Tech News – January 3, 2006 Edited by James Huang Got tech? Send press releases, news, and tech questions to the Cyclingnews tech desk. The PRO sponsorship of the T-Mobile teams will include handlebars, stems, and time trial wheels. Photo ©: James Huang T-Mobile on PRO through 2008 Relatively unsung component company PRO will get some more exposure this season under the men's and women's teams of T-Mobile who will use its handlebars, stems, and TT wheels through 2008. The team first got wind of PRO's abilities when team rider Sergei Gonchar scored two time trial victories in last year's TdF on its disc wheels. According to Tom Davies of T-Mobile's frame supplier Giant, "PRO has shown us that they have really state-of-the-art products and they can also shift quickly when it comes to riders' special wishes. In today's professional cycling this is a 'must' as we at Giant know from experience. The product managers of PRO and our technical guys at the T-Mobile team understand the needs of the riders and act accordingly." In spite of PRO's relative youth, T-Mobile will actually be the 7th professional team it has sponsored and joins an elite list that includes Rabobank, Francaise des Jeux, Agritubel, and Skil-Shimano. Harm-Jan Helmond, product manager for German PRO distributor Paul Lange & Co., said, "This is a great tool for our dealers to help them sell the PRO brand and make it more famous in Germany. It also shows the quality of the products as the T-Mobile team does not accept something other than the absolute top materials." Germany will certainly not be the only market targeted by PRO, as it is also now distributed in the US through the Shimano network. Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle heads into 2007 season on Felt Felt Bicycles is increasing its visibility in the pro ranks with a newly announced sponsorship of Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle, formerly known as the TIAA-CREF squad run by Jonathan Vaughters. Felt will not only sponsor the Team Slipstream road team for the 2007 and 2008 seasons, but also its track and dedicated junior development divisions as well. According to Jim Felt, founder of Felt Bicycles, "This is a team we have watched since its beginning and we have seen it flourish into one of the best programs in the nation. It fits perfectly with Felt's mission - to build the best bikes in the world for our riders, regardless of whether or not they are already pro caliber or whether they are simply trying to beat their personal best. We could not have a more exciting partnership." Although the team debuted as a development squad, Vaughters' efforts have yielded 17 US national champions since its creation in 2004, and the successful program has managed to retain many of its talented riders for the upcoming season, including veterans Danny Pate and current USPRO Criterium Champion Brad Huff. For 2007, the team will race with a Pro Continental license, with projected appearances to include the Tour of California and the Tour de Georgia, as well as some premier European events such as Paris-Roubaix and the Critérium International. Vaughters is looking forward to the new arrangement, saying, "Felt bikes are fast, durable, light, and make sense from an engineering standpoint. The guys love them, they test fast in the wind tunnel, and they don't break. It's refreshing, and we're thrilled to work with such a superior partner." The team will be fitted with Aussie-designed Photo ©: Greg Johnson southaustralia.com-AIS Cycling team keeps it in the family for 2007 The Australian southaustralia.com-AIS Cycling team recently announced a sponsorship deal with Teschner Technologies Group that will supply team members with bicycles through the 2009 season. Also to be included in the arrangement are Teschner's new Diva line of women's-specific bicycles, backed by Athens Gold Medalist Sara Carrigan. Aussie bicycle designer Peter Teschner was pleased to hear that his bicycles had been selected: "The fact that we are now able to supply what is arguably the best performing national road cycling teams in the world is a huge honour and means we can play an even more important part in Australia's success in cycling." Indeed, Teschner is no stranger to top results both on and off his home continent. The top ten finishers in the men's time trials at the Australian Championships in 1996 used Teschner bicycles, and the Australian Women's Time Trial Championships were won on Teschner bikes for seven years in a row from 1999 through 2005. Toyota-United will now use Bontrager... Photo ©: James Huang More sponsorship news for Toyota-United The 2007 season will find the Toyota-United team not only with a new bicycle sponsor, but now also a new backer for wheels and components as well. After a successful inaugural 2006 season, Toyota-United will now race on a variety of Bontrager equipment, including its Aeolus 5.0, Aeolus 6.5, and Aeolus Disc wheels (all designed in cooperation with aerodynamics guru Steve Hed), as well as OCLV carbon Race XXX Lite and aluminum Race X Lite handlebars, seatposts, and stems. Harm Jansen, Toyota-United's Team Director, said, "Our team is excited to ride on Bontrager wheels and components in 2007. We'll be rolling up to each race in complete confidence in our gear. The level of support we're getting from Bontrager and all of our equipment sponsors is very professional." Ceramic bearing competition heats up in US CeramicSpeed's ceramic bearings will now help riders in the US go faster. Photo ©: James Huang Much has already been written about the benefits of ceramic bearings in reducing friction and extending component life spans. However, availability of the silicon nitride wonderballs in the US has still been somewhat limited; thus far, Full Speed Ahead has been the single primary supplier, with a handful of other companies playing a smaller role. With the new year, however, comes a new player in the US market. Danish outfit CeramicSpeed has supplied its hybrid and full ceramic bearings to a number of top ProTour riders, including two-time Tour de France polka-dot jersey winner Michael Rasmussen, and as of December 2006 will distribute its full bicycle product range through Ochsner USA. Included in the company's offerings are pulley wheels for both Campagnolo and Shimano derailleurs, bottom bracket kits for '06 Campagnolo Record and Chorus as well as the new Ultra Torque systems, plus complete wheel upgrade packages for Mavic, Campagnolo, Fulcrum, Zipp, DT Swiss, Hed, and Spinergy. Loose ball bearings will also be offered in a variety of sizes to fit non-cartridge bearing components. Bruce Gordon to display personal fleet at North American Handmade Bicycle Show Legendary framebuilder Bruce Gordon will bring his own personal collection with him when he displays at this year's North American Handmade Bicycle Show, to be held in San Jose, CA March 2-4. Gordon will show 24 complete bicycles and 5 frames in all, dating all the way back to 1974. The collection will encompass a wide range of disciplines and materials, including: lugged steel and welded titanium; road, track, and touring bikes; as well as a chopper and a 29er mountain bike that Gordon built in 1990. "The North American Handmade Bicycle Show is a perfect place to bring out all the bicycles I've made for myself over all these years, all of which I still ride," said Gordon. "I think the cyclists, engineers, and designers who come to the show will enjoy seeing a few decades' worth of techniques and styles in handmade frames." Don Walker, founder and organizer of the NAHBS, and an accomplished framebuilder in his own right, is certainly among Gordon's fans: "I don't know of another builder who has such a complete collection of his work, including so many varieties and styles, in a year-by-year progression." Ritchey has redesigned its workhorse WCS seatpost head. Photo ©: James Huang Ritchey revises WCS seatpost head design Ritchey Design has redesigned its long-standing seatpost clamp, switching from a fairly standard two-bolt setup to a novel one-bolt design. The single bolt enters from the side, not from below, and the new head promises easier operation and a greatly enhanced range of angular adjustment. More interesting from a fit perspective, however, is the fact that the new design may be adaptable to a zero-offset post, which has heretofore been impossible with the older setup. , The new head also has what is possibly the lowest profile in the industry in terms of height, but is significantly wider than the previous iteration. One unfortunate change, however, is the fact that the new Ritchey head will now only work with round saddle rails, meaning that it will be incompatible with most carbon rails that utilize a taller profile. Photography For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com PRO will officially sponsor both the men's and women's T-Mobile teams through the 2008 racing seasons. The PRO sponsorship of the T-Mobile teams will include handlebars, stems, and time trial wheels. Images by Greg Johnson/Cyclingnews.com The southaustralia.com-AIS Cycling team will be fitted with Aussie-designed Teschner bicycles for the next three seasons, including the new Diva range of women's-specific bikes. Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com Toyota-United will now use Bontrager components, including handlebars, stems, seatposts, and wheels. Toyota-United riders will have the full complement of Bontrager Aeolus wheels at their disposal, including the Aeolus Disc, designed in cooperation with Steve Hed. CeramicSpeed's ceramic bearings will now help riders in the US go faster. Images by Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us Michael Rasmussen is no stranger to the advantages of ceramic bearings, having won the last two polka-dot jerseys with them in his bicycle. Images by James Huang/Cyclingnews.com Ritchey has redesigned its workhorse WCS seatpost head.