Caja-Rural rider gets an ultra-light climbing bike
Image 1 of 21
David Arroyo's Fuji SL(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
…and it's lighter than the Dura Ace option. Note the race number bracket(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Despite running fairly new-school Oval rims, Caja Rural has yet to jump on the 25mm tyre bandwagon(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Oval 900 rear hub, and a Dura Ace 11-28 cassette - the closest thing to a bailout gear a pro needs(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Oval 900 front hub(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
There's not much valve to grab onto here, but that's unlikely to be a problem when you're using the mechanics' compressor to inflate your tyres(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Fuji's house component brand Oval sources its rims from Reynolds, so the blue pads are a natural choice(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Elite bottle cages are a pro staple(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
The Prologo Scratch Pro TR sits atop an Oval 950 carbon seatpost(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
The R979 EQ is TRP's top of the line brake…(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Fuji went to great lengths to source colour-matched components, including this uber-cool KMC chain and Jagwire cable outers(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Xpedo's Thrust NXS pedals are an affordable Look alternative(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
A -17 degree (estimated) slammed stem gets the front end as low as possible, along with reasonably deep drops(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
While some of the team bikes have aluminium finishing kit to bring the weight up, Arroyo's has Oval 710 carbon bars(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
At least one of Arroyo's bikes had an out-front Garmin mount, but this is the standard item, seeming stuck in place with a bit of tape(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Stylish, colour-matched Prologo bar tape(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Some of the team use Rotor's Q-Rings, but Arroyo seems to prefer the more conventional NoQ.(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
With such a light frame, there's no penalty to fitting a power meter. This is Rotor's 3D+ INpower unit(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Although the new SL has a built-in chain-catcher mount, some of the riders are using a Rotor unit to match their cranks(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
The underside of that chunky PF30 bottom bracket shell. With electronic groupsets, that cable guide can be replaced with a smooth cover(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
Very pro. Note, the extra clamp to mark the seatpost insertion depth(Image credit: Matthew Allen/Immediate Media)
The Vuelta a España is heating up, with tired Tour de France contenders attempting to put the hurt on one another once again, and smaller teams vying for attention from the cameras. Pro Continental outfit Caja Rural-Seguros RGA is one of five wildcard entries to the race, and their leader on the road is David Arroyo.
35 year old Arroyo is a veteran of many Grand Tours, with career highlights including a spell in pink during the 2010 Giro d'Italia which led to a second place finish overall, and a stage win in the 2008 Vuelta. Caja Rural likely lacks the firepower to support a podium bid this year, but there's plenty of scope for targeting individual stages, and the team has already been visible in breakaways.
Arroyo is one of four members of Caja Rural racing on the newly launched Fuji SL. The build is a fairly straightforward one with nothing too outlandish, but there's quite a mixture of components on show, with only the shifters, derailleurs and cassette coming from the Shimano Dura-Ace groupset. Fuji has clearly put some effort into the aesthetics, with custom colour-matching of the cable outers and chain, and we think you'll agree that the results look rather good.
The most interesting thing about this build is the weight. According to Caja Rural's mechanics, the bike is just 6.65kg as pictured, too light to be race legal. (Bikes must weigh 6.8kg or more under UCI regulations.) When we shot the bike, they were discussing the best approach to adding weight – it's a funny old world.
Frame: Fuji SL C15 carbon, 52cm Stem: Oval 713 alloy 110mm, -17 degree Handlebar: Oval 710 carbon, 41cm c-c Front brake: TRP 979 EQ, Reynolds blue pads Rear brake: TRP 979 EQ, Reynolds blue pads Shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace 11-speed Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace 11-speed w/Rotor chain catcher Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace 11-speed Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace 11-28 Chain: custom green KMC X11 DLC Crankset: Rotor 3D+ with INpower power meter, 53/38 NoQ chainrings Bottom bracket: Rotor PF30 Pedals: Xpedo Thrust NXS Wheelset: Oval 932 carbon tubular Tyres: Vittoria Corsa CX 23mm tubular Saddle: Prologo Scratch Pro TR Seatpost: Oval 950 carbon 27.2mm Bottle cages: Elite Custom Race Other accessories: Standard Garmin mount, race number bracket
Critical measurements Rider's height: 1.70m (5ft 7in) Rider's weight: 60kg Saddle height from BB, c-t: 72cm Seat tube length: 48cm Top tube length: 53cm Saddle-to-bar drop: 13cm (approx) Total bike weight: 6.65kg (before addition of weights)
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
