New Look 796 Monoblade TT bike has ultra-skinny front profile

The stem and bars too are designed to present a very low cross-section, while still providing a broad range of adjustment both to the bar height and the elbow rests and extensions. Look claims that the flat stem ensures side-to-side rigidity while providing some vertical flex to improve rider comfort. There’s a built-in support for attaching a bottle centrally between the rider’s arms.

All cables are entirely internally routed through the bars, the stem and the frame and the front brake is Look’s Aerobrake 2 which is built into the fork legs for optimal aerodynamics. The rear brake is a Shimano direct mount unit fitted under the chainstays.

>>> Look 795 Aerolight claimed to be most aero bike ever

The Aeropost seatpost too has been designed to be slippery, with a wide side profile and a narrow frontal cross-section. Its height and angle are adjustable, as is the head position on the post, which allows the fine tuning of the saddle’s forward-aft positioning. The seatpost includes an elastomer insert to aid vibration damping.

Look has also produced a new version of its Zed integrated crankset, which it claims is more aerodynamic than its predecessor while retaining an industry-leading strength:weight ratio. The Zed 3’s design allows three different effective crank lengths to be selected for a given crank. Since the Zed 3 is available in three different lengths, this provides nine possible crank lengths between 155mm and 175mm, supporting the trend for competitors to use shorter crank lengths in time trials and triathlons.

>>> Are shorter cranks better?

In common with Look’s recently launched 765 endurance race bike, the 796 Monoblade uses a mix of carbon fibre and linen in the frame’s construction, which Look claims helps to damp vibration. Look’s frame is compatible with both mechanical and electronic shifting and Look claims a weight of 1100g for a size medium frame and 350g for the fork.

The bike has already been used in the Tour de France and other races by the Look-sponsored Bretagne Seché Environnement pro continental team.