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Pro bikes, April 15, 2008

Stuart O'Grady's Team CSC Cervélo R3 Paris-Roubaix Special

(Click for larger image)
Photo ©: James Huang

Team CSC sticks with a proven formula

By James Huang

Not many riders get to wear this decal
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The seat tube starts out at the bottom bracket
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Team CSC mechanics definitely had a system
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The Shimano Dura-Ace rear hub
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O'Grady switched to a Prologo Scratch TR saddle this year.
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…but the bend suggests they're more likely to be
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While many other teams resorted to new, and often unorthodox, creations at this year's Paris-Roubaix, Team CSC went with a time-tested setup in its quest for a third consecutive cobblestone trophy. The team couldn't quite pull off the win in the end, but their only slightly modified Cervélo R3 machines proved themselves once again.

O'Grady's Cervélo R3 was a near carbon copy of the bike that carried him at last year's queen of the classics with only minor changes in componentry. Just as before, the frame's rear end was extended by 1cm to deliver a slightly smoother ride and more stable handling. Rake on the accompanying Alpha Q GS-10 fork was similarly increased to 50mm to retain overall weight balance front-to-rear but otherwise there were no special concessions made to increase tire clearances at either end.

Some of this consistency may have to do with the frame's built-in design attributes: the front triangle and chain stays are appropriately massive for snappy reflexes but, as always, the R3 seat stays are almost impossibly spindly for a smoother ride over the cobbles.

Much of last year's equipment carried over as well, including the traditional box-section tubular rims laced to standard Dura-Ace hubs front and rear with stainless steel spokes in a three-cross pattern. Nearly all of the remaining componentry wore the Dura-Ace badge as well, save for the carbon FSA carbon crankset, and Vittoria once again provided the corresponding 27mm-wide tubular rubber. Pedals were the familiar specially modified Zeros from Speedplay.

In fact, virtually nothing on O'Grady's bike was new relative to 2007. Lone exceptions included a new Scratch TR carbon-shelled saddle from Prologo and the ARX Team stem and Ergosum Pro bar from new sponsor 3T (although the shape of the latter bore a striking resemblance to O'Grady's FSA bar from last year).

Call it boring or unimaginative if you like but O'Grady's Cervélo was one of the lightest Paris-Roubaix bikes we handled; actual weight was just 7.5kg (16.5lb). Regardless, the results speak for themselves. O'Grady ended up in fifth place only nine months after his horrific crash at last year's Tour de France and 2006 Paris-Roubaix winner Fabian Cancellara continued his incredibly successful spring campaign only one step down from Quick Step's Tom Boonen.

Was CSC's Cervélo R3 rerun boring and imaginative? Perhaps, but it was also undeniably effective.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com

Full specification

Frame: Cervélo R3 Paris-Roubaix Special w/1cm chain stay extension
Fork: Alpha Q GS-10, 50mm rake

Critical measurements
Rider's height: 1.76m (5' 9") ; Weight: 73kg (161lb)
Seat tube length, c-c: 470mm
Seat tube length, c-t: 515mm
Top tube length: 545mm
Saddle height, from BB (c-t): 720mm
Saddle nose tip to C of bars: 570mm
C of front hub to top of bars: 555mm

Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-7800
Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-7800
Levers: Shimano Dura-Ace STI Dual Control ST-7800
Front derailleurs: Shimano Dura-Ace FD-7800-F
Rear derailleurs: Shimano Dura-Ace RD-7800-SS with FSA ceramic pulleys
Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CS-7800, 11-23T
Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-7801
Crankset: FSA SL-K Light, 172.5mm, 44/53T (labeled as FSA K-Force Light)
Bottom bracket: FSA MegaExo Ceramic

 

Rims: Ambrosio Nemesis tubular, 32h
Front hub: Shimano Dura-Ace HB-7800, 32h
Rear hub: Shimano Dura-Ace FH-7800, 32h
Spokes: DT Competition 14/15 double-butted, 3x lacing front and rear, alloy nipples
Tyres: Vittoria Pavé EVO-CG tubular, 27c

Bars: FSA Gossamer, 42cm (c-c) (labeled as 3T Ergosum Pro)
Stem: 3T ARX Team, 110mm x -6°
Headset: Cane Creek IS
Tape/grip: Double-layer Ritchey cork

Pedals: Speedplay Zero Stainless prototype
Seat post: FSA SL-K SB25
Saddle: Prologo Scratch TR
Bottle cages: Tacx Tao
Computer: Sigma 1106

Total bike weight: 7.5kg (16.5lb)