The bikes of the peloton

The bikes of the peloton
sonic
boom
Writer: Marcel Wüst
Photographer: Kai Dudenhöfer
Fuji join the aero arms race with their new
Transonic. Marcel Wüst thrashes it on the
famous roads of the Belgian Classics
W
hile the German
NetApp-Endura
team were making
their Tour de France
debut this summer,
so their latest bike made its own debut
to the world. In what has now become
a tradition for manufacturers, Fuji used
the opportunity to showcase their new
model at the planet’s biggest bike race.
The team’s results were impressive,
with seventh overall for Leopold König,
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December 2014
two stage podiums and a combatif
prize. While a few climbers stuck with
the super-light Fuji Altamira – a bike
I really loved when I tested it in Majorca
for Procycling back in 2011 – the rest of
the team switched to the new Transonic
and began to enjoy the efficiency
advantages of this aero-road racer.
Since the launch of the Altamira, the
focus on aerodynamics in the peloton
has increased dramatically and the new
Transonic ensures that Fuji and their
teams will keep up. Having now tested
many aero bikes, I was looking forward
to finding out how this new entrant to
the category would compare.
Instead of Majorca, the location for
this test was Belgium and the roads of
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December 2014
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the spring Classics, in particular the truly
beautiful Ronde van Vlaanderen.
The biggest Classics are often decided
by solo riders or small groups because
these races, more than most, are adept at
separating out the very strongest. If you
were making a 40km escape then it stands
to reason that you would want a bike with
minimal aero drag as well as perfect power
transfer. We’ve already seen the traditional
alloy rims being replaced by deep-section
carbon ones and many riders now choose
aero-road helmets. How long is it going to
be until aero-road bikes break into this last
bastion of traditional looking bikes?
Even though the thought of that makes
me a little bit sad, I have to admit that the
argument for them is compelling. Fuji say
that over 40km at 300W, the Transonic is
almost a minute faster than the Altamira,
a similar saving to those claimed by other
The curved seat
tube hugs the rear
wheel to smooth
airflow onto the rim
once you’re ahead of the
bunch and alone, your
chances of staying away are
much better on the Transonic
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brands. So, once you’re ahead of the bunch
and alone, your chances of staying away are
much better on a bike like the Transonic.
As I started to cruise along the course
in the Vlaamse Ardennen (Flemish Ardennes)
I realised I should have chosen a smaller
frame than this ‘L’ size. My position was
as normal but a smaller frame would have
offered a degree more agility. This is why
you tend to see racers on bikes with much
longer stems.
My 1.1 model, the most expensive you
can buy in most countries, has Shimano
Dura-Ace Di2 along with a semi-compact
chainset that I very much appreciated on
the steep climbs of Flanders as it meant
I could keep a good cadence going. That’s
very important when you’re climbing on
cobbles, especially if they’re as tough as
the ones in Flanders, such as the infamous
Paterberg towards the end of this ride.
The road approaching this climb is
downhill, narrow and very twisty. I gave
my descent some real stick as if I had to
defend a narrow margin, trying to stay
clear of riders such as Tom Boonen and
Peter Van Petegem (who still lives on the
Ronde’s course). The bike descended like
it was on rails and I was really surprised
by the stiffness of the front end. Often I’ve
found a lack of steering accuracy can be
the undoing of an aero-road bike but the
Fuji really impresses.
In the fastest sections of this descent
I must have been doing just over 60kph
but because it’s so narrow and the roads
Specifications
Frame: Fuji Transonic 1.1
Fork: Fuji FC-330 full carbon
Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2
Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace
Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace direct mount
Chainrings: 52 /36
Cassette: 11–25
Wheels: Oval Concepts 950F
Tyres: Vittoria Open Corsa CX
Headset: FSA
Stem: Oval Concepts 913
Handlebar: Oval Concepts R910
Seatpost: Fuji Transonic Aero carbon
Saddle: Oval Concepts R900
Weight: 7.3kg (claimed)
Price: UK: £4,800, US: $6,299
www.fujibikes.com
So often I’ve found a lack of
steering accuracy to be the
undoing of an aero-road bike
but the Fuji really impresses
weren’t closed just for me, I was still going
way, way slower than the riders would be
during the Ronde…
The aerodynamic Oval wheels prove to
be a great companion at high speed, partly
because they help you to sustain that speed
but even more so because of their braking
performance. With a bit of dust on the
rim, alloy still beats carbon and I enjoyed
leaving my braking to the last moment.
All too soon I reached the bottom of
the Paterberg. Looking up it, I’d forgotten
how damn steep it is. I was able to take
quite a bit of momentum into the climb
but my out-of-the-saddle effort didn’t last
long because I lost grip on the back wheel
Marcel and the Fuji
tackle the 20 per cent
gradient of the famous
Paterberg climb
just as the gradient made its first kick by
the pretty house on the left (owned by the
farmer who built the Paterberg just so that
his beloved Ronde would pass his house).
There was no time to admire it, though,
as I was still riding as if Tommeke and Pete
were chasing me. I managed to get halfway
up at something approaching race pace;
the problem was that I had sprinted to do
it and now my body was overflowing with
lactic acid and locking up.
I decided to turn around, ride back down
the cobbles and recover before challenging
the Paterberg a second time. It was a great
feeling as the lactic acid dissipated, though
the experience left an annoying taste of
blood in my throat, just like you get after
riding a prologue flat out.
On the way back down I noticed that
the rear brake cable rattled loudly in the
top tube. Of course, that’s to be expected
over cobbles and rather than being a minus
point, it made me realise this was the
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Inside
Track
Steve Fairchild
Senior product
manager
How much faster is the Transonic?
SF: The Transonic compared to the Altamira:
118g reduction in drag averaged across yaw
from 0-20 degrees, which equates to 20.89
watts saved. At a steady 300W over a 40km
course, the Transonic is 55 seconds faster.
How often will the team use the Transonic
instead of the Altamira?
SF: We will be sponsoring a new team in 2015,
to be announced very shortly; the AltamiraTransonic balance is still being determined
but based on our experience at the Tour
de France with NetApp-Endura, our pure
climbers chose to ride the Altamira, while
the remainder of the team chose the
Transonic. All of the team rode the Altamira
on the cobbles for its compliance.
Can you give an example of a feature or
characteristic of the Transonic that arose
directly from the feedback of the team?
SF: Stiffness. Our pro riders wanted the frame
to be as stiff as possible. 1-series Transonics
are constructed of our ultra high-modulus
C10 carbon, and the frame was designed
with wider cross-sectional tubes than the
traditional airfoils to achieve maximum
stiffness along with excellent aerodynamics.
Secondly, they wanted stable steering
geometry, which we achieved by carefully
choosing the headtube angle and fork offset.
first time I’d heard it and that the internal
cables had been pleasingly quiet up until
that point on the ride.
The Transonic handled really well on the
50kph descent over rough cobbles. Shaken
but not stirred, I reached the bottom, then
turned left back along the race route I had
just come along. I followed the little road
uphill using the smallest possible gear at
a speed a granny could have ridden. When
my legs returned to normal, I did another
U-turn and this time I just cruised down
the hill and then tackled the Paterberg at
a more appropriate speed, with the chain
all the way to the left.
With 36x25 you can stay in the saddle
for the best traction and sustain a good
cadence without blowing yourself up and
this time I reached the top without ever
getting into trouble.
This isn’t where you
need an aero bike to
help you win but the
fast 40km blast to the
finish after it is
With the rear brake
in the conventional
position, Fuji added
this small fin to clean
up the airflow
With 36x25 you can stay in the
saddle for the best traction
and sustain a good cadence
without blowing yourself up
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Did you think it was important to preserve
a good degree of comfort and how did you
manage this in an aero design?
SF: Yes, we feel it’s very important to retain
some compliance in all frame designs. We
optimised the lay-up and the selection of
carbon materials to have a frame platform
that is laterally stiff and vertically compliant.
At the left turn at the top there is a bench
which I have never noticed before, so I took
a well-deserved rest overlooking this great
cycling landscape. With the Fuji Transonic
parked right by my side, I had the chance
to take a closer look at some of the details.
The first thing I noticed is that the brakes
are in the traditional locations. We have
become used to seeing manufacturers of
aero bikes placing the brakes behind the
fork and the bottom bracket to save a little
drag. However, this compromises braking
performance as well as access for set-up,
leading to something of a backlash; the
Canyon that I tested in the last issue also
wore its calipers on its sleeves. To offset
Why did you not choose to hide the brakes
out of the wind?
SF: The TTV brake hidden behind the fork is
a good choice for our TT frame but for a road
bike we didn’t like the lack of pad clearance or
braking modulation. As for why we chose not
to use a chainstay-mounted rear brake, we
listened to feedback from mechanics as well
as riders. We were one of the first to position
a direct-mount rear brake on the seatstays
instead of under the chainstays, where it’s
extremely challenging to set up and service
and impossible to adjust in a race situation.
In terms of stiffness and aerodynamics, a
chainstay-mounted brake makes sense but
from a service view, it’s illogical. We worked
directly with Shimano to modify their front
brake to mount on the seatstays, where it’s
easy to adjust. Additionally, mounting the
brake directly to the frame increases brake
stiffness and control, as it eliminates the flex
of a traditional brake-fixing bolt. In terms of
aerodynamics, the fork and seatstays are
shaped to match the brakes for optimal
airflow. We think the Transonic’s brake
positions offer the best of both worlds.
ProRides
Aero seatposts are
often unyielding
things but Fuji’s cuts
vibration usefully
A steep cobbled
climb is often hell for
an aero-road bike and
its rider but not the
Fuji Transonic
some of the extra drag, Fuji have added
a fin above the rear caliper to manage the
air coming off the back of the bike and to
prevent the caliper from being so exposed.
Another interesting detail is the chain
catcher that comes up out of the BB shell.
It’s a good idea but I’m surprised it isn’t
closer to the chain. Then again, I never
lost my chain all day despite riding the
toughest cobbles in Flanders.
The rear end can accommodate tyres up
to 28mm and this is another reason why
this bike might get a chance at the Classics
in the future. Despite the aero seat-tube
and post, the Transonic feels surprisingly
comfortable. It was fine on the cobbles,
so there’s no price to pay for the aero gains.
The Oval Concepts
cockpit pleased
Marcel… but it would
please us more if he’d
slammed it
The rear triangle is
more compliant than
most aero bikes and
Marcel found the
cobbles manageable
Despite the aero seat tube
and post, the Transonic felt
surprisingly comfortable.
It was fine on the cobbles
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As we’re now used to seeing, the cables
all disappear into the frame behind the
stem and the guides are replaceable for
electronic or mechanical shifting.
The front of the seatpost has a rougher
surface, meaning less pressure is required
on the post through the internal clamp.
It didn’t slip during my day on the cobbles;
not so long ago team mechanics had to fit
a second clamp for the spring Classics. The
Oval Concepts cockpit is pleasing, too: it’s
light, stiff and comfortable on the hands.
Getting off the bench was no easy task
because sitting enjoying the sun is another
favourite hobby of mine but eventually
I climbed back on the bike and rode on
to Ronse. Now quite tired, I was going
too slow to benefit from the Transonic’s
aerodynamics that had helped me fly along
earlier in the day but I enjoyed this stage of
the ride every bit as much!
Here is a rapid aero bike that avoids the
usual compromises. It’s comfortable for
long rides, handles with real precision on
fast descents and the brakes won’t make
you mad. It’s a great partner for a Classic
but how fast you ride it is up to you.
Ridden by…
Grand tour multi-stage winner
Marcel Wüst
Born: Cologne, Germany
6/8/1967
Residence: Frechen,
Germany; Majorca, Spain
Pro Career: 1989 — 2001
First Team: RMO
Career Highlights: 14
grand tour stage wins
1 Tour, 1 Giro, 12 Vuelta
During his career as a top sprinter Marcel
won stages in all three major tours. A bad
crash in 2000 forced early retirement.
He now works as a journalist and television
pundit, as well as running cycling camps
from his base in Majorca, Casa Ciclista.
He stays enviably fit and pushes every test
bike to its limits.