Post by nortonvillephil on Mar 19, 2008 20:08:00 GMT -6
Race Tech: Tour of California, February 19, 2008
By James Huang and Gerard Knapp
Shimano electronic Dura-Ace group heads closer to reality
Shimano's electronic Dura-Ace group
Photo ©: James Huang
German rider Fabian Wegmann of Gerolsteiner tackled the first road stage of this year's Tour of California riding his usual Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL2 but with a version of Shimano's electronic Dura-Ace group that looked decidedly closer to a finished product than what we'd spotted previously.
Unlike earlier iterations that were rife with CNC-machined aluminium bits, this one relied heavily on what looked to be aluminium forgings. Forging is a process more typically associated with mass production than CNC machining (not to mention that it usually produces stronger parts) and forging dies are quite expensive which suggests that designs have likely been nearly finalized.
In particular, the rear derailleur has lost its once-chunky appearance and instead looks almost elegant. Plastic bits were also clearly moulded, not machined, and the polished finishes were in keeping with what we've come to expect from commercially available version of Dura-Ace, too.
The overall configuration is largely unchanged
Photo ©: James Huang
The front derailleur bore similar updates. Earlier machined aluminium bits have been replaced with smoother and highly polished ones (forged, we'd imagine) and the composite covers are notably more finished-looking. Even the cage bears a more refined look with deeper plating and more rounded edges. The battery looks largely identical to earlier version, but we'd guess that Shimano probably figured that one out quickly enough given that it doesn't have any moving parts.
Every aspect of the integrated brake/shift levers also suggested that this group is very close to production. The aluminium lever blade shape wore the same forged-and-polished appearance as on the rear derailleur and the overall aesthetic was far more refined that what we've seen before. Shift paddles have been fitted with highly detailed cut-outs and textures and each lever is equipped with the now-familiar tiny LCD gear and battery life indicators. More telling, though, is the subtle texture moulded into the rubber hoods that virtually screams 'production' (along with the logo on their side that had clearly been filed off).
Wegmann's bike was also equipped with PRO's Stealth Evo one-piece integrated carbon fibre bar and stem. That is hardly groundbreaking news in and of itself but the bar's internal cable routing does suggest that the group's electrical lines are easily detachable for such situations. We'd also be surprised if there weren't some sort of easy way to trim the lines to length if need be.
www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/feb08/california08/tech.php?id=/photos/2008/tech/features/toc_stage_one_08/gallery-toc_stage_one_08
By James Huang and Gerard Knapp
Shimano electronic Dura-Ace group heads closer to reality
Shimano's electronic Dura-Ace group
Photo ©: James Huang
German rider Fabian Wegmann of Gerolsteiner tackled the first road stage of this year's Tour of California riding his usual Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL2 but with a version of Shimano's electronic Dura-Ace group that looked decidedly closer to a finished product than what we'd spotted previously.
Unlike earlier iterations that were rife with CNC-machined aluminium bits, this one relied heavily on what looked to be aluminium forgings. Forging is a process more typically associated with mass production than CNC machining (not to mention that it usually produces stronger parts) and forging dies are quite expensive which suggests that designs have likely been nearly finalized.
In particular, the rear derailleur has lost its once-chunky appearance and instead looks almost elegant. Plastic bits were also clearly moulded, not machined, and the polished finishes were in keeping with what we've come to expect from commercially available version of Dura-Ace, too.
The overall configuration is largely unchanged
Photo ©: James Huang
The front derailleur bore similar updates. Earlier machined aluminium bits have been replaced with smoother and highly polished ones (forged, we'd imagine) and the composite covers are notably more finished-looking. Even the cage bears a more refined look with deeper plating and more rounded edges. The battery looks largely identical to earlier version, but we'd guess that Shimano probably figured that one out quickly enough given that it doesn't have any moving parts.
Every aspect of the integrated brake/shift levers also suggested that this group is very close to production. The aluminium lever blade shape wore the same forged-and-polished appearance as on the rear derailleur and the overall aesthetic was far more refined that what we've seen before. Shift paddles have been fitted with highly detailed cut-outs and textures and each lever is equipped with the now-familiar tiny LCD gear and battery life indicators. More telling, though, is the subtle texture moulded into the rubber hoods that virtually screams 'production' (along with the logo on their side that had clearly been filed off).
Wegmann's bike was also equipped with PRO's Stealth Evo one-piece integrated carbon fibre bar and stem. That is hardly groundbreaking news in and of itself but the bar's internal cable routing does suggest that the group's electrical lines are easily detachable for such situations. We'd also be surprised if there weren't some sort of easy way to trim the lines to length if need be.
www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/feb08/california08/tech.php?id=/photos/2008/tech/features/toc_stage_one_08/gallery-toc_stage_one_08