Helmets, saddles, powermeters and more on show at Tour Down Under
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Last month Shimano said it was providing powermeters but all of Sky's bikes were equipped with Stages(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Quite a few brands are jumping on short wide saddle, here's the Prologo Dimension(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
FDJ uses old t-shirts to pad their bikes in transit(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Another look at the packing techniques of FDJ(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Organized chaos, LottoNL-Jumbo is getting the bikes and equipment ready for the riders(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Vittoria tubs waiting to be glued(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Pro riders use hand pumps and saddle bags too(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
It's not often that you actually see pro riders using lights, here Nathan Haas is making sure he's fully visible out training(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Katusha wants it's riders to wear Sidi shoes, and if they don't they've gotta wear shoe covers(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
A few of the Bora-Hansgrohe riders had GoPro's on their bikes, however, the mechanics tell us it's just for training(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Another look at the Trek-Segafredo bikes at the Tour Down Under(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Lotto-Jumbo were using Pioneer meters despite being sponsored by Shimano for components, shoes, kits and sunglasses(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
LottoNL-Jumbo are on the latest Fizik saddles(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
The Aliante Open has a new shape(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
All the new Fizik saddles have plastic bumpers(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
AG2R-La Mondiale is running the Dura Ace 9000 SRM origin powermeter(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Last year Team Sunweb played a pivotal role in designing the Giant Neostrack computer. This year they are using Sigma units(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
It appears Syncros has its own version of the short, wide with a large cutout saddle(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
The LottoNL-Jumbo mechanics are very organised(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
The majority of the teams use Subaru vehicles as provided by the race but Sky are rolling in their own stickered up Fords(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Trek-Segafredo's Fumiyuki Beppu opted for a standard bar and stem on his Madone over the one-piece bar/stem combo. That means not only do the aero spacers not work, the cables also can't be routed through internally(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
And Ion lights on the front(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
The entire Trek-Segafredo team was training with the Flare R rear lights(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Lotto-Soudal has swapped from Lazer to HFC lids for 2018(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Katusha had custom red and baby blue Selle Italia saddles(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
No outlet to charge electronic drivetrains? No problem, just use a power bank(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Dimension Data had kit bags laid out for the riders and labelled which cars they'd be going into(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Both Caleb Ewan and Daryl Impey were running an older Dura-Ace R9000 SRM powermeter (Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Caleb Ewan has a custom painted one piece Syncros Bar and Stem combo(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
A few of the other riders were wearing what appears to be an Evade 2(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Being world champ, Sagan has got a custom helmet(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Peter Sagan was wearing a Specialized Evade and of course 100% sunnies (Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Katusha was wearing the new Oakley ARO5 lids(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Bora-Hansgrohe where riding a previously unseen Specialized branded powermeter(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
A few of the Dimension Data riders spotted using these carbon fibre Rotor chainrings(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Katusha is a SRAM sponsored team, but it's Canyon Aeroad bikes have direct mount brakes which SRAM doesn't make. So, the team uses these debadged Dura-Ace 9000 brakes(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Movistar had the new (as of October 2017) Aventor lids laid out for Wednesday's training ride(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
All the riders on the SLR0 Aero tubulars that the women's team were riding last year(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Team Sunweb are all riding Giant's TCR Advanced SL 0 in Adelaide, with none of the new Propel's to be seen(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Sidi is the shoe sponsor at Katusha-Alpecin(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Many of the teams are still arriving and the mechanics are busy at work trying to get riders bikes race ready(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Bora-Hansgrohe is also riding with Wahoo Elemnt Bolts for 2018(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Michelton-Scott were running the same PC8 headunits as last year(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Giant had specific race only stickers to prevent the valves from rattling(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Trek will be riding only the disc brake version of the Emonda for 2018(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Dimension Data is has ditched Fizik saddles for Astute for 2018(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Team Sky has swapped from PRO components to Pinarellos house brand Most(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
They also had a few sporting ARO3 which is said to be a bit more ventilated(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Dimension Data also had a few riders in the new Oakley ARO5(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Will Sunweb live up to their hashtag?(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
George Bennett and Craig Geater are stoked for the racing in Adelaide(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
UAE Team Emirates was sporting the MET Trenta 3k Carbon helmets(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Many of the Astana riders were wearing the new Limar Ultralight Lux. We're not sure what the red bumper in the vent is however(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
Quite a few teams including Trek-Segafredo are using Shimano's powermeter(Image credit: Colin Levitch / Immediate Media)
It's January and that means that the WorldTour descends on Adelaide for the Tour Down Under. The racing itself doesn't get underway until Sunday, and as the riders begin to trickle in as has a boatload of new gear.
WorldTour riders are obligated to wear sponsor gear from 2017 until December 31, even if they've been transferred to a new team, and the Tour Down Under is often the first time we see riders in their new kit.
We've been in the pits with our eyes peeled and cameras ready, and have spotted a few interesting bits of tech.
Based in France, HJC has been making motorsports helmets since 1971 and have three cycling lids in their catalogue. The helmet adorned by the Lotto Soudal is yet to appear on the company's website but features similar design elements to the Giro Synthe.
They also had a few sporting ARO3 which is said to be a bit more ventilated
Lotto-Soudal has swapped from Lazer to HFC lids for 2018
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A few riders from Bora-Hansgrohe are wearing a previously unseen model which appears to be an update to the Evade, with a smaller profile and snub tail which has proven to be the fastest design in the past few years.
Movistar has updated its colours for 2018 and has outfitted its TDU team with the latest Abus Aventor which was launched back in October.
Movistar had the new (as of October 2017) Aventor lids laid out for Wednesday's training ride
Saddles
It appears Syncros has its own version of the short, wide with a large cutout saddle
When it comes to seating arrangements every rider has their own preference, and this is the place where mechanics are typically forced to utilize the most magic marker to make things sponsor correct.
It seems quite a few riders are big fans of short wide saddles like the Specialized Power, with riders from FDJ sporting the new Prologo Dimension seats and Mitchelton-Scott's bikes adorned with a previously unseen Syncros saddle/.
Among Dimension Data's new sponsors for 2018, the team has partnered with Italian saddle maker Astute, known for using tri-density memory foam in its perches.
Dimension Data is has ditched Fizik saddles for Astute for 2018
LottoNL-Jumbo have swapped from San Marco to Fizik saddles for 2018 and many of the riders are on the new Arione and Antares Open which feature plastic bumpers on the edges that so often get ripped and slightly updated shapes.
Power meters
Last month Shimano said it be providing powermeters to Team Sky, however all the team bikes were equipped with Stages meters
In Decemeber, Shimano told us it would be supplying its power meters to six WorldTour teams; FDJ, BMC Racing, Trek-Segafredo, Mitchelton-Scott, Team Sunweb, and Team Sky.
Of those all but Team Sky and Mitchelton-Scott were sporting the Shimano meters, however, Sky is still running Stages powermeters on Shimano R9100 cranks and Mitchelton-Scott are running Dura-Ace R9000 SRM meters paired with PC8 computers — it does appear that Mitchelton-Scott are riding last year's bikes though as the Orica logo still appears on the fork.
Both Caleb Ewan and Daryl Impy were running an older Dura-Ace R9000 SRM powermeter
Spotted for the first time was the SRM Origin power meters paired with Shimano’s R9100 chainrings on the Bahrain-Merida bikes. Conversely, AG2R-La Mondiale are still running Dura-Ace R9000 chainrings with the same SRM meters.
Bahrain Merida riders are using blinged out SRM Origin power meters for 2018
House brand components
House brand components are have a strong showing in the WorldTour for 2018 with the Trek, Giant and Specialized sponsored teams running their own components, saddles and wheels.
Will Sunweb live up to their hashtag?
Mitchelton-Scott is running Syncros components and saddles with Shimano Dura-Ace Wheels.
Based on the Gold Coast of Australia, Colin has written tech content for cycling publication for a decade. With hundreds of buyer's guides, reviews and how-tos published in Bike Radar, Cyclingnews, Bike Perfect and Cycling Weekly, as well as in numerous publications dedicated to his other passion, skiing.
Colin was a key contributor to Cyclingnews between 2019 and 2021, during which time he helped build the site's tech coverage from the ground up. Nowadays he works full-time as the news and content editor of Flow MTB magazine.
