Custom drillings and TT rings highlight Zabriskie's road bike
Image 1 of 13
Dave Zabriskie’s Cervélo R5 VWD Garmin-Barricuda team bike features a few custom modifications by mechanic Alex Banyay(Image credit: BikeRadar)
Mavic Cosmic Carbon Ultimate wheels are among the choices in Zabriskie’s arsenal. The team allows its riders to select wheels (from Mavic) and also frames (Cervélo R series or the aero S series)(Image credit: BikeRadar)
Despite Garmin’s hopes for a functional pedal-based power meter this year, the project hasn’t yet come to fruition (Image credit: BikeRadar)
Fi’zi:k touts its Ares saddle as a time-trial model; Zabriskie calls it his road saddle(Image credit: BikeRadar)
SwissStop yellow pads slow down the operation (Image credit: BikeRadar)
You won’t see any Cervélo R series bikes looking like this in a shop; the Di2 battery mount is the handiwork of Garmin mechanic Alex Banyay(Image credit: BikeRadar)
Rotor also provides the derailleur-mounted chain catcher – an almost-standard piece of equipment on pro bikes these days(Image credit: BikeRadar)
Rotor’s 3D+ cranks are mounted with Rotor’s ceramic bottom bracket using the star-shaped preload lockring(Image credit: BikeRadar)
Road bike, time-trial rings(Image credit: BikeRadar)
Garmin mechanic Alex Banyay drilled Zabriskie’s VWD to route Shimano Di2 wiring(Image credit: BikeRadar)
Double tape on the bars makes for a plush perch(Image credit: BikeRadar)
Gerard Vroomen and Phil While founded Cervélo; VWD stands for ‘Vroomen White Design.’ D. Zabriskie stands for ‘very, very fast’(Image credit: BikeRadar)
Mavic Cosmic Carbon Ultimate wheels are among the choices in Zabriskie’s arsenal. The team allows its riders to select wheels (from Mavic) and also frames (Cervélo R series or the aero S series)(Image credit: BikeRadar)
Garmin-Barricuda’s time-trial ace David Zabriskie moved into the leader’s jersey at the Amgen Tour of California thanks to his skills against the clock on the new Cervélo P5, but he’s racing the remainder of the event on a Cervélo R5 RWD.
There are a few notable things about Zabriskie’s road rig: custom frame modifications, and — as befits a champion time trialists — time-trial chain rings and a time-trial saddle. Zabriskie also run a double thickness of handlebar tape.
As Cervélo’s R series bikes do not come with internal routing for Shimano Di2, Garmin-Barricuda mechanic Alex Banyay took matters into his own hands, and drilled a hole in the top tube to run the wiring through. (Don’t try this at home, kids — it voids your warranty).
Where the wiring comes out at the bottom bracket area, Banyay took advantage of the existing hole in the frame for the front derailleur cable to run the Di2 wire up to the front derilleur. Then he ran the rear wire back to the rear derailleur, taping and zip-tying it down along the way.
Banyay also drilled mounting holes for the Di2 battery on the bottom of the down tube.
Zabriskie is using Rotor’s aero time-trial chain rings and spider cover, with a standard 53/39 configuration. Rotor general manager Kervin Quinones said the TT rings are a little bit stiffer (and a little bit heavier) than the regular road rings, and of course also offer a bit of an aero advantage.
The Rotor 3D+ cranks are mounted with Rotor’s version of the PF30 bottom bracket, using ceramic bearings. The set-up features a lock ring that preloads the bearings with a 2mm Allen key.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
