2013 UCI WorldTour leader Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) will race at the Giro d'Italia on this custom painted Canyon Aeroad CF(Image credit: James Huang)
Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070 derailleurs front and rear(Image credit: James Huang)
The Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 cranks roll on a CeramicSpeed bottom bracket(Image credit: James Huang)
A pair of Elite fiberglass cages take care of bottle duties(Image credit: James Huang)
These tires are marked as Mavics but are more likely made by Hutchinson. The wheels are proper Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimates, though(Image credit: James Huang)
A standard SRM PowerControl 7 computer for Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha)(Image credit: James Huang)
'Purito' uses a 100mm-long Ritchey WCS 4-Axis stem(Image credit: James Huang)
A bit of tape is wrapped around the valve stem to keep it from rattling(Image credit: James Huang)
The hourglass-profile head tube surrounds a 1 1/8-to-1 1/4in steerer(Image credit: James Huang)
Just a couple of strips of electrical tape are used to secure the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 wire to the brake housing(Image credit: James Huang)
The big chain stays provide plenty of room for sponsor placement(Image credit: James Huang)
(Image credit: James Huang)
Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) usually trains with an SRM power meter (as evidenced by the magnet glued to the chain stay) but will apparently go without on race dy(Image credit: James Huang)
And don't you forget it!(Image credit: James Huang)
Black, white, and red are heavily overused colors in the bicycle industry these days but somehow this combination manages to look fresh. Sponsor names are tastefully applied to the stays while up front, the custom paint scheme carries over to the inside of the fork legs as well(Image credit: James Huang)
Selle Italia gets into the game as well with custom saddle graphics. Note the years printed on the nose, too(Image credit: James Huang)
Joaquim Rodriguez's (Katusha) Selle Italia SLR saddle isn't just custom in terms of aesthetics, either. The standard SLR is offered with cutout and non-cutout shapes but not with a full-length channel like this(Image credit: James Huang)
Classic-bend bars are wrapped with grippy Ritchey tape(Image credit: James Huang)
Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) is more of a climber than a sprinter so the supplemental Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 buttons that are normally used on the drops are instead mounted up top(Image credit: James Huang)
An all-aluminum cockpit for 'Purito'(Image credit: James Huang)
Canyon builds the Aeroad CF aero road frame with a uniquely shaped bottom bracket(Image credit: James Huang)
The standard Canyon Aeroad CF seatpost clamp is replaced with this team-only edition that features an integrated number plate holder(Image credit: James Huang)
Teams often mark their wheels so that they're easier to retrieve in case a rider has to use one from neutral support during a race(Image credit: James Huang)
While the stays are quite tall, they're quite narrow when viewed head-on(Image credit: James Huang)
Only a small handful of riders can rightfully lay claim to saying they're "number one" and Katusha captain Joaquim Rodriguez has more right than most. The Spanish climbing specialist has stood atop the UCI WorldTour rankings in 2010, 2012, and 2013 and given the custom paint job provided to him by Canyon, he wants everyone to know.
Canyon team liaison Andreas Walzer says that 'Purito' picked out the paint scheme himself, which follows the general graphical pattern of stock Aeroad CF frames but with a gloss white base coat, red logos, and giant red 'NO. 1 IN THE WORLD' lettering across the top tube – in two languages, no less. Similar graphics are splashed across the inside of the fork blades, too.
Selle Italia gets into the custom game as well with not only special graphics on the SLR Monolink saddle but also a custom shape, too. While regular SLR Monolink saddles are offered in cutout and non-cutout forms, Rodriguez gets a non-cutout version with a deep channel running the from tip to tail to relieve pressure. To go along with this, Canyon provides a special Monolink-compatible seatpost that uses a standard VCLS Aero carbon shaft but bonded to a custom machined aluminum head.
Otherwise, Rodriguez is on a standard Aeroad CF frame in Canyon extra-small size. Aero tube shapes are used in several areas of the chassis – most notably in the head tube, down tube, and fork blades – and according to Canyon, the general design goal was to minimize the bike's frontal area. As compared to the company's more structurally efficient Ultimate CF SLX model, the Aeroad CF is certainly much narrower in profile along with a more compact rear triangle, a dramatically hourglass-profile head tube surrounding a downsized (for Canyon, that is) 1 1/8-to-1 1/4in steerer, and a more neatly integrated seatpost clamp that in this case also serves double duty as a number plate holder.
One might wonder why a climbing specialist like Rodriguez chooses the Aeroad CF when the Ultimate CF SLX chassis is several hundred grams lighter, not to mention stiffer in both the drivetrain and in torsion. However, like many of the world's best climbers, Rodriguez stands a modest 1.69m (5ft 6.5in) tall and his XS-size bike barely meets UCI minimum weight requirements with a standard Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070 group, Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate wheels, and an alloy Ritchey cockpit installed.
In fact, we measured the bike to be slightly below the limit at 6.79kg with the computer head installed.
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Given that, there's little reason not to give himself a bit of an aero edge – however slight – and with three podium finishes in his last four Grand Tours plus a strong field at this year's Giro d'Italia, 'Purito' will want any advantage he can get.
Complete bike specifications
Frame: Canyon Aeroad CF, size XS Fork: Canyon Aeroblade SL Headset: Acros, 1 1/8-to-1 1/4in tapered Stem: Ritchey WCS 4-Axis, 100mm x -6° Handlebar: Ritchey WCS Classic, 40cm (c-c) Tape: Ritchey Logic EVA Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000 w/ carbon-specific pads Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace BR-9000 w/ carbon-specific pads Brake levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-9070 Front derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 FD-9070 Rear derailleur: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 RD-9070 Shift levers: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 STI Dual Control ST-9070 w/ SW-R610 shifters mounted on bar tops Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-9000, 11-25T Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-9000 Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace FC-9000, 170mm, 53/39T Bottom bracket: CeramicSpeed BB86 Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace SPD-SL PD-90000 Wheelset: Mavic Cosmic Carbone Ultimate Front tire: 'Mavic Yksion Grip Link' tubulars, 22mm (likely made by Hutchinson) Rear tire: 'Mavic Yksion Grip Link' tubulars, 22mm (likely made by Hutchinson) Saddle: Custom Selle Italia SLR Monolink Seatpost: Custom Monolink-compatible by Canyon Bottle cages: Elite Custom Race (2) Other accessories: SRM PowerControl 7 computer
Critical measurements
Rider's height: 1.69m (5ft 6.5in) Rider's weight: 58kg (129lb) Saddle height from BB, c-t: 690mm Saddle setback: 55mm Seat tube length (c-t): 489mm Seat tube length (c-c): 450mm Tip of saddle nose to center of bars (next to stem): 520mm Saddle-to-bar drop: 93mm Head tube length: 109mm Top tube length (effective): 527mm Weight: 6.79kg (14.97lb, with computer and cages)
