Swiss engineers design a custom front end for Australian
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The short stem and aero bars are all one integrated carbon fiber structure on Evans' BMC TT01.(Image credit: James Huang)
BMC's Time Machine TT01 normally looks like this up front.(Image credit: James Huang)
Evans chose Continental Podium time trial-specific tubulars for today's prologue through downtown Amsterdam.(Image credit: James Huang)
BMC's latest TT01 seatpost omits the previous version's metal rail in favour of an integrated carbon structure.(Image credit: James Huang)
Easton's EC90 TT front hub uses narrowly spaced flanges and even aero-profiled end caps.(Image credit: James Huang)
An AceCo K-Edge chain watcher is mounted to the carbon fiber derailleur tab.(Image credit: James Huang)
Evans' bike is fitted with a 10-speed Campagnolo drivetrain since the company still doesn't offer 11-speed bar-end shifters.(Image credit: James Huang)
Evans' bars are so low that there's barely enough room to squeeze in the front brake - and mechanics have no choice but to use a sidepull one at that.(Image credit: James Huang)
A closer look at the bottom bracket shaping on the TT01 frame.(Image credit: James Huang)
BMC created a special front end for Cadel Evans' Time Machine TT01 to accommodate his unusually low position.(Image credit: James Huang)
Large Easton logos are applied to a Zipp rear disc.(Image credit: James Huang)
Current International Cycling Union road World Champion Cadel Evans' famously extreme time trial position hasn't always been the easiest to accommodate – not only is his base bar placed below the top tube, but the straight extensions and even the armrests are as well. In fact, it's so low that there's barely enough room to squeeze in the sidepull TRP T925 front brake caliper.
Last year, his Silence-Lotto bike sponsor, Canyon Bicycles, had to create a special version of its frame where the stem jutted out of the middle of the head tube and now his new team has had to recreate the feat. Evans' BMC TT01 goes about it in an entirely different way, however, and it likely costs much, much more.
BMC's unique TT01 fork already integrated an adjustable stem into its carbon structure but for Evans, the company produced a one-off version with an especially low stem included in the mold and also the complete aero bar assembly, too, making for what is presumably a very light and very rigid one-piece structure.
Adjustments look to be virtually nil but given that Evans' position is pretty well solidified, BMC engineers should have been fairly confident that they could build-to-suit without having to move things around much afterwards.
Other changes include an updated seatpost, which swaps out last year's alloy rail for a new carbon version.
Rounding out Evans' build were a complete Campagnolo Record group – in 10-speed, since the company still doesn't offer 11-speed bar-end shifters – an Easton EC90 TT front wheel and Zipp rear disc, Continental Podium tubulars, a Selle Italia Optima saddle with built-in bottle holder, a single Elite bottle cage and AceCo's K-Edge chain watcher.
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