Wax, electrical tape and clinchers in the hunt for the stars and stripes
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A little music flow time before go time(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Amber Neben isn't on a P4 - it's a PX4. (Okay, it's actually a Trek Speed Concept)(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Will eTap batteries still look like this in 2020?(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Seatposts and seatpost clamps vary as much as frames these days(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Cobb saddles are popular for time trials, as are ISM and the Specialized Power(Image credit: Pat Malach)
The Zipp cockpit works well with the eTap extension shift buttons, as products from the same parent company should(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Horizontal dropouts can be a little fidgety to work with, but one benefit is getting the rear tire right up close against the frame for better aerodynamics(Image credit: Pat Malach)
4iiii power meters are popping up on more and more cranks, from this Praxis to the new Specialized design(Image credit: Pat Malach)
The Fluela is an 85mm clincher(Image credit: Pat Malach)
External cams aren't always the smallest, but they are usually the best in functionality(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Now a Fuji house brand, Oval has a history of aggressive aero design(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank Fuji isn't taping over the logos on their chainrings(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Hidden from the wind often means hidden from mechanics' hands(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Who needs overshoes when you have these?(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Gavin Hoover (Elevate-KHS) has custom TT shoes(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Want to adjust your front brake? It will take a minute(Image credit: Pat Malach)
When you've won the stars and stripes multiple times, why not jazz up the chain rings?(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Can't argue with the benefits of those Ps(Image credit: Pat Malach)
#whenindoubt,hashtag(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Many wheel brands are insistent on pairing their products with specific pads, but a Giant pad can probably stop a PRO wheel, too(Image credit: Pat Malach)
The Corsa Speed is similar to the regular Corsa, but thinner(Image credit: Pat Malach)
And a solid K-Edge mount to perch it on(Image credit: Pat Malach)
A custom Sunweb edition Sigma Sports computer(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Older Dura-Ace cranks aren't uncommon in the pro ranks, especially when power meters are involved(Image credit: Pat Malach)
The Vittoria Corsa Speed is fast but super thin - definitely a TT-only option(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Chad Haga raced a Giant Trinity Advanced Pro TT(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Internal routing is an option. But so is electrical tape(Image credit: Pat Malach)
The factory UFO wax coating reduces friction to an absolute minimum(Image credit: Pat Malach)
CeramicSpeed's UFO chains look like they have been dunked in powdered sugar(Image credit: Pat Malach)
How is that for a TT perch? (Image credit: Pat Malach)
DT Swiss hubs are another tried-and-true solution(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Shimano has single- and dual-button extension shifters. Usually, single buttons are configured to work the rear derailleur, with one shifting up and the other shifting down(Image credit: Pat Malach)
With Di2, Neben can shift from the extension and the cowhorns(Image credit: Pat Malach)
The Plasma takes the cake for the most sculpted seatstays(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Shimano seldom makes the flashiest wheels, but they certainly make some of the most durable(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Not all pro time trial bikes have high-zoot aero brake calipers(Image credit: Pat Malach)
The old tri spoke is a tried and true design for time trials(Image credit: Pat Malach)
No, of course this isn't a Rotor chainring. Why do you ask?(Image credit: Pat Malach)
eTap batteries are easy to pop on and off for recharging(Image credit: Pat Malach)
SRAM Blip shifters under the electrical tape connect to the SRAM Blipbox attached under the Garmin mount(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Hidden brake calipers are fine for time trials, but no one envies their braking power(Image credit: Pat Malach)
In a pinch, electrical tape. And there are often pinches in pro racing(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Aside from the smooth-spinning ceramic bearings, CeramicSpeed's massive pulleys reduce drag by opening the chain's angles(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Clément is no longer a brand. The company behind these tires is now called Donnelly, after Pirelli - which licensed the Clément name - started selling bike tires(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Victory Circle stickers spice up the graphics on the Aevolo-Cannondale PRO disc(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Interesting that the molded tread extends down the sidewalls on the Relix TT(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Pioneer meters measure left and right leg power distinctly(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Maxxis isn't well known in the road world for tubulars, but the Velocita is used by UnitedHealthcare(Image credit: Pat Malach)
A clever use of a Di2 junction strap to wrangle the Di2 wires(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Although Shimano's Di2 has made them largely superfluous, the K-Edge chain catcher still looks good in blue to match the Pioneer power meter cover(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Rally's Diamondback Serios has a massive down tube, with (Image credit: Pat Malach)
In a pinch, the front and rear eTap batteries can be swapped on the road(Image credit: Pat Malach)
If there is an easier, more practical solution than electrical tape, mechanics haven't found it yet(Image credit: Pat Malach)
This is where you put the motor... Jokes, people - jokes(Image credit: Pat Malach)
303 Project races on Scott Plasmas, which look almost more dramatic without a disc wheel(Image credit: Pat Malach)
#whyiseverythingahashtag(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Ceramic bearings aren't the most visible parts, but they do make a measurable difference(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Axeon uses Specialized clinchers on the Zipp discs. Zipp adds the custom sublimated graphics that don't have the ridges to the surface like add-on stickers (Image credit: Pat Malach)
Specialized's TT bike hasn't been overhauled in a little while(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Now that is some serious stack!(Image credit: Pat Malach)
While pros always run tubulars for road stages, many choose clinchers for time trials as they offer lower rolling resistance(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Trek's integrated aero brakes work decently well(Image credit: Pat Malach)
The Corsa isn't shouty, either, but it is noisy when cornering(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Trek's graphics aren't always shouty(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Only a sliver of a grip tape bracelet here(Image credit: Pat Malach)
You won't be seeing these Clément tubulars much longer(Image credit: Pat Malach)
The TriRig Omega caliper cleans up wind flow compared to a standard caliper(Image credit: Pat Malach)
Orbea's Ordu has mounts aplenty - including on the top tube - but for a time trial UnitedHealthCare opts to plug them all with rubber(Image credit: Pat Malach)
At the US Pro time trial championship, teams and riders broke out the fastest gear they could muster. Some solutions were pricey and expected, such as aero frames, deep wheels and electronic drivetrains. But more than a few riders and mechanics employed some simple solutions, too, taping down wires (and non-sponsor logos), and using clincher tires instead of tubulars.
Click or swipe through the gallery above for a detailed look at scores of the men’s and women’s race rigs.
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