As a former British national road champion and Olympic gold medallist on the track, Welshman Geraint Thomas presents an enduring threat in the peloton. In 2013, Thomas played super-domestique to Chris Froome in his Tour De France win, and showed just how tough he is by nursing a fractured pelvis through nearly the entire race.
For 2015, Thomas is likely to play an important role in Bradley Wiggins’ well-publicised focus on the iconic Paris-Roubaix race, before the former Tour winner leaves the British super-team.
The Shimano-equipped bikes of Team Sky haven’t changed a great deal since 2013, with the new Pinarello Dogma F8 frameset marking the major difference since we last inspected Thomas’ ride.
Designed in collaboration with Jaguar, the Pinarello Dogma F8 scored a second place in Cyclingnews’ 2014 ‘best team bike’ reader’s poll. This road frameset merges aero concepts from the company’s time-trial specific Bolide with truncated aerofoil-shaped tubes.
The bowed front fork is one example of aero trickery borrowed from the TT-specific Bolide
Compared with Thomas’ Pinarello Dogma 65.1 Think2, which we looked at last time out, the aero F8 frameset drops a claimed 120g (in a 54cm size), with lateral stiffness claimed to have been improved. These enhancements are partly achieved through the use of a new high-modulus carbon from Torayca, called T1100 1k, and from the more traditional frame lines to the previous curvy ‘Onda’ designs.
Showing that Pinarello isn’t one to blindly follow popular trends, the Dogma F8 has stuck with conventional brake calipers and a threaded bottom bracket shell – two things we’re sure the Team Sky mechanics appreciate.
PRO commonly offers special stems to its sponsored teams
At exactly 1mm longer than a stock offering, Thomas continues with an obviously team-issue 121mm stem from PRO. Like the PRO stems from other WorldTour teams, this stem features a standard four-bolt faceplate over the usual ‘puzzle clamp’ of the Shimano-owned brand’s top-end options.
As with Ryder Hesjedal’s choice, providing a little more seated comfort is a heavily padded version of the Fizik Arione saddle. While we’ve previously reported this being a custom saddle, it’s now likely a stock ‘K1’ model from the Italian brand’s triathlon range.
Elsewhere the bike features a standard team issue specification of a full Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070 groupset and matching Dura-Ace C50 tubular wheels.
No more team-specific Stages power meters for Sky
For 2015, Team Sky continues its partnership with Stages Cycling. On all team bikes, the left crankarm mounted power meter moves from the previous blue ‘team-only’ plastic housing to a standard black production version.
With the complete machine weighing in at 7.18kg (15.80lb), the lighter Dogma F8 frame has obviously had an impact since our previous looks at Thomas’ ride.
Complete bike specifications
- Frame: Pinarello Dogma F8, size 55cm
- Fork: Pinarello Onda Carbon
- Headset: Pinarello 1 1/8” to 1" 1/2 integral system
- Stem: PRO team-issue, 121mm x -6 degrees
- Handlebar: PRO Vibe 7S Anatomic, 40cm (c-c)
- Tape: PRO Smart-Silicon
- Front brake: Shimano Dura-Ace 9000
- Rear brake: Shimano Dura-Ace 9000
- 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
- Cassette: Shimano Dura-Ace CS-9000, 11-25T
- Chain: Shimano Dura-Ace CN-9000
- Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace 9000, 175mm, 53/39T + Stages Power left arm
- Bottom bracket: Shimano Dura-Ace BB-9000
- Pedals: Shimano 9000 Dura-ace
- Wheelset: Shimano Dura-ace C50 tubular
- Front tyre: Veloflex Carbon 23mm
- Rear tyre: Veloflex Carbon 23mm
- Saddle: Fizik Arione K1 Tri
- Seatpost: Pinarello carbon
- Bottle cages: Elite Custom Race (2)
- Computer: Garmin Edge 510 (not pictured), K-Edge Garmin Aero mount
Critical measurements
- Rider's height: 1.83m (6ft)
- Rider's weight: 71kg (156lb)
- Saddle height from BB, c-t: 802mm
- Saddle setback: 65mm
- Seat tube length (c-c): 550mm
- Tip of saddle to midpoint of bar: 570mm
- Saddle-to-bar drop: 140mm
- Head tube length: 158mm
- Top tube length (effective): 557mm
- Total bicycle weight: 7.18kg (15.80lb)