Photography by Wade Wallace

2014 Bikes of the WorldTour – Part 1

by Wade Wallace

Today in Adelaide we had the opportunity to photograph all 18 ProTeam bikes (plus the wildcard teams) at the Tour Down Under and showcase them here for you. Here is a gallery of images and notes of the small things we noticed in part one of this two part piece.

*SEE PART 2 OF THE 2014 WORLD TOUR BIKES HERE

For the most part, there’s not much new with regards to new technologies or models that have come out in 2014. There have been a few swaps with bike sponsorships and teams folding, but by in large things have stayed the same.

Most of the mechanics are still adding in lead weights into various parts of the frame to get up to the 6.8kg weight limit (usually into the bottom bracket). Read more about the UCI’s 6.8kg weight limit here.

What’s in:

The new(ish) 35mm Campagnolo Bora wheels
Campagnolo EPS internal battery (except for one). All Di2 had internal battery except for Bianchi (Belkin).
Almost all the teams were riding 25mm tyres
Some Lotto-Belisol riders still loving their 38mm wide bars (this is extremely narrow for those of you unfamiliar)

What’s out:

Orbea (Euskatel)
Felt (Shimano-Agos, now Shimano-Giant)
Movistar changed from Pinarello to Canyon
Belkin swapped Giant with Team Shimano-Giant and picked up Vacansoleil-DCM’s Bianchi’s.
23mm tyres

Groupset counts (WorldTour teams only):

Shimano: 10 teams
Campagnolo: 5 teams
SRAM: 3 teams

*This is the same count as last year, even though some shuffling around has been done.

SEE THE 2013 WORLD TOUR BIKES HERE

Best in show

Many of the bikes were no different to look at than going into any high end bike shop, but there were a few that stood out to me

The two bikes that caught my eye, for no particular reason other than looks and “feel” (i.e. when I held them) were the Omega Pharma Quickstep Specialized Venge, Cannondale EVO. I haven’t had the pleasure of riding the Cannondale EVO yet but I can vouch for the ride of the Venge.

Enjoy.

: There’s not much that caught our attention on FdJ’s Lapierre except for some crazy ridges and indentations on the top tube. Shimano Di2 groupset, Dura-Ace C50 wheels (tubs), PRO handlebar, stem and vibe seatpost.

: Drapac Pro Cycling is Australia’s newest Pro-Conti team (not in the WorldTour) but has earned a ride at the TDU. They have switched over from Giant (in 2013) to now riding the Swift U-Vox with Zipp 404s, SRAM Red groupset, and Zipp bar/stem/seatpost.

: Garmin is riding the Cervelo R5, the new Rotor compact BCD chainset, (rumour is that Rotor is working on a full groupset), Garmin Vector pedals, Shimano Di2 groupset (battery in seatpost) and Mavic wheels.

: AG2R is on the Focus Izalco Max with Campagnolo Super Record EPS (internal battery) with Fulcrum Speed XLR wheels (50mm front, 80mm rear), Fizik bar, stem, saddle, seatpost.

: Tinkoff-Saxo is still on the Specialized Tarmac with SRAM groupset, SRM, Zipp wheels, bar, stem, seatpost, Prologo saddle.

: Team Sky is still riding the Pinarello Dogma 65.1 Think 2 with Shimano Di2, C50 wheels, PRO bar/stem, and Stages powermeters. With the Stages powermeters they are using Garmin head units (not sponsored by Garmin) and Barfly mounts.

: This Orica-GreenEDGE Scott Foil is custom painted with light-weight paint for Simon Gerrans (but still needs to use lead weights to get up to the UCI weight limit). Fitted with Shimano Di2, Shimano C50 wheels, PRO handlebar/stem, and Prologo saddle.

: Movistar is now on the Canyon Ulitimate CF SLX (moving from Pinarello last season). Equipped with Campagnolo Super Record EPS (internal battery in seatpost), Integrated campy battery, and Canyon’s own branded stem and seatpost.

: The BMC Impec has to be one of the most interesting bikes to look at with so many distinguishing features. Most riders we speak to on BMC prefer the SLR01 Teammachine though. Equipped with Shimano Di2 (internal battery), C50 wheels, and 3T bar/stem. On the top tube a small wooden badge saying “MyKnoaky” (knock on wood). Google it.

: Shimano-Giant’s (formerly Argos-Shimano) bikes in 2014 are obviously Giants. A mix between TCR Advanced SLs and Propels are what the riders are using. The brakes that Belkin used last year and that are also being used this year are after-market made by Fourier (feedback hasn’t been positive on the stock TRP brakes). Other parts include Shimano Di2, C50 wheels, PRO bar/stem (instead of the stock Giant), and the trusty Elite aluminium bottle cages. The bike shown here is the one Marcel Kittel used to win the People’s Choice Classic on Sunday evening.

Tags: 2014 Tour Down Under, bike porn, bikes, Bikes of the Bunch, product

Sven Nijs

Team Giant-Shimano are on TCR Advanced SLs and those Propel brakes are made by Fourier to replace the stock TRP’s.
- cyclingTips
  
  Thanks for the correction. Updated.
Neil

I wonder why Orica are still on last year’s Foils (Gerrans’ unique one aside). There has been a 2014 “Team Issue” Foil out for a while now with a new, presumably Orica-inspired, paint job. IAM have just got their special black/blue version of it. Maybe Orica won’t get theirs until the classics?
- Nate
  
  Matt Hayman has the new model. But he may not have brought it to the TDU. I know the Dutch mechanic who built it for him (in Belgium) and he says they are a very nice bike. But like most of the new models here, not much has changed besides paint.
  - Dave
    
    Not all of the teams bring new gear out for the TDU each year, some bike sponsors prefer to have a bigger launch during the European season.
    
    Do OGE really use the Foil on the cobbled classics? I would have thought a specced-up Addict or even CR1 would be the Scott bike of choice/
Thomas

“Some Lotto-Belisol riders still loving their 38mm wide bars”
38mm is really quite narrow :-)
- Sean
  
  To be fair, the author does state; (this is extremely narrow for those of you unfamiliar).
  Looking forward to seeing how these bars that are narrower than the stem work. Anyway i’m sure they mean 38 meters?
  - Galen Kehler
    
    Cm is the prefix you’re lookong for. I discovered the joy of narrow bars last year (riding 36cm on my track bike this winter) and I doubt I’ll ever go back to wide bars. Still using my old 42cm on my winter bike and it feels very odd now.
Ankush Agarwal

All the bikes are so beautiful.
Mike Hobbs

My favourite article(s) of the year thank you!!
(Movistar’s Canyon is my favourite of that 1st bunch).
Jonny

All the over branding makes these bikes very gross aesthetically. I mean, I just want to hurl at that new bora stencil, shameful for Italians. Great bikes but worst than a douche bag wearing a tattoo art t shirt in Las Vegas.
- dc
  
  I agree we need a fake retro team on the circuit. Everything retro, super narrow tubes – elegant paint etc, with modern tech/tube-sets hidden from sight. Tech the youngsters how it was done…bring some class back
  - mattb
    
    The closest you’ll get to this is Europcar I reckon. Frenchies know how to live in the past, mix this with the Italian Colnagos and youve got the modern incarnation of what you are looking for.
    Or the Cannondales are pretty tradiotional shapes – and awesome for it
  - Halcyon Days
    
    Retro is lame. If steel was a new material everybody would reject it. And don’t kid yourself. The looks you’re getting with your vintage or retro steel bike aren’t admiring looks.
- Harshbutfair
  
  You mean the boganistas wearing their Ed Hardy t shirts here in Melbourne? The oversize branding maybe takes a little attention off the less than attractive product?
jamesb

There are a lot of bikes that don’t seem to have SRMs on. Apart from Garmin using Vectors, and Sky using Stages, what do the others use?
- Mike
  
  Belkin use Pioneer.
  
  http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Cycle+Sports/Pedaling+Monitor
- Hunter
  
  Movistar is another team to ditch SRM and go with another supplier. This time it’s Power2max http://www.power2max.com/northamerica/power2max-type-s-power-meter-movistar-team/ although in the photos above they supplied a bike with no pm.
Lenghtybell

Sorry to join the nitpicking brigade, but on the AG2R Focus you shot the Fulcrum Racing Speed wheels upside down :-(
- Johan
  
  valves always at 6 o’clock
- BP
  
  People, please…http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#26
- a different ben
  
  Just goes to show how inane and childish these ‘rules’ are, and those who slavishly follow them (and worse? comment on them).
  - Rastus
    
    Wow, I had no idea those rules were childish and inane until you pointed it out. Thanks, Ben. Good thing for us you brought your ‘A’ game to a comments section on the internet…
    - a different ben
      
      Some of my finest work! Glad I could add a little ‘zing’ to your day Rastus :)
  - sam
    
    I agree ben, roadies are worse than women…
    - Not a fat old guy
      
      They need to talk about something while they’re getting dropped and dragging themselves up the hills minutes after the rest of us…
geoff.tewierik

The metal used to bring the weights up to 6.8kg is lead, not led.

Out of those pics I think the Garmin Cervelo is the most understated. Nice looking bike.
- Dave
  
  And a very good distinction to make as well. You would need a lot of LEDs to make any meaningful amount of weight.
thunder thighs

where is the cannondale EVO? Or is it just me who can’t see it?
- thunder thighs
  
  ah.. part one of two. sorry, i’ll be patient..
- cyclingTips
  
  Sorry – it’s coming up today in part 2
Cameron Harris

I’ve held off asking for long enough… How do you photograph the bikes so they look like they are standing by themselves? When I find myself looking for a long pole extending behind the bike hidden by the cluster, or checking for photoshopped stand, I know it’s time to ask!

Also: Elite must be happy with their 60% (by my inexperienced eye, and based on these photos) hit rate for bottle cages.
- Jeff Werner
  
  Looks like Cycling Tips uses a very small acrylic stick that extends from the bolt hole in the nondrive crank to the ground. I too was curious until one photo showed the top tip in the crank bolt and another you can make out a thin shadow. Most interesting part of the review so far.
- Aussie Bazza
  
  Cameron – Look at the shadow (easily visible under the Movistar Canyon and the Shimano-Giant). Also check the link to the 2013 bikes – the answer is in the comments.
- cyclingTips
  
  We use a clear plastic rod that props the bike up (wedged in the crank arm bolt and the ground) which you can’t see.
  - Dave
    
    Except for the times you can!
  - Cameron Harris
    
    Thanks all. That explains the sometimes shadow that I spotted after posting.
    
    Also: Clearly there is little discussion to be had on bottle cages!
    - Dave
      
      What’s to discuss? If they are doing their job (i.e. preventing things like the hair gel incident described by Cam Wurf during the Vuelta) and the bike is still getting under 6.8 kg it’s not like there are many gains – great or marginal – to be made.
  - Nick Liau
    
    This is worse than the time I found out Santa wasn’t real.
Dave

What do people think is the reasoning behind the wholesale switch from 23mm tyres to the wider 25mm ones?

Handling the rough Australian roads? Aerodynamics with the rims? One team did it so everyone else copied?
- Andy Logan
  
  I was wondering this as well, I was under the impression it was aero benefits with some of the new rims e.g. DA 9000 and the rim and tyre sitting flush?
  - Sean Doyle
    
    My understanding from what I’ve read and anecdotally is that the larger diamter allows a slight lower tyre pressure which makes for a faster rolling wheel. Very few of our roads are table flat smooth hot mix so for the vast majority having some good flex and compliance in the tyre actually allows you to go faster.
- cyclingTips
  
  I think it has a lot to do with comfort and confidence without loss of performance. Plus a lot of wheels are going to thicker rim widths (eg 25-28mm) so the 25mm tyres sit more flush (and they state it’s more aero)— Regards,
  Wade Wallace
  
  Sent from my shoephone
- Mike
  
  The hysteresis of wider tyres (I.e. the way they deform and return energy) apparently reduces rolling resistance. There are a few data tables floating around on the net that suggest this to be the case – mtb riders were on to this a couple of years earlier than the road scene. Anecdotally, I notice it on the dirt but not the road.
Steel

Can anyone confirm who makes Kittel’s bike? I can’t quite make it out from the massive B&W logos covering the head tube, top tube, seat tube and forks.
- Dave
  
  I don’t know who, but they obviously share a stylist with Bonds, the makers of my girlfriend’s sports bras with their name on the massively thick big chest band I can read from the opposite end of the backyard.
  - Bert
    
    I don’t believe you. Pictures please.
    - Dave
      
      I’ll happily go and take a pic of the hills hoist next time some of them are hanging out to dry ;-)
- Sean Doyle
  
  I don’t know but it’s a BIG bike.
VK

I have noticed only BMC is using traditional curve handlebar, which, traditionally, is the more popular choice of handlebar within the pro peloton. Is this the changing trend happening due to more manufacturers adopting round curve than the position limiting ergo type handlebars?
- Dave
  
  I’d say handlebar geometry might be something left up to the riders to specify, there are lots who are using bars other than what the bike manufacturer would supply on a standard bike of that model.
  - Matt de Neef
    
    I don’t know if the same is true here, but when I was visiting the Drapac service course late last year (see here: https://cyclingtips.com.au/2014/01/behind-the-scenes-of-drapacs-big-step-up/) the riders had a couple of options when it came to handlebars, both from the same sponsor obviously.
LanceR

Re MyKnoaky, this is what Google Chrome says when I try to go the home page.

Content from http://www.myknoaky.com, a known malware distributor, has been inserted into this web page. Visiting this page now is very likely to infect your computer with malware.
Abdu

Not sure why you dissed it, but the first bike is my fave. There are some butt ugly ones below it (IMHO) starting with the Cervelo, and the Swift trying to lie back, the Pinarello looks more like Donatella Versace every day – who cares if it’s Italian if it’s fugly? The Lapierre for me.
Rode Magg

So good to see a straight forward photo shoot and description of the bikes, rather than paying too much for a magazine full of ads and self indulgent w@nk about someone’s irrelevant views on the bikes while just saying Laterally stiff yet vertically compliant in ten different ways (as Ride mag does, yawn).
Darren Camilleri

We need to get Canyon bikes to Australia!
604Yarks

What are the hot tires for this year?
Steve G

I used 25mm before it was cool… ;)

Also, do any of the BMC riders ever use the TMR01?

2014 Bikes of the WorldTour – Part 1

by Wade Wallace

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