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Tech update – February 5, 2003
Edited by Paul Mirtschin
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Saturn on LeMond
The Saturn Cycling Team has announced it will be racing on bikes supplied by LeMond Racing Cycles for the 2003 season.
The team, including riders such as Chris Horner, Ivan Dominguez, Tom Danielson, Katie Mactier and Sarah Uhl, will start the season on custom painted LeMond Victorie frames, made from Reynolds 3/2.5 double-butted main tubes. However, mid season they will swap to the new LeMond Tete de Course frame. The Tete de Course uses a titanium 'spine' (headtube, downtube and chainstays) while the upper frame is made from OCLV carbon fibre.
The bikes are getting their first taste of blood at the 8th Telekom Malaysia Le Tour de Langkawi where the team is currently placed first overall.
Shimano cleat change
We recently heard a rumour that Shimano had posted a recall on their new SPD-SL cleats, but it appears it is not quite so.
Shimano Australia's Matt Bazzano told Cyclingnews "It is just a slight redesign to make the cleats easier to walk on" and not a recall at all. Matt then went on to say "But Shimano is trying to get more people to ride, not make it easier to walk".
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Carbon fibre gears all the rage
OK, so maybe not, but in an attempt to keep trials bikes as light as possible, while still keeping it competition-legal with the regulated six working rear sprockets, trials rider Matt Tongue has released the Whitehurst Carbon Fibre Sprocket kit. This allows a rider to set up their bike with one preferred sprocket, and then replace the rest with carbon fibre.
Available in 12-16 tooth sizes, they are available from whitehurstdesign.com
There is no truth to the rumour that pro-road teams were looking into the idea.
Beloki slips into Pearl Izumi
Pearl Izumi announced that their cycling footwear has been chosen by Joseba Beloki, runner up at the 2002 Tour de France and member of team Once. Beloki, along with USPS team rider Michael Barry, T-Mobile rider Dede Demet Barry and cyclocross and mountain bike racers Marc Gullickson and Todd Wells, will be using the Vaper road shoe.
"We are thrilled to have a cyclist of Joseba's calibre riding in our product, he can choose to race in any shoe in the world and the fact that he has selected Pearl Izumi's Vaper shows that our combination of lightweight and performance is the best in peloton" commented Sean Sullivan, VP of Product for Pearl Izumi.
No longer a Freeride?
The popularity of "freeride" mountainbiking has been proven with a number of riders being sponsored to just "go riding". Last month we reported that Andrew Shandro had signed to Trek to promote Trek's freeride and downhill bicycle range, and joining him are Tyler "Super T" Klassen with Santa Cruz Bicycles and Darren Barrecloth, unknown before his 3rd place finish at the Red Bull Rampage last October, on Specialized.
With events such as the Redbull Ride and Rampage gaining popularity, and sales of freeriding videos growing with every release, more and more manufacturers are starting to test the waters of non-race sponsorship
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Anne-Caro topless no longer
Newly signed Commencal rider Anne-Caroline Chausson can now keep a bit warmer with the release of the 2003 Team Commencal top that she will be wearing this season.
Chausson will be wearing it when she competes in all the major races this year including the World Cup races and the Maxi and Mega Avalanche races
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