Equipment of the Colnago V4R by Nils Politt
- Drive/gear shift: Shimano Dura-Ace (2x12; 54/40, 11-34 t.)
- Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace with AbsoluteBlack GRAPHENpads
- Brake discs: Carbon Ti (160/140 mm)
- Impellers: Enve SES 4.5
- Tyres: Continental Grand Prix 5000 S TR (30 mm)
- Handlebars: Enve SES AR (380 mm/130 mm)
- Computer: Wahoo Elemnt Roam V2
- Saddle: Prologo
- Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace
The 30-year-old from Cologne only joined the team this year UAE Team Emirates around Tour de France favourite Tadej Pogacar and should act as a valuable helper there. The V4Rs from Colnago is the only model used by the riders; Colnago does not differentiate between aero and lightweight racers. The model cannot compete with the best racing bikes in the peloton in terms of weight or aerodynamics, in the TOUR test In the wind tunnel, the model required 221 watts for 45 km/h at a weight of 7.2 kilograms (without pedals and accessories). By comparison, other good all-rounders such as the Specialized Tarmac SL 8 manage less than 210 watts at a weight of less than seven kilograms.
UAE Team Emirates tries to help the Colnago V4Rs with lightweight parts
The team tries to help with the weight with some lightweight parts. For example, chainrings, brake discs and thru axles from Carbon-Ti are used. With two full bottles, we weighed the bike at 8.8 kilograms. Without the bottles, the weight should be around 7.7 kilograms, which is relatively heavy in comparison.
Instead of the lighter Grand Prix TT time trial tyres from Continental, which the team rides comparatively often, Politt opts for the more robust Grand Prix 5000 S TR in a comfortable 30 millimetres, which are ridden tubeless. The tyres bulge to almost 33 millimetres on the wide Enve rims. The Enve SES rims are hookless designs and Politt can choose between different rim heights depending on the stage. The Enve SES 4.5 with a rim height of 40 millimetres at the front and 50 millimetres at the rear are usually fitted; in the mountains, the 3.4 with ten millimetres less rim height are also used. The brake pads from AbsoluteBlack with their eye-catching heat sinks are a special feature. The braking performance of the GRAPHENpads is said to be noticeably better than the originals from Shimano.
However, Politt seems to have some problems with the perfect position on the bike, as the saddle is clamped extremely far forward on the frame. Politt rides with a stem length of 130 millimetres and 38 centimetre wide handlebars.
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Jens Klötzer
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