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Bikes of the Tour: Francisco Perez'sPinarello Montello 8 FP, July 10, 2006

Cyclingnews European Editor Tim Maloney takes a close look at a new time trial machine that has gone from proto to production between the first two Grand Tours

Francisco Perez's Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears Pinarello Montello 8 FP

Francisco Perez's Pinarello Montello 8 FP

The aerodynamic seat tube
Two bolts
The top tube
The cockpit of the Montello 8 FP

At the 2006 Tour de France, the Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears are campaigning the time trials on Pinarello's latest development of the Montello time trial bike. After a successful run with the original Pinarello Montello TT frame, Pinarello created a new version called FP 8 for 2006.

Pinarello's new time machine originally debuted at the Giro d'Italia back in May. Ivan Gutierrez rode a prototype in the corsa rosa, and for the Tour de France, the entire Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears team will be equipped with the new rig.

This evolved version of the Montello has a newly designed monocoque carbon fibre frame that is 200 grams lighter and 15 percent more rigid than the previous Montello.

Pinarello's new Montello FP8 uses a special ultra high modulus carbon fibre, the same composite material used in the new Airbus 380 superjumbo jet and a bike industry exclusive for Pinarello. Another special feature of the new Pinarello Montello FP8 is the unique teardrop seatpost Pinarello double bolt system that allows the carbon fibre aero seatpost to be fixed directly to the seat cluster.

The pics here show Francisco Perez' bike, but it's the same size (L) as Vladimir Karpets' machine. Karpets was quite pleased to tell us that his new bike is "a very fast machine", which the long, lean Russian proved by riding to 10th place in the Prologue TT in Strasbourg and 12th in the Stage 7 ITT in Rennes.

Big Vlad says

Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears' bikes run Campagnolo components including the Ghibli rear disc and all-carbon Hyperon front wheel on Perez' bike. The major exception to the Italian theme on the Spanish squad's machines is the Look Keo pedals, but almost everything else comes from Italy.

In fact, the team's saddles even bear the name: Selle Italia. Up front, the Montello 8 FP is steered by the all-Italian, all-Deda Elementi cockpit: carbon fibre Aeroblack 0 bars, Arimo stem and FastBlack carbon fibre extensions. Deda Elementi also supplies the team with its Olimpico tyres.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Tim Maloney/Cyclingnews

• Francisco Perez's Pinarello Montello 8 FP - the team issue against-the-clock bike for the whole Caisse d’Epargne-Illes Balears squad.
• The aerodynamic seat tube and new teardrop seatpost with double bolt system.
• Two bolts hold the tear-drop shaped aero seatpost in place.
• The top tube of the Montello 8 FP has a completely new shape, sculpted by wind tunnel sessions for better aero performance.
• The cockpit of the Montello 8 FP with Deda Elementi carbon fibre Aeroblack 0 bars, Arimo stem and FastBlack carbon fibre extensions.
• Big Vlad says "They're going down."