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Pro Bikes: Three U.S. pro time trial machines

  • By Caley Fretz
  • Published Jun. 1, 2011
  • Updated Jun. 1, 2011 at 6:11 PM EDT
  • Zabriskie uses round rings on his Rotor 3d crankset, but they're painted to look like the company's oval rings when spinning. Photo: Casey B. Gibson
  • Zabriskie's national TT-winning Cervelo P4. Photo: Casey B. Gibson
  • Cervélo routes cables into the top tube behind the stem, where air is already "dirty." Photo: Casey B. Gibson | www.cbgphoto.com
  • SRAM Red Black rear derailleur. Photo: Casey B. Gibson | www.cbgphoto.com
  • You can bet that 11 tooth got quite a bit of use during Zabriskie's winning TT. Photo: Casey B. Gibson | www.cbgphoto.com
  • SRAM cassette, rear derailleur, and chain; Rotor crankset and chainrings, Shimano pedals (which are popular with quite a few Garmin-Cervélo riders). Photo: Casey B. Gibson | www.cbgphoto.com
  • The Cervélo P4 hugs the rear tire as long as possible. Photo: Casey B. Gibson | www.cbgphoto.com
  • Zabriskie has his ultra-short fi'zi:k Ares saddle slammed forward on the rails, but in the rear seatpost position. The nose of the saddle sits right at 5cm behind the bottom bracket. Triathletes, who don't have to worry about the UCI's 5cm rule, often opt for the front seatpost position. Photo: Casey B. Gibson | www.cbgphoto.com
  • Another steel-cage SRAM Red front derailleur. Want one? Buy the Force version, it's virtually identical. Photo: Casey B. Gibson | www.cbgphoto.com
  • Reid Mumford used Orbea's second-tier Ora, rather than the Ordu, in the Greenville time trial. His bike is shown here with a clincher rear wheel used for warming up on the trainer. Photo: Casey B. Gibson
  • Reid Mumford's Kelly Benefit Strategies Orbea Ora. Photo: Casey B. Gibson
  • Mumford uses Hed's Corsair aero bars, which feature integrated brake levers. Photo: Casey B. Gibson
  • The Orbea Ora's seat tube hugs the rear wheel for better aerodynamics. Photo: Casey B. Gibson
  • Mumford used Mavic's 80mm Cosmic front wheel. Public availability for the new Mavics is still unknown, though pro teams have been using them for over a year. Photo: Casey B. Gibson
  • Virtually every pro rider on SRAM uses these steel-cage SRAM Red front derailleurs. They simply shift better than the Ti version, which is worth the weight penalty. Photo: Casey B. Gibson
  • Zabriskie the older style SRAM shifters to the return-to-center version. The choice also helps his bike stay within the UCI's extension length rules, since regular TT shifters are measured to the pivot bolt while return-to-center shifters are measured to the end of the lever. Photo: Casey B. Gibson | www.cbgphoto.com
  • When we last saw Phinney's bike (at ATOC), his father Davis was checking his seat height. Taylor's family as well as BMC Racing support the young Phinney extremely well.
  • Phinney uses Elite's aero bottle and cage. His front derailleur braze-on bolts to the frame.
  • The team officially rides fi'zi:k saddles, but Phinney's perch is a Bontrager.
  • Team mechanics must love that the Time Machine uses normal brakes, nothing hidden or difficult to adjust.
  • The wheel graphics for Phinney's national champ wheels are well-executed stickers.
  • BMC team mechanics keep Phinney's rig in immaculate condition.
  • When Phinney broke his first TT01 at the Tour of Romandie, BMC anted up again with a new custom tailored TT01 for the time trial specialist.
  • Phinney has set up his extensions wide for many years, even when he was busy collecting world titles in the individual pursuit. He rides mechanical shifters to get an effectively longer position than he could on Di2.

A look at the time trial bikes used by Dave Zabriskie, Taylor Phinney and Reid Mumford at the U.S. pro time trial championships.

FILED UNDER: Bikes and Tech / Pro Bikes TAGS: / / /

Caley Fretz

Caley Fretz

Caley came on board with the VN tech department in September 2010. Beyond his journalistic pursuits, Caley is a category 1 road, 'cross and track racer, and pro mountain biker.