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Cyclingnews 2008 Reader Poll Results
Best team bike
Four in a row for Cervélo
By James Huang
 |
Cervélo takes the crown of 'best team bike' yet again with the SLC-SL of CSC-Saxo Bank. Company principles Gerard Vroomen and Phil White have long preached the concept of aerodynamic road bikes and it seems the majority of you have taken heed: not only does 2008 mark the fourth consecutive win for Cervélo's Soloist line but other manufacturers such as Felt and Ridley have recently added their own entries into the light-yet-slippery genre. Given the increased awareness of aerodynamic performance even in mass-start events, we fully expect this trend to continue in the years to come.
The Caisse d'Epargne Pinarello Prince and Trek Madone 6.9 - this time in Astana livery - again round out the top three but the two have swapped places relative to last year. Pinarello's top-end carbon machine moves up a spot with its swoopy shape, advanced carbon fiber blend, tapered steerer tube, and revised Onda FPX seat stays and fork blades. This third-generation machine clearly advances the Prince forward in the 'light and stiff' manufacturer wars but even our own testing has shown that it is also surprisingly comfortable as well, making for an ideal all-day race machine.
Trek maintains its position as a perennial favorite with its Madone 6.9. Though it didn’t win this year, Trek's premier team machines have occupied the top step three times in our poll and have never fallen lower than fourth. The current version is easily the most advanced yet with heaps of cutting-edge technology such as drop-in bottom bracket bearings inside a massive 90mm-wide shell, a clever no-cut integrated seatpost, and a tapered 1 1/8"-to-1 1/2" front end. Even with all of the new features, though, Trek has continued to maintain the spot-on handling of the now-classic nameplate - making a proven winner even more potent than ever.
Results
Votes %age
1 CSC-Saxo Bank Cervélo SLC-SL 3162 26.56
2 Caisse d'Epargne Pinarello Prince 1922 16.14
3 Astana Trek Madone 6.9 1286 10.80
4 Milram Colnago EPS 987 8.29
5 Quickstep Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL2 915 7.69
6 Garmin Felt AR 805 6.76
7 Silence-Lotto Ridley Noah 586 4.92
8 Columbia Giant TCR Advanced SL 535 4.49
9 Scott-American Beef Scott Addict 495 4.16
10 Lampre Wilier Triestina Cento 1 449 3.77
11 Liquigas Cannondale Super Six 417 3.50
12 Euskaltel-Euskadi Orbea Orca 347 2.91
Total: 11906
