This is the bike Tom Pidcock rode to his first British elite men’s cyclocross title at Kent’s Cyclopark earlier this month.
To be more specific, this is the bike on which Pidcock, 19, started his medal-winning ride. His TP Racing team whisked away the one he crossed the line on, probably because it was fitted with the as-yet-unlaunched 12-speed SRAM Red eTap 1x groupset. According to the mechanics, the bike had “prototype bits” on it that couldn’t be photographed.
>>> CeramicSpeed launches off-road pulley system for cross and gravel bikes
Pidcock’s custom paintjob celebrates his Under-23 European Championship win: on January 13, he was awarded the British under-23 title in addition to the elite crown.
The conditions around the Cyclopark lap were very mixed. Pidcock started on the Challenge Chicane tyres fitted to this bike, which have a file tread in the centre for straight-line speed and knobbles at the shoulder for cornering and climbing. He used a relatively low pressure for extra grip.
However, noticing that riders were puncturing on the rocks and stones that were starting to protrude through the mud, he ran a grippier Grifo tyre with a high pressure when he changed to the eTap bike. It was a tactic that paid dividends: he crossed the line over a minute clear.
Nikki Brammeier won the elite women's title on the same day, also riding a Specialized S-Works Crux.
Spec
Tyres: Pidcock started on Challenge Chicane Pro tubular tyres on Vision wheels, withthe ‘Seta Extra’ legend on the sidewall indicating that these top-quality handmade tyres have a silk casing.
Ceramic bearings: Although Pidcock’s groupset and FSA/Vision finishing kit were all bog-standard components, all the steel bearings in the bike had been upgraded to super-smooth, lighter CeramicSpeed ones.
Chainset: Pidcock ran a 44-tooth chainring on this SRAM Force 1 chainset. He was climbing in a high gear, though making it look very easy, and the numbers added up: he was lapping the fastest of any rider all weekend. The pedals are top-of-the-range Ritchey WCS XC with a polish satin Ti finish.
Paintjob marks the birth of a new cycling star.
Ceramic bearings cut friction to the bare minimum.
SRAM Force 1 chainset with 44-tooth chainring.
Challenge Chicane Pro tubs are the silk-casing variety.
Simon Smythe is Cycling Weekly's senior tech writer and has been in various roles at CW since 2003. His first job was as a sub editor on the magazine following an MA in online journalism (yes, it was just after the dot-com bubble burst).
In his cycling career Simon has mostly focused on time trialling with a national medal, a few open wins and his club's 30-mile record in his palmares. These days he spends a bit more time testing road bikes, or on a tandem doing the school run with his younger son.
What's in the stable? There's a Colnago Master Olympic, a Hotta TT700, an ex-Castorama lo-pro that was ridden in the 1993 Tour de France, a Pinarello Montello, an Independent Fabrication Club Racer, a Shorter fixed winter bike and a renovated Roberts with a modern Campag groupset.
And the vital statistics:
Age: 52
Height: 178cm
Weight: 69kg
-
-
Accidental figurehead: Clay Davies, the only openly gay male elite rider in the UK
Alex Ballinger talks to him about why he came out and how he’s finding life in the spotlight
By Alex Ballinger •
-
From stage four cancer to getting back on the bike, with a little help from Lachlan Morton
Confounding doctors’ expectations, Chris Riley is back on his bike and savouring every moment, more than a year on from a devastating diagnosis
By David Bradford •
-
US cyclocross racer Katie Compton banned for four years after positive test
The American tested positive for an anabolic steroid in an out of competition test
By Tim Bonville-Ginn •
-
Cyclocross World Championships organiser quits over Arkansas anti-transgender laws
The organisers of the 2022 Cyclocross World Championships has resigned over anti-trans legislation in the host state Arkansas.
By Alex Ballinger •
-
Mathieu van der Poel on the sadness of winning in the coronavirus era
While Van der Poel is subdued by the lack of fanfare that met his third rainbow jersey in a row, things like preparing for the Tour de France with a mountain bike training camp will keep him hungry
By Jonny Long •
-
Wout van Aert 'broke mentally' after puncture cost him chance to thwart Van der Poel rainbow jersey run
The Belgian says he's disappointed that he couldn't recover from the puncture that allowed Van der Poel to catch and pass him
By Jonny Long •
-
Tom Pidcock 'disappointed' with fourth at Cyclocross Worlds but happy to bide time
The Brit rues missing the podium after battling hard for bronze
By Jonny Long •
-
Mathieu van der Poel beats Wout van Aert to take third straight Cyclocross World Championships title
Despite an early fall, the Dutchman's rainbow jersey streak prevailed as Van Aert punctured
By Jonny Long •
-
Can Tom Pidcock trouble Van der Poel and Van Aert at the Cyclocross World Champs?
The young Brit is seen as the only challenger capable of breaking the six-year reign of the Dutch and Belgian duo
By Jonny Long •
-
Lucinda Brand takes Cyclocross World title as Worst falls in final
Britain's Evie Richards finished seventh, a minute behind Brand
By Jonny Long •
