Details and special construction of Swiss hour-record attempt machine
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The Australian gave the bike its first public viewing through the Instagram channel of bike shop Meesterknecht - Cyclecity Amsterdam (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The finished bar and stem setup aboard one of Dennis' two bikes for his attempt (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The new sprocket places the chain 6mm further outboard than a standard sprocket. Note the custom lock ring that sits in its own recess (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
From the block beneath to the finished sprocket on top (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
In order to ensure a perfect chain line with the Shimano road crank being used, the R&D Lab created a selection of custom sprockets from a single block of alloy (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The inverted fork, stem and bar combo receiving a clear lacquer coat (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
After the first stage ofcarbon wrapping is completed (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Rohan Dennis' hour record attempt bike alongside a stock TR01 showing the difference between the standard adjustable stem and Rohan's custom built one-piece integrated model (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
BMC's Impec Advanced R&D Lab took 3T's Brezza Nano track bar, combined it with an adapted stem and the fork and wrapped it in carbon to add strength (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The BMC team, rightly proud of their creation (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The BMC TrackMachine TR01 of Rohan Dennis - complete with custom-moulded front end and stiffness increases (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The TrackMachine TR01 was designed to overcome the head-on drag of velodrome environments (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Stiffness increases mean Dennis shouldn't lose power through flex at the standing start (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
There's some nice motivational detailing on the basebar (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The 3T Brezza II Nano LTD bar set-up has been custom-moulded to the hinge fork in Dennis' perfect aero position (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Custom track cogs were created so Dennis could stick with his SRM equipped Dura-Ace road crankset (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Here's a sneaky shot that first confirmed Dennis' bike as a BMC TrackMachine TR01 (Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
BMC has released full details of Rohan Dennis' customised BMC TrackMachine TR01 bike, which the Australian rider will use for his 8 February hour record attempt.
Despite BMC's claim that the TrackMachine TR01, designed and developed for the Swiss National Track Team, is the most advanced track-specific bike in the world, Dennis' TR01 has been modified at BMC’s Impec Advanced R&D lab to improve its aerodynamics and stiffness.
BMC Switzerland head of product, Stefan Christ, said: "Rohan is a superb athlete and it is our duty to match his athletic capabilities with a bike of that same caliber. Some minor modifications to influence the aerodynamics and stiffness have been made to Rohan’s Trackmachine TR01. We felt these were necessary to ensure that Rohan’s bike is optimised to take on this highly specific challenge."
In a bid for marginal gains, the BMC Impec Advanced R&D lab engineers took an off-the-peg TrackMachine TR01 and upgraded it with a custom-moulded cockpit following the fine tuning of Dennis' position at a training camp in Spain before Christmas 2014.
Using the data from that fitting, the BMC engineers mated the TrackMachine 01 hinge fork and p2p stem to a 3T Brezza II Nano LTD aerobar set-up using advanced composites.
Dennis is using a Shimano Dura-Ace crankset with an SRM power meter rather than the stock bike's track cranks, with BMC's engineers creating a perfect chainline for the road cranket via specially designed and milled custom-spaced track cogs.
The regular TrackMachine TR01 was designed for optimum aerodynamics within a velodrome, taking advantage of the constant zero-degree yaw wind and lack of crosswind interference. Highlights of the 'SubA' aero design include an integrated hinge fork, 3:1 teardrop truncated tube shapes and flow disrupting 'tripwire' technology.
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The p2p (position to perform) triangle concept stem allows this aero advantage to be utilised in harmony with varying rider position. The stock bike also weighs just 6.45kg, which BMC has had to increase to 6.8kg to meet UCI regulations.
The saddle is a Fizik Arione R3 (the brand sponsors Team BMC) while Dennis' SRM head unit is show as being fitted on the back of the seatpost – the preferred position for many track riders, who ride on feel and pacing rather than staring at wattages.
Specs
Frame: 2015 Trackmachine TR01, p2p x subA, full carbon, replaceable alloy dropouts Fork: 2015 Trackmachine TR01, subA, full carbon hinge, custom integrated stem / bar Crank: Shimano 9000 175mm, 53-56T, SRM-equipped Chain: Shimano 9000 Dura-Ace (3/32”) Cog: Impec Advanced R&D Lab custom machined 13 / 14t Bar: 3T Brezza II Nano LTD, HM carbon, 30cm Seat: Fizik Arione R3 braided Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 Tyres: Continental Tempo 19mm, 15.5 bar
