Lapierre, bike sponsor to the Française des Jeux pro squad, released details of a new aero frameset the team will be using in 2014: the Aircode.
Lapierre pulled the covers off the Aircode at the team launch in Paris Tuesday. FDJ athletes such as Jeremy Roy, Arthur Vichot and top sprinter Nasser Bouhanni will ride the Aircode this season.
Details of the bike are scarce – the team is yet to be issued with the bike we’re told and we’re yet to get detailed pictures – but the frame employs a number of aero features well established on other bikes. The stem is slightly recessed into the frame — a la the Specialized Venge — and the downtube is a truncated hydrofoil or kamtail shape that’s a strong feature of the Trek Madone 7-Series.
Other aero features include Shimano’s Dura-Ace dual-mount front brake fixed to a slight recess in the fork, which Lapierre pioneered on its Xelius EFI last year, and a rear brake mounted on the bottom bracket shell. A scalloped seat tube, internal cable routing and an integrated seat post clamp help complete the slippery package. We’re not sure what the seatpost will look like: the flat image here suggests it is standard round post – which is good for compatibility at least.
Photos of the bike in action should emerge next week.
