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Bicycling Australia Show -
Melbourne, AUS, October 13-15, 2006
Part 1 - October 20: Teschner's AeroWave TT
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By Greg Johnson in Melbourne, Australia
Teschner AeroWave TT
Standing at the back of Teschner Technologies Group's display was a proud Lewis Mathiske as his AeroWave TT was making its first public appearance as a complete bike at Melbourne's Bicycling Australia Show 2006. It's been a long road for Mathiske getting the bike to production, which should commence later next month ahead of the bike's planned release in December/January. "I first did the design just before the UCI changed all the rules on frame design and I had to go back to the drawing board, so I shelved it," explained Mathiske. "I put it away for a few years, then I got it out and had another go at it, and re-did it, but I wasn't completely happy with it."
In fact it wasn't until the last three years, when Mathiske began working part-time for Leggera Bikes, that his vision really began to gain momentum. In a conversation with Paul Farrell, founder of Leggera Bikes (and now president of Teschner-Leggera International, Mathiske said, "I gave him (Paul?) a look at it last November in Noosa and we did a bit of work to it. Then I took it over to Taipei with Paul in March and showed it to the design engineer and production manager who makes all the Leggeras. We took my hand drawn drawing over and had it transferred onto a computer - then I asked them to make me a model of it." From there Mathiske's idea quickly progressed - with the first model of the frame being displayed at Eurobike in August.
The bike will be available in two models - the Time Trial AeroWave TT model and AeroWave Tri triathlon model - with the possibility of a track version at a later date. "Apparently it's probably the only totally aero bike in the world - in the respect that every bar and every stay is an aero shape," says Mathiske. "The only other one that is close to it is the Cervelo P3."
Both the TT and Tri models share the same full carbon fibre monocoque frame with integrated seatpost and an FSA Hiddenset headset. The TT model features an FSA Vision integrated aero bar and stem with Shimano's 10-speed Dura-Ace groupset and FSA carbon crank with TT chain ring. Wheel options will include a rear disc or a pair of Zipp 808s.
The Tri model, on the other hand, includes an Easton AeroForce carbon bar with Easton EC90 carbon stem, Shimano 10-speed Ultegra groupset and cranks, and an X-Treme Blade Elite carbon wheelset.
Weight isn't an issue with the bike, Mathiske explains: "It's about 7.5kg - for a time trial bike that's bloody good. The frame, with the one-piece seat post and clamp, is just over 1200grams, so we were quite happy. Troy, the design engineer, reckons he could pull another 100grams out of it!"
While the water bottle on the bike displayed was actually shaped from plywood then spray-painted, the bike will come with the real thing - another of Mathiske's designs. "I thought, 'what's the point of an aero bike without an aero water bottle?' It only holds 400mill so it's only good for up to 40km or time trials." The bottle with its carbon fibre cage is expected to also be available separately.
Prices for both the AeroWave TT and Tri bikes were unavailable as of showtime but will be available closer to its release date.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Greg Johnson/Cyclingnews.com
- The bike's designer Lewis Mathiske
- The sleak aerodynamic profile of the latest Techsner TT frame
- The TT is almost ready for mass production
- Mathiske's aerodynamic drink bottle and cage
- The TT's FSA Vision Integrated Aero Bars and stem
- Both models come with a Selle Italia SLR seat
- Areowave TT comes with Zipp 808's
- The Dure-Ace Shimano groupset and FSA carbon cranks
- Mathiske's design is the result of six-years of on and off work
