Pro bike: Adam Hansen’s Ridley Helium SL

Pro bike: Adam Hansen’s Ridley Helium SL

A unique build for the Australian strongman

Adam Hansen’s Ridley Helium SL – one distinctive setup

David Rome / Future Publishing

David Rome

Published: March 21, 2014 at 6:00 pm
Adam Hansen’s Ridley Helium SL – one distinctive setup - David Rome / Future Publishing
Adam Hansen has a reputation for being a weight weenie; some choices, however, such as these bottle cages, defy that - David Rome / Future Publishing
Strangely there's no SRM to be seen, even though Hansen was running a PowerControl 7 head unit - David Rome / Future Publishing
The Campagnolo Super Record EPS groupset is powered with the new internal race battery – the custom-drilled charging port is visible below the bottle cage - David Rome / Future Publishing
Campagnolo Super Record EPS provides accurate, electronic shifting - David Rome / Future Publishing
Hansen uses a metal-railed Selle San Marco Concor saddle pushed rather far forward on the rails - David Rome / Future Publishing
An inline Thomson Elite seatpost is needed to help Hansen get forward of his long 180mm crank arms. As Thomson is not a team sponsor, the graphics were mostly concealed - David Rome / Future Publishing
Hansen uses Deda's Zero 100 handlebars and Zero 100 Pista stem. This stem provides a steep drop for a lower position - David Rome / Future Publishing
The SRM head unit isn't there for power data! - David Rome / Future Publishing
These beautiful carbon hubs house CULT ceramic bearings and are part of the Campagnolo Bora Ultra Two wheels - David Rome / Future Publishing
Continental Pro Limited 23c tyres are glued to the 50mm deep Campagnolo Bora Ultra wheels - David Rome / Future Publishing
A Campagnolo chain catcher ensures there's no dropped chain - David Rome / Future Publishing
Unlike the integrated brakes on the Ridley Noah Fast, the Helium SL uses standard centre-mount brakes, in this case Super Record - David Rome / Future Publishing
Narrow 38cm bars help Hansen keep his frontal profile slim - David Rome / Future Publishing
Not often seen in the road ranks - a– secondary seat collar ensures Hansen's seat height is always right - David Rome / Future Publishing
Adam Hansen makes his own carbon shoes – and they're crazy light. However, we've since seen him wearing Gaerne - David Rome / Future Publishing
There's no denying Adam Hansen's commitment to ultimate performance - David Rome / Future Publishing

Adam Hansen's early days of racing were on mountain bikes, and included one of the world’s toughest mountain bike stage races – the Crocodile Trophy. It's a race Hansen won twice, earning him the affectionate nickname of the ‘Crocodile Man.’

Back then, Hansen had a reputation of pushing technical boundaries with his engineering expertise, and was a frequent contributor to Weight Weenies. These old habits are very much still alive, however, as is evidenced by his unique bike build and the shoes he's made for personal use, which are soon to be made available under his brand – Hanseeno.

There's no denying adam hansen's commitment to ultimate performance : there's no denying adam hansen's commitment to ultimate performance - David Rome / Future Publishing

Adam Hansen makes his own carbon shoes; they're crazy light at just 98g apiece. However, we've since seen him wearing Gaerne

Hansen is a true strongman of the peloton. He's the only non-Spaniard to have ridden all three Grand Tours in a year on more than one occasion, and in 2014 is aiming to extend his impressive race record to 10 consecutive Grand Tours. Last year’s Giro d'Italia Stage 7 win is evidence of his continuing strength as a rider, especially when conditions get tough.

We managed to get a detailed look at Adam Hansen’s Ridley Helium SL during the Tour Down Under in Australia, where he was riding in full support of André Greipel, his Lotto Belisol team mate.

While German national sprint champion Greipel picks the Ridley Noah Fast for ultimate sprint aerodynamics, Hansen rides the Helium SL for a priority of stiffness-weight ratio. The frame features ultra-thin seatstays to help create a smoother ride, while a tapered head-tube and oversized PF30 bottom bracket add stiffness where it counts.

It’s common for many riders to have their bikes set up to what team fitters believe is best, but it’s clear that Hansen takes a hands-on approach to his steed. We’d argue that his bike is one of the most customised in the WorldTour, and it clearly works for him.

There are two standouts in Hansen’s bike fit: super narrow 38cm handlebars and ultra-long 180mm length crank arms.

Narrow handlebars enable Hansen to reduce his frontal profile to the wind; his mountain bike background empowers him to control the skittish handling.

An inline thomson elite seatpost is needed to help hansen get forward of his long 180mm crank arms. as thomson is not a team sponsor, the graphics were mostly concealed : an inline thomson elite seatpost is needed to help hansen get forward of his long 180mm crank arms. as thomson is not a team sponsor, the graphics were mostly concealed - David Rome / Future Publishing

Meanwhile those 180mm cranks provide Hansen with massive leverage. To overcome the extra length, Hansen employs a very forward position, with an inline Thomson Elite seatpost (graphics concealed) and a 130mm stem with negative 20-degree slope creating an extremely low position.

Helping keep the seatpost in place is a second collar, tightened directly onto the post. This ensures the seatpost cannot slip during a race, but also guarantees that Hansen's seat height doesn’t change between travels.

Strangely there's no srm to be seen, even though hansen was running a powercontrol 7 head unit : strangely there's no srm to be seen, even though hansen was running a powercontrol 7 head unit - David Rome / Future Publishing

As part of an SRM-sponsored team, Hansen was riding with an SRM PowerControl 7 head unit; however, at the time of shooting, an SRM crank was missing from his ride. We suspect this was to get the bike closer to the minimum weight limit, though other factors could have been at play.

The rest of the build is very Italian, with a full Campagnolo Super Record EPS groupset running the new internal race battery. Keeping it all rolling are 50mm deep tubular Campagnolo Bora Ultra Two wheels, with CULT ceramic bearings.

Complete bike specifications

  • Frame: Ridley Noah Helium SL – Medium
  • Fork: Ridley Helium SL
  • Headset: FSA internal tapered
  • Stem: Deda Zero 100 Pista, 130mm, 70 degree
  • Handlebar: Deda Zero 100, 38cm (40cm in Deda’s outside-outside measurement)
  • Tape: Lizard Skins DSP
  • Front brake: Campagnolo Super Record
  • Rear brake: Campagnolo Super Record
  • Brake levers: Campagnolo Super Record EPS
  • Front derailleur: Campagnolo Super Record EPS + Campagnolo chain catcher
  • Rear derailleur: Campagnolo Super Record EPS
  • Shift levers: Campagnolo Super Record EPS
  • Cassette: Campagnolo Super Record 12-27T
  • Chain: Campagnolo Super Record
  • Crankset: Campagnolo Super Record, 180mm, 53/39T
  • Bottom bracket: C-Bear Ceramic Bearing PF30
  • Battery: Internal Campagnolo race battery, in seat-tube
  • Pedals: Look Keo 2 Max
  • Wheelset: Campagnolo Bora Ultra Two CULT
  • Front tire: Continental Pro Limited 23c
  • Rear tire: Continental Pro Limited 23c
  • Saddle: San Marco Concor Racing Team
  • Seatpost: Thomson Elite Inline
  • Bottle cages: Tacx Tao (2)
  • Computer: SRM Power Control 7

Critical measurements

  • Rider's height: 1.86m (6ft 1in)
  • Rider's weight: 75kg (165lb)
  • Saddle height from BB, c-t: 816mm
  • Saddle setback: 65mm
  • Seat-tube length (c-t): 540mm
  • Seat-tube length (c-c): 500mm
  • Tip of saddle to centre of bar: 588mm
  • Saddle-to-bar drop: 17cm
  • Head-tube length: 175mm
  • Top-tube length (effective): 565mm
  • Total bicycle weight: 7.00kg (15.4lb)
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