Jonny Clarke's Boardman SLR 9.8T elite at the Tour of Britain(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Chris King sealed bearing front hub, radially spoked(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Arundel carbon bottle cage(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Wishbone seat stays(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The shaping on seat and chain stays is entirely functional. The rear wheel features a Chris King hub and two cross spoking.(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Head tube entry points for the internal cabling(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Showing the underside of the large square down tube(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Maxxis Cormet One70 clincher tyres and ENVE 3.4 rims(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The triangular profile to the top tube(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Internal cables exit through this tiny opening in front of the bottom bracket(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
SRAM Red rear mech and swept up seat stay(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
SRAM Force front mech, and the cable's exit from the frame is visible(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Dainty, almost sculpted fork and head tube(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Ritchey WCS handlebar and stem(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Ritchey WCS stem(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Ritchey WCS seat post and saddle(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
SRAM Red chainset(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Custom engraved K-edge chain watcher with the team name(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
Front brake with Swisstop Flash Pro pads and Maxxis Cormet One70 clincher tyres(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The whole team uses blue Speedplay pedals(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The beefy bottom bracket cluster makes the most of the BB30 unit(Image credit: Robin Wilmott)
The American UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling team has racked up 21 wins this season, all on Boardman bikes. The UCI Professional Continental squad was racing in this year's Tour of Britain where we caught up with Australian Jonny Clarke, whose job is to support Robert Förster in bunch sprints.
A fast, punchy rider, Clarke says he chose the Boardman SLR (super light road) rather than the AiR (aero road) frame because he prefers a conventional seat post with some give in the seat mast, particularly for the early season Belgian races. The team are split almost equally by their choice of frames and appreciate the options available.
The SLR frame is dominated by the drainpipe-style square down tube, which maintains a uniform diameter, but still creates a hugely deep head tube area. From here, the triangular top tube extends to the round seat tube, from which a wishbone seat stay morphs in to stays flattened on the inside to assist airflow. A large BB30 bottom bracket and oversized deep box section chain stays, which are a constant size until stepping down abruptly before the dropout, are very purposeful. All cables are routed internally, and are almost fully protected by an internal sleeve within the tubes, although mechanic Jorge still says cable fitting can be a challenge.
Enve 3.4 rims on Chris King hubs
The SLR fork is quite different to that on the AiR, being slimmer with a pronounced ridge to improve stiffness, but still sharing the tapered steerer. UHC are in their second season using ENVE wheels with Chris King sealed hubs, and remain very happy with them. The hubs are very low maintenance and adjustable from one side, which pleases the mechanics.
Unusually, UHC ride on clincher tyres, favouring 23c Maxxis Cormet One70 tyres for most events, and occasionally the 25c Columbiere tyres for the rougher Belgian races. Jonny Clarke says that in wet corners the Maxxis Cormets are the best tyres he’s ever used, and he’d choose them above any tubular tyre any day of the week. It seems the rest of the team agree, and when the tyres are also quick in the dry, even wearing and durable, it’s hard to question the choice.
Ritchey WCS stem and bar
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Ritchey supply a full WCS finishing kit of stem, bars, seat post and even a saddle with titanium rails. SRAM Red takes care of the drive train and brakes, although Clarke’s bike has a Force front mech, which was a personal choice. Yellow Swisstop Flash Pro carbon specific pads are fitted to keep the ENVE 3.4 wheels under control, the team all use Speedplay pedals, and Arundel carbon bottle cages. A nice touch is the blue engraved K-edge chain watcher fitted, as it has the team name etched along it, which is a task in itself.
With a listed frame weight of 895g for a medium frame, the Boardman SLR will always be a light machine, and with no real attempt to shave further grams, Clarke’s bike weighs 7kg, including pedals. UHC are making the next step in 2012 with a European base and increased programme of European races, and fittingly have a young British bike company, also trying to make a name for themselves, along for the ride.
Frame: Boardman SLR 9.8T Elite, size 48.5cm (XS) Fork: Boardman SLR specific carbon tapered steerer Headset: Ritchey integrated, 1 1/8 upper to 1 3/8in lower bearing Stem: Ritchey WCS 130mm -6 degrees Handlebars: Ritchey WCS Classic, 42cm (c-c) Tape/grips: SRAM Front brake: SRAM Red with yellow Swisstop Flash Pro pads Rear brake: SRAM Red with yellow Swisstop Flash Pro pads Brake levers: SRAM Red Double Tap Front derailleur: SRAM Force Rear derailleur: SRAM Red Shift levers: SRAM Red Double Tap Cassette: SRAM Red DG 1090, 11-26t Chain: SRAM PC 1091 Crankset: SRAM Red 53/39, 172.5mm Bottom bracket: SRAM BB30 Pedals: Speedplay Wheelset: ENVE 3.4 45mm section carbon clinchers with Chris King orange anodised hubs Front tyre: Maxxis Cormet One70 700x23c clincher Rear tyre: Maxxis Cormet One70 700x23c clincher Saddle: Ritchey WCS titanium Seat post: Ritchey WCS alloy Bottle cages: Arundel carbon Other accessories: K-Edge chain watcher engraved with team name, Gore Ride On cables
Critical measurements
Rider's height: 1.78m/5ft 10in Rider's weight: 70.3kg/155lb Saddle height, from BB (c-t): 720mm Saddle setback: 74mm Seat tube length, c-t: 490mm Seat tube length, c-c: 435mm Tip of saddle nose to C of bars (next to stem): 566mm Saddle-to-bar drop (vertical): 105mm Head tube length: 125mm Top tube length: 520mm actual Total bicycle weight: 7.00kg (15.43lb)
