We reckon our race bike will be one of the most eye-catching in the peloton. And here’s our guide to the 2018 build.
FRAME, BARS & STEM
Our riders have been given the choice of the latest Aeroad and Ultimate framesets from title-sponsor Canyon, each customised with a stylish black-and-white glossy finish.
Most of the team have opted for the Aeroad frame, which as the name suggests is the more aerodynamic of the German brand’s models.
Meanwhile, the Ultimate is the go-to machine of the climber, so you can expect to see Max Stedman aboard this beauty when the road rises.
A choice between Canyon’s aerocockpit and the more traditional H17 bar and V13 stem set-up was also on offer to the squad. However, every rider chose the former as they all opted for aero gains.
Depending upon their size and bike position, the riders then selected a stem length from 90mm to 130mm and bar width between 390mm and 430mm.
GROUPSET
Last season the team ran Shimano Dura Ace mechanical groupsets. This term Rotor chainsets, complete with power meters, will be coupled with Ultegra Di2.
As you can imagine, crank length varies throughout the squad. There’s new recruit Alex Paton at the top end on 175mm and 6ft 4in track star Andy Tennant at the most popular 170mm, right down to Stedman at 165mm.
BAR TAPE & BOTTLE CAGES
The bar tape and bottle cages are 3T, while the team will once again ride Speedplay pedals during the 2018 campaign.
SADDLE
Fabric were announced as the team’s new saddle supplier on Wednesday. And they have been in discussion with the squad on finding the right fit for each rider.
The Scoop is the most popular range with our troops but the riders are split evenly on the flat and shallow models.
Meanwhile, a handful of the squad have opted for the Line range, which features a full-length pressure relief channel.
WHEELS & TYRES
Hoops and boots complete the stunning build. Our exciting partnership with Hunt continues after the riders were delighted with their wheels last season.
The 50Carbon Wide Aero will be the go-to option for the team, fitted with tubeless Padrone tyres from another key partner, Maxxis.
Hunt will also supply Tim Elverson’s troops with their new 36Carbon Wide Aero wheels, which are the ultimate climbing companion.
Only released this season, they already boast a UCI triumph after Stedman soared to glory in China’s Tour of Quanzhou Bay on a prototype set in December.
The 3650Carbon Wide Aero will offer the best of both worlds, while the team will retain tubular options in the shape of the 45Carbon Wide and 5580Carbon Wide.
Hunt are also making their Sprint Aero Wide alloy wheels, in the eye-catching high-polished silver finish, available to the squad for training and racing.
As revealed last month, the team will switch from the traditional tubular set-up to tubeless for the majority of races in 2018, with Maxxis once again providing their Padrone 28c tyres.
If this bike is half as fast as it looks, we have a thrilling season ahead of us.
