Lightweight meets aero for the reigning Australian national champion
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When Bianchi launched the Specialissima Disc, the brand said it designed an all black version of the frame that was 80g lighter specifically for use on the World Tour. It seems Team Bike Exchange had other ideas(Image credit: Kevin Anderson)
The stack height of Cam Meyers new Specialissima is a bit higher than his Addict RC, so there is no need for headset spacers(Image credit: Kevin Anderson)
The FSA K-Force bars and FSA ACR stem allow for the hoses and cables to be hidden completely from the wind(Image credit: Kevin Anderson)
Meyer is runing Shimano's Dura-Ace cranks with the integrated power meter(Image credit: Kevin Anderson)
Team BikeExchange is taking advantage the aero Oltre XR4 and the lightweight Specialissima(Image credit: Kevin Anderson)
A 160mm XTR rotor on the front..(Image credit: Kevin Anderson)
and a 140mm Dura-Ace rotor on the rear(Image credit: Kevin Anderson)
Seating arrangements come courtesy of Fizik's 3D printed Antares Versus EVO 00 Adaptive saddle(Image credit: Kevin Anderson)
With Australia's COVID-19 border restrictions preventing international riders from travelling to the race, the World Tour season opener was adjusted to run as a domestic race featuring the top continental teams, as well as a smattering of Aussie World Tour riders who are currently at home.
One of the newer updates to the pro peloton, the Specialissima Disc - an updated version of Bianchi's lightweight climbing bike - was only unveiled last October. Interestingly, Team Bike Exchange has opted for a painted frame over the all-black colourway the brand claims is 80g lighter (the painted frame is said to weigh 750g), which Bianchi specifically said was 'created especially for the WorldTour.'
The new Specialissima falls into a similar category as the Scott Addict RC Meyer was riding last season; light on the scale but still fast in the wind tunnel. The geometry offers an identical reach figure in the corresponding size, but a 28mm taller headtube making for a 13.5mm higher reach — illustrated by the lack of headset spacers under Meyer's stem.
A slammed stem for Meyer (Image credit: Kevin Anderson)
Speaking of the cockpit, Meyer is riding FSA's K-Force carbon bars with its newly integrated 'Aerodynamic integrated Cable Route (ACR), which run the cables and brake hoses internally into the 130mm FSA ACR 'Reparto Corse' stem.
Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 dual control levers and a K-Edge Garmin mount complete the current Aussie National Champ's cockpit, with the bar end junction box serving as his left-hand bar end.
Meyer runs Shimano's integrated Dura-Ace power meter and Shimano Dura-Ace pedals at the cranks, with a matching rear derailleur attached to a direct mount hanger and 11-30t cassette at the back.
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Given Meyer has picked the lightweight option from Team Bike Exchange's new team sponsor, it's no surprise to see him rolling on Shimano C40 wheels, with 25c Pirelli PZero tubulars. Interestingly Meyer has opted to run an XTR rotor on the front and a Dura-Ace Rotor on the rear wheel — the former are 10g lighter than the latter in the 160mm size — though this mix and match may be due to a mid-race puncture and wheel change.
Perched atop the Specialissiama's decidedly un-aero, round FSA K-Force Light seatpost is Fizik's Antares Versus EVO 00 Adaptive saddle, which utilizes futuristic 3D printed honeycomb padding and the brand's Moebius carbon rails
More examples of World Tour Pro's running XTR rotors (Image credit: Kevin Anderson)
Tech Specs: Cameron Meyer's new Bianchi Specialissima Disc
Frameset: Bianchi Specialissima Disc
Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace R9150 Hydraulic disc, 160mm XTR Rotor
Based on the Gold Coast of Australia, Colin has written tech content for cycling publication for a decade. With hundreds of buyer's guides, reviews and how-tos published in Bike Radar, Cyclingnews, Bike Perfect and Cycling Weekly, as well as in numerous publications dedicated to his other passion, skiing.
Colin was a key contributor to Cyclingnews between 2019 and 2021, during which time he helped build the site's tech coverage from the ground up. Nowadays he works full-time as the news and content editor of Flow MTB magazine.
