Marcel Kittel’s 2014 race rig - the Giant Propel Advanced SL(Image credit: David Rome)
Vittoria supply its Corsa Evo CX tyres in a 25mm width(Image credit: David Rome)
Kittel's PRO Vibe stem isn't the same as the one PRO advertise. This one features a four-bolt face plate and fits Giant's oversized 1 1/4in steerer tube(Image credit: David Rome)
The Di2 wiring enters the frame from just behind the head tube(Image credit: David Rome)
The Elite Cuissi Gel cages are an old classic and a reliable choice for secure bidon holding(Image credit: David Rome)
Kittel uses sprint shifters on the drops in addition to his standard 9070 shifters(Image credit: David Rome)
One item that isn't available on the aftermarket Propel - mini-V brakes from small Swiss company Fouriers(Image credit: David Rome)
With a new team name – Giant-Shimano – there are few surprises in the component spec(Image credit: David Rome)
An integrated seatpost continues the aero shapes straight to the PRO Turnix saddle(Image credit: David Rome)
Like so many of the pro peloton, Kittel uses an SRM to track his power output(Image credit: David Rome)
Kittel races with an SRM Power Control 7 head unit(Image credit: David Rome)
Now on a new bike under a new team name, Kittel kicked off his 2014 season with a convincing win at the People’s Choice Criterium, an opening event to the Santos Tour Down Under.
Kittel rides Giant’s top-end aero road frame – the Propel Advanced SL. We first took a look at this frame just over a year ago, at the 2013 Santos Tour Down Under, and little has changed since. The streamline frame still boasts market leading aerodynamics with competitive weight and stiffness.
Standing at 6ft 2in tall, Kittel rides a large frame size – different from the trend for downsizing in frames we’ve seen recently among sprinters, including Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel. Even with this size, Kittel uses a lengthy 140mm stem and has a generous 105mm saddle to bar drop.
A powerful sprinter, Kittel uses an uncharacteristically large 11-28T cassette. His mechanics told BikeRadar that this allows him to use easier gears without having to always go to the edge of the cassette, therefore reducing chain crossing and the chance of other issues.
The drag-reducing mini-V brakes are interesting, tucked behind the forks and seatstays. Instead of Giant’s own SLR brakes, which are featured on aftermarket bikes, Kittel’s bike has small Swiss-brand Fouriers. These mini-V brakes appear to be machined aluminum and offer the usual V-brake adjustment, but there are no details on the company’s website.
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PRO, Shimano’s in-house componentry brand, unsurprisingly sponsors team Giant-Shimano. While there are multiple WorldTour teams on PRO components, Giant-Shimano are the only team using its saddles, and Kittel chooses the Turnix Carbon. With technology and research from Shimano’s latest acquisition – bikefitting.com – expect big changes to come from this brand over the next year.
The PRO Vibe stem also caught our attention – with a four-bolt face plate and 1 1/4in steerer clamp. We saw this last year on Mark Renshaw’s Giant, but it's still not available for aftermarket purchase.
Kittel continues the trend of the top riders choosing slightly wider rubber, opting for a 25mm width Vittoria Corsa Evo CX.
The rest of the build is fairly standard Shimano Dura-Ace 9070 Di2 with internal battery, sprint shifters and matching SRM crankset.
Complete bike specifications
Frame: Giant Propel Advanced SL – size Large (57.5) Fork: Giant Propel Advanced SL – OverDrive 2 Headset: 1 1/4 to 1 1/2in internal Stem: PRO Vibe, 140mm x -10 degrees, 1 1/4in (possible prototype) Handlebar: PRO Vibe Compact, round 42cm (c-c) Tape: PRO PU-SL Front brake: Fouriers mini-V Rear brake: Fouriers mini-V 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 + SW-R610 sprint (on drops) Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CS-9000, 11-28T Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-9000 Crankset: SRM Shimano 11-speed, 175mm, 53/39T Bottom bracket: Shimano BB-71 press-fit Pedals: Shimano 9000 Dura-ace Wheelset: Shimano Dura-ace C50 tubular Front tyre: Vittoria Corsa Evo CX 25mm – 120PSI Rear tyre: Vittoria Corsa Evo CX 25mm – 120PSI Saddle: PRO Turnix Carbon Seatpost: Giant ISP Bottle cages: Elite Cuissi Gel (2) Computer: SRM Power Control 7 (Not pictured)
Critical measurements
Rider's height: 1.88m (6ft 2in) Rider's weight: 82kg (181lb) Saddle height from BB, c-t: 802mm Saddle setback: 80mm Seat tube length (c-c): 600mm Tip of saddle to center of bar: 636mm Saddle-to-bar drop: 105mm Head tube length: 185mm Top tube length (effective): 585mm Total bicycle weight: 7.26kg (15.97lb) excluding SRM computer
