Johan Vansummeren is often the tallest rider in any peloton at 197cm tall, but wraps his frame around a 58cm Cervélo R5 - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
A 20cm head tube and minimalist Di2 cabled look - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
Vansummeren's reach is catered for by an aluminium 140mm -17 degree 3T ARX Team stem - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
3T's Rotundo carbon bars have a classic bend, still much favoured by pro riders - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
A very generous helping of 27.2mm 3T carbon seatpost - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
Fizik's Antares is Johan's saddle of choice - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
Cervélo's trademark neat slim seatstays give just enough room for a name sticker - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
The R5's giant BBRight bottom bracket area soundly anchors the down tube, asymmetric seat tube and chainstays - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
The chunky CNC'ed Rotor alloy chain catcher stands out - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
Vansummeren uses lengthy 180mm Rotor 3D cranks, fitted with an SRM power meter and 53/39 elliptical Rotor Q Rings - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
As he has an SRM power meter, Van Summeren's Garmin Vector pedals are fitted minus the battery and accelerometer pods - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
Slim carbon hub shells and aerodynamic spoke flanges on Mavic's 40c wheelset - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
A larger carbon hub body for the rear hub, and an 11-28t cassette - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
Mavic's SSC 40C rims are wider than most of the French company's line up, and here have some duck tape to prevent valve rattle, and Mavic's Yksion Grip Link tubulars… - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
…except they may not be what they seem. Heat stamped as 22mm Mavic tubulars, the tread pattern and width look very much like a 25mm Veloflex - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
Cervélo's 2015 paint finish has a subtle complementary colour for the brand logo - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
One of the tallest riders in any race, 33-year-old Johan Vansummeren’s 197cm (6ft 5in) frame manages to fit on to a stock 58cm Cervélo R5 frame. The frame’s construction is unchanged from last season, but this glossy graphite and red paint finish is all new for the 2014 Tour de France, and should be available to buy in 2015.
The lofty Belgian’s role at the Tour will be as a rouleur to help protect team leader Andrew Talansky on the flat stages, and especially during stage 5 over the Roubaix cobbles, which were the scene of his greatest personal victory. The team brought Cervélo’s R3 mud bike for stage 5, but otherwise the R5 is Vansummeren’s chosen daily workhorse.
Even in a large size, the R5 is still very light, but the necessarily upscaled parts together increase the overall weight to 7.33kg / 16.15lb. A tiller-like 140mm stem, 180mm cranks and lengthy seatpost all contribute, added to the SRM power-measuring gauge and head unit, plus Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 transmission all boost the mass. Mavic’s 40C carbon tubular wheelset is light, wide and stable, and shod with 25mm tubulars that bear a Mavic heat stamp, although they’re rebadged Veloflex models, which isn’t a new practice among pro teams.
Vansummeren favours Rotor’s ovalised 53/39 Q-Rings on his super-long 3D cranks, incorporating an SRM power meter, and adds Rotor’s chain catcher too for security. With an SRM on board, the Garmin Vector pedals are shorn of their battery-and-accelerometer pods, and the team use the Garmin Edge 810 or new Edge 1000 head units to display their onboard data.
3T supply a 140mm –17 degree stem, which although very long by amateur standards, isn’t unusual in the pro peloton (BMC’s Michael Schar requires a 150mm version). Classically curved 3T Rotundo bars and a Fizik Antares-topped Dorico seatpost with 25mm setback complete a workmanlike professional setup.
Van summeren uses lengthy 180mm rotor 3d cranks, fitted with an srm power meter and 53/39 elliptical rotor q riings : van summeren uses lengthy 180mm rotor 3d cranks, fitted with an srm power meter and 53/39 elliptical rotor q riings - Robin Wilmott / Future Publishing
180mm cranks, oval Q Rings and an SRM go along with Garmin Vector pedals that aren't used as the power meter
Robin Wilmott is a freelance writer and bike tester. He began road cycling in 1988 and, with mountain bikes in their infancy, mixed experimental off-road adventures with club time trials and road races. Cyclocross soon became a winter staple and has remained Robin's favourite form of competition. Robin has always loved the technical aspect of building and maintaining bikes, and several years working in a bike shop only amplified that. Robin was a technical writer for BikeRadar for nearly a decade, and has tested hundreds of bikes and products for the site. He has also written extensively for Cycling Plus, Velonews and Cyclingnews.
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