Procycling December 2014 117116 Procycling December 2014

The bikes of the peloton

sonic boom

Fuji join the aero arms race with their new Transonic. Marcel Wüst thrashes it on the

famous roads of the Belgian Classics

Writer: Marcel Wüst Photographer: Kai Dudenhöfer

two stage podiums and a combatif prize. While a few climbers stuck with the super-light Fuji Altamira – a bike i really loved when i tested it in majorca for Procycling back in 2011 – the rest of the team switched to the new Transonic and began to enjoy the efficiency advantages of this aero-road racer.

Since the launch of the Altamira, the focus on aerodynamics in the peloton has increased dramatically and the new Transonic ensures that Fuji and their teams will keep up. Having now tested many aero bikes, i was looking forward to finding out how this new entrant to the category would compare.

instead of majorca, the location for this test was belgium and the roads of

While the german netApp-endura team were making their Tour de France debut this summer,

so their latest bike made its own debut to the world. in what has now become a tradition for manufacturers, Fuji used the opportunity to showcase their new model at the planet’s biggest bike race.

The team’s results were impressive, with seventh overall for leopold König,

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Marcel and the Fuji tackle the 20 per cent gradient of the famous Paterberg climb

So often I’ve found a lack of SteerIng accuracy to be the undoIng of an aero-road bIke but the fujI really ImpreSSeS

Frame: Fuji Transonic 1.1Fork: Fuji FC-330 full carbonGroupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2Crankset: Shimano Dura-Ace Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace direct mount Chainrings: 52 /36Cassette: 11–25 Wheels: Oval Concepts 950FTyres: Vittoria Open Corsa CXHeadset: FSAStem: Oval Concepts 913 Handlebar: Oval Concepts R910Seatpost: Fuji Transonic Aero carbonSaddle: Oval Concepts R900Weight: 7.3kg (claimed)Price: UK: £4,800, US: $6,299www.fujibikes.com

Specifications

The curved seat tube hugs the rear wheel to smooth airflow onto the rim

once you’re ahead of the bunch and alone, your chanceS of StayIng aWay are much better on the tranSonIc

weren’t closed just for me, i was still going way, way slower than the riders would be during the ronde…

The aerodynamic oval wheels prove to be a great companion at high speed, partly because they help you to sustain that speed but even more so because of their braking performance. With a bit of dust on the rim, alloy still beats carbon and i enjoyed leaving my braking to the last moment.

All too soon i reached the bottom of the Paterberg. looking up it, i’d forgotten how damn steep it is. i was able to take quite a bit of momentum into the climb but my out-of-the-saddle effort didn’t last long because i lost grip on the back wheel

just as the gradient made its first kick by the pretty house on the left (owned by the farmer who built the Paterberg just so that his beloved ronde would pass his house). There was no time to admire it, though, as i was still riding as if Tommeke and Pete were chasing me. i managed to get halfway up at something approaching race pace; the problem was that i had sprinted to do it and now my body was overflowing with lactic acid and locking up.

i decided to turn around, ride back down the cobbles and recover before challenging the Paterberg a second time. it was a great feeling as the lactic acid dissipated, though the experience left an annoying taste of blood in my throat, just like you get after riding a prologue flat out.

on the way back down i noticed that the rear brake cable rattled loudly in the top tube. of course, that’s to be expected over cobbles and rather than being a minus point, it made me realise this was the

the spring classics, in particular the truly beautiful ronde van vlaanderen.

The biggest classics are often decided by solo riders or small groups because these races, more than most, are adept at separating out the very strongest. if you were making a 40km escape then it stands to reason that you would want a bike with minimal aero drag as well as perfect power transfer. We’ve already seen the traditional alloy rims being replaced by deep-section carbon ones and many riders now choose aero-road helmets. How long is it going to be until aero-road bikes break into this last bastion of traditional looking bikes?

even though the thought of that makes me a little bit sad, i have to admit that the argument for them is compelling. Fuji say that over 40km at 300W, the Transonic is almost a minute faster than the Altamira, a similar saving to those claimed by other

brands. So, once you’re ahead of the bunch and alone, your chances of staying away are much better on a bike like the Transonic.

As i started to cruise along the course in the Vlaamse Ardennen (Flemish Ardennes) i realised i should have chosen a smaller frame than this ‘l’ size. my position was as normal but a smaller frame would have offered a degree more agility. This is why you tend to see racers on bikes with much longer stems.

my 1.1 model, the most expensive you can buy in most countries, has Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 along with a semi-compact chainset that i very much appreciated on the steep climbs of Flanders as it meant i could keep a good cadence going. That’s very important when you’re climbing on cobbles, especially if they’re as tough as the ones in Flanders, such as the infamous Paterberg towards the end of this ride.

The road approaching this climb is downhill, narrow and very twisty. i gave my descent some real stick as if i had to defend a narrow margin, trying to stay clear of riders such as Tom boonen and Peter van Petegem (who still lives on the ronde’s course). The bike descended like it was on rails and i was really surprised by the stiffness of the front end. often i’ve found a lack of steering accuracy can be the undoing of an aero-road bike but the Fuji really impresses.

in the fastest sections of this descent i must have been doing just over 60kph but because it’s so narrow and the roads

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WIth 36x25 you can Stay In the Saddle for the beSt tractIon and SuStaIn a good cadence WIthout bloWIng yourSelf up

How much faster is the Transonic?SF: The Transonic compared to the Altamira: 118g reduction in drag averaged across yaw from 0-20 degrees, which equates to 20.89 watts saved. At a steady 300W over a 40km course, the Transonic is 55 seconds faster.

How often will the team use the Transonic instead of the Altamira?SF: We will be sponsoring a new team in 2015, to be announced very shortly; the Altamira-Transonic balance is still being determined but based on our experience at the Tour de France with NetApp-Endura, our pure climbers chose to ride the Altamira, while the remainder of the team chose the Transonic. All of the team rode the Altamira on the cobbles for its compliance.

Can you give an example of a feature or characteristic of the Transonic that arose directly from the feedback of the team?SF: Stiffness. Our pro riders wanted the frame to be as stiff as possible. 1-series Transonics are constructed of our ultra high-modulus C10 carbon, and the frame was designed with wider cross-sectional tubes than the traditional airfoils to achieve maximum stiffness along with excellent aerodynamics.

Secondly, they wanted stable steering geometry, which we achieved by carefully choosing the headtube angle and fork offset.

Did you think it was important to preserve a good degree of comfort and how did you manage this in an aero design?SF: Yes, we feel it’s very important to retain some compliance in all frame designs. We optimised the lay-up and the selection of carbon materials to have a frame platform that is laterally stiff and vertically compliant.

Why did you not choose to hide the brakes out of the wind?SF: The TTV brake hidden behind the fork is a good choice for our TT frame but for a road bike we didn’t like the lack of pad clearance or braking modulation. As for why we chose not to use a chainstay-mounted rear brake, we listened to feedback from mechanics as well as riders. We were one of the first to position a direct-mount rear brake on the seatstays instead of under the chainstays, where it’s extremely challenging to set up and service and impossible to adjust in a race situation. In terms of stiffness and aerodynamics, a chainstay-mounted brake makes sense but from a service view, it’s illogical. We worked directly with Shimano to modify their front brake to mount on the seatstays, where it’s easy to adjust. Additionally, mounting the brake directly to the frame increases brake stiffness and control, as it eliminates the flex of a traditional brake-fixing bolt. In terms of aerodynamics, the fork and seatstays are shaped to match the brakes for optimal airflow. We think the Transonic’s brake positions offer the best of both worlds.

InsIde Track Steve faIrchIldSenior producT manager

With the rear brake in the conventional position, Fuji added this small fin to clean up the airflow

This isn’t where you need an aero bike to help you win but the fast 40km blast to the finish after it is

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first time i’d heard it and that the internal cables had been pleasingly quiet up until that point on the ride.

The Transonic handled really well on the 50kph descent over rough cobbles. Shaken but not stirred, i reached the bottom, then turned left back along the race route i had just come along. i followed the little road uphill using the smallest possible gear at a speed a granny could have ridden. When my legs returned to normal, i did another U-turn and this time i just cruised down the hill and then tackled the Paterberg at a more appropriate speed, with the chain all the way to the left.

With 36x25 you can stay in the saddle for the best traction and sustain a good cadence without blowing yourself up and this time i reached the top without ever getting into trouble.

At the left turn at the top there is a bench which i have never noticed before, so i took a well-deserved rest overlooking this great cycling landscape. With the Fuji Transonic parked right by my side, i had the chance to take a closer look at some of the details.

The first thing i noticed is that the brakes are in the traditional locations. We have become used to seeing manufacturers of aero bikes placing the brakes behind the fork and the bottom bracket to save a little drag. However, this compromises braking performance as well as access for set-up, leading to something of a backlash; the canyon that i tested in the last issue also wore its calipers on its sleeves. To offset

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Born: Cologne, Germany6/8/1967Residence: Frechen, Germany; Majorca, SpainPro Career: 1989 — 2001 First Team: RMOCareer Highlights: 14 grand tour stage wins 1 Tour, 1 Giro, 12 Vuelta

During his career as a top sprinter Marcel won stages in all three major tours. A bad crash in 2000 forced early retirement. He now works as a journalist and television pundit, as well as running cycling camps from his base in Majorca, Casa Ciclista. He stays enviably fit and pushes every test bike to its limits.

rIdden by… grand tour multi-stage winner Marcel Wüst

A steep cobbled climb is often hell for an aero-road bike and its rider but not the Fuji Transonic

The rear triangle is more compliant than most aero bikes and Marcel found the cobbles manageable

deSpIte the aero Seat tube and poSt, the tranSonIc felt SurprISIngly comfortable. It WaS fIne on the cobbleS

Aero seatposts are often unyielding things but Fuji’s cuts vibration usefully

The Oval Concepts cockpit pleased Marcel… but it would please us more if he’d slammed it

some of the extra drag, Fuji have added a fin above the rear caliper to manage the air coming off the back of the bike and to prevent the caliper from being so exposed.

Another interesting detail is the chain catcher that comes up out of the bb shell. it’s a good idea but i’m surprised it isn’t closer to the chain. Then again, i never lost my chain all day despite riding the toughest cobbles in Flanders.

The rear end can accommodate tyres up to 28mm and this is another reason why this bike might get a chance at the classics in the future. Despite the aero seat-tube and post, the Transonic feels surprisingly comfortable. it was fine on the cobbles, so there’s no price to pay for the aero gains.

As we’re now used to seeing, the cables all disappear into the frame behind the stem and the guides are replaceable for electronic or mechanical shifting.

The front of the seatpost has a rougher surface, meaning less pressure is required on the post through the internal clamp. it didn’t slip during my day on the cobbles; not so long ago team mechanics had to fit a second clamp for the spring classics. The oval concepts cockpit is pleasing, too: it’s light, stiff and comfortable on the hands.

getting off the bench was no easy task because sitting enjoying the sun is another favourite hobby of mine but eventually i climbed back on the bike and rode on to ronse. now quite tired, i was going too slow to benefit from the Transonic’s

aerodynamics that had helped me fly along earlier in the day but i enjoyed this stage of the ride every bit as much!

Here is a rapid aero bike that avoids the usual compromises. it’s comfortable for long rides, handles with real precision on fast descents and the brakes won’t make you mad. it’s a great partner for a classic but how fast you ride it is up to you.

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