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Tech News – February 25, 2004Edited by John Stevenson Got tech? Send press releases, news, and tech questions to the Cyclingnews tech-heads. Genesis Scuba: Blue for you
The Genesis Scuba women's team has a new bike sponsor for 2004 - and we don't just mean 'new to the team'. Blue Competition Cycles is a whole new company - so new in fact, that their website is still under construction. Based in Norcross, Georgia, Blue is about to introduce a range of carbon fiber and aluminium frames. Seen here are the RC4 Genesis Scuba team bikes, as ridden to victory in the criterium stage of last weekend's Valley of the Sun stage race by team member Laura Van Gilder. Available in six sixes from XS to XL, the RC4 features ten-speed Shimano Dura-Ace components, Aerus Composites C4 carbon bars, stems, and seatposts, Velomax Wheel Systems Ascent II wheels with Maxxis Columbiere tyres, and Speedplay pedals. A bike in size M is claimed to weigh 7.0kg with pedals and bottle cages.
Superleggero 2004 & trivia cornerAt last year's Australian trade show we spotted the rather nice carbon fiber bikes being offered by Queensland's Superleggero. Here's the company's top offering for 2004, the Superleggera Carbon Pro. The carbon Pro features a full monocoque carbon M30S frameset, fully airbrushed in a range of 3 colorways, and a choice of full carbon front forks, hung with a Shimano Dura-Ace ten-speed group. Wheels are Kysrium SSC SLs with Veloflex Black 'open tubulars', (olour matched to the frame. Bars and stem are the full carbon Modolo Curvissima. In this configuration, the size 56cm bike weighs around 7.65kg without pedals, according to Superleggero's Paul Farrell. RRP is A$6,600.00. Campagnolo Record-equipped versions are also available, starting from Au$7,000. Superleggero is also the Australian importer of Modolo handlebars and stems, and as an aside, Paul had some interesting background for those of us old enough to remember when Modolo was primarily a brake manufacturer. Modolo got into brakes in 1976 when Domenico Modolo, the son of the founder and current general manager, joined the company having graduated as a mechanical engineer. Modolo subsequently produced the TOP and Pro brakes, and the Kronos center-pulls. By 1990, however, competition from Taiwanese manufacturers was making Modolo's brake business untenable, and the company reinvented itself as a handlebar maker. Farrell also says that Modolo's parent company, Serenissima Diffusion Srl, manufactures handlebars for quite a few other labels, so you may be riding a Modolo bar without even knowing it. More info: www.leggerabikes.com
Step into Petacchi's shoesDMT has just announced an Alessandro Petacchi limited edition version of its top-line Ultimax RSX shoe. In the blue and white of Fassa Bortolo, the Petacchi version boasts the same carbon sole and buckle closure as the regular Ultimax RSX, but carries the lettering '53 x 11' for the Italian speedster's favourite gear. More info: www.diamantdmt.com Velo sponsors Colavita, Peat, BennetTaiwanese saddle manufacturer Velo is broadening its appeal with three high-profile new sponsorships. In 2004 Velo will support the Colavita Olive Oil Pro Cycling Team presented by Bolla, plus UK downhill racer Steve Peat and BMX champion Kyle Bennett. The Colavita team - which includes current US Pro champion Mark McCormack, Australian time trial champion Nathan O'Neill, and sprinter Ivan Dominguez - will use Velo saddles and handlebar tape. More info: www.velosaddles.com
Espresso lightTitanium. Coffee. Two words that stir the heart of any typical bike-riding addict. Tipped off to our addiction to all things espresso, the guys at pinkjersey.com brought this to our attention: the titanium version of the francisfrancis! X1 espresso machine; yours for a cool $1,399. Pinkjersey.com also offers rather less stratospherically priced versions of the X1, starting at $600, which is about what espresso addicts generally agree a decent home espresso machine costs (and if you still think that's a lot, don't get me started - coffeeheads make the anal-retentiveness of your average bike-tech-geek look mild). Oh, and in case you're wondering exactly what all this has to do with cycling - aside from the shameless promotion of legal and tasty stimulant beverages - well, pinkjersey.com modestly claims it "may be the most comprehensive assortment of Italian cycle product found in on-line retail." As well as attempting to satisfy the addiction of cycling Italophiles, pinkjersey.com supports the work of the lance Armstrong Foiundation, Tyler Hamilton Foundation and Nicole Reinhart Memorial Fund. More info: www.pinkjersey.com SRAM chains up 2004 teamsComponent maker SRAM will support three US domestic teams in 2004, supplying chains and cassettes to the Webcor, Jittery Joe's, and Victory Brewing Women's teams.
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