Astana will ride Argon 18 bikes(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Astana team leader Fabio Aru infront of his new Argon 18 bike(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Vision wheels with Schawlbe tyres(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The square-like down tube of the Gallium Pro(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
There are lots of logo on the bikes(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
A close-up view of the Garmin unit(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The massive Vision Metron aero chainset(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Astana logo is on every bike(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Astana will use Vision disc wheels (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
A view from the top of the aero bar steerer(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The head stearer of the time trial bike(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The chunky bur aero tubes of the time trial bike(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Argon 18 bikes are Astana team issue(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Vision TT cockpit(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
A different view of the profile of the seat stays(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The seat stays of the time trial(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
A detail of the Shimano lever and the Vision aero bar(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Argon 18 Gallium Pro(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Argon 18 Gallium Pro is the climbers bike for Astana(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The main tubes of the Gallium Pro(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The forks are straight(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The big Shimano Di2 front mech(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
A close up of the Vision areo bar and fork tube(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Astana use Tacx bottle cages(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The compact FSA brakes(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
Astana will use Shimano gears until the FSA WE gears system ready to race (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The FSA chainset(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Prologo saddle(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The inside of the Bottom bracket area gets a touch of yellow(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The aerobar-headset area(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
A close up of the head tube section(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Argon 18 logo full the down tube(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The bottom bracket is solid and reflective(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Garmin sensor(Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Argon 18 E 118 time trial bike (Image credit: Stephen Farrand)
The Astana team and new bike sponsor Argon 18 unveiled the bikes the Kazakhstani team will use during the 2017 season at their recent get together in Tuscany, confirming a switch from Campagnolo to FSA. The riders will initially use Shimano Dura Ace Di2 electronic gears, but gradually switch to FSA's new WE electronic gears as the product rolls out during the start of 2017.
Astana announced a three-year agreement with the Montreal-based Argon 18 in August, ending an eleven-year partnership with Specialized who have supplied the team since it's inception in the second half of 2006. Specialized has arguably swapped teams with Argon 18, with the California-based brand helping fund Peter Sagan's big budget move to the German team. Argon 18 was happy to swap teams, securing a keenly contested place in the WorldTour as it continues to grow as what it calls a 'specialist brand' and snap away at the heels of the bigger global brands.
FSA will supply the brakes, crankset and finishing kit –including some slick and very curvy carbon fiber aero road bars, whilst the levers and shifting is set to be Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 with a Power2Max power meter. The team will have a choice of Vision Metron wheelsets with Schwalbe tyres. The bikes on show were fitted with Schwalbe Durano Plus rubber.
After the end of their relationship with Specialized and Campagnolo, Astana has worked to secure several new technical sponsors. These include Sidi shoes, Prologo saddles, Garmin computers and Limar helmets, while Astana will wear Clique casual clothing. The new Astana jersey – made by Giordana - with input from Argon 18 designers, has a new look and now fades from sky blue on the shoulders into the black of the shorts.
Argon 18 will supply close to 250 bikes for 2017, with riders able to use the Astana team issue Gallium Pro lightweight bike, the Nitrogen Pro aero bike and the E118 Next time trial bike. Argon 18 will also supply their new Gallium Pro disc model, with Astana planning a gradually use of disc brakes during the 2017 season. The bike features flat mount disc brakes and a specially designed through axle release system. The frameset allows clearances for up to 30mm tyre width, versus the 25mm on the standard Gallium Pro.
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Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
