Tech News – December 9, 2005 Edited by John Stevenson Got tech? Send press releases, news, and tech questions to the Cyclingnews tech desk. A quick spin on Health Net-Maxxis' new win machine Health Net announced Cannondale as its bike sponsor - and more- at a presentation earlier this week. Mark Zalewski was along to check out the latest pro machine from Bethel, Connecticut. Health Net's Cannondale Six13 Photo ©: Mark Zalewski With the announcement of Cannondale as the bike (and clothing/shoe) sponsor of the Health Net team, many were anxious to see the new bikes and kits the riders would be using in 2006. Would the same green machine look remain? The color of money team kits that graced many a podium in 2005? The folks gathered at Helen's Cycles in Santa Monica on Monday did not have to wait long, as a team issue Six13 in the Health Net paint scheme was on display right up front for all to see. In addition, photos of Gord Fraser in the new team kit, with much more white than green, flanked either side of the stages. Fizik provides the seating Photo ©: Mark Zalewski The Six13 frameset is the same that the Lampre ProTour team rode in 2005, featuring a carbon and aluminum design. The carbon makes up the top and down tube, while an oversized aluminum seat tube and rear triangle contribute to the bike's stiffness. The carbon weave Photo ©: Mark Zalewski Tuesday morning featured the Health Net boys joining the local club for a scary-early (6:30 a.m.) morning group ride -- the typical Tuesday morning speed course. Cannondale was nice enough to outfit me with a Six13 in my size for the ride. While the team will ride with the Ritchey bars, stems and seatposts, my rig was outfitted with the new FSA carbon bars and stem -- an equally nice alternative. While many of the gathered 60+ shivered in the pre-dawn upper 40s, this midwestern boy only smiled while thinking of the 7 below temperatures of Chicago. Soon the ride was underway, and it was off like a bang. It seems that whenever pros join a group ride there is an inevitable increase in effort by at least ten percent. It's PowerTap time Photo ©: Mark Zalewski About 20 minutes into the ride I was near the back chatting with Scott Moninger, trying not to put the winningest American rider into a traffic median in the unfamiliar roads of Santa Monica. However, during our conversation a 250 meter gap opened up and we had to drop the hammer (well I did, at least) to make the next traffic light. I found that the Six13 jumped rather quickly when I needed it to. Ritchey stems Photo ©: Mark Zalewski Over the few bumps of the smooth PCH roads, the Six13 handled well. And cornering was also smooth. I would have liked to take this bike for a more thorough ride into the hills and such, but a bit of misfortune ended our ride prematurely. However, from my short ride and conversations with the team, it appears that Health Net-Maxxis will be in good hands when it comes to bike technology next season. More photos For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Health Net's Cannondale Six13 boasts Ritchey components, and Reynolds wheels. Ritchey stems are a lightweight favourite Shimano Dura-Ace transmission - Osaka is providing all Health Net's stop and go gear. Fizik provides the seating with comfortable top-model Aliante saddle. The carbon weave peeks out from under the paint of the top and down tubes The team's name on the frame Cannondale's own fork - as you'd expect from a company that has long been exploring lightweight front ends. Cannondale's distinctive curvy stays. It's PowerTap time - Health Net's riders are using the new lightweightSL version of the PowerTap in off-season training. More info: www.cannondale.com Winning ways at Wilier: Lampre-Fondital prepares for 2006 By Tim Maloney, European Editor in Rossano Veneto Leggerissimo! Photo ©: Tim Maloney In Rossano Veneto at the foot of snow covered Monte Grappa, a crack team of mechanics from the Lampre-Fondital team gathered at new bike sponsor Wilier Triestina factory to get the team material ready for the 2006 season. Normally a this is major job for any professional cycling team with almost 30 riders to get all the bikes ready to go, but in the case of Lampre-Fondital, they are transitioning from one bike sponsor, Cannondale, to a new one, Wilier Triestina. For example, riders like Lampre leader Damiano Cunego and Toto Commesso have ridden Cannondale bikes all of their professional career, so it isn't easy to get used to a new bike for top pro riders who spend so much time at the office. TT bikes Photo ©: Tim Maloney Enrico Pengo, team mechanic at Lampre-Fondital told Cyclingnews on our recent visit to the Wilier Triestina workshop, "yes, there's a lot of work, but we like it. This is where we start a winning team program, by making sure all the equipment is perfect from the start of the season." Pengo and his colleague Beppe Archetti are two of the most experienced wrenches in the business and with 160 total bikes to set up for Lampre-Fondital, this time they took up most of a week to get the second group, including the time trial bikes set-up and ready for Lampre-Fondital's first 2006 training camp in Terracina, Italy south of Rome in early January. Il fisso Photo ©: Tim Maloney "We have already delivered the first bikes to the riders for training, including a dozen with fixed gear for the first winter training", explained Pengo. "The riders will have a scandium and carbon fibre frame with a Ritchey RCS carbon fibre fork and now we'll provide them with a Le Roi carbon fibre race bike as well. All of the bikes are custom made so it is a big comittment from Wilier Triestina." A close-up look Photo ©: Tim Maloney Pengo showed Cyclingnews his secret computer program with a digital photo of each riders bike and the exact measurements required for proper bike set-up so that there is no room for error. Pengo said, "We find this very effective for not only saving some time, but so that we can always get the fit of the bicycle the same, time after time. This is essential for pro riders." On the way out, Pengo pulled out Damiano Cunego's special Wilier Triestina Le Roi for Cyclingnews. Cunego will ride a custom carbon sloping frame in 2006 that measures 44X54.5 and weighs 850 grams without fork. When the 350 gram carbon fork is added, Cunego will have a 1.2kg frame that should put his bike right on the UCI weight limit. As we left Wilier Triestina, Pengo, Beppe and company were still there, laying the basis for a winning program for Lampre-Fondital in 2006. More photos For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by Tim Maloney/Cyclingnews.com Mechanics Beppe Archetti and Enrico Pengo hard at work prepping Lampre's fleet of Wilier Triestina bikes for 2006. Beppe's Kit - Wrench legend Beppe Archetti's well equipped tool kit Flock Of Seagulls - ITM's new Nivola integrated carbon aero bars awaiting their fate TT bikes take twice as much time to set up as Lampre-Fondital's regular race bikes Enrico Pengo checks the specs A close-up look at Napolitano's new Wilier Lampre team specs Il fisso - one of the tricks of the trade is that more and more pro riders are using a fixed gear at the beginning of the season for a month or so to restore their pedal stroke and build strength. Leggerissimo! Cunego's 850 gram Wilier LeRoi custom almost floats out of Pengo's grasp More info: www.wilier.it Everti introduces the Team The latest from Everti Photo ©: Everti Just in time for King Kong to hit the cinemas, here's the latest from Canadian titanium specialist Everti, the Team, a bike that sounds like's been designed to withstand the punishment meted out by gorilla-like sprinters. Or as Everti head honch Kurt Knock puts it, the Team, "was developed with the needs of racers, especially sprinters and very strong riders in mind." To accommodate those riders, the Team has a much bigger down tube than is usual for titanium bikes; it starts out 36mm in diameter at the head tube and flares to a whopping 58mm at the bottom bracket. "This ensures maximum power transfer from the bottom bracket area," says Knock. "The straight seat stays keep the rear wheel tracking precisely when sprinting. Compact geometry keeps the whole package very tight and responsive." A medium Team weighs 1340g, according to Everti and the frame is being used by the company's sponsored riders. Everyone else can pick one up for US$1450. More info: www.evertibikes.com