bottle
Rear Hydration: Canyon, XLAB Gorilla Cage

15.) Antonio Benito López – 4:06:32

Frame: Orbea Ordu
Wheels: Progress A-7F Tri-Spoke
Tires: Continental GP 5000 TT TR
Cockpit: Uniqo
Drivetrain: Shimano 2X
Crank: 165mm
Pedals: Favero Assioma
Rear Derailleur Hanger: Unknown, carbon cage
Saddle: Selle Itallia Watt 3D Kit Carbonio Superflow
Front Hydration: XLAB Torpedo
Rear Hydration: Mono Dual Rear with Vision Cages

The post The Bikes of the Fastest Pro Riders in Kona 2024 first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Bikes of Kona 2024: Bradley Weiss’s Giant Trinity Disc

Mat Steinmetz — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 15:35:31 +0000

Frame: Giant Trinity Disc

Fit Coordinates:
• Pad Stack: 600mm
• Pad Reach (back of pad): 495mm
• Bar Angulation: 20 deg
• Saddle Height: 690mm
• Saddle Offset: +20mm

Aerobars: Bradley has replaced the stock Giant bars with a setup from Fast TT set at a 20 deg upward angle. The bars include a mounting plate that can be drilled to accommodate various bolt sizes and spacing options found on today’s bikes.

Sram Red Groupset: 56 1x front chainring, 10-33 rear cassette, 165 crank arms, Quarq power meter, Wahoo Speedplay Aero pedals.

Hydration/Nutrition: Bradley weighs 135 lbs and will aim to consume 110-120 grams of CHO per hour on the bike using both the Powerbar drink mix and gels. He will use an XLAB Torpedo hydration system on his elevated BTA bottle setup.

I mentioned that the new Trinity has a quasi internal hydration system, but Bradley has opted to use the aero bottle from the old rim brake version of the bike.

Saddle: Bradley uses the Giant saddle where he’ll attach a rear bottle cage before the race.

Wheels & Tires: Cadex Aero 4-Spoke wheels with Continental Grand Prix 5000S TR tires in a 28mm width setup tubeless with Stans. Bradley will run his tires at 75psi on race day.

The post Bikes of Kona 2024: Bradley Weiss’s Giant Trinity Disc first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Bikes of Kona 2024: Gustav Iden’s Giant Trinity Disc

Mat Steinmetz — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 14:57:47 +0000

Frame: Giant Trinity Disc

Fit Coordinates:
• Pad Stack: 665mm
• Pad Reach (back of pad): 572mm
• Bar Angulation: 15 deg
• Saddle Height: 718mm
• Saddle Offset: 0mm

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gustav Iden (@gustav_iden)

It’s been a hot topic and I’ve received several text messages from people asking for my thoughts on Gustav’s position when he first posted on Instagram.

Gustav is definitely in a “Superman” like position, but my gut tells me he can handle it. In his initial post, you’ll notice that he’s sitting on the back of the saddle, which greatly exaggerates the length of his position. It’s long, but that won’t be his “all-day” position on race day. He will mostly ride on the nose of the saddle, getting his hips over the bottom bracket where he’s most powerful, which will shorten the reach a bit. I do think you’ll see him use that extra-long, back-of-the-saddle position when speed is high and power output is low.

Gustav supports his body up front on a Drag2Zero .66 cockpit, which has been modified and extended well over the front wheel. He’s also using 1.25 Sync arm pads on each side that have been cut asymmetrically for the right and left arms.

Shimano Dura-Ace Groupset: 56/44 front chainring, 11-30 rear cassette, 170 crank arms, CeramicSpeed optimized chain, Shimano power meter and pedals.

Hydration: The new Giant Trinity has a quasi internal hydration system. It uses and aero bottle that is refillable with a straw that runs through the frame that Gustav has neatly attached to the bars.

I think the most interesting detail here is that it appears Gustav plans to ride with two round bottles tucked behind his arms and close to his chest. You’ll see the 3D-printed mounts bolted and glued to the bars just behind his arm cups.

Saddle: Gustav rides the Giant saddle with an XLAB Gorilla cage mounted in the rear.

Wheels & Tires: Cadex Aero 4-Spoke wheels and Continental Grand Prix 5000 TT TR tire in a 25mm width setup tubeless.

The post Bikes of Kona 2024: Gustav Iden’s Giant Trinity Disc first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Bikes of Kona 2024: Kristian Blummenfelt’s Cadex

Mat Steinmetz — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 03:00:50 +0000

FRAME – CADEX Tri

Fit Coordinates:
• Pad Stack: 650mm
• Pad Reach (back of pad): 560mm
• Bar Angulation: ~3 deg
• Saddle Height: 727mm
• Saddle Offset: +40mm

Let’s start with the most interesting part of this bike—the front-end modifications, which have become more common. Athletes are adopting longer positions, achieving similar back angles but using reach instead of drop. To accomplish this, they’re taking matters into their own hands and creating various contraptions to extend their bars, which is exactly what Kristian has done with his Drag2Zero .66 cockpit.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kristian Blummenfelt (@kristianblu)

Sram Red Groupset: 54/41 front chainring, 10-30 rear cassette, 165 crank arms, Quarq power meter, CeramicSpeed optimized chain and bottom bracket, Shimano pedals.

Hydration/Nutrition: Kristian uses a 3D printed BTA bottle holder by Drag2Zero with an XLab Gorilla cage while also taking full advantage of the Cadex internal fluid storage located inside the frame.

Saddle: Wove V8 with an XLAB Gorilla cage attached to the integrated bottle holder where he uses the bottle retention loop to ensure there are no accidental bottle launches. There is also hole that was drilled into the top of the saddle that might be for bolt access or maybe even a drain? Kristian wasn’t on hand for comment.

Wheels & Tires: Cadex Aero 4-Spoke wheels and Continental Grand Prix 5000 TT TR tire in a 25mm width setup tubeless

The post Bikes of Kona 2024: Kristian Blummenfelt’s Cadex first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Bikes of Kona 2024: Sam Appleton’s CADEX

Mat Steinmetz — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 03:15:09 +0000

FRAME – CADEX Tri

Fit Coordinates:
• Pad Stack: 650mm
• Pad Reach (back of pad): 530mm
• Bar Angulation: 20 deg
• Saddle Height: 740mm
• Saddle Offset: -28mm

Cockpit: Sam supports himself aboard the Sync Aerobar Three system. He uses proprietary hardware to attach the bars to the basebar in order to give him extra length on the front end which is becoming more and more common to accommodate the new trend in longer reach positions.

Hydration: Sam worked with Jim Manton where he did some aerodynamic field testing where he discovered placing a water bottle right behind his chin and up against his chest (a more managable version of shoving a water bottle down the front of the jersey). Based on the data, Sam had a buddy fire up his 3D printer and create a custom solution where he attaches a trusty Xlab Gorilla XT cage, which he also uses behind his ISM PN 3.0 saddle.

Sam is targeting 110 grams of carbohydrates and 760 mg of sodium per hour from Precision Hydration.

The Sync Aerobar Three front end is very clean where everything is nicely integrated and has it’s place.

Full Shimano Drivetrain: Front chainring 56/48, 11/28 rear cassette, 165 crank arms, Shimano power meter, shifting, and pedals (yellow cleats). CermaicSpeed pulley wheels and bottom bracket.

Wheels & Tires: Sam rolls on the Continental Grand Prix 5000 TT TR tire in a 25mm width, which he said is optimized for the Cadex Aero 4-Spoke wheels.

Sam mentioned that while there are faster tires out there from a rolling resistance perspective, he likes the GP 5000 for it’s balance of aero, rolling resistance, and durability. He will run these tires at 70 psi using Silca’s Ultimate sealant, commenting that most punctures in Kona are from small wires best suited for tubeless.

The post Bikes of Kona 2024: Sam Appleton’s CADEX first appeared on Slowtwitch News.

Bikes of Kona 2024: Jackson Laundry’s Ventum Tempus

Mat Steinmetz — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 03:09:28 +0000

Frame: Ten years after the release of the original Ventum One, Ventum is back with the all-new Ventum Tempus, expected to launch in early spring 2025. Ventum has opted for a more traditional double-diamond design, which is now UCI-compliant. In addition to the liberal use of 6:1 airfoil sections, the extra-wide fork and seat stays will catch your attention. We’ve seen more of this trend in recent years as manufacturers work to direct airflow around the wheels.

Weight was also a key design input for the Tempus, which is expected to come in at a fighting weight of less than 20 lbs.

Saddle: Jackson is perched upon a BiSaddle Hurricane Pro 3D set at a very unusual -17 deg angle.

Cockpit: Ventum partnered with Profile Design to create the yet-to-be-released, non-proprietary Wing Ultimate front end for the new Tempus. However, Jackson replaced the Profile extensions and cups with a FastTT cockpit. He also applied some homegrown engineering to elevate and brace the front end, ensuring it met his desired fit coordinates.

Jackson uses skateboard tape for a bit of extra grip on the extensions without adding bulk. And, this Garmin Edge 130 Plus takes up minimal space and tucks nicely between the extensions.

Hydration: We are seeing more and more use of 3D printing to create customized solutions in order to store nutrition in the most aerodynamic efficient way. Jackson has cobbled together a system that holds 3 different bottles using the tried-and-true Xlab hydration products.

Drivetrain: SRAM Red with a 56/43 front chainring and a 10-33 rear cassette. Jackson uses a Quarq power meter with 160mm crank arms and clips into Shimano pedals.

Frame: Here, you can see the Tempus’s 6:1 airfoil aspect ratio, along with the extra wide fork and seat stays.

Wheels & Tires: Jackson rolls on a set of Enve SES 6.7 wheels along with the fast and reliable Continental Grand Prix 5000 TT TR in a 28mm width.

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A post shared by Slowtwitch.com (@slowtwitch)

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Bikes of Kona 2024: Matt Hanson’s QR V-PRi

Eric Wynn — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 18:25:48 +0000

FRAME – Quintana Roo V-PRi

QR is known for its custom paint options, and this one is no different.

Cockpit – Drag2Zero .66 The non-UCI legal front end is Drag2Zero’s flagship setup. It’s clean, and unlike some others, we have seen it has no crazy 3rd part 3D custom parts that are duct taped together.

Matt will run a single rear Gorilla XT bottle and ISM PN 3.0 saddle.

Shimano is all around the drivetrain here. 56-44T for the front chainrings and 11-30 on the rear cassette. Matt also uses a crank-based power meter with 170cm arms.

DT Swiss ARC 1400 80mm front and rear. While he will ride the same depth wheel, he will ride different tires and sizes. There’s a Continental Aero 111 700 x 26c in the front, Continental GP500 Tour 700 x 28c in the rear.

Thanks to QR’s triathlon non-UCI roots, Matt will have plenty of storage for the long haul, although while discovering the tire plugs instead of a tube, I did ask Matt if gravel was in his future.

You can also find more information on Matt here on his Instagram: