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Shimano Di2 – time trial
We are speaking about electronic groupsets since years, it seems they should be for sale in 2010. They are only about road groupsets but Shimano has some ideas in mind for time trial
bikes… The shifting buttons are placed both at the standard shifters place, but as well at the standard brakes place, which should be very useful when standing on the bike !
Have a look at it :
Look 2009
The first 2009 Look frames have been unveiled some days ago in Nice Ironman.
They are still very special, both for the aerodynamic and the look (no joke here!), but as well for the comfort. Indeed, the newest seatpost E-Post equipping the the entire range, is drawn
to absorb the road vibrations through three elastomer of different stiffness.
A new promising crankset sees the light of day, we will tell you more in the lines below.
The 596 Triathlon high range triathlon frame is probably the most « bling-bling » frame: the line of its superior tube is « broken », and every tubes are quite large. Each single
component of this machine has been patented, the number of news being very high. The frame has been designed in Magny Court windtunnel. The fork is not the kind of component you can switch
easily, on the 596, it has been developed with the frame and definitely integrated to reduce further the drag: from the front the frame is almost entirely hidden behind the fork. Look
claims the drag coefficient is reduced of 10% from a 496, which was not the slowest bike either… However the stiffness will be down to a lower standard.
Look worked on the ZED crankset, which is said to be much better than its direct competitors, to know Zipp with the VumaQuad, or Shimano with the Dura-Ace, a
reference in term of stiffness.
This crankset is made out of a single piece of carbon and is designed to fit perfectly and easily the 596 triathlon frame.
It seems like there are 10 chainring bolts instead of 4 or 5 for normal cranksets. The chainrings certainly will only be available at Look.
The price of the complete 596 Triathlon frame is 4999 euros, or 4000 euros without the crankset. It’s as the crankset would be 1000 euros… you thought your THM Clavicula was
expensive?
We can’t wait to be at the salons in some weeks to really comment this component
About the 576, which is a second frameset designed for triathlon (seat tube angle is 78°), the stiffness has been the goal thanks to a very high modulus carbon, and the aerodynamic,
through very aero tubes. The frame is about 1100g acording to the manufacturer.
The 595 Pro Team will be used by the team Crédit Agricole during this Tour de France 2008.
The 586 Pro Team is more about road racing but it will be suitable for triathlon too. It is the lightest monobloc frame of the french manufacturer with only 940g. A new system for
the steering tube will make easier the disassembling without tool. It should sound good for people taking train or flights regularly! This frame will be used by some racers at the Crédit
Agricole during the Tour de France.
Finally the 496 remains the stiffest monobloc frame from Look. It will receive a newest red and black dress. Retail price will be about 3000 euros for the frame set..
Every products should be available at the fall.
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