Amgen tour of California 2012

powered by Performance Bicycle

TechPowered By

More tech

Tour tech: More custom bikes, kit for the world's best riders

  • George Hincapie (Columbia-HTC) currently splits his time between Greenville, South Carolina and Girona, Spain but don't be fooled - he's a New Yorker in heart and heritage.

    George Hincapie (Columbia-HTC) currently splits his time between Greenville, South Carolina and Girona, Spain but don't be fooled - he's a New Yorker in heart and heritage.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Quick Step team sponsor Specialized provided Frenchmen Sylvain Chavanel and Jérôme Pineau with these custom painted bikes to celebrate Bastille Day.

    Quick Step team sponsor Specialized provided Frenchmen Sylvain Chavanel and Jérôme Pineau with these custom painted bikes to celebrate Bastille Day.

    Photo credit © Graham Watson

  • Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and teammate Stijn Devolder get red and black bikes in contrast to the rest of the team's mostly black steeds.

    Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and teammate Stijn Devolder get red and black bikes in contrast to the rest of the team's mostly black steeds.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Boonen is on Specialized's latest Tarmac SL3.

    Boonen is on Specialized's latest Tarmac SL3.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Boonen's bike uses a mix of Campagnolo Record and Super Record bits.

    Boonen's bike uses a mix of Campagnolo Record and Super Record bits.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • While many of his peers opt for fancy power meters or GPS-enabled units, Boonen runs a simple (and reliable) wired Cateye Mity 8 computer.

    While many of his peers opt for fancy power meters or GPS-enabled units, Boonen runs a simple (and reliable) wired Cateye Mity 8 computer.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Team mechanics build up the FSA bar diameter with sections of garden hose to give Boonen something more substantial to grip.

    Team mechanics build up the FSA bar diameter with sections of garden hose to give Boonen something more substantial to grip.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Filippo Pozzato's (Katusha) custom Sidi shoes pay tribute to his Italian national championship win last month.

    Filippo Pozzato's (Katusha) custom Sidi shoes pay tribute to his Italian national championship win last month.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Pozzato's Italian national champion kit has apparently generated some controversy - the Italian cycling federation says it hasn't authorized the design modification.

    Pozzato's Italian national champion kit has apparently generated some controversy - the Italian cycling federation says it hasn't authorized the design modification.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Pereiro's Nike shoes eschew mechanical closures in order to save weight.

    Pereiro's Nike shoes eschew mechanical closures in order to save weight.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) has a pair of custom Nike Poggio 4 shoes - long discontinued but apparently still available if you have the right connections.

    Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) has a pair of custom Nike Poggio 4 shoes - long discontinued but apparently still available if you have the right connections.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Franco Pellizotti prefers Sidi's Genius 6.6 model in a custom green to match the team colors.

    Franco Pellizotti prefers Sidi's Genius 6.6 model in a custom green to match the team colors.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Rémi Pauriol's 'red vernice' Sidi Ergo 2 shoes aren't custom but their bright hue matches the team kit nicely.

    Rémi Pauriol's 'red vernice' Sidi Ergo 2 shoes aren't custom but their bright hue matches the team kit nicely.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Campagnolo Super Record is slowly becoming more widespread among sponsored riders.

    Campagnolo Super Record is slowly becoming more widespread among sponsored riders.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Specialized claims the Tarmac SL3's triangulated upper seat stay geometry makes for a stiffer rear end.

    Specialized claims the Tarmac SL3's triangulated upper seat stay geometry makes for a stiffer rear end.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Matteo Tosatto (Quick Step) has his own pair of custom Gaerne G.Myst shoes.

    Matteo Tosatto (Quick Step) has his own pair of custom Gaerne G.Myst shoes.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Laurens ten Dam's (Rabobank) Shimano shoes use heat moldable uppers for a custom fit - even though they're not custom.

    Laurens ten Dam's (Rabobank) Shimano shoes use heat moldable uppers for a custom fit - even though they're not custom.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Prologo provided these custom saddles to the brothers Schleck.

    Prologo provided these custom saddles to the brothers Schleck.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) got to ride this bright yellow Specialized during his stint as race leader.

    Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) got to ride this bright yellow Specialized during his stint as race leader.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Lake's Lee Katz says the extra strap across the top is purely for logo placement.

    Lake's Lee Katz says the extra strap across the top is purely for logo placement.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Sastre's Lake CX401 shoes feature a heat moldable upper for a custom fit.

    Sastre's Lake CX401 shoes feature a heat moldable upper for a custom fit.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Lake has provided defending Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre (Cervélo Test Team) with a custom pair of CX401 shoes.

    Lake has provided defending Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre (Cervélo Test Team) with a custom pair of CX401 shoes.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Hayden Roulston (Cervélo Test Team) is among a few riders in this year's Tour de France using custom shoes from Australian company Bont.

    Hayden Roulston (Cervélo Test Team) is among a few riders in this year's Tour de France using custom shoes from Australian company Bont.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Michael Rogers (Columbia-HTC) opts for an especially light model from Bont.

    Michael Rogers (Columbia-HTC) opts for an especially light model from Bont.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Silvain Chavanel (Quick Step) gets a pair of bright yellow S-Works shoes from Specialized.

    Silvain Chavanel (Quick Step) gets a pair of bright yellow S-Works shoes from Specialized.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Boonen prefers handmade tubulars from FMB.

    Boonen prefers handmade tubulars from FMB.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Caisse d'Epargne rider Luis Pasamontes is traveling through France with this bright red Specialized BG Pro road shoes.

    Caisse d'Epargne rider Luis Pasamontes is traveling through France with this bright red Specialized BG Pro road shoes.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Nike hasn't offered cycling shoes to the public in years but that hasn't stopped a number of pros who still use them.

    Nike hasn't offered cycling shoes to the public in years but that hasn't stopped a number of pros who still use them.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Fabian Wegmann (Milram) is a two-time German national champion and is on a suitably painted Focus Izalco.

    Fabian Wegmann (Milram) is a two-time German national champion and is on a suitably painted Focus Izalco.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Aussie Mark Renshaw (Columbia-HTC) is acting as a perfect final leadout man for teammate Mark Cavendish.

    Aussie Mark Renshaw (Columbia-HTC) is acting as a perfect final leadout man for teammate Mark Cavendish.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Columbia-HTC climber Maxime Monfort's logo features a wild boar.

    Columbia-HTC climber Maxime Monfort's logo features a wild boar.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Columbia-HTC rider Kim Kirchen's frame decal bears the red lion of his home country, Luxembourg.

    Columbia-HTC rider Kim Kirchen's frame decal bears the red lion of his home country, Luxembourg.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Austrian Bernhard Eisel (Columbia-HTC) will play an important support role for the team in this year's Tour.

    Austrian Bernhard Eisel (Columbia-HTC) will play an important support role for the team in this year's Tour.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • All of Columbia-HTC's bikes are identified with customized name decals for the riders (although we thought Cavendish's first name was spelled with a 'k', not a 'c').

    All of Columbia-HTC's bikes are identified with customized name decals for the riders (although we thought Cavendish's first name was spelled with a 'k', not a 'c').

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Alessandro Ballan isn't the only world champion competing in this year's Tour de France. Columbia-HTC's Bert Grabsch is the current world time trial champion and earns the right to don the rainbox stripes as well.

    Alessandro Ballan isn't the only world champion competing in this year's Tour de France. Columbia-HTC's Bert Grabsch is the current world time trial champion and earns the right to don the rainbox stripes as well.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Zipp pays tribute to Christian Vande Velde's (Garmin-Slipstream) Chicago home base with a special set of wheel decals depicting the city skyline.

    Zipp pays tribute to Christian Vande Velde's (Garmin-Slipstream) Chicago home base with a special set of wheel decals depicting the city skyline.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Cadel Evans' (Silence-Lotto) signature Gaerne G.Myst shoes are among the most easily recognizable in the peloton. The kangaroos say 'Australia' but the red, blue and yellow coloring calls attention to his support of the 'Free Tibet' movement.

    Cadel Evans' (Silence-Lotto) signature Gaerne G.Myst shoes are among the most easily recognizable in the peloton. The kangaroos say 'Australia' but the red, blue and yellow coloring calls attention to his support of the 'Free Tibet' movement.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Nike finds room in its production line for a custom green pair for Mark Cavendish (Columbia-HTC).

    Nike finds room in its production line for a custom green pair for Mark Cavendish (Columbia-HTC).

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) celebrates his world championship win in Varese with these custom Diadoras.

    Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) celebrates his world championship win in Varese with these custom Diadoras.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Michael Rogers' (Columbia-HTC) frame decal pays tribute to his status as current Australian national time trial champion.

    Michael Rogers' (Columbia-HTC) frame decal pays tribute to his status as current Australian national time trial champion.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Joan Horrach (Katusha) is among the scores of riders in this year's Tour de France with custom footwear.

    Joan Horrach (Katusha) is among the scores of riders in this year's Tour de France with custom footwear.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Milram is quite happy to have a two-time German national champion within its ranks.

    Milram is quite happy to have a two-time German national champion within its ranks.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Wegmann is a two-time German national champion and his frame is decorated to suit.

    Wegmann is a two-time German national champion and his frame is decorated to suit.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Wegmann chose an ultralight fi'zi:k Arione k:1 saddle early on but later switched to a cushier Arione CX.

    Wegmann chose an ultralight fi'zi:k Arione k:1 saddle early on but later switched to a cushier Arione CX.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Bright white FSA Plasma integrated bars adorn the front end of Wegmann's machine.

    Bright white FSA Plasma integrated bars adorn the front end of Wegmann's machine.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Brett Lancaster's (Cervélo Test Team) DMT Fusion shoes aren't custom but we're still intrigued by their RAM cable system.

    Brett Lancaster's (Cervélo Test Team) DMT Fusion shoes aren't custom but we're still intrigued by their RAM cable system.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Lake shoes are becoming more popular among the pros.

    Lake shoes are becoming more popular among the pros.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • This neatly summarized Pozzato's accomplishment in Imola last month.

    This neatly summarized Pozzato's accomplishment in Imola last month.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Pozzato used a nearly identical bike for the spring classics this year.

    Pozzato used a nearly identical bike for the spring classics this year.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Katusha team sponsor Ridley has provided Filippo Pozzato with this special white, red and green Damocles Pi with custom geometry.

    Katusha team sponsor Ridley has provided Filippo Pozzato with this special white, red and green Damocles Pi with custom geometry.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Pozzato's custom finished Ridley Damocles Pi is covered in an unusually subtle white, green and red to celebrate his win at the Italian national championships last month.

    Pozzato's custom finished Ridley Damocles Pi is covered in an unusually subtle white, green and red to celebrate his win at the Italian national championships last month.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Pozzato's Ridley Damocles Pi fork features a tapered steerer tube.

    Pozzato's Ridley Damocles Pi fork features a tapered steerer tube.

    Photo credit © James Huang

  • Evans' Silence-Lotto teammate Charlie Wegelius gets a pair of custom Gaernes, too.

    Evans' Silence-Lotto teammate Charlie Wegelius gets a pair of custom Gaernes, too.

    Photo credit © James Huang