The Cycling Thread

[Rick Danger]

Cycling News.com

RadioShack team for Armstrong's final Tour Down Under announced
International squad includes Rosseler, McCartney

By: Cycling News
Published: December 16, 20:07

The Santos Tour Down Under announced today the seven-man RadioShack team which will be led by Lance Armstrong in what will likely be his final international race.

The only American joining Armstrong will be Jason McCartney on the squad. Also heading to Australia will be Belgians Sebastian Rosseler and Ben Hermans, Spaniard Markel Irizar, Portuguese Manuel Cardoso and Swiss rider Gregory Rast.

"It's good to see Team RadioShack returning to the Santos Tour Down Under for the second time since its debut in 2010," said Santos Tour Down Under Race Director, Mike Turtur.

"Armstrong will be well supported by a strong squad that has a good combination of youth and experience for his farewell ride."

Armstrong made his comeback to the sport in 2009 at the Tour Down Under, and will be on the start line for the third year in a row when the race kicks off in Adelaide on January 18. The six-stage race runs through January 23.

RadioShack for Tour Down Under: Lance Armstrong, Markel Irizar, Sebastian Rosseler, Jason McCartney, Gregory Rast, Ben Hermans, Manuel Cardoso. DS: Jose Azevedo.

[Rick Danger]

Cycling News.com

US city to bid for UCI Road World Championships ?
Richmond, Virginia to make announcement Tuesday

By: Cycling News
Published: December 17, 20:42


Svein Tuft won the 2007 US Cycling Open, Richmond's last big race.

USA Cycling announced today that the city of Richmond, Virginia is preparing to bid for a "major cycling event" that has not been held in the US "for almost 25 years".

The world's most important one-day race, the UCI road world championships, was last held in the US in 1986 when Colorado Springs held the race, leading to the obvious speculation, supported by the soon-to-be published website richmond2015.com, that the announcement will be a bid for the 2015 worlds.

The Mayor of Richmond, Dwight C. Jones and USA Cycling's CEO Steve Johnson will hold a press conference on Tuesday, December 21 at 10:30AM to make the announcement.

When the championships were held in Colorado, the race was won by Moreno Argentin, while Jeannie Longo claimed the women's race. The UCI road world championships have not been held outside of Europe since 2003 when they took place in Hamilton, Ontario in Canada.

Richmond, Virginia last hosted a UCI-classified race in 2007, when the US Cycling Open was held. It also hosted stages of the Tour Dupont in the 1990s.

[Rick Danger]

Cycling News.com

Argentin hits out at Contador and the UCI
Former world champion describes riders as "spineless"

By: Cycling News
Published: December 17, 11:44


Moreno Argentin races in 1987 as World road Champion

Former world champion and classics winner Moreno Argentin has blasted the UCI, modern day riders and especially Alberto Contador for their lack of character, describing them as spineless and soft. He blasts the UCI for running a fake form of democracy, suggesting they are only interested in turning the sport into a business.

Argentin won the world title in Colorado Springs in 1986 and is still the most successful Italian rider in Belgium classics thanks to winning a Tour of Flanders, four editions of Liege-Bastogne-Liege and three editions of Fleche Wallonne.

He raced for 14 years between 1981 and 1994, retiring after wearing the pink jersey at the Giro d’Italia for two days.

He was part of the dominant Gewiss team in that final year that also included Giro winner Evgeni Berzin and Milan-San Remo winner Giorgio Furlan. They completed the podium with Argentin at Fleche Wallonne in 1994 after breaking away from the peloton together.

Argentin has never been afraid to speak about his close relationship with Dr Michele Ferrari in the final part of his career and has defended the Italian doctor’s methods and links to Lance Armstrong.

“I have to thank my parents that I was born when I was. I was born hungry. Now the guys seem soft without any character,” Argentin told Gazzetta dello Sport.

“A lot of people aren’t hungry for success and they’ve already earned a lot since they were a junior. I suppose things have changed and it’s a different generation that already has everything. That’s why when I watch races there seems to be a total lack of emotion. There aren’t any riders that get you excited these days.”

“Contador is a carefully calculated racing machine, made in a laboratory for one race: the Tour. It doesn’t seem to matter if he’s got personality or not. He and Schleck are the same. You know how they’re going to race; you know where to wait for them to do something. They haven’t got any originality.”

“Indurain dominated the grand tours in my time but I beat him at Liege-Bastogne-Liege. And he also rode Milan-San Remo because he understood the history of the sport. Now the riders are all robots. Punctures and crashes are part of the sport. But with radios the riders seem to be controlled by a joystick. The whole sport is in a mess.”

A fake form of democracy

Argentin initially stayed in cycling when he retired but now owns a successful construction company in the northeast of Italy. He hopes to build a velodrome and training centre in the Dolomites.

“I’m happy not to be involved in cycling anymore. These days if you don’t accept things, you can’t survive. I prefer to listen to my own conscience.”

“These days the only thing that seems to matter is the UCI and its business. The sponsors and riders don’t seem have the right to say anything. There’s a fake form of democracy in cycling and no desire to change things. The track is dead and buried and the road is going the same way.”

“The Giro, the Tour and the monumental classics are the races that matter; they’re the history of the sport and get the people out along the roadside to watch them. But the UCI is bringing everything down to a same level. That’s why they went to war with the Giro and Tour organisers.”

“Look how the rules, points and classifications have changed. It’s about income and business. The sponsors bring the cash and pay the riders but can’t have their say. They deserve more respect.”

The riders are spineless

Argentin calls on the riders to speak out, using Franco Pellizotti’s refusal to speak out about biological passport case as an example of how the riders are afraid to challenge authority and rock the boat.

“The riders are spineless. They know that if they speak out they never race again,” he said.

“Look at Pellizotti. I met him the other day. He lost the whole season because of his suspicious blood values but won’t say anything, otherwise…”

“The riders have to stop and rewrite the rules that are strangling them. From the points system to the anti-doping rules. The whereabouts system makes them seem criminals on bail. They’re unable to work together and think of the future. I was a pro for 14 years but these days how many off them reach half of that?”

[Rick Danger]

Jeannie Longo (born 31 October 1958 in Annecy, Haute-Savoie) is a French racing cyclist, multiple (57 times) French and world champion. Longo is still active in cycling as of 2010 and is widely considered one of the greatest female cyclists of all time. She is famous for her competitive nature and her longevity in a sport where some of her competitors were not yet born during her first Olympic competition in 1984. She was selected to compete for France in the 2008 Olympics, her seventh Olympic Games.She has stated that this will be her final participation in the Olympics. In the Women's road race, she finished 24th, 33 seconds behind winner Nicole Cooke, who was one year old when Longo first rode in the Olympics. At the same Olympics, she finished 4th in the road time trial, just two seconds shy of securing a bronze medal.

Career
Longo was born in Annecy, Haute-Savoie, in the French Alps where she began her athletic career as a downhill skier. After winning the French schools' ski championship and three university skiing championships, she switched to cycling at the urging of her coach (and later husband) Patrice Ciprelli. Within a few months, Longo won the French road race Championship. She was 21.

In addition to her sport, Longo distinguished herself in the academic field. She has been awarded academic degrees in Mathematics (B.S.), an MBA, and a doctorate in sports management.

She competes both in road and track bicycle racing events, and is an Olympic gold-medalist and twelve-time world champion. Her impressive palmares include:

Olympic Games road race: Gold Medal/Champion (1996); Silver Medal (1992)
Olympic Games time trial: Silver Medal (1996); Bronze Medal (2000)
5x UCI Road Race World Championship: Gold Medal/Champion (1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1995)
4x UCI Time Trial World Championship: Gold Medal/Champion (1995, 1996, 1997, 2001)
4x UCI Track World Championship:
Points Race: Gold Medal/Champion (1989)
3 km Pursuit: Gold Medal/Champion (1986, 1988, 1989); Silver Medal (1984, 1985, 1987); Bronze Medal (1981, 1982, 1983)
UCI Mountain Bike Championship: Silver Medal (1993)
15x French Road Race Champion: 1979 to 1989, 1992, 1995, 2006, 2008
9x French Time Trial Champion: 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
3x Tour Cycliste Feminin / Grande Boucle: 1987, 1988, 1989
2x Women's Challenge: 1991, 1999
Set Hour Record (45.094 km/h) in 2000 in Mexico City (14 years after setting the best hour performance record)

Palmarès
Note: Beginning in 1997, the Union Cycliste Internationale awarded points to riders based on their performances. For this purpose, the races were classified. Although the system has evolved, the major stage races are category 1 (strongest) and 2. In the listings below, these categories, where known, are in parentheses. GC stands for general classification.

1995
Emakumeen Bira - 1st GC

1997
UCI Points list - 7th
World TimeTrial Championships - 1st
GP des Nations Time Trial - 1st
Trophee d'Or - 1st place GC, 2 stage victories
Interreg-Dreilaender Damen Tour - 3rd GC
Tour du Canton de Conques - 1st place GC, 2 stage victories
Vuelta a Majorca - 2nd GC, stage victory
Trois Jours de Vendee - 3rd GC

1998
UCI Points list - 10th
World Championships
Time Trial - 5th
Road Race - 9th
French Road CCT - 3rd
Trophee d'Or - 3rd GC, stage victory
French Track Pursuit Championships - 1st
French Road Race Championship - 1st
Women's Challenge (cat. 1) - 4th GC
Montreal (Can) World Cup - 2nd
Trois Jours de Vendee - stage victory
Mt. Evans Hill Climb--1st and course record
Canberra Cycling Classic (Tour de Snowy) - 3rd GC, stage victory
Tour of Aquitaine - 3rd GC, stage victory

2000
1st Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb

2001
UCI Points List - 11th
World Championships
Time Trial - 1st
Road Race - 3rd place
Grande Boucle Féminine (cat. 1) - 9th GC
Women's Challenge (cat. 1) - 5th place GC, Mountains jersey, stage victory
Montréal (Can) World Cup - 6th
Grand prix de Haute-Garonne - 6th

2002
World Time Trial Championships - 7th
Chrono Champenois-Trophee Européen (cat. 2) - 3rd

2003
World Time Trial Championship - 6th
World Road Race Championship - 6th

2004
Olympic Games Road Race - 10th
French Road Race Championship - 1st

2005
Chrono Champenois - 2nd

2006
French Road Race Championship - 1st
French Time Trial Championship - 1st

2007
World Time Trial Championship - 7th

2008
1st, French Time Trial Championship
1st, French Road Race Championship
Olympic Games Road Race - 24th
Olympic Games road time-trial - 4th
1st, Mt. Evans Hill Climb

2009
1st, Trophée des Grimpeurs, women's.[5]
French Time Trial Championship - 1st
1st, Chrono Des Nations
3rd GC, Fitchburg Longsjo Classic

2010
1st, French Elite Time-Trial Championship
1st, Chrono des Nations
3rd, French Elite Road Race Championship

[from Wikipedia.org]

[Rick Danger]

Cycling News.com

Contador denies link to Madrid doping suspect
Tour winner says he’s had “no professional relationship” with coach under investigation

By: Peter Cossins
Published: December 20, 18:36

Alberto Contador has denied having any kind of professional link with Madrid Cycling Federation president Javier Fernández Alba, who is currently under investigation as part of a doping inquiry.

According to Spanish tabloid magazine Interviú, Fernández Alba has been accused of a crime against sporting law by a court in the northern Spanish province of Asturias. The case stems from a positive test for nandrolone by world veteran cycling champion Francisco José Prieto. Fernández Alba is reported to be under investigation for supplying Prieto with doping products.

Interviú describes Fernández Alba, who works at the SPE “clinical gym” in Majadahonda, north of Madrid, as Contador’s “manager, discoverer and coach”. However, it appears that the pair’s only connection is via the Madrid regional cycling team that Contador rode for before turning pro.

In a statement, Contador’s press officer, Jacinto Vidarte, has said: “Alberto Contador categorically denies the information published in Interviú magazine in which it is stated that the current president of the Madrid’s Cycling Federation was his discoverer and manager, as well as being a client of his at the centre where he is a technical director in the town of Majadahonda.”

The statement added that although Contador and Fernández Alba were both part of Madrid’s VC Portillo cycling club, their periods of involvement did not overlap. It also described Contador’s relationship with Fernández Alba as “virtually nil beyond his participation in the Madrid cycling team of which Fernández Alba was the technical director”.

In the statement, Contador denied that Fernández Alba had ever acted as his manager or coach. “I have never had a professional relationship with this man and do not know where the centre is that he directs,” said Contador.

[Rick Danger]

NYDailyNews.com

Lance Armstrong accuser Floyd Landis wore wire for HGH probe of cycling owner Michael Ball: sources

BY Nathaniel Vinton
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Sunday, December 19th 2010, 4:00 AM


Floyd Landis wears a wire to help federal investigators look into fashion designer and cycling team owner Michael Ball, according to one source. (Petersen/Getty)

Former pro cyclist Floyd Landis, who has accused his sport's biggest hero, Lance Armstrong, of doping, helped the federal government collect potentially incriminating audio and video recordings for its sprawling investigation into doping conspiracies in professional cycling, according to sources close to the case.

Last spring, at the behest of federal agents, Landis wore a hidden wire and carried a small portable video camera during an encounter with fashion designer and cycling team owner Michael Ball, according to one source who said the video footage captured images of what appears to be human growth hormone and other doping products in the refrigerator of Ball's luxury apartment in Marina Del Rey, Calif.

Ball is not close to Armstrong, but the roster of Ball's controversial Rock Racing cycling team included several of Armstrong's former teammates, including Tyler Hamilton.

The surveillance of Ball was organized by Food and Drug Administration criminal investigator Jeff Novitzky, who at the time was starting what became a wide-ranging probe into Armstrong's teams based partly on cooperation from Landis. The evidence Landis collected helped Novitzky obtain a search warrant for Ball's apartment "The quantity and the quality of the video surveillance was pivotal in the decision to serve a search warrant and essentially raid Ball's apartment to seize the drugs," said the source.

Ball's assistant did not respond to requests for help in contacting Ball, who has not been publicly charged with any crimes. Ball's designer clothing line, Rock and Republic, filed for bankruptcy in April, and his cycling team, Rock Racing, has faded from the professional cycling scene. With a roster stocked with several riders disgraced in doping scandals, the team stirred controversy in the cycling world in 2006. In 2008, Ball tried unsuccessfully to add Landis to the roster following Landis' two-year suspension for testing positive for testosterone at the 2006 Tour de France.

It is not clear if or how the investigation of Ball is connected to the federal grand jury probe of Armstrong's teams, but Landis performed his undercover work at Ball's apartment at a time when he was already cooperating with Novitzky in a probe of Armstrong's cycling teams.

"Concurrent with Landis' assistance in the surveillance of Ball, he had already undertaken discussions with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and federal law enforcement with regards to his experience with doping throughout his professional cycling career in Europe," said the source. "USADA and federal officials became more interested in his experience with Armstrong, and what happened during the Tour de France."

Armstrong has adamantly denied the accusations that Landis, his former lieutenant on the Postal Service cycling team, began airing publicly in April in a series of emails to cycling officials and interviews with news organizations. Landis confessed to doping and claimed that Armstrong's teams were fueled by a sophisticated doping program that relied on endurance-boosting drugs and illicit blood transfusions.

Since then, a grand jury in Los Angeles overseen by assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Miller has subpoenaed documents and witness testimony from a wide array of figures in the cycling world, including Armstrong's former teammates and business partners. Novitzky, who uncovered both the BALCO doping ring and the steroid distribution network Kirk Radomski established in Major League Baseball, has been seen escorting witnesses to the grand jury, which meets in secrecy.

"We have not received any target letter, and there has not been a lot of recent activity that we've heard about," Armstrong's attorney, Bryan Daly, told the Daily News on Friday.

Over the summer, the grand jury subpoenaed documents from Trek Bicycling Corporation, a sponsor of Armstrong's teams, and SCA Promotions, a Texas company that went into arbitration with Armstrong after SCA withheld millions of dollars in performance bonuses. The grand jury also summoned witnesses, including Allen Lim, a physiologist for Armstrong; Stephanie McIlvain, a representative of the Oakley eyewear company, an Armstrong sponsor; and Yaroslav Popovych, a Ukrainian cyclist who rode with Armstrong on the Tour de France.

But in recent weeks, the case has seemed relatively quiet. Daly said that if the grand jury decides not to bring any charges against Armstrong, he would seek a "declination letter" from the U.S. Attorney's office to formally signal that Armstrong is not in the government's cross hairs. "We certainly hope that we could convince the U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles to provide us with a declination of any possible criminal charges so that Lance Armstrong can close the book on the criminal rumors and allegations that have been swirling for about six months now," Daly said.

Landis has also filed a federal qui tam whistleblower suit, presently under seal, against Armstrong and four men who were his closest backers during Armstrong's historic seven consecutive Tour de France victories: Bill Stapleton, Bart Knaggs, Thom Weisel and Johann Bruyneel. Qui tam suits allow the Department of Justice to join as a plaintiff if the department believes the defendants defrauded government.

If the plaintiffs win such suits, defendants can be on the hook for up to three times the amount the government determines the defendants gained illegally through fraud.

For more than 10 years, doping allegations have swirled around Armstrong. He has spent a fortune to fend off accusers with lawsuits, sharp arguments and cold-blooded displays of superior indifference. But the government, with all its surveillance powers and subpoenas, is giving him a fight unlike any he's faced before. When Armstrong returns to the U.S. this week, after joining Robin Williams and Lewis Black on a goodwill tour of military bases around the world, there won't be much to laugh about, and he'll still be under siege.

[Rick Danger]

Cycling News.com

2013 Tour de France start in Corsica almost certain
Assemblée de Corse agrees to funding the Grand Départ

By: Hedwig Kröner
Published: December 20, 10:25

As Cyclingnews reported in September 2009, the start of the Tour de France on the Mediterranean island of Corsica is looking more and more likely. In fact, a significant step was made on December 16 and 17, when the regional assembly of the French département, the Assemblée de Corse, voted on its 2011 budget, including the payment of two million Euro to Tour de France organiser ASO for the hosting of the Grand Départ.

For the 110th edition of the race, ASO has been busy planning the first-time inclusion of the island in the event for a while, with its traditional Critérium International race acting as a first test of the region's cycling race capacities. The Critérium International, usually held in Northern France, moved to Corsica this year and is set to remain there for the next three years.

In the bill voted unanimously by the Corsica Assembly, there are even more details of the 2013 Tour de France start: "According to the letter received on June 28 by the director of the Tour de France, Christian Prudhomme, the Grand Départ of the 100th edition race will be organised in Corsica, which will moreover host three mass start stages (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) permitting to showcase the main towns of the island, Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi and Porto-Vecchio, but also the many inland villages."

Preliminary planning does therefore not include a prologue for the 2013 edition, and foresees a transfer of the race to mainland France after three days of racing. Contacted by Cyclingnews, ASO press officer Mathieu Desplats neither denied nor confirmed the 2013 Tour start in Corsica, remaining true to the organisation's prerogative of announcing their route themselves in due time.

[Rick Danger]

Eddy Merckx 2011 EMX-7 Limited Edition: I know Eddy is the greatest, but isn't this a little over the top ????

In celebration of Eddy's 65th birthday a limited anniversary edition EMX-7 frame was created.

The bike is a tribute to the 525 victories and successes that Eddy Merckx has had over the years. Each major race win has been recorded on the special Lightweight carbon fiber wheels for posterity.

The EMX-7 is as near to perfection as we have come so far and a fitting tribute to the man that we believe is the greatest cyclist of all time

A collector's edition hardcover book will be shipped after registration is completed here to all EMX-7 bike and frame owners. This large format book features beautifully printed photographs documenting the life and career of Eddy Merckx and his extraordinary achievement of 525 victories. The photos capture many rarely seen moments of the most accomplished rider that cycling has ever known. The book measures 16'' wide x 17.75'' tall and contains 182 pages.

Advanced Composite Design includes: 62HM/HS fiber combination, Carbon Laminate + (maximizing the strength and rigidity), OSR (Optimized Structural Reinforcement) technology and ABAQUS lay-up optimization. Aerodynamic Shape Design includes: airfoil shaped tubing, airfoil shaped seatpost design, aerofork design and internal cables (smooth design). Optimal Power Transfer includes: asymmetric chain stay, tapered head tub 1.5''-1 1/8'' and oversized bottom bracket.

Frame: EMX-7, carbon OSR 62 1K
Sizes: 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60
Fork: Aerofork 1.5" - 1 1/8"
Color: Limited Edition Eddy Merckx
Rear derailleur: Campagnolo Super Record
Front derailleur: Campagnolo Super Record
Levers: Campagnolo Super Record
Brakes: Campagnolo Super Record
Cranks: Campagnolo Super Record
Wheels: Lightweight SE
Handlebars: Deda Alanera Full Carbon
Stem: Deda Alanera Full Carbon
Seatpost: ISP, integrated aero design
Saddle: Selle Italia SLR Carbon

Limited Lifetime Warranty
MSRP: $21,000.00 US

[Rick Danger]

After nearly two decades of cross-country race domination, XTR is branching into terrain the UCI would never dare sanction an XC race on. Why? Because trail riders like you have long dreamed of a component group that truly complements how, where and why you ride.

Meet XTR Trail, crafted with all the precision and strength riders have come to expect from XTR, but refocused specifically for the demands of today’s trail riders.

A reconfigured triple-ring crank delivers trail-tuned gear ratios for optimum, all-day efficiency, while the most powerful XTR brake to date delivers usable, confidence-inspiring performance in even the most sustained descents. Platform SPD pedals provide a stable connection to the machine and wide-profile scandium wheels track confidently through the rough stuff. Bottom line: XTR Trail lets you ride faster with more control over rougher terrain.

The best part is that XTR Trail is the yin to XTR Race’s yang, and together mountain biking’s first family of components offers a broad matrix of fully interchangeable options to tune your ride.

Trail Drive Train Systems
The veritable heart of the new XTR Trail drivetrain is a trail-tuned triple-ring crank crowned with a carbon/titanium composite 32-tooth Primary Driving Gear—the go-to, most-used gear for the widest range of terrain, and the gear your suspension bike was designed around.

Dyna-Sys combines features like quick-shifting CloseStep front gear ratios (think: bigger granny, smaller big ring), a wide-range 11- to 36-tooth 10-speed cassette and re-engineered shifters and derailleurs that are less susceptible to trail chatter or contamination. Together, Shimano Systems Engineering unlocks performance and versatility never before seen in a triple, and it's all tied together with the industry's first mountain-bike-specific 10-speed chain.

Riders who would otherwise have to pull the ripcord and battle technical climbs from the trenches of their granny gear range can now push farther up the trail in their middle ring thanks to the increased range of a 36-tooth low-end rear gear. The granny gear is still there, you'll just need it less, and the 42-tooth big ring is more useable and easier to get into than ever before, so you'll use it more.

Simply put, XTR Trail is the most efficient mountain bike drivetrain singletrack has ever seen.

Cranks
The XTR Trail triple-ring crank delivers all-day efficiency for the widest range of terrain thanks to CloseStep gear ratios, Dual Spike chainring technology and legendary XTR stiffness. On triple chainring models the primary (middle chainring) is made of a titanium-carbon composite, while the outer and inner chainrings are aluminum. Features HOLLOWTECH II crank construction, 10-speed cassette compatibility, HG-X 10-speed chain compatibility, 4-arm chainrings, 42-32-24T or 38-26T sizes, and 165/170/175/180mm crank arms.

Shifters
Introducing the i-spec shift lever, which shaves weight and unifies the shifter and brake band clamps for clean, uncluttered cockpit setup. Horizontal micro-adjustment allows for customizable setup. Features adjustable bracket mounts directly to brake lever, integration of brake and shifter functions, and 2x / 3x mode converter adapting to double and triple cranksets.

Front Derailleurs
A key element in Shimano's legendary front shifting performance, the latest XTR front derailleur continues to lead the way with flexible mounting options and easy access fasteners. Features optimization for 42/32/24 10 speed triple rings, Top-Swing linkage with low clamp, universal clamp band mounting, top pull or bottom pull cable routing, DUAL SPIKE technology and an aluminum outer plate.

Rear Derailleurs
The new 10-speed XTR rear derailleur sees a re-engineered architecture that provides a smooth, linear feel at the shifter and is remarkably stable despite suspension movement, trail chatter or inevitable cable contamination.

Cassette
This 10-speed Dyna-Sys cassette combines stiffness with consistently smooth shifting performance and durability in an innovative lightweight package. Features Wide-Range 11- to 36-tooth 10-speed cassette, refined tooth profile for HG-X chain and Shadow RD, 3-piece spider for stiffness under load, and 5 titanium cogs. A 11T-34T model is also available.

Chain
This 10-speed chain is an industry-first mountain-bike-specific chain, specifically optimized for 10-speed Dyna-Sys drive trains with mud-shedding, task-specific link plates. Features Advanced pin riveting technology yields same strength as a 9-speed chain; off-road-specific design, directionally optimized with task-specific plates, and hollow-pin technology.

Trail Brake Systems
Riding comfortably at speed requires an unconscious, intuitive confidence in your machine. It requires knowing that whatever conditions you come across your brakes will be ready and able to deliver reliable control in any situation.

Say hello to XTR Trail brakes, and say goodbye to compromise. The integration of Servo-Wave brake-boosting technology into an XTR-level brake generates gobs of lightweight stopping power (125 percent of the previous XTR benchmark, to be exact) that can be precisely rolled on and off with single-finger effort—leaving a better grip on the bar for charging through the gnar.

With industry-first full ceramic caliper pistons, radiator-fin-backed brake pads to shed performance-sapping heat, and innovative IceTech aluminum-core rotors to even further keep heat buildup at bay, these all-new brakes maintain cool, quiet performance under fire.

As the most powerful and most controllable XTR-level brake of all time, XTR Trail absolutely assassinates wide-open descents with uncanny consistency, delivering more confidence than ever before.

Brake Levers
The new XTR Trail lever delivers big power. As the first XTR lever equipped with Servo-Wave, riders can precisely control 25 percent more power with highly-adjustable and responsive one-finger braking. Features a 125% Power rating, short-stroke Servo-Wave mechanism for quick engagement, tool-free reach adjust, free stroke adjustment, shorter, wider 14-millimeter brake lever with more efficient pivot location; hinge-clamp mounting bracket; high-power hose for uncompromising performance; combined with i-spec bracket yields a reduction in handlebar clutter, and metal pad compound with radiator backing plate (standard).

Calipers
Whether coupled with the XTR Race or the XTR Trail lever, the new forged one-piece M985 caliper delivers a balance of light weight and power that resists performance-sapping heat better than ever before thanks to an industry-first full-ceramic piston and optional Ice Technology radiator brake pads. Features one piece forged post mount calipers, oversized ceramic piston, aluminum banjo hose fitting; four pad choices for any condition (resin/Al, metal/Ti, resin/Ice, metal/Ice), and additional heat control with Ice Tech aluminum core rotors.

Rotors
These innovative Ice Tech brake rotors feature an aluminum core clad with stainless steel braking surfaces. The innovative design sheds weight, dissipate heat and dramatically improves overall performance. Features Ice Technology, two-piece rotor with aluminum carrier for stiffness, stainless-clad aluminum-core construction, Center Lock rotor mounting; 203mm diameter.

Trail Pedal System
Building on the long legacy of Shimano Pedaling Dynamics (SPD) technology, the new XTR Trail pedal is engineered for the specific needs of aggressive trail riders everywhere, with an open, mud-shedding design and large pedaling platform for ultimate control.

Together with the saddle and the handlebar, pedals make up the holy trinity of contact points between man and machine. Drop the saddle or get behind it in a technical descent and those contact points are reduced to just two—hands and feet—with pedals accounting for the bulk of riders' balance and bike control.

With a wider, more stable stance backed up by widely braced bearings and nearly 10 times the effective contact area between the pedal platform and riders' shoes, XTR Trail pedals deliver unparalleled control when clipped in, and a reliable, extra-wide-area platform for those inevitable “in-between” moments that come with unpredictable trails.

Combine the large pedal/shoe contact area with a lower platform height—effectively moving the riders' foot closer to the center of the axle—and the power transfer and efficiency capabilities of XTR Trail is all-time, ready for any trail.

Trail Wheel Systems
Finally, an XTR-level wheelset that combines Shimano's legendary hub design with thru-axle stiffness and a lightweight, wide-cross-section 21-millimeter-wide rim to open up your tires' contact patch and help devour rough terrain. Finally, an XTR wheel built for the way you ride.

With the bulk of this sub-1,700-gram wheelset's weight biased toward its long-lasting, high-performance cup-and-cone bearing hubs, the critical rotational mass at the perimeter—in this case, a 400-gram scandium rim—is free to spin quickly up to speed without sacrificing strength.

More than just another flashy wheel design, XTR Trail marries the traditional aspect of a hand-built wheel laced with Swedish steel spokes to the cutting-edge technology of a dent-resistant scandium UST rim precision-welded with T-Nut anchors. It all adds up to uncompromising stiffness and durability for the long haul, backed by an exclusive three-year warranty. Throw in a dedicated 15-millimeter front axle and an optional, new-guard 142-by-12 rear axle option, and XTR Trail wheels deliver the confidence to throw your bike into a corner and power out of it with reckless abandon.

Wheels
XTR Trail wheels corner like a lightweight locomotive, thanks to a 21-millimeter-wide scandium rim and a solid and reliable 15mm thru axle hub engineered specifically for today's best trail forks. Features 100x15mm thru axle, lightweight Scandium UST tubeless rim; 21-millimeter-wide rim extrusion, 14-gauge butted Swedish steel spokes, 24-spoke direct-pull lacing pattern for lateral stiffness; angular contact bearing assembly, and Center Lock rotor mounting.

Front hub
A 15-millimeter thru axle design delivers the perfect blend of strength and light weight in a hard-charging, long-lasting front hub. Features a 100x15mm thru axle, angular contact bearings with high-quality double-contact seals, and Center Lock rotor mounting.

Rear Freehub
This Center Lock ready cassette hub comes with Shimano's proven angular contact bearing design and a lightweight fast-engaging titanium freehub body. Features a 135x10mm QR axle, stiff and lightweight 14mm Aluminum axle QR, angular contact bearings with high-quality double-contact seals; quick engagement titanium free hub, and Center Lock rotor mounting.


http://bike.shimano.com/publish/cont...ms/trail.html#

[Rick Danger]

Years ago Mavic introduced the first electronic derailleur. It did not generate much enthusiasm. Today we have the Shimano Di2 group which has stood the test of professional cyclists riding the Tour de France.

Shimano brought us the non-round "Biopace" chain rings which likewise did not generate waves of positive response. My road bike was originally built with Biopace rings and I dumped them as quickly as I could.

When I saw that Spanish based ROTOR had revived the non-round chain ring again, their QRing product, I groaned. But I decided to not prejudge before I had a look.

Is everything that's old suddenly new again ?

ROTOR first came to the public eye due to their collaboration with the Cervelo Test Team. Since then they have gone on to outfit Team Specialized, Team Kenda/KMC/Hayes, and others. Also champion riders like Thor Hushovd, Carlos Sastre, Heinrich Haussler, and UCI Women's TT champion Emma Pooley have ridden to victory with ROTOR gear.

"Hummm", I said. There's must be more to this than meets the eye.

Rotor has amassed a body of university-based research to support their product claims: increased power output, lower lactic acid levels and other physiological benefits,and reduced stress on knee joints. One study, entitled STUDY ABOUT THE METABOLIC EFFICIENCY OF THE ROTOR® SYSTEM COMPARED WITH A CONVENTIONAL BICYCLE by Professor Dr. Alfredo Córdova Martínez of the Universitary Physiology College of Soria in Spain concluded:

"We can conclude that, on one hand the use of the ROTOR system for cycling leads to a lower production of lactate what means a better metabolic efficiency. So cyclists can exercise longer.

On the other hand, heart rate and blood systolic pressure are lower when exercise is performed with the ROTOR system. This suggests that the same work load can be faced with lower demands for the cardiocirculatory system."

Here's some information I gleaned off of the two Rotor websites.

"I have a perfect spin: I don't need help”
Not many people realize that one of the most important reasons to have a "perfect spin" is to compensate for the dead spot's inherent weakness. Having a perfect spin doesn't solve the dead spot problem: no matter how perfect your spin is, certain muscles in yourlegs will always far outpower others and a vertical crank will never have useful leverage on the chain.

Rotor's QRings are designed with smooth diameter variations, which magnify the benefits of a smooth spin by reducing variations in: power production, rotational inertia a of the cyclist legs, and directional inertia of the cyclists body and bike.

We agree that a smooth spin is crucial to efficient cycling. The QRings' design reflects the fact that we decided to go a step further, to look at the relationship between the power curve, total inertia and the spin. The vast majority of a cyclists power is produced in the down stroke of the pedal cycle, irrespective of pedalling technique.

By installing QRings,the cyclists power production is smoothed out, making a fluid spin more natural. The thing that makes Q's even better, is that the biomechanically inspired diameter variation results in more power output and less lactates giving a genuinely free increase in endurance and power.

Orientation and adjustability is key. Shape and ovalization of QRings isn’t everything: what really sets them apart, is the basic orientation and the possibility to adjust it. The problem with normal ovalized chainrings is that they only work in one set position on a bike. As soon as the cyclist's hip moves, the angle of the crank at the minimum and maximum power points changes, which in turn changes the orientation of the chainring in regards to the cassette. The key was to make Q's compensate for the effects of varying riding positions, leg inertia and bike inertia.

The basic orientation of QRings, based on power and inertia studies, is one of the reasons QRings feel so natural. The revolutionary narrow variance OCP (Optimum Chainring Position) system gives the cyclist the possibility to choose from an array of settings within the small, crucial range of useful orientations. Why? Because everyone has a different riding style, a different bike setup and a different pedalling style. The OCP system guarantees you personal optimization of the chainrings to make them work best for you, with your riding style, your bike and the terrain you’re dealing with.

What is the OCP system?
The Optimum Chainring Position is a system which uses a row of different fastening holes on the inner ring of the chainring, allowing the chainring to be positioned in more than one single set orientation in regards to the crank. This system was designed to allow you to orientate your QRings for your own style of pedaling.

Wouldn't it be easier to have just one orientation?
It would be easier yes, but it would not be as effective! Each and every cyclist reaches his or her maximum power point at a different crank angle, and a chainring that could only be set up to one orientation would only be useful to a small percentage of cyclists. But the orientation requirements of the chainring are not just dependent on the seated cycling position. When a cyclist stands up and sits down, the orientation of the crank when the cyclist reaches his or her maximum power point changes in regards to the ground. This is because the cyclist's hip is moving forward and backward. Because an ovalized chainring should be set up so that it's orientation is always optimal in regards to the rear cassette, the OCP system comes into use again.

In short, the OCP system allows you to tune your bike for different terrain and different types of riding, simply by rotating the chainrings.

So why do Q’s work, when other ovalized chainrings didn't?
Some of the most recent and infamous attempts at Ovalized Chainrings were Biopace in the 70’s and 80’s and O.Symetric in the 90's. These chainrings all tried to minimize the effect of the “Dead Spots” in different ways. We at ROTOR respect these designs and the pioneering spirit of their creators, but none of them attained natural market success. Why was that?

Biopace chainrings were designed to take advantage of leg inertia, but they placed the greatest effective gear at the dead spots, requiring more effort to pass the though them. The pedaling sensation was irregular and uncomfortable, and made a smooth spin impossible. Users frequently reported knee pain, which is logical given the fact that the maximum diameter was placed at the Dead Spots. The solution implemented to reduce these problems was to reduce the ovality to some degree, making it irrelevant in later versions, with the system eventually being removed from the
market.

O.Symetric chainrings have a better orientation factor, giving a higher gear during pedal down stroke; but are too difficult to use for the vast majority of cyclists because they don't conserve leg inertia (the large ovalization factor and the sudden diameter ramping cause this). The O.Symetric system reduces the gear at the Dead Spots (which is good) but their shape causes sudden acceleration changes at and around the point of maximum stress for the knees, the Upper Dead Spot, where the likelihood of knee damage is already high. O.Symetric’s approximate 90deg orientation is only useful for a low pealing cadence, because most cyclists generate their maximum power at a crank angle later, considering leg inertia. (look at a pair of well worn round chainrings to confirm this they are the most worn in the area we just specified).

QRings have an intelligent, sublime ovalization free of damaging 'acceleration peaks' and 'loading peaks' that allow both professional and recreational cyclists to ride faster with less lactates. Their shape ensures both faster acceleration and a smoother pedal stroke, promoting natural joint movement as well as uniform muscle and tendon loading. The ovalization of QRings strikes the crucial balance between performance gain and spinning efficiency. Additionally, the orientation of QRings is different from any system earlier conceived. Because the point of maximum power varies between cyclists, from when the crank is between 20 to 25º below the horizontal (as a result of leg inertia, bike geometry, riding position and biomechanics), the necessity of a Regulation System to customize the chainring for each cyclist’s pedaling style is clearly evident. That's why QRings have their unique 'OCP' (Optimum Chainring Position) chainring hole ring. The QRings' shape, orientation and adjustability are what set them apart and ensures that they are here to stay.

Rotor manufactures cranksets, chainrings, bottom brackets, chains and other products for use on road, MTB, cyclocross, and TT bikes. Take a look at www.rotorbikeusa.com or their international site at www.rotorbike.com and judge for yourself.