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Pro bikes, July 27, 2008
Robbie Hunter's Barloworld Bianchi 928 Carbon T-Cube
Going for the lineBy James Huang
Barloworld sprinter Robbie Hunter knows the taste of victory after his win in stage 11 of last year's Tour de France yet the 2008 running hasn't yet played into his hands. So far, Hunter has netted six top-fifteen finishes (including a fourth place in stage 2) but with just one potential sprint finish remaining, time is fast running out for the speedster from South Africa. Hunter's team swapped bike sponsors last year and now finds itself aboard the familiar celeste hue of famed Italian nameplate Bianchi, which returns to the top tier of the sport after a one-year hiatus in 2007. Unlike that last year with Liquigas though, there is nary an aluminum Bianchi to be found in the field as all of the riders are now on new carbon models, Hunter included. Bianchi actually supplies the Barloworld team two top-end carbon road frames: the 928 Carbon SL and the 928 Carbon T-Cube. While the SL is intended as more of an ultralight climbing machine, the T-Cube's stouter construction sacrifices a bit at the scale in order to get the added rigidity its star sprinter requires. The T-Cube is built with tube-to-tube construction (Tube-To-Tube, TTT, T3… get it?) that Bianchi says allows it a bit more freedom to tune the frame characteristics. In this case, the frame is more heavily reinforced around the bottom bracket shell, chain stays and head tube. Even with the extra carbon plies though, claimed frame weight is still an admirable 1kg for a bare 55cm sample. Team-issued Bianchis are outfitted with an amalgam of componentry mostly from Shimano, FSA, Mavic and fi'zi:k. Barloworld's bikes use 7800-series Dura-Ace componentry like many other Shimano-equipped teams but they certainly use less than usual: only the STI Dual Control levers, rear derailleur, chain and cassette bear the Shimano stamp. FSA makes up the lion's share of the remainder, including the SL-K dual-pivot brake calipers, SL-K Light crankset, Energy front derailleur, CarbonPro SL-240 CSI seatpost, OS-115 stem and Energy Ergo handlebar. Rolling gear is provided by Mavic and Vittoria in the form of speedy Cosmic Carbone Ultimate wheels and Corsa EVO-CX tubular tires and fi'zi:k provides Hunter with its comfy Aliante saddle. Helping Hunter put the power down is a set of steel-spindled Look KeO Carbon pedals. Hunter set off on Saturday's final time trial aboard another new Bianchi, the radical-looking D2, although he had no intentions of posting any record times. No, Hunter will plan on conserving his energy for his last chance in this year's Tour. We won't pretend to be able to predict the future but if things come down to a mass sprint when the peloton hits the hallowed streets of the Champs-Élysées in Paris but rest assured that Hunter will leave nothing out on the road in his quest for another stage win. Given the team's disastrous turn of events thus far, Hunter's arms raised in victory across the line would certainly make for at least a tiny bit of reconciliation. PhotographyFor a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com
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Full specificationFrame: Bianchi 928 T-Cube Critical measurements Brakes: FSA SL-K with Mavic carbon-specific pads made by SwissStop |
Wheel set: Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate Bars: FSA Energy Ergo, 44cm (c-c) Pedals: Look KeO Carbon Total bike weight: 7.27kg (16.03lb) | |||||||||||||||||
