Belgian-based American rides to 11th place at 'cross Worlds
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Amy Dombroski (Telenet-Fidea) is hoping this Ridley X-Fire will carry her to a medal in the elite women's race at the 2013 UCI cyclocross world championship.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Somehow it only seemed fitting to use one of the hotel jockeys as a prop (and notice the wall of bourbon in the background). Amy's a fair bit taller than this little guy, though, and she's not a southpaw.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
An AceCo K-Edge chain catcher provides a little insurance.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
As is typical for 'cross racers, Amy Dombroski (Telenet-Fidea) is using SRAM's more open PG-1070 cassette instead of the standard Red version.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
SRM SRAM S975 carbon cranks are fitted with thick Thorne aluminum chainrings.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Given the stout, tapered steerer and the short head tube length, it's unlikely Amy Dombroski (Telenet-Fidea) has to worry much about brake shudder.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Team mechanics have to keep track of a lot of wheels so it helps to have riders' names on them.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Zipp 303 carbon tubulars are wrapped with Clement tires - the new multi-conditions MXP out back and the more aggressive PDX up front.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The SRM PowerControl 7 computer is resting for now but it won't be come Saturday.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The all-aluminum cockpit features a Zipp Service Course CSL handlebar and Ridley's own 4ZA Cirrus Pro stem.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Amy Dombroski (Telenet-Fidea) is using SRAM's previous-generation Red DoubleTap levers.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The SRAM Red DoubleTap levers are mounted high on Zipp Service Course CSL bars.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
The PF30 bottom bracket shell is filled with adapters for the threaded cups.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Full-length housing is run internally to both protect the lines from contamination and to leave tube surfaces clean.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Ridley builds the back end of Amy Dombroski's (Telenet-Fidea) X-Fire with stout wishbone-style stays.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Amy Dombroski (Telenet-Fidea) may be an American but being on European and based in Belgium, she's using the more traditional cantilever brakes instead of discs.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Amy Dombroski (Telenet-Fidea) plants herself atop a Selle San Marco Regale saddle with Xsilite rails.(Image credit: Jonny Irick)
Amy Dombroski may only be 1.55m (5' 1") but she packs a big punch and was one of the United States' hopes at a medal during Saturday's elite cyclocross world championship race. Though raised in Vermont and technically a resident of Boulder, Colorado, Dombroski bases herself in Belgium during the season and is part of the prestigious Telenet-Fidea squad. Not surprisingly, then, her machine of choice is the workhorse Ridley X-Fire.
Ridley is one of just a handful of companies offering high-end 'cross framesets in a very wide size range and Dombroski is on the company's smallest option with a 41cm seat tube (center-to-center) and 502mm (virtual) top tube. Thanks to an impressively stubby 90mm head tube, Dombroski is still able to achieve a reasonable 53mm of drop, too, for a perfectly proportional fit.
While the smaller dimensions could yield a truly ultralight setup, Dombroski's X-Fire is built with a similarly workhorse mix of parts for what should be an ultra-durable – but still light – setup. SRAM provides the bulk of the spec sheet with a previous-generation Red group (including a steel-caged front derailleur), PG-1070 cassette for mud shedding, Zipp's outstanding 303 carbon tubular wheels, an aluminum Zipp handlebar, and a SRM SRAM S975 power meter.
In keeping with typical European 'cross racer tendencies, Dombroski's X-Fire is also built with traditional Avid Shorty Ultimate cantilevers instead of the disc brakes that are already becoming widely adopted stateside. However, they're set in the narrower stance option for more power instead of the wider format that's more prevalent in Europe.
Another nod to the reliability angle is the addition of an AceCo K-Edge Cross Double XL chain catcher, whose stout, adjustable aluminum plate is mounted to a machined clamp just below the front derailleur. Chances of dropping a chain are slim-to-none here – at least to the inside.
Dombroski has long been supported by Donn Kellogg, who once handled operations for Challenge in the US but is now the face of Clement. Fittingly, she's running Clement rubber front and rear here in the form of the company's latest multi-conditions MXP rear tubular paired to a more aggressive PDX up front. Conditions in Louisville have been wildly variable and especially with the change in timetable, we'll have to wait and see what she uses on race day.
Rounding out the build kit is a Selle San Marco Regale saddle, Crankbrothers Eggbeater 4Ti pedals, FSA's Orbit Z-CX headset with built-in cable hanger, SRAM SuperCork tape, SRM PowerControl 7 computer, and an aluminum stem and seatpost from Ridley house brand 4ZA.
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Complete weight as pictured is 7.75kg (17.09lb).
Frame: Ridley X-Fire, 41cm Fork: 4ZA Oryx Headset: FSA Orbit Z-CX, 1 1/8-to-1 1/2" tapered Stem: 4ZA Cirrus Pro, 90mm x -7° Handlebars: Zipp Service Course CSL, 42cm (c-c) Tape/grips: SRAM SuperCork Front brake: Avid Shorty Ultimate, narrow profile, w/ Zipp Tangente Platinum Pro Evo carbon-specific pads Rear brake: Avid Shorty Ultimate, narrow profile, w/ Zipp Tangente Platinum Pro Evo carbon-specific pads Brake levers: SRAM Red DoubleTap Front derailleur: SRAM Red w/ steel cage Rear derailleur: SRAM Red Shift levers: SRAM Red DoubleTap Cassette: SRAM PG-1070, 12-27T Chain: SRAM PC-1091 Crankset: SRM SRAM S975, 170mm, w/ 44/39T Thorne chainrings Bottom bracket: SRAM GXP w/ PF30 adapters Pedals: Crankbrothers Eggbeater 4Ti Wheelset: Zipp 303 tubular Front tire: Clement PDX tubular, 33mm Rear tire: Clement MXP tubular, 33mm Saddle: Selle San Marco Regale w/ Xsilite rails Seat post: 4ZA Cirrus Bottle cages: n/a Computer: SRM PowerControl 7 Other accessories: AceCo K-Edge Cross Double XL chain catcher
