Shortened cranks, Laser-etched Aeolus XXX wheels complete the Madone package
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Trek-Segafredo's John Degenkolb has custom new Aeolus XXX wheels for his Trek Madone, but he is riding a special Madone for the Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The rest of the team has Trek's standard race red scheme on the modified Madones(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Madone brakes are easily adjustable for width and toe in - a novelty for aero calipers(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Madone has an ultra-clean front end, with all cables tucked inside(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Trek integrates the Garmin holder, but the mechanics use good, old-fashioned electrical tape to tidy up the satellite shifters(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Madone bar has an integrated Garmin holder(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
On his regular bike, Degenkolb uses 172.5 cranks, but 170mm on his cobbles bike(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Shimano doesn't endorse mixing rings, but the bike shifts fine(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
On his regular bike, Degenkolb uses 54/39 rings(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The wheels match Degenkolb's Chasin' Aces bike paint scheme(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
What Bontrager calls its Laser Control Track has a bit of texture for more friction with the brake pads(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Bontrager just launched Aeolus XXX wheels, which have a laser-etched brake track, and, for Degenkolb, laser-etched custom graphics(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
This is the bike Degenkolb will race at the Tour of Flanders, which has a standard handlebar but also shorter cranks and a Shimano power meter(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Degenkolb's Dura-Ace power meter has the standard 53/39 rings(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Many of Degenkolb's teammates have a similar Madone-with-standard handlebar steup. Here the team rides a very serious recon on the Kwaremont(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Madone has an integrated chain catcher(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Degenkolb's race bike shows its share of wear and tear(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
The Shimano meter charges with a magnetic cable underneath the plastic cover nestled into the spider(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Degenkolb has 28mm Vittoria tubulars for Flanders, and 30mm tubies for Paris-Roubaix, which he won in 2015(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Sprint shifters peek through the tape(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Sprint shifters are tucked under the tape in four places - two on the tops and two in the standard spot in the drops(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Although not as cleanly integrated as the integrated bar/stem, the front end is still tidy (Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Instead of the integrated Madone bar/stem, Degenkolb and many of his teammates prefer the compliance and round-bar grip of an IsoCore bar for the cobbles(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
After testing on the cobbles last winter with Trek and geobioMized, Degenkolb opted for shorter cranks just for the cobbles(Image credit: Ben Delaney/Immediate Media)
Former Paris-Roubaix winner John Degenkolb is lining up for the Tour of Flanders on a custom bike that has been modified in a few unusual ways. Laser-etched graphics on brand new wheels, and cranks shortened after gebioMized testing on the cobbles highlight the uniqueness of his Trek Madone.
geobioMized on the cobbles
Trek-Segafredo technical director Matt Shriver worked with German biometric company geobioMized to test a variety of product and positions with his riders over the winter, measuring pressure on their saddles and under their feet. Riding on pavement and cobbles, the team tested various types of frames, handlebars, wheels and positions.
On his regular bike, Degenkolb uses 172.5 cranks, but 170mm on his cobbles bike
One takeaway for Degenkolb was a shift from 172.5mm cranks to 170mm cranks for the cobbled classics.
"Degenkolb tends to shift his pelvis and close off the hip angle, and [the geobioMized testing] showed a drop in power and less stability," Shriver said. "So a shorter crank allowed him to keep his pelvis open and power stable. Pressure data correlated to his feedback. He stays on 172.5mm for other races."
Two bikes are pictured here. One, with the custom wheels and integrated bar, is the bike Degenkolb will race most of the year, Shriver said. The other, with the standard bar, is what Degenkolb will race on Sunday at the Tour of Flanders. (He will race yet another bike, a Trek Domane, for Paris-Roubaix, which he won in 2015.)
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This is the bike Degenkolb will race at the Tour of Flanders, which has a standard handlebar but also shorter cranks and a Shimano power meter
Sometimes, aero isn't everything
Trek engineers spent considerable time and effort integrating the front end of the bike, tucking all cables inside the integrated bar/stem in the pursuit of lowering drag. But sometimes, aero isn't everything. For the Tour of Flanders, Degenkolb and many of this teammates will use standard handlebars because they are more comfortable.
Degenkolb is using a Bontrager XXX IsoCore bar, with sprint shifters on the tops and in the drops.
Instead of the integrated Madone bar/stem, Degenkolb and many of his teammates prefer the compliance and round-bar grip of an IsoCore bar for the cobbles
"We spent time over the winter testing all the wheels, and all the bars with John and Jasper [Stuyven] on the cobbles," Shriver said. "That bar was the winner. There is an aero penalty for sure, and it is a little bit heavier, but they felt the compliance was worth it."
Also, it's easier to grab the tops on a traditional round bar, compared to a thin and flat aero bar.
Although not as cleanly integrated as the integrated bar/stem, the front end is still tidy
But for wheels, aero is an advantage
Bontrager just launched its new Aeolus XXX carbon wheels in 27, 46 and 60mm depths. Degenkolb will most likely race the 60mm XXX 6 wheels Sunday. While the cobbled hellingen feature prominently in the Tour of Flanders, it is still a 250km race with lots of smooth asphalt and high speeds. So, for wheels, aero it is.
Bontrager just launched Aeolus XXX wheels, which have a laser-etched brake track, and, for Degenkolb, laser-etched custom graphics
Bontrager has a new laser-etched brake track for the Aeolus XXX. To show off the new technology, Bontrager laser'ed up a pair of XXX 6s with custom graphics for Degenkolb. He, Trek and Bontrager are all hoping that Sunday will come up aces for Trek-Bontrager at the Tour of Flanders.
Click through the gallery above for a closer look at two of Degenkolb's bikes.
Many of Degenkolb's teammates have a similar Madone-with-standard handlebar setup. Here the team rides a very serious recon on the Kwaremont
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