The starting point for this bike was a LTD Edition SRAM RED group set which James had. We decided to create a unique aero steel race bike, that would showcase the group and give us the chance to put into practice some recent design ideas.

 

Taking the brief of creating a modern, responsive race frame, with all day comfort and aero credentials, it was obvious that an off the shelf tube set wasn’t going to cut it. We carefully chose each tube to fulfill its design requirements and ended up with a selection taken from Reynolds, Columbus, Dedacciai and motorsport suppliers, Proformance Metals.

 

We decided early on that to allow us to create the weight distribution required from James’ Clinical Bike fit®, a straight seat tube wouldn’t work, so it was decided to use a carbon fibre seat mast to allow us to position the saddle where we needed it whilst retaining short stiff chainstays. The shape of the carbon monocoque also provides stiffness at the BB and compliance at the saddle. To fix the carbon to the BB, we had to design and manufacture a 3D printed stainless steel lug that precisely mated with the diamond shaped seat mast.

 

To allow us to use the large tube profiles required to create the level of drive train stiffness we wanted, and with a major dislike of press fit BBs, a new T47 BB seemed the only way to go. This would allow the benefits of a large BB shell with the ease of installation and maintenance, that only a threaded BB can afford.

The frame was finished off with modular cable guides so that a switch to electronic groups in the future would be easy and convenient.

 

The colour scheme was devised to accentuate the yellow highlights on the groupset and the graphic design was inspired by a cushion we had seen on our travels.