Masters Racing

 

 

1.38 width bars

2. 44 width bars

3. 155 mm cranks

4. 172 mm cranks

5. High volume fans and crisp towels 

6. Over shoes, and lobster gloves

7. 3d printed Temu saddles 

8. Titanium railed Selle Italia’s

9. 28mm 70 psi

10. 23mm 110 psi

11. Zipper less jersey

12 full zip

13. Zwift racing 75 riders before dinner 

14. Driving two plus hours to race 18 people 

15.40 mm wheels

16. 80 mm 

Etc..Etc..Etc..

Now n Zen

 

 

 You can purchase a lactate test to complete at home nowadays - 

should we be abandoning FTP tests in favour of a more scientific approach?

Is the classic 'FTP test' still the best way to set your training zones?

The classic ‘FTP test’ has long been the gold standard method of determining the power a cyclist can sustain for one hour - their Functional Threshold Power (FTP) - which is then used to determine their training zones during structured sessions. This is not only a great barometer of fitness, but can be carried out for free in the comfort of your own home. Knowing your FTP allows you to ensure you’re training intervals in the correct zones - hard enough to progress, not so hard they’re achievable - and track your progress.

The 2010 test concocted by Andy Coggan and Hunter Alan has riders complete a 20-minute all-out effort, before multiplying the resulting number by 0.95%. Other means of testing have since arisen: the ramp test, and the 2 x 8 minute. They all have one thing in common: the rider goes as hard as they can for a given period of time, and their success determines the number at the end.

But, is there another way?

At-home lactate threshold tests are becoming increasingly popular among amateur athletes. They can be purchased for as little as £70 but standard models usually start at around £200. It’s usually recommended that you start off with a test in a lab - that’ll set you back around £150 – but then you can track future fitness adjustments at home. These tests are arguably more scientific and less open to being influenced by the rider’s familiarity with the test, because they look at your fitness levels and arrive at numbers based on blood samples. There is no ambiguity here – a lactate threshold test takes an objective view of your cycling performance. But are they accessible enough to replace traditional methods? I headed to a lab to find out.

Lactate tests: the basics

Lactate builds up in muscles during exercise, and a lactate threshold test records the amount accumulated throughout an effort. The test can either be carried out in lab conditions or at home. The rider begins pedalling at a fairly comfortable pace, and the power required is increased in increments, usually every three minutes or so. A blood sample from a pin-prick on your finger or earlobe is taken at the end of each power interval. The test usually finishes when the rider is producing a power figure just above their FTP.

The tests looks for two significant inflection points: Lactate Threshold 1 - or, aerobic threshold - at around 2mmo/l, and Lactate Threshold 2 - anaerobic threshold - at around 4mmol/l; the latter is thought to be around 95% of your FTP.

You can buy these tests to carry out at home, where you’ll take the lactate samples yourself. However, an initial test in a lab environment is a good idea as a sports scientist will be able to guide you through the process and help identify the inflection points and take blood samples. After that, you can take these learnings and do it yourself, as most riders want to keep an eye on their FTP and its progression, adjusting the figure over time as they (hopefully) become fitter.

Trying a lactate test

Keen to put the theory to the test, I located a laboratory, told them I was on a quest to find my true – physiologically precise – training zones and booked myself in for an hour that would result in blood, sweat and -not quite - tears (but they weren't far off).

Precision Fuel and Hydration welcomed me into their lab where a Wahoo Kicker Bike was set up opposite a big screen TV with a display bursting with metrics. Dr Sam Shepherd would be overseeing the test today and I couldn’t help but notice he was wearing surgical gloves.

Firstly things first, a baseline reading was taken. I was told anything around 0.9 - 1.2 was normal at rest and as usual my mediocrity shone through and a lactate level of 1.1mmol/l was recorded. The test started at 120 watts and rose in increments of 30 watts every three minutes with a blood sample being taken at the end of each interval. It took a while for the readings to settle into a linear pattern with the first few samples increasing and decreasing, but once I’d warmed up and my legs were turning the pedals fluidly, the pattern became more uniform and I settled in for what was ultimately a test to failure.

The first notable uptick in lactate production came at 18 minutes in. With a heart rate of 139 and a power reading of 270 watts/3w/kg, there was now 2mmol/l of lactate in my blood, and this combination indicated my true ‘zone 2’ - a state of fairly easy endurance pedalling. Interestingly, the figure was slightly higher than I'd previously thought based on traditional training zones, so, the learning means that my endurance rides may become a little more taxing in future.

Then came the painful part. With fatigue already present and the power increasing every three minutes, the next lactate spike Dr Shepherd looked out for was around the 4mmol/l mark. Unlike true zone two which is more or less physiologically imperceptible, it becomes very apparent when you’ve reached lactate threshold 2. The inability to shuttle lactate between muscles produces a hydrogen iron build up and discomfort sets in. For my harder rides then, intervals of around 343 watts or a heart rate of 162 were specified by the test – this is a number that’s largely recognised as 5% below FTP. Given that my FTP is 260 watts, the figure is pretty much bang on at 4.9% lower, and means my harder intervals will be ridden at around the middle of the traditional 'zone four' band.

Are lactate tests worth the outlay?

Lactate testing is a means of truly determining your fitness levels. Where variables such as muscle fatigue, sleep, temperature and time of day could potentially affect the outcome of an FTP test, a lactate monitor will always remain objective and give you a highly accurate snapshot of your current aerobic and anaerobic ability. That's why I'd recommend this style of testing over the traditional FTP test: the numbers you'll be given will be based upon physiological data that isn't open to the same influences.

Is it worth buying a monitor yourself? I would say certainly – if you’re a serious cyclist who wants to know the precise heart rate and power at which you should be pedalling on easy and hard days, it’s a no brainer. Spending time at your ‘true’ Zone 2 - or Lactate Threshold 1 - is the most efficient means of building endurance, and likewise spending time at Lactate Threshold 2 is a highly productive way of raising your high-end power. I was surprised to find that my Lactate Threshold 1 - 'true zone 2' - was higher than expected, taking my endurance rides up a notch, and having a reliable figure for those harder Lactate Threshold 2 efforts means I can prescribe tough sessions, accurately.

There is certainly still very much a place for FTP tests, but if you really want to study your performance at a more enhanced level, regular lactate testing can’t be beaten.

 'Anxiety can make you feel stuck and isolated': Demi Vollering reveals mental health struggles during Tour de France Femmes

Dutch rider says she 'hit a breaking point' during last year's race due to being 'weighed down by pressure'

Demi Vollering has opened up on her struggles with mental health during last year’s Tour de France Femmes and says she battled with anxiety on the penultimate stage due to Le Grand Bornand due to being "weighed down by pressure".

Vollering was one of the hot favourites for victory in last year’s race but was involved in a crash on stage five which left her with a fractured tailbone. She also lost the leader’s yellow jersey to the eventual race winner, Kasia Niewiadoma, and found herself more than a minute down in the general classification.

Vollering revealed in a social media post that the pressure she felt going into the final two stages of the race was too much to cope with at times. However, despite winning the final stage to Alpe d’Huez, the comeback didn’t materialise and Niewiadoma beat her to overall victory by four seconds.

Nevertheless, the 28-year-old revealed that simply finishing the stage at Le Grand Bornand was a triumph in itself given her personal anguish on the road.

"This was one of the toughest days of my career," Vollering wrote. "Physically, I was still recovering from a crash earlier in the week. Mentally, I was weighed down by pressure—from the media, my team, my loved ones, and from myself. Everyone kept asking how I was feeling, and while I tried to stay positive, inside I was scared and uncertain.

"During the race, I hit a breaking point. It’s hard to describe what it felt like, but anxiety took over, and my thoughts spiralled. I couldn’t focus. I felt like I was letting everyone down. For the first time, I couldn’t just pedal through it alone."

She continued: "Even though I couldn’t fully explain what I was feeling, just saying ‘I’m not okay’ helped ease the weight I was carrying. Mischa didn’t try to fix it or brush it off; she simply stayed with me, reminding me that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed and that I wasn’t alone.

"That day, I realized how important it is to talk about what we’re going through. Anxiety can make you feel stuck and isolated, but sharing your feelings—even when it’s hard—can be the first step toward relief.

"Looking back, I realize this was one of my biggest wins—not just because I finished 3rd, but because I overcame one of the hardest moments I’ve faced. For me, this might have been my most meaningful personal victory in the entire Tour de France Femmes."

Vollering explained that later that day she got her period which complicated the experience further.

"Hormones can amplify emotions, and with the pressure I was already feeling, it was a lot to handle,” she said. “ It’s a reminder that our bodies and minds are deeply connected, and sometimes, things are just beyond our control."

"I’m sharing this because I know many, especially young people, carry the weight of expectations and pressure. It’s not easy to talk about these things, but the more we do, the more we can break down the stigma around mental health," she added.

"We’re all human. We all face battles. And no matter how big or small they seem, they matter."

The Dutchwoman moved to FDJ Suez in one of the most talked about transfers of the cycling off-season and is likely to lead her new team at the Tour de France Femmes this year. The 28-year-old also shared three pieces of advice "to anyone struggling with anxiety or pressure".

"If you can, talk to someone you trust. Even a small conversation can make a difference," Vollering said. "Be kind to yourself. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed, and you don’t need to have it all figured out. Remember, it’s not about fixing everything at once—it’s about taking small steps forward, at your own pace."

 

 

 

 Amateur cyclist rides a staggering 55,555km in one year 

Kateřina Rusá's previous record for distance covered in a year was 50,505km

For many amateur cyclists, the sign of a good year of riding might be a total of 5,000km, or 10,000km if you’re really serious. But that’s nothing for Czech cyclist Kateřina Rusá, who rode a staggering 55,555km in 2024, according to Strava. 

The endurance athlete broke her previous record from 2023 of 50,505km by cycling for an average of 6 hours and 39 minutes and covering over 150km per day. This was completed while Rusá worked full-time as an editor at an online magazine. 

Rusá is also said to have cycled every day without interruption since March 2016, clocking up 3,238 consecutive days in the saddle – and counting. 

As you might imagine from someone who works full-time, Rusá is said to cover the greatest distances at the weekend. Her personal record for one ride is 675km.

While she has been cycling every day for close to a decade, Rusá began cycling 14 years ago. Rusá got into cycling after suffering from knee pain when playing competitive volleyball. 

Born in 1984, Rusá holds a degree in economics and is a three-time Czech champion in Scrabble. 

Now she is an ambassador for Czech cycling brand Festka and she currently rides the brand’s Spectre road bike. Billed as an all-round race bike, Festka says the Spectre is the stiffest bike in its line-up, which might come as a surprising choice, especially when ultra-endurance athletes tend to pick more forgiving

However, the bike choice doesn’t seem to have stopped Rusá from clocking up the miles and covering a distance approximately 15,000km greater than the world’s circumference.

It’s also a distance significantly greater than that covered by ultra-endurance athletes. On Lael Wilcox’s round-the-world record last year, the American covered 29,169km, albeit in 108 days. 

The distance is also greater than professional cyclists cover. Jiří Ježek, a former Czech professional cyclist and six-time Paralympic champion, says: “For me, those are respectable numbers. During my racing career, the most kilometres I've ridden was in 2013, just over 38,000 kilometres, so I can estimate how much time and effort Kateřina must devote to cycling”. 

The gap between men and women is closing over ultra-distance racing, with some attributing this to women’s physiological attributes or mental fortitude. 

Explaining her own approach to cycling, Rusá says: “I have it so set in my life that I don't even think about whether I'm going to ride a bike. I just know I'm going to go, and I just choose the right machine and clothes based on the view out the window and the radar.”

And while setting ambitions can be a valuable training tactic, Rusá avoids making any firm commitments. 

“I don't set specific goals at the beginning of the year as a rule, I never know what the new year will bring. Of course, somewhere in my subconscious there is a desire to surpass the previous years, but it's not my style to say in January that I'm going to do 60,000 kilometres this year,” she says. 

“I usually don't pick a nice number I want to hit at the end of the year until November or so. And so, this year the choice fell on 55,555.”

Rusá faced tough conditions towards the end of the year and became focused solely on hitting her goal. “In the last two weeks I ‘needed’ to cover a little over 2,500 kilometres, which would have been no problem in good weather. 

“But the freezing fogs didn't give me much motivation and practically forced me to ride only within Prague, so I wouldn't get flattened anywhere. I admit that in those days I really cared about mileage. It was about pushing my limits to a nice number.” 

And while setting ambitions can be a valuable training tactic, Rusá avoids making any firm commitments. 

“I don't set specific goals at the beginning of the year as a rule, I never know what the new year will bring. Of course, somewhere in my subconscious there is a desire to surpass the previous years, but it's not my style to say in January that I'm going to do 60,000 kilometres this year,” she says. 

“I usually don't pick a nice number I want to hit at the end of the year until November or so. And so, this year the choice fell on 55,555.”

Rusá faced tough conditions towards the end of the year and became focused solely on hitting her goal. “In the last two weeks I ‘needed’ to cover a little over 2,500 kilometres, which would have been no problem in good weather. 

“But the freezing fogs didn't give me much motivation and practically forced me to ride only within Prague, so I wouldn't get flattened anywhere. I admit that in those days I really cared about mileage. It was about pushing my limits to a nice number.” 

 

 

 

 

 KFC

 Kim Sonier dominating the women’s downhill race scene in 1994

 She would win the U.S. National Downhill title in ‘92, ‘93, and ‘94, as well as taking the UCI World Cup overall title in 1994, making her and @missythemisslegiove the only American women to take the overall title in World Cup Downhill

 Crowning the Volcano: Phil Gaimon Sets New KOM on Hawaii’s Haleakala Climb

On Monday, January 27, Phil Gaimon set a new KOM on the Haleakala climb on the island of Maui.Gaimon ousted Drake Deuel from the top of the Strava leaderboard by just 28 seconds, riding the segment entitled “Haleakala – World’s Longest Paved Climb” in 2:23:36.

The segment, which is used to crown the ‘king and queen’ of the Hawaiian volcano, measures 34.16 miles with 9,689 feet of climbing and an average grade of 5.8 percent.

Kate Courtney holds the queen of the mountain record with a time of 2:59:13, set last year.

Climbing Humble Haleakala

Going for a record on Haleakala is as much as a logistical feat as it is a physical challenge.

Maui’s winter weather, while tropically delightful for visitors from the mainland, is also quite variable with seasonal spells of heavy rain and high winds.

Furthermore, when climbing Haleakala from sea level in the town of Pāʻia to the summit at 10,023, riders pass through four distinct climate zones on the climb. For those attempting a record, timing is everything.

Gaimon landed on Maui on January 23 and studied the weather forecast before choosing the day for his attempt. While he had mostly impeccable conditions for the climb, he ran into wind near the volcano’s summit.

“I was three minutes up [on Deuel’s record] going into the last five miles, but then hit a terrible headwind,” Gaimon said. “I thought I was going to get it by three or four minutes. I was sprinting the last mile just to get the KOM at all.”

In addition to weather variables, KOM/QOM hunters can’t do the ride alone. The Haleakala summit — and part of the climb — sit within Haleakala National Park, so there is a ranger station and fee booth that everyone must stop at to enter.

Gaimon had a support crew consisting of his wife Emily, as well as cycling YouTuber Mitch Boyer’s wife. The women had bottles and fuel for Gaimon, and also paid for his entry to the park so he didn’t have to stop.

There was only one hiccup, when the women, who were also supporting Boyer as he climbed the road behind Gaimon, made a wrong turn.

“Mitch missed a turn, and then they got lost,” Gaimon said. “I didn’t see them for a long time and was out of water for about 30 minutes.”

Gaimon also optimized his gear for the ride, even wearing “a dorky skinsuit and everything,” he said.

Gaimon rode a Factor O2 VAM road bike, the same older rim-brake version he used for his Mauna Kea KOM. His setup prioritized weight savings, with Shimano Dura-Ace C24 tubular wheels and 24c tires—an “old-school setup” that he said was perfect for Haleakala’s consistent 5-6 percent grade

He fueled with First Endurance caffeine gels and high-carb drink mix, noting that racing’s current high-carb trend suits him well

 — “I’m so glad sugar is back in.”

Haleakala vs. Mauna Kea: Two Volcanoes, Two Stories

Haleakala wasn’t Gaimon’s first KOM in the state of Hawaii.

While it was his first trip to Maui, the retired pro and YouTuber has climbed over 27,000 feet on the neighboring island of Hawai’i, where he twice set the KOM on the Mauna Kea climb. He set the current record of 4:52:55 on Mauna Kea last winter.

Both Haleakala and Mauna Kea are shield volcanos, characterized by their broad domed shape and gently sloping sides, but Gaimon says the similarities stop there.

Not only is Mauna Kea, widely regarded as one of the toughest climbs in the world, taller than Haleakala at 13,803, but it’s also more complicated — both logistically and politically. For both of those reasons, Gaimon cautions even the most adventurous cyclists to think twice about riding to its summit.

“Mauna Kea is significantly harder,” Gaimon said. “It’s steep, loose, and unsafe to ride down by yourself. It’s also politically complicated. There’s important science being done there, and it’s sacred to the natives. I always tell people, ‘don’t do it.’ That was my takeaway from that effort.”

But Haleakala, Gaimon said, offers a completely different experience.

“You have to be a little crazy, but it’s a great challenge,” he said. “There’s a race to the top every year, and people are used to cyclists. You just pay the park pass, and you’re good to go. It’s a great challenge and not that risky.”

Why Does Gaimon Keep Climbing Volcanoes?

For Gaimon, who retired from the pro peloton in 2016, these record-breaking efforts are about more than chasing watts or leaderboard glory. They’re an extension of his unique approach to creating cycling content, blending humor, travel, and feats of endurance.

Gaimon said that when he does travel somewhere to attempt a KOM, he wants the trip to be about more than the ride.

“This climb had been on my list forever,” Gaimon said. “But Hawaii is far, it’s hard, and I wanted to do it right — spend a week, find the best day for it, bring [my wife] Emily, and make a video.”

Gaimon’s YouTube channel, which has 140,000 subscribers, chronicles adventures like Haleakala under the series name “Worst Retirement Ever.” Despite the fact that he can sometimes get into the weeds about numbers and data, Gaimon says that he really wants people to get a sense of where he’s riding.

“I want my channel to feel like a travel show with a feat of strength on the side,” he said.

That said, there’s no question that the leaderboard glory is the carrot dangling in front of Gaimon as he plans his adventures. He still trains with the focus of a pro, but with the specificity required for setting KOMs.

Before leaving for Maui, Gaimon’s coach Frank Overton calculated that he’d need to average 340 watts for the climb, so Gaimon spent weeks in Malibu honing his pacing.

“I did a lot of endurance for this one, which is what I’d do at this time of year anyway, and tried to hit that number on every climb in Malibu,” he said.

Gaimon’s training paid off despite the uncontrollable variable of a headwind. He also fulfilled his mission of achieving not just a KOM but coupling the “feat of strength” with a full-value trip to Maui. He and Emily got to ride together, marvel at whales off the side of a boat, and celebrate his 39th birthday with a rest day on the lanai

Turning oneself inside out for an arbitrary record may not seem like everyone’s dream trip to Hawaii, but for Gaimon, it’s the best way to experience both worlds.

“It’s my kind of fun. I love having something to train for and emptying the tank, all that kind of stuff,” he said. “After I finished my ride, I drove back down and did the last five miles with Mitch. That’s when I really looked around and enjoyed it.”

 

 

SRAM Patent for Chainring-Integrated AXS Front Derailleur Hints at Shifting Revolution to Come

  SRAM about to revolutionize shifting again? The juggernaut drivetrain manufacturer has just been granted a patent on a chainring-coupled front shift mechanism that could improve aerodynamics of 2x equipped bikes, and allow for wild new frame designs.

SRAM has been granted a patent on an all-new front shift mechanism for a 2x drivetrain that integrates the derailment mechanism into the crankset itself. First covered by myself and Cory Benson at Bikerumor, this chainring-integrated derailleur is wireless and electronic, powered by what looks to be an AXS battery on the chainring itself (194).

The most obvious advantage: it makes front derailleur mounts redundant, housing everything needed to shift the chain between the two chainrings on the chainset.

Now, I am no aerodynamics specialist, but I will float the idea that such an arrangement stands to be far more aero-efficient, taking away a key area on the frame that could be causing undesirable air turbulence, and thus, drag.

This isn’t SRAM’s first foray into a 2x system that doesn’t require a front derailleur – some of you may remember Truvativ Hammerschmidt, a two-speed mountain bike crankset that launched back in 2008. What we have here is conceptually similar, but the execution is very different. While the Hammerschmidt was a sealed system, with only one chainring exposed to the elements, this one is not. The fact that SRAM show it on a full suspension mountain bike is, I think, for a laugh. You’ll understand when you see the number of moving parts on this thing.

Patent Granted: SRAM Chainring-Coupled Wireless Front Derailleur

SRAM filed this patent way back in 2019. Patents are always a bit pie in the sky, and no guarantee that the product is actually even under development, never mind destined to land on the market for you to purchase any time soon. Sometimes, patents are filed for the hell of it, or at least to prevent a competitor taking the idea, or aspects of it, and using it themselves. 

What I’m saying is: don’t get too excited.

But also, SRAM have actually been granted this particular patent (as of January 8th), which may or may not mean it is more likely to come to fruition. So, let’s get excited and run away with ourselves for a wee minute.

The Mechanism

I will keep this brief, because bicycle technology can be dry at the best of times, especially when it only exists in the hypothetical realm.

For downshift (big to small), there are two hinging paddles (320) that protrude beyond the chainring teeth. One can imagine that, as the rotation of the crankset guides the top section of chain into the chainring, the shift paddle rotates inboard to push the chain inboard until it falls off the teeth of the big chainring, and onto the teeth of the smaller one – guided by the pegs of the upshift apparatus. For each revolution of the crankset, there are thus two opportunities for shifting the chain down to the smaller ring. 

For upshift (small to big), the mechanism is a little more intricate. The upshift apparatus consists of a series of guide pegs that are positioned between the two chainrings. Each consecutive guide peg is positioned radially further away from the center of rotation. To relocate the chain from the small ring to the big one, the upshift apparatus moves into the plane of the smaller ring, such that the pegs slot into the troughs between each tooth of the chainring. 

As the chainset pulls the top length of chain through to meet the chainring, instead of engaging with new teeth, the chain is instead lifted upwards by the pegs of the shift apparatus, guiding the chain toward the teeth of the big ring. Per revolution of the crankset, there is only one opportunity provided for the upshift. 

Why?

Grand job and all, but why would SRAM go to the effort of creating this intricate solution to a problem that, arguably, doesn’t really exist? 

Well, aside from the small improvement in aero-efficiency that this compact shift mechanism may afford, the SRAM patent outlines a few other advantages.

Firstly, not all frame designs actually have a traditional seat tube for the mounting of a traditional front derailleur. Exhibit A: The Rondo Ruut 2.0. This wild-looking gravel bike diverts the seat tube forward such that, instead of meeting the bottom bracket cluster directly, it extends forward to meet the downtube, creating a strut-like frame member that Rondo claim improves compliance, behaving like a leaf-spring. Now is not the time to debate that, but as you can see, you’d not get a traditional front derailleur on that bike. It is 1x only. For now, of course.

The crux of it: integrating the shifting into the chainset takes away that constraint on frame designers, allowing them the freedom to be creative with tube shapes in this area. The Rondo is a fine example of that, as is the Specialized Sirrus.

Another advantage would be the scope for increased tire clearance. An example: the SRAM Force eTap AXS Wide group is a 2x affair, with a traditional, albeit wireless, front derailleur that houses the AXS battery aft of the mechanism, where it is positioned awfully close to the bicycle’s rear tire. Re-positioning the mechanism and battery onto the chainset gets everything well out of the way, allowing more space for the high volume tires that more an more gravel riders (and road riders) are coming to appreciate. 

Food for Thought

First, for anyone freaking out about having to replace their front shift mechanism every time they wear out a chainring: stop. The system is modular, so you should theoretically be able to swap a chainring independently of the shifting apparatus. However, it might not be so easy to swap out chainring sizes. It sems that, at the very least, the upshift apparatus (with the guide pegs) would be specific to chainring size, and it’s unclear how SRAM would solve that particular problem.

Second, this system will likely be slower to shift than current drivetrains with a traditional seat-tube mounted front derailleur – especially in an upshift scenario. Upshift is only possible once per revolution of the chainring here, so that’s a possible drawback, or limitation at least.

Thirdly, the fact that this mechanism can never be fully sealed is unsettling to me. The chain will constantly be feeding dirt and debris into the mechanism with each turn of the pedals. For that reason, I can’t see SRAM implementing it for anything other than road cycling – which is where any aerodynamic advantage would be most appreciated.

My penultimate point: this system could, theoretically, improve the accuracy of shifts. With the mechanism integrated with the chainrings, there is reduced scope for misalignments. Current drivetrains rely upon the frame to be a member of the shifting apparatus, as it determines the positioning of the front derailleur.

Finally, I think the most interesting implication of this design is how it removes an important design constraint for frame manufacturers. Engineers no longer need to consider the positioning of a seat tube for the mounting of the front derailleur, leaving them free to experiment with hitherto unseen frame shapes, which could have big implications especially for aero-leaning road bikes, triathlon, and time trial bikes. 

 

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