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Tour de France bikes 2024: who’s riding what?

All the bikes and tech on display at the 2024 Tour De France

Paul Norman

The 2024 Tour de France starts on 29 June in Florence, making a loop through Cesenatico, home of 1998 winner Marco Pantani before heading to France.

This year’s route is unusual, looping anticlockwise past Paris before crossing the Pyrenees and finishing after 3,493km in Nice.

There are two time trials – 25.3km on stage 7 in Burgundy and the final 33.7km stage from Monaco to Nice, which will see the riders on their fast, specialist equipment. 

As usual, there’s some very flashy tech on show throughout the race and we can expect more to be announced in the run-up to the Grand Depart. This will probably include Trek’s new skinny-tubed Madone look-alike, the unreleased updated Pinarello Dogma F and the refreshed Canyon Aeroad .

More will certainly be unearthed by the sharp-eyed tech nerds at BikeRadar as the race proceeds.

Read on for a complete list of the bikes in this year’s Tour de France, along with the components they’re fitted with and our pick of some of the new bikes and tech to keep an eye out for.

Tour de France 2024 bike brands

The 2024 Tour de France peloton consists of 22 teams of eight, making 176 riders in total.

The 18 WorldTour squads receive an automatic invitation to compete, while four second-tier Pro Continental teams receive a wildcard invitation. Between them, 19 bike brands are represented. 

New brands this year are ENVE with its Melee, which costs over £10,000 in a consumer build with Ultegra. This is ridden by Team TotalEnergies.

Van Rysel's £9,000 RCR Pro bike – the most affordable in the pro peloton – is used by Decathlon-AG2R. 

A notable leaver is Lapierre, which had been a feature of top-level men’s cycling for 22 years. Its place as bike provider to the Groupama-FDJ team has been taken by Wilier, now one of three brands to sponsor two teams, along with Specialized and Canyon.

Lotto-Dstny has changed from Ridley to Orbea bikes this year.

Bike brands represented at the 2024 Tour de France:

  • Bianchi: Arkéa-B&B Hotels
  • Cannondale: EF Education-EasyPost
  • Canyon: Alpecin-Deceuninck, Movistar Team
  • Cervélo: Visma-Lease a Bike
  • Colnago: UAE Team Emirates 
  • Cube: Intermarché-Wanty
  • Dare: Uno-X Mobility
  • ENVE: Team TotalEnergies
  • Factor: Israel-Premier Tech
  • Giant: Team Jayco-AlUla
  • Look: Cofidis
  • Merida: Bahrain Victorious
  • Pinarello: Ineos Grenadiers
  • Orbea: Lotto-Dstny
  • Scott: Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL
  • Specialized: Bora-Hansgrohe, Soudal-QuickStep
  • Trek: Lidl-Trek
  • Van Rysel: Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale
  • Wilier Triestina: Astana-Qazaqstan, Groupama-FDJ

What’s new in tech?

The all-rounder reigns.

Kasper Asgreen's Specialized Tarmac SL8 at 2024 Paris-Roubaix

While a few years ago, many teams had a separate aero bike for flat stages, then climbed on a lightweight bike when the road pointed uphill, most teams now have one bike for all stages. 

Lightweight bikes are now almost as aero as the aero bikes of a few years ago. In some cases, such as the Cannondale SuperSix, they're claimed to be more so.

With most pro bikes close to the 6.8kg UCI bike weight limit , there’s no reason to have a separate climbing bike, so one bike can now do it all.

No Campagnolo

Thompson Falcon Super Record Wireless bike at Velofollies

Campagnolo has been a feature of the Tour for almost 100 years, but in the last few the number of teams using its groupsets has dwindled. Last year, there was one, this year there are none.  

That means all teams at the 2024 Tour de France will use Shimano Dura-Ace or the latest SRAM Red AXS groupset on their bikes. 

There are no wheels from Campagnolo or its Fulcrum companion brand either.  

Will Campagnolo return to the pro peloton? Time will tell, but for now, its momentum appears to be in gravel, with a new second-tier Ekar GT groupset joining the original Ekar in February.

1x will become even more important

SRAM Red XPLR AXS rear derailleur

The first outing of single-chainring only bikes on the race circuit a few years ago with Aqua Blue Sport ended unhappily, but 1x hasn’t died in the pro peloton.

Jonas Vingegaard rode a 1x bike on two road stages of last year’s Tour and there have been several other notable instances of riders using the tech – not least Primoz Roglič, when he won the penultimate-stage time trial at the 2023 Giro d’Italia to clinch the overall victory. 

Will 1x go mainstream at the Tour? For pro riders, a major issue is the potentially larger jumps between gear ratios than with a 2x setup.

The increasing number of sprockets available makes this less of a problem though, with 12-speed cassettes providing one- or two-tooth jumps between the most-used ratios.

Now, a new 13-speed SRAM Red XPLR groupset has been spotted on gravel bikes ridden at Unbound. Having 13 ratios to choose from could help to increase acceptance of 1x setups in the Tour, with their simplicity, aero benefits and lower weight making them attractive.

Riders will take risks with tyre choices

32.2mm Continental GP5000 TT TR tyre on Tadej Pogačar's Colnago V4Rs before the 2023 Tour de France Grand Depart

As with disc brakes, it’s taken a while for the pros to see the benefits of tubeless tyres . But almost all teams have now swapped to these from glued-on tubular.

While inopportune flats were a fact of life with tubs, the sealant in tubeless tyres provides some protection to help keep you riding. Wheel and bike changes with thru-axles have become much slicker too.

That looks to have led some riders to swap to lightweight time trial tyres in place of their sponsors’ standard road tyres at the 2023 Tour. At the expense of reduced puncture resistance, most time trial tyres are lighter and faster-rolling than their road equivalents. We expect more riders to follow suit this year.

Tour de France 2024 bikes

All 18 WorldTour teams ride the Tour de France and every one of them gets the pick of the best bikes from their sponsors’ ranges. That includes all teams using 12-speed wireless/semi-wireless electronic groupsets on their road bikes and a choice of top-spec carbon wheels.

The invited Pro Continental teams (Israel-Premier Tech, Lotto-Dstny, TotalEnergies, Uno-X Mobility) too are on top-spec bikes and equipment – there’s no second-best here.

Alpecin-Deceuninck (ADC)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Canyon Aeroad CFR / Speedmax CFR Disc (TT)
  • Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace
  • Wheels: Shimano
  • Finishing kit: Canyon, Shimano, Vittoria, Selle Italia, Elite, Wahoo

Arkéa-B&B Hotels (ARK)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Bianchi Specialissima RC / Oltre RC / Aquila (TT)
  • Wheels: Vision
  • Finishing kit: Bianchi, Continental, Selle Italia, Elite, Wahoo

Astana-Qazaqstan (AST)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Wilier Triestina Filante SLR / 0 SLR / Turbine (TT)
  • Finishing kit: Wilier, Look, Vittoria, Prologo, Tacx, Garmin

Bahrain Victorious (TBV)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Merida Scultura Disc Team / Reacto Disc Team / Time Warp (TT)
  • Wheels: Vision Metron
  • Finishing kit: FSA/Vision, Continental, Prologo, Elite, Garmin

Bora-Hansgrohe (BOH)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 / Shiv (TT)
  • Groupset: SRAM Red AXS
  • Wheels: Roval
  • Finishing kit: Roval, Specialized, Hammerhead

Cofidis (COF)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Look 795 Blade RS / 796 Monoblade RS (TT)
  • Wheels: Corima
  • Finishing kit: Look, SRM, Michelin, Selle Italia, Elite, Wahoo

Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale Team (DAT)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Van Rysel RCR Pro / XCR (TT)
  • Wheels: Swiss Side Hadron 2 Ultimate
  • Finishing kit: Deda, Look, Continental, Fizik, Elite, Wahoo

EF Education-EasyPost (EFE)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Cannondale SuperSix EVO LAB71 / SuperSlice (TT)
  • Finishing kit: FSA/Vision, Wahoo Speedplay, Vittoria, Prologo, Elite, Wahoo

Groupama-FDJ (GFC)

Stefan Küng’s 2024 Paris-Roubaix Wilier Filante SLR

  • Bikes: Wilier Filante SLR / 0 SLR / Turbine (TT)
  • Wheels: Shimano Dura-Ace
  • Finishing kit: Wilier, Continental, Prologo, Elite, Garmin

Ineos Grenadiers (IGD)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Pinarello Dogma F / Bolide (TT)
  • Wheels: Shimano Dura-Ace / Princeton CarbonWorks
  • Finishing kit: MOST, Continental, Prologo, Elite, Garmin

Intermarché-Wanty (IWA)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Cube Litening C:68X Pro / Aerium (TT)
  • Wheels: Newmen Advanced SL
  • Finishing kit: Cube, Look, Continental, Prologo, Elite, CeramicSpeed, Bryton

Israel-Premier Tech (IPT)

2024 Factor Ostro VAM

  • Bikes: Factor Ostro VAM / Hanzo (TT)
  • Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace/FSA chainset
  • Wheels: Black Inc
  • Finishing kit: Black Inc, Rotor, Continental, Selle Italia, CeramicSpeed, SwissStop, Elite, Hammerhead

Lidl-Trek (LTK)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Trek Émonda SLR / Madone SLR / Speed Concept (TT)
  • Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus
  • Finishing kit: Bontrager, Time, Pirelli, Wahoo

Lotto-Dstny (LTD)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Orbea Orca Aero, Orca / Ordu (TT)
  • Wheels: Oquo
  • Finishing kit: Vision, Vittoria, Selle Italia, Tacx, Lizard Skins, Garmin

Movistar Team (MOV)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Canyon Aeroad CFR / Speedmax CF SLX (TT)
  • Wheels: Zipp
  • Finishing kit: Canyon, Time, Continental, Fizik, Lizard Skins, Garmin

Soudal-QuickStep (SOQ)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 / Roubaix / Shiv (TT)
  • Finishing kit: Roval, Specialized, CeramicSpeed, Tacx, Supercaz, Garmin

Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL (DFP)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Scott Foil RC / Plasma 5 (TT)
  • Finishing kit: Syncros, Vittoria, Elite, Wahoo

Team Jayco-AlUla (JAY)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc / TCR Advanced SL Disc / Trinity Advanced Pro (TT)
  • Wheels: Cadex 36, 42, 65
  • Finishing kit: Cadex, Giant

Team Visma-Lease a Bike (TVL)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Cervélo R5 Disc / S5 / P5 (TT)
  • Wheels: Reserve 52/63
  • Finishing kit: Cervélo, Wahoo Speedplay, Vittoria, Fizik, Tacx, Garmin

TotalEnergies (TEN)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: ENVE Melee / Specialized Shiv (TT)
  • Wheels: ENVE
  • Finishing kit: ENVE, Selle Italia, Continental, Tacx, Garmin

UAE Team Emirates (UAD)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes: Colnago V4Rs / TT1 (TT)
  • Finishing kit: Colnago, Continental, Prologo, Elite, Wahoo

Uno-X Mobility (UXM)

tour de france bike brakes

  • Bikes : Dare VSRu / TSRf (TT)
  • Wheels: DT Swiss
  • Finishing kit: Dare, Schwalbe, Pro, CeramicSpeed, Elite, Garmin

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tour de france bike brakes

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tour de france bike brakes

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20 Years and Counting: How The Bikes of the Tour de France Have Changed by Matt Stephens

20 Years and Counting: How The Bikes of the Tour de France Have Changed by Matt Stephens

Since Škoda’s partnership with the Tour de France began 20 years ago, the bikes at the Tour have undergone remarkable transformations, fuelled by advancements in technology and the pursuit of optimal performance.

In this article, I’m going to explore how these bikes have evolved, focussing on gearing ratios, aerodynamics, weight, and specialised designs for the various terrain the Tour offers. Additionally, I’ll delve into the developments in wheel technology and the increasing emphasis on wider tire widths. First up though, let’s look at gears.

(Note, you’ll see the word ‘optimise’ used a lot in this article, just saying).

Gearing ratios

One of the significant advancements in cycling tech over the last couple of decades has been the continued refinement of gearing ratios. In the early 2000s when I was riding as a pro, we primarily relied on traditional double chainring setups with a limited range of gear options. In fact I had 8 sprockets to choose from where the pros now have 11 or 12. The lowest gearing I had back then was 39 x 25 for the hardest mountains. Looking back, I don’t know how I did it! However, with the introduction of compact chain sets, more gears and larger sprocket sizes, riders have now gained a much wider spectrum of ratios to choose from. This has enabled them to maintain an optimal cadence over various terrain, improving efficiency and reducing fatigue. A typical gear set up for a mountain stage of the Tour de France these days would be 36 x 32, with the option to go even lower should the climbs necessitate.

The advent of electronic shifting systems, such as Shimano’s Di2 and SRAM’s eTap, totally revolutionised gear changing by providing faster, more precise shifts. These electronic systems eliminated the need for traditional mechanical cables, resulting in faster, smoother gear changes and enhanced reliability. The seamless integration of electronic shifting systems has now become a standard feature in pro cycling, with wireless shifting now commonplace too. Although I don’t race anymore, I’d never go back to the old gear days!

Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics play a crucial role, where even the slightest reduction in wind resistance can translate into valuable time gains and/or watts and energy saved. Over the last two decades, bicycle manufacturers have invested heavily in wind tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to refine frame designs and improve aerodynamic efficiency. This search for more ‘free speed’ is neverending.

Modern bikes in the Tour feature frames with intricate tube profiles, aerodynamically optimised forks, and integrated components. The focus is on reducing drag by minimising the frontal area or leading edges of the bike, smoothing airflow around key areas such as the head tube, handlebars and integrating brake cables into the frame to reduce turbulence. This also gives these new bikes a really ‘clean’ uncluttered aesthetic. In short, they look great. Although it has to be said, I’m still in love with the look of the traditional steel frames of the past!

Lance Armstrong

Specialised bikes for different terrains

Over the last decade or so teams at the Tour have begun employing a strategy of having specific bikes to suit different terrains. This would include a slightly heavier aero bike designed for flat and rolling stages, where aerodynamics and power transfer are critical. These aero bikes often feature deepsection carbon wheels, integrated handlebars and frames fine tuned for sprinting and efficient riding at high speed.

Conversely, for mountainous stages and demanding climbs, teams will use lightweight climbing bikes. These prioritise weight reduction to enhance the riders’ ability to tackle steep ascents. Climbing bikes typically feature ultralight frames, compact gearing, and minimalistic designs. By employing this strategy, teams can ensure their riders have the most suitable equipment for each stage, optimising their performance and conserving energy. That said, lighter bikes are now more aero than ever and aero bikes are lighter than ever, with some teams now opting for one singular bike for all types of terrain. The Ineos Grenadiers only use one bike for example, their Pinarello Dogmas.

Pinarello Dogma

Wheel technology

In recent years, there has been a notable shift towards wider tyre widths in pro cycling. Only 20 years ago, far narrower tyres were used, typically around 21-23mm in width. I remember descending high mountains on wet roads using only 21-23mm tyres running over 100psi in pressure. There’s no way you’d get me (or anyone) doing that now!

However, the now-known benefits of wider tyres, such as improved traction, lower rolling resistance, better puncture protection and increased comfort, coupled with a wider rim and improved aerodynamics, have prompted a paradigm shift in the peloton. With the gradual introduction of disc brakes over the last 5 years, which provide better modulation and stopping power, pro riders have been more open to the use of these wider tyres, which commonly range from 25mm to 28mm. These widths allow for lower tyre pressures without sacrificing rolling resistance, which translates into better handling on a variety of road surfaces for the reasons I’ve previously detailed. Again, I’d never go back to using narrow tyres. 28mm is what I use all the time now.

So, in short, the bikes ridden at the Tour de France over the last 20 years have experienced nothing short of a technological revolution. Each and every aspect of the bikes has been meticulously refined to maximise performance. Of course the quest for optimal performance continues apace, and it’ll be fascinating to witness how upcoming technological innovations shape the bikes ridden in the the Tours of the future. Hover bikes anyone? 😉

Finally and importantly, we can all ride these types of bikes ourselves. The tech ultimately trickles down to the consumer so we can all experience the feel of a thoroughbred machine. A machine that was tried and tested at the Tour de France, the humble bicycle’s ultimate playground.

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Bicycle Stories

Discover Tour De France’s Top-Performing Brakes.

Photo of author

Rony Tushar

June 21, 2023

Tour de france bikes typically use rim brakes, although some teams have recently started using disc brakes. Rim brakes use pads that grip the rim of the wheel to slow down or stop the bike, while disc brakes use a rotor and caliper system to apply pressure to the wheel.

The brakes used in the tour de france are a critical aspect of the bike’s performance and safety. The riders need to be able to quickly stop or slow down their bikes in a variety of conditions, including steep descents, sharp corners, and wet or slippery roads.

Rim brakes have been the traditional choice for many years, but disc brakes are becoming more popular due to their superior stopping power and consistency in all weather conditions. Teams and riders may choose different brake systems depending on personal preference and the course’s demands. Overall, the brakes used in the tour de france must be precise, dependable, and capable of handling the intense demands of the race.

Discover Tour De France's Top-Performing Brakes.

Credit: bike.shimano.com

Table of Contents

The Impact Of Brakes On The Tour De France

Considerations for tour de france brake systems.

The tour de france is one of the most prestigious cycling races in the world, attracting thousands of participants and spectators every year. Since the race is held in mountainous terrain and at high speeds, the brakes used by the cyclists play a crucial role in ensuring their safety and performance.

Here are some key considerations for tour de france brake systems:

  • Weight: One of the most crucial factors in tour de france brake systems is weight. Cyclists’ bikes need to be as light as possible to enable them to ride the quickly and climb up mountains with ease. Adding heavy brakes can slow them down and make it harder to compete. As a result, the brake system’s weight must be as minimal as possible.
  • Stopping power: In contrast to balancing weight, tour de france cyclists use brake systems that provide optimal stopping power as stopping promptly can make all the difference in a high-speed race where split seconds count.
  • Aerodynamics: The aerodynamic efficiency of the brakes cannot be ignored, as wind resistance can negatively impact a cyclist’s speed. Tour de france race bikes are designed to have as little air resistance as possible. Adding bulky brake systems can hinder this, reducing the cyclists’ speed which can impact their race.
  • Heat dissipation: Tour de france’s high-stress race conditions can cause brakes to heat up quickly. Therefore, tour de france brake systems must be able to dissipate the heat and avoid overheating, which can affect stopping power, performance, and safety.
  • Modulation: Modulation in braking refers to the smooth transition as the rider applies and releases pressure on the brake lever. In the tour de france, having efficient modulation is important, as sudden application or release of brakes can cause instability and even lead to an accident.
  • Compatibility: Tour de france bicycles are designed to restrict the type of brake systems that can be mounted on them. As a result, adapted brake systems must be compatible with these bikes to guarantee optimum performance and safety.

Understanding The Tour De France’S Braking System

The tour de france is an ultimate test of speed, endurance, and skill for professional cyclists, with riders descending down steep mountains, taking sharp turns, and racing through crowded streets. To ensure safety, the braking system of a bicycle must be reliable and efficient.

Components Of The Tour De France’S Braking System

The tour de france’s braking system is comprised of two types of brakes: rim brakes and disc brakes. Here are the main components of each type:

  • Two brake pads positioned against the rim of the wheel
  • A lever on the handlebar that pulls a cable connected to the brake caliper
  • The brake caliper that squeezes the pads against the rim, reducing the wheel’s rotation.

Disc Brakes

  • A rotor attached to the wheel hub
  • A brake caliper and pads that clamps onto the rotor
  • A hydraulic line that carries brake fluid to the calipers to provide a stronger stopping ability.

Advantages Of Disc Brakes

Disc brakes offer several advantages over rim brakes, making them the preferred choice of many tour de france cyclists.

  • More braking power: Disc brakes provide more braking power, especially in wet and muddy conditions.
  • Consistent performance: Disc brakes maintain consistent performance, even when the rim gets twisted or heated, which can cause rim brakes to falter.
  • Less wheel wear: Disc brakes generate less heat and friction than rim brakes, leading to less wear and tear on the wheel.
  • Better control: Disc brakes offer better modulation, allowing cyclists to better control their speed and make minor adjustments during the race.

Advantages Of Rim Brakes

While disc brakes are becoming increasingly popular, many cyclists still choose to use rim brakes. Here are some advantages of rim brakes:

  • Lighter weight: Rim brakes are lighter than disc brakes, which is crucial for long-distance cyclists during the race.
  • Simpler design: Rim brakes are simpler in design, making them easier to maintain and repair during a race.
  • Quieter operation: Rim brakes make less noise than disc brakes, which can be a deciding factor when the race is on the line.

The tour de france’s braking system is a crucial component that helps ensure the safety and performance of the riders. Whether using rim brakes or disc brakes, each has its advantages and disadvantages, and riders choose the braking system that best suits their riding style and preference.

Top-Performing Braking Systems In Tour De France

As a spectator of tour de france, you might have wondered about the braking systems used in the race. Being the utmost important safety component of a bicycle, brakes need to deliver perfect stopping power, responsiveness, and durability. In this section, we will analyze the top-performing braking systems present in tour de france.

Analysis Of The Top-Performing Braking Systems

The three main contenders in the braking system industry are shimano dura-ace 9000, sram red, and campagnolo super record. All three systems are high-performance and offer superior stopping power to keep the riders safe and in control.

Key Features Of Shimano Dura-Ace 9000

Shimano dura-ace 9000 is one of the most widely used braking systems in tour de france due to its flawless performance, lightweight, and precise modulation. Some of the key features of shimano dura-ace 9000 are:

  • Dual pivot design
  • Spring tension adjuster
  • Ceramic brake shoes
  • Carbon fiber brake lever
  • Aerodynamic outer cable routing
  • Low profile clamp design

Key Features Of Sram Red

Sram red is another popular braking system in tour de france. It offers excellent stopping power with its advanced design and unique features such as:

  • Aerolink arm
  • Brake pad compound
  • Adjustable spring tension
  • Cold-forged skeletonized dual pivot design

Key Features Of Campagnolo Super Record

Campagnolo super record is a high-end braking system that offers a superior braking experience to riders. Its compact design and powerful stopping ability make it a favorite among professional cyclists. Some of the key features of campagnolo super record are:

  • Titanium adjustment screws
  • Exclusive brake pad compound
  • Skeletonized arms
  • Brake lever hoods in silicon material

Each braking system has its advantages and disadvantages. Nonetheless, they all deliver superior performance and stopping power needed for a safe and engaging tour de france experience.

Frequently Asked Questions For What Brakes Do Tour De France Use?

What type of brakes do tour de france bikes use.

The majority of tour de france bikes use traditional rim brakes. However, disc brakes are becoming increasingly popular.

Are Disc Brakes More Effective Than Rim Brakes In The Tour De France?

While disc brakes provide more consistent and reliable stopping power, they are not necessarily faster than rim brakes in the tour de france.

Why Do Some Cyclists Still Use Rim Brakes In The Tour De France?

Some professional cyclists still prefer rim brakes because they are lighter, more aerodynamic, and have a more direct feel.

Have Any Accidents Occurred Due To Brake Malfunctions In The Tour De France?

There have been a few incidents in the tour de france where brake malfunctions have resulted in crashes, but they are relatively rare.

As the most prestigious cycling event in the world, the tour de france has strict rules and regulations in place regarding bikes and their components, including brakes. The majority of professional bike racers use rim brakes as opposed to disc brakes due to their lighter weight and ease of maintenance, but as technology advances, it will be interesting to see if this changes in the future.

Ultimately, the choice of brake is a personal one dependent on the individual rider and their preferences. So next time you watch the tour de france and marvel at the speed and agility of the riders, take a moment to appreciate the technology that keeps them safe as they hurtle down mountainsides at breakneck speeds.

From vintage caliper brakes to cutting edge hydraulic systems, brakes have come a long way since the early days of cycling and continue to evolve with every passing year.

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Disc Brakes in the Tour de France

tour de france bike brakes

  • Myth 12: Disc brakes work better than rim brakes 

Photo credits: A.S.O./Tour de France.

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Tour de France winning bikes: Pinarello is the top dog

We look back at the last 15 bikes to be ridden to victory and Italian brands dominate

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Jonas Vingegaard of Jumbo-Visma pictured in action during stage 21, the final stage of the Tour de France on his custom yellow Cervelo

It goes without saying that the Tour de France is the biggest race in cycling, which means it's the perfect proving ground for brands to test their range-topping superbikes, with many companies timing new releases with the Tour each year.

The bike brands are fighting nearly as hard for the top step of the podium as the riders and teams themselves - so which brands have come out on top over the years?

Well, the last decade has been an almost totally Italian affair. Eight of the last ten editions have been shared between Pinarello (Team Ineos) and Colnago (UAE Emirates), with the only upsets coming from Specialized (Astana in 2014) and Cervélo (Jumbo-Visma in 2022).

Looking back a little further and 2011 saw the first ever Australian victor of the Tour de France in Cadel Evans (Team BMC), who rode a BMC Team Machine. Before that Specialized also secured a bike win in 2010 with Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank). 

Schleck was awarded the title after though only after Alberto Contador's disqualification. That didn't actually change the winning bike brand as Contador's Team Astana were also on Specialized.

El Pistolero did win the year before, though, but in 2009 he was on board a Trek Madone. The year before that, and rather neatly topping and tailing our ever-so-slightly arbitrary 15 year timeline, Carlos Sastre won the 2008 race on a Cervélo!

Here's a look at the machines that took their riders to victory from 2008 to 2022 - but first, a few commonly asked questions...

What kind of bikes do Tour de France riders use?

The vast majority of stages are road stages, requiring road bikes. In 2022, there are two time trial stages (stage one and stage 20), where riders will be aboard time trial bikes. But you wanted more detail than that, right?! Most brands supply teams with two road models: a lightweight climbing bike, and an aero bike - the latter being more suited to fast, flat stages. Exceptions include Pinarello, where the Italian marquee says its Dogma F can do both.

How much do Tour de France bikes cost?

The Pinarello Dogma is perhaps the best example to give. Relaunched in August 2021 as the ' Pinarello Dogma F ', the top-end SRAM Red eTap model will set you back £12,000 / $14,500. 

Can you buy a Tour de France bike?

WorldTour bikes ridden by the pros are commercially available. Brands across the board will tell you that the bike you can buy in the shops is exactly the same as that ridden by the pros. However, some skepticism surrounds this assertion. If pro bikes are treated with a slightly different carbon layup and geometry, as is often suggested, the changes will be minimal and likely take into account the lesser requirement of longevity and greater strength/flexibility of professional riders. 

Which bike brand has had the most Tour de France wins?

Pinarello hasn't just dominated the past decade or so - bikes bearing the Italian brand's name are the most successful in Tour de France history. The first of its 16 wins came in 1988 with Pedro Delgado and Team Reynolds, with further successes coming with Miguel Induráin, Bjarne Riis and Jan Ulrich and then Team Sky/Ineos Grenadiers.  The next most successful brand is Peugeot. Now better know for cars, the French brand first won in 1905, with its last victory in 1977. Trek can only claim two official Tour de France wins, with Alberto Contador in 2007 and 2009. The US brand would be equal with Gitane on nine wins but, of course, Lance Armstrong's seven 'wins' aboard a Trek have been struck from the record books.

Tour de France bikes

2022: Jonas Vingegaard's (Jumbo-Visma) Cervélo R5 and S5

Jonas Vingegaard holding custom yellow Cervelo S5 after winning tour de france 2022

The 2022 Tour de France was a display of dominance from the squad we have seen at the forefront of racing for so long now, Jumbo-Visma. Last year, the team swept up the overall victory and KOM jersey with Jonas Vingegaard , as well as the points classification with Wout Van Aert . Six stage victories to top things off made this a pretty memorable run for the Dutch cycling team.

Vingegaard used a combination of Cervélo's S5 aero bike, and R5 climbing bike throughout the Tour, but he ultimately rolled into Paris aboard his custom-painted S5.

Both bikes were fully clad in the latest 12-speed Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 and featured matching wheels. The Dura-Ace wheelsets varied from the C35 offering for mountain days, while the C60s saw use on the flatter stages.

Interestingly too, 2022 is the first year in history to be won strictly on disc brakes . Though Tadej Pogacar did roll into Paris one year earlier on discs, he also used rim brakes in time trials and for a select few mountain stages - Jumbo-Visma on the other hand, ran exclusively disc setups during the 2022 Tour. If ever there was a sign that rim brakes are on their way to extinction, surely this is it.

2020 & 2021: Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) Colnago V3Rs

Colnago V3Rs Tadej Pogačar

Pogačar's winning machine from stage nine of 2021

Pogačar's 2020 win made him the first ever Slovenian rider to win the Tour de France, the youngest ever rider at 21-years-old, and he achieved that feat riding a Colnago V3Rs , with Colnago having never won cycling's most prestigious race before either.

Though he rode the same bike model each year, his setups differed. In 2020 he opted for a more 'traditional' feel, with a Campagnolo Super Record EPS 12-speed groupset, Bora One tubular wheels and a set of Campagnolo’s Super Record rim brakes. 

In 2021, though, he used Campagnolo’s Super Record EPS groupset and Bora Ultra WTO 45 wheels with Vittoria Graphene 2.0 tubeless tyres. He switched to disc brakes too for most stages, helping his stability in the often tumultuous French weather.

For two stages he did revert to rim brakes though, one of which came during his stage five time-trial win while using his Colnago K.one time trial bike. He used the same setup that helped during 2020's decisive La Planche des Belle Filles time trial, before he ditched the TT bike in favour of a road bike . 

Tadej Pogačar Colnago K.one

Pogačar's 'traditional' bike without a power meter or computer on stage 19 of the 2020 Tour de France

Pogačar proceeded on a bike without a power meter or computer, riding on feel alone in one of cycling's most pure rides.

In 2021, his bike featured yellow accents as early as stage nine, when he first wore the maillot jaune, so dominant was his performance. 

2019: Egan Bernal (Team Ineos) Pinarello Dogma F12

tour de france bike brakes

While the team may have undergone a name change and re-brand, there was no shock at the top of the Tour de France standings as Team Sky, now Team Ineos, took another title.

The 2019 Tour was a historic moment, however, as Egan Bernal became the first Colombian to ever win the yellow jersey and the youngest rider - at the time - in the modern era, at 22-years-old.

It took  Pinarello  another two years to bring out the Dogma F12 after the launch of the Dogma F10, on which Thomas won last year’s Tour de France. In that time, Pinarello said it had improved the aerodynamics, saving eight watts at 40kp/h, and made the frameset stiffer and lighter too.

Bernal stuck with rim brakes in 2019, twinned with Lightweight wheels for the climbing days and Shimano Dura-Ace wheels on the fast and flat days.

The Shimano Dura-Ace R9100 made up the rest of the components.

2018: Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) Pinarello Dogma F10 X-Light

tour de france bike brakes

Thomas won the 2018 Tour d France aboard a Pinarello F10 X-Light - which uses a slightly different carbon fibre compared to previous iterations, resulting in a weight drop of around a kilogram.

The geometry remains fixed, as does the use of an asymmetric bottom bracket, plus the wind cheating concave down tube is designed to incorporate bottles in optimal position.

The Tour's first Welsh winner opted for an integrated 40mm Talon handlebar and 130mm stem, with a  Fizik Arione  saddle that carries his optimum position marked in pen. The saddle height was around 78.5cm and Thomas rode with 175mm cranks - which are longer than most opt for.

The groupset is  Shimano Dura-Ace,  with a 53/39 crankset and 11-30 at the back, alongside a Stages power meter. The wheels fitted when we saw the bike were carbon tubular Dura-Ace hoops, wearing Continental Competition tyres and the paint job carries a speed line for every Team Sky victory.

Read more and see the bike via video

2017: Chris Froome (Team Sky), Pinarello Dogma F10

tour de france bike brakes

Froome's third consecutive Dogma win. By this point, the employees at  Pinarello 's painting factory in Treviso were probably quite used to applying (apparently) last minute yellow paint jobs  before the roll into Paris.

The  F10 had some minor tweaks from the F8 , but no major overhauls - quite simply, Pinarello and Team Sky felt it was a pretty good bike. Pinarello made the F10 a little bit more aero, a little bit stiffer, and very slightly lighter.

The diet the frame had been on meant that Froome didn't need the X-light model he used when the F8 was in production, so his frame is as per an off-the-peg creation in terms of weight.

When we saw it, Froome had opted for a 53/39 standard set up with an 11-28 cassette, though the chainrings themselves are  osymetric - a preference which can help improve pedalling efficiency.

On flatter stages, Froome used deeper wheels, but when  we had the chance to video it , the bike was shod with shallow Shimano Dura-Ace C40 wheels and pro-only Continental Competition Pro Ltd tubular tyres.

The bars, stem, and bar tape are all Shimano's own brand, Pro, fitted with a K-Edge out from computer mount and Fizik saddle.

See more:   Chris Froome's 2017 Tour de France winning Pinarello Dogma

Like Bradley Wiggins before him, Froome rode the Bolide  time trial bike  during the ITT stages of the race.

Froome opted for 175mm cranks, used a chain catcher to guard against necessary trauma. The saddle height was 79.6cm - 1mm lower than that 79.7cm on his road bike. There was grip tape on his saddle, which helped him maintain the ideal position and he opted for a 58/48T chainring set up with 11-28 cassette.

In a touch of perfectionism, the 3D printed handlebar was made from titanium and moulded perfectly to fit its rider.

Read more:   Chris Froome's Tour de France Pinarello Bolide

2016 & 2015 : Chris Froome (Team Sky) Pinarello Dogma F8

Chris Froome Pinarello Dogma f8 rhino decals 2

To represent his Kenyan upbringing and passion for wildlife as an ambassador for the charity United for Wildlife, Froome's 2015 and 2016 winning bikes featured unique rhino decals. 

The  osymetric  chainrings are present, with a chainguard to guard against unfortunate chain-drop moments. The rest of the drivetrain was Shimano Dura Ace, with an 11-28 cassette and Stages power meter.

Froome's preference for having two shifting buttons close together meant the satellite shifters were stripped down, also saving him weight in the meantime too. 

The wheels we shot the bike with were Shimano's Dura-Ace C50s, bottle cages were 15g Leggero's from Elite and the bars were Pro.

The winning machine was polished off with a 121mm stem, Fizik Antares 00 saddle with carbon rails and  Continental Competition Pro Ltd tubular tyres.

See more:   Chris Froome's 2016 Tour de France winning Pinarello Dogma F8

2014: Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Specialized S-Works Tarmac

tour de france bike brakes

Vincenzo Nibali managed to break up the Pinarello domination in the Tour in the early 2010s, as he rode to victory in 2014 aboard an S-Works Tarmac painted with decals that hark to his nickname - Lo Squalo - or 'the Shark'.

This Tarmac became the first edition to feature a size specific carbon-layup, improving ride quality by better catering for the individual's needs and desires. Nibali added an FSA stem to his machine too, with Corima Viva wheels and a Campagnolo Super Record groupset also included. 

Specialized even customised the Italian's bike for the final day, adding yellow stickered wheels from Corima and a custom FSA stem with yellow decals to the already painted yellow frame. 

During time trial stages, Nibali rode the brand's slippery Shiv TT bike. He finished fourth on the 54 kilometre stage 20 solo event to comfortably maintain his place on the top step of the podium, finishing seven minutes 52 seconds ahead of second-placed Christophe Peraud overall. 

Read more: Vincenzo Nibali’s 2014 Specialized S-Works Tarmac

2013: Chris Froome (Team Sky), Pinarello Dogma

tour de france bike brakes

The Dogma model before the F8 was the  Dogma 65.1 Think 2 , and it's that iteration which Froome rode to his first Tour de France victory in 2013.

Its standout features were the asymmetric design and wavy forks, seatstays and chainstays. The 65.1 gained its name from the use of a new carbon fibre material: Torayca high-modulus 65 as opposed to the 60 ton carbon of previous years’ models. According to Pinarello, this helped the bike become lighter, and therefore more reactive, which Froome managed to showcase expertly throughout his stellar ride.

Froome's model was of course fitted with osymetric chainrings, Fizik saddle, and the old-faithful looking SRM data-box of days gone by.

2012: Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky), Pinarello Dogma

18 July 2012 99th Tour de France Stage 16 : Pau - Bagneres-de-Luchon Bike of WIGGINS Bradley (GBR) Sky, Maillot Jaune Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA

Wiggins rode onto the Champs-Élysées in 2012 on Pinarello's Dogma 65.1, the brand's newest machine, as he secured his maiden Tour de France title. Despite flaunting the sleek bike in Paris that day, Team Sky actually opted for their main rider to stick to the Pinarello Dogma 2 for the rest of the race.

Similarly, Sky ensured Wiggins felt comfortable throughout the three weeks, keeping him on a Shimano Dura-Ace mechanical 10-speed groupset (q for the majority of the time. 

Across both the bike he used in Paris and what he used throughout the rest of the Tour, Wiggins also added a Fizik Arione saddle and yet more osymetric chainrings to complete his machine. 

2011: Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team), BMC Team Machine

Cadel Evans holding his Tour de France bike above his head after winning the 2011 Tour de France

Cadel Evans Tour winning machine

Cadel Evans was the first ever Australian to take the Tour victory 'down under', and he did so aboard his BMC Team Machine. The 2011 Tour de France winning machine was the first bike in history to win the biggest bike race in the world with electronic shifting.

Evans' Team Machine featured a relatively chunky carbon lugged design, that even featured an aero seatpost - something more rarely seen back in the early 2010s. The bike was clad with Shimano's first iteration of Dura-Ace Di2, 7970, and featured an SRM power meter too. 

Evans also rode 50mm deep Easton carbon tubular wheels which put together an aero package, that we think, wouldn't look overly out of place today - bar the rim brakes of course!

2010: Andy Schleck (Team Saxo Bank) Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL3

Andy Schleck climbing in the Tour de France 2010

Andy Schleck battling the alpine gradients

Andy Schleck was only officially crowned the 2010 Tour de France champion in early 2012, after the original winner, Alberto Contador, received a doping ban that led to the revoking of his title.

Schleck rode a Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL3, which can be seen above in a dazzling chrome colourway. The eventual winning bike featured mechanical shifting in the form of SRAM Red 10-speed, along with rim brakes.

Carbon wheels were still the order of the day in the form of Zipp's 202 lightweight wheels. Interestingly too, there was no power meter to be seen on the 2010 Tour winner's bike, making Schleck the last winner before power data became more mainstream.

2009: Alberto Contador (Astana) Trek Madone 6.9 Pro

Alberto Contador on a Trek Madone 6.7 pro

The Spanish climbing legend did retain his 2009 title, this time with a dominant 4m11s winning margin over Andy Schleck. Alberto Contador rolled down the Champs-Élysées on his Trek Madone 6.9 Pro, fully equipped with yellow flashes.

The Madone of 2009 sits in a different postcode to the aero-optimized Trek Madone we know today. The Madone sat as Trek's all-round race bike, with oversized OCLV carbon construction that was influenced by a design ethos based on stiffness and light weight.

'El Pistolero' didn't use a power meter, and used SRAM's 10 speed Red mechanical shifting. Bontrager, Trek's in-house component manufacturer, provided the deep-section carbon wheels and finishing kit to the Spaniard's bike.

2008: Carlos Sastre (Team CSC) Cervelo R5

Carlos Sastre in the yellow jersey at the 2008 Tour de France

Carlos Sastre post stage 21

We end our dive into the history books with a nice Cervelo-bookend here, with Carlos Sastre winning the Tour 14 years ago aboard the same line of bikes that Jonas Vingegaard used in last year's race.

The two iterations bare more slightly resemblance than the previously discussed Trek Madones, but 14 years of research and development has certainly seen some changes. 

Sastro's 2008 winning machine featured Zipp 202 lightweight carbon wheels and Shimano Dura-Ace 7800 ten-speed shifting. 3T, who worked closely with Cervelo through this time provided the finishing kit.

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Michelle Arthurs-Brennan the Editor of Cycling Weekly website. An NCTJ qualified traditional journalist by trade, Michelle began her career working for local newspapers. She's worked within the cycling industry since 2012, and joined the Cycling Weekly team in 2017, having previously been Editor at Total Women's Cycling. Prior to welcoming her daughter in 2022, Michelle raced on the road, track, and in time trials, and still rides as much as she can - albeit a fair proportion indoors, for now.

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tour de france bike brakes

la charente maritime, france   september 07 pinarello bikes of team ineos grenadiers   detail view  during the 107th tour de france 2020   stage 10, training team ineos grenadiers on la charente maritime  tdf2020  letour  rest day 1  on september 07, 2020 in la charente maritime, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

The Fastest Bikes of the 2020 Tour de France

Electronic shifting, aero climbing bikes, and more disc brakes than ever before—find it all at this year’s TdF.

But it’s September, not July, and worldwide supply chain disruptions have wreaked havoc on new product releases. Frankly, we’re just happy for some bike racing and any new tech to geek out over.

privas, france   september 02 peter sagan of slovakia and team bora   hansgrohe green points jersey  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 5 a 183km stage from gap to privas 277m  tdf2020  letour  on september 02, 2020 in privas, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Aero road bikes dominated the news over the last few years, but we may be seeing the reversal of the split between climbing and aero rigs. Specialized and Trek are leading the charge, respectively, with a new Tarmac that’s almost as quick as the Venge and an Émonda that’s dramatically faster than its predecessor. But aero road bikes aren’t dead yet. Keen eyes may have noticed an unreleased Canyon Aeroad under Alejandro Valverde and Warren Barguil, and Scott rolled out an update to the Foil prior to the start of the Tour.

wout van aert l of team jumbo   visma and primoz roglic 2l of team jumbo   visma pictured during a training session on the rest day during the 107th edition of the tour de france cycling race, in france, monday 07 september 2020 this years tour de france was postponed due to the worldwide covid 19 pandemic the 2020 race starts in nice on saturday 29 august and ends on 20 september belga photo david stockman photo by david stockmanbelga magafp via getty images

2019 witnessed the proliferation of disc brakes in the pro peloton, and we were intrigued to see a few major teams exclusively using disc brakes. Purists hoping to see disc brakes go by the wayside will be disappointed this year, but the Tour may well be won on rim brakes as both Jumbo-Visma, on the Bianchi Oltre XR4, and Inoes Grenadiers, on the Pinarello Dogma F12 , still cling to rim brakes.

While this year’s Tour may not be the tech showcase we’ve come to know and love, there is still plenty of cool new gear rolling around the French countryside right now. Let’s review the best bikes of this year’s Tour de France.

Which one would you like to ride? Let us know in the comments.

Team jumbo-visma: bianchi oltre xr4.

orcieres, france   september 01 tom dumoulin of the netherlands and team jumbo   visma  primoz roglic of slovenia and team jumbo   visma  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 4 a 160,5km stage from sisteron to orcieres merlette 1825m  tdf2020  letour  on september 01, 2020 in orcieres, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Jumbo-Visma will be attempting to break the Ineos stranglehold on the Tour de France aboard the Bianchi Oltre XR4. It’s not the lightest bike in the peloton, and Bianchi makes no earth-shattering claims about superior aerodynamics. Nor does this bike have disc brakes. But those who argue that it’s about the rider more than the bike are rejoicing at the sight of Wout van Aert crushing stage wins and Primož Roglič cruising in the yellow jersey of the leader of the Tour de France (not to be confused with the yellow jersey of team Jumbo-Visma), all while using rim brake-equipped rigs. Shimano is an official team partner, and as such the bikes are hung with a complete Shimano drivetrain, including wheels from the Japanese brand wrapped in Vittoria rubber. Gone from the list of sponsors is longtime supporter Pioneer, which had supplied the team with power meters for many years. Riders now rely on 4iiii power meters that send data to Garmin computers. FSA cockpits adorn the front of the bikes, and Fizik saddles are under the rider’s rear ends.

Team NTT: BMC Teammachine SLR01 Disc

nice, france   august 29 domenico pozzovivo of italy and ntt pro cycling team  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 1 a 156km stage from nice moyen pays to nice  tdf2020  letour  on august 29, 2020 in nice, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

NTT is aboard BMC bikes again for this year’s Tour. Team riders will use the aero-optimized Timemachine or the newly redesigned Teammachine SLR01 Disc seen here. Team NTT’s drivetrain is less homogeneous than most teams’. Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo’s sponsorships are (usually) contingent upon a team using an entire group—crank, chain, derailleurs, shifters, brakes, and often wheels—with no exceptions. NTT’s sponsors include Rotor (chainrings and 2InPower power meter cranks), KMC (chains), and Enve (wheels and handlebars). With those brands on board, NTT won’t get official sponsorship from one of the major drivetrain brands. So the team purchases the bits it needs to fill out its bike builds from Shimano. The team uses Dura Ace Di2 shifters, derailleurs, and brakes mixed in with parts from its official sponsors (some bikes also have aftermarket derailleur pulleys). Other bits include Selle Italia saddles, Vittoria tires, Garmin GPS units, and K-Edge computer mounts and chain watchers.

Lotto Soudal: Ridley Noah Fast

sisteron, france   august 31 caleb ewan of australia and team lotto soudal  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 3 a 198km stage from nice to sisteron 488m  tdf2020  letour  on august 31, 2020 in sisteron, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Like most teams in the Tour, Lotto-Soudal’s riders have two different road bikes at their disposal. Depending on the stage and/or the rider’s preferences, they might use Ridley’s Helium SLX climbing bike or the Noah Fast aero bike used by Caleb Ewan. Despite being a Belgian team riding Belgian frames, Lotto-Soudal’s team bikes are built with a heavy dose of Italian parts: Campagnolo’s Super Record EPS 12-speed drivetrain and Bora wheels, Deda Elementi bars and stems, Vittoria tires, and Selle Italia saddles. Non-Italian sponsors include Ekoi eyewear and HJC helmets, as well as SRM power meters, C-Bear ceramic bearings, Lizard Skins bar tape, Jagwire segmented brake housing, and Tacx bottle cages.

Arkea Samsic: Canyon Ultimate CF

loudenvielle, france   september 05 rigoberto uran of colombia and team ef pro cycling  primoz roglic of slovenia and team jumbo   visma  nairo quintana rojas of colombia and team arkea   samsic  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 8 a 141km stage from cazères sur garonne to loudenvielle  tdf2020  letour  on september 05, 2020 in loudenvielle, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Nairo Quintana and Warren Barguil are tackling this year’s tour aboard Canyon bikes hung with a full complement of Shimano components. The team will use both the Ultimate CF , the German brand’s lightweight climbing bike, as well as the aerodynamic Aeroad . Keen eyes may notice the Aeroad under Barguil looks different from the bike promoted on Canyon’s website. Canyon remains tight lipped on the updates, but it’s hard to hide the deeper tube sections on the downtube and fork, dropped seat stays, and updated cockpit that hides all brake lines inside the frame. The team uses Elite bottles and cages, Selle Italia saddles, and relies on Continental rubber. Wahoo computers adorn the riders’ handlebars.

Trek Segafredo: Trek Emonda SLR Disc

orcieres, france   september 01 richie porte of australia and team trek   segafredo  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 4 a 160,5km stage from sisteron to orcieres merlette 1825m  tdf2020  letour  on september 01, 2020 in orcieres, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Richie Porte and his Trek-Segafredo teammates have their choice of Trek’s new Emonda SLR climbing bike (pictured here) or the Madone aero bike outfitted with SRAM’s Red eTap AXS wireless electronic group. Tires come from Vittoria, Garmin GPS units track the riders’ power, and most of the other parts come from Trek’s Bontrager division. Trek’s bikes are one of the few available off-the-shelf in almost exactly the same build as the team races.

Team Ineos Grenadier: Pinarello Dogma F12

orcieres, france   september 01 egan arley bernal gomez of colombia and team ineos grenadiers  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 4 a 160,5km stage from sisteron to orcieres merlette 1825m  tdf2020  letour  on september 01, 2020 in orcieres, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Egan Bernal will chase a second consecutive Tour title aboard the latest iteration of Pinarello’s Dogma—the F12. Pinarello claims the F12 offers a 7.3 percent aerodynamic and 10 percent lateral stiffness improvement over the already formidable F10 . Though there is a disc-brake version of the F12, Ineos continues to use rim brakes. The team uses Shimano drivetrains, power meters, and wheels, with Continental providing tires, and Pinarello’s MOST house brand taking care of bar, stem, and seatpost. For climbing stages, expect to see riders aboard an X-Light F12 (a lightened F12 frame) equipped with made-in-Germany Lightweight carbon wheels.

EF Education First: Cannondale SuperSix EVO

nice, france   august 29 neilson powless of the united states and team ef pro cycling  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 1 a 156km stage from nice moyen pays to nice  tdf2020  letour  on august 29, 2020 in nice, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

EF is another team that has a couple of frames to choose from: Cannondale’s aero SystemSix or the lighter SuperSix EVO (seen here). Either way, the team uses Shimano drivetrains; Shimano isn’t an official partner, so Cannondale is free to use its SiSL2 crankset with Power2Max power meter (a Shimano drivetrain sponsorship would require the team to use Shimano cranks and power meter). Handlebars, stems, and chainrings come from FSA, with Vision providing wheels (Vision is a division of FSA). Prologo supplies the saddles and bar tape, Garmin GPS units keep track of power, and Vittoria serves up its lovely tires.

Bora-Hansgrohe: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7

nice, france   august 30 peter sagan of slovakia and team bora   hansgrohe green points jersey  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 2 a 186km stage from nice haut pays to nice  tdf2020  letour  on august 30, 2020 in nice, france photo by michael steelegetty images

Peter Sagan’s Bora-Hansgrohe team is competing in the 2020 Tour on much the same equipment it used for the previous edition. Specialized likes to provide its teams with a quiver of bikes from which to choose, but with the release of the Tarmac SL7 , which the brand claims is nearly as fast as the Venge and lighter than the previous Tarmac, expect to see riders primarily on that. Specialized also provides the team with tires, saddles, and Roval wheels. The team uses Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9170 components with Specialized power meters and Wahoo GPS units.

Ag2r La Mondiale: Eddy Merckx Stockeu69

loudenvielle, france   september 05 clement venturini of france and team ag2r la mondiale  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 8 a 141km stage from cazères sur garonne to loudenvielle  tdf2020  letour  on september 05, 2020 in loudenvielle, france photo by michael steelegetty images

Romain Bardet and his teammates race aboard bikes from new sponsor Eddy Merckx. You can see riders on the Merckx 525—named after Eddy’s unparalleled 525 victories—and the Stockeu69 (in the photo above), which owes its name to a notable climb along the Liege-Bastogne-Liege route. The use of small-diameter round tubes means the Stockeu69 is designed to be as light as possible with a high stiffness-to-weight ratio—in other words, it’s a climber’s bike. Though the team has no official drivetrain sponsor, most of Ag2r’s bikes have Shimano bits dressed up with parts from sponsors Rotor (cranks), and Ceramic Speed’s OSPW pulley system and UFO treated chains . Other sponsors include Vredestein tires; Deda Elementi bars, stems, and seatposts; Mavic wheels; Fizik saddles; and Lezyne GPS units.

Movistar: Canyon Aeroad CF SLX

team movistar rider spains alejandro valverde c rides during the 3rd stage of the 107th edition of the tour de france cycling race, 198 km between nice and sisteron, on august 31, 2020 photo by anne christine poujoulat  afp photo by anne christine poujoulatafp via getty images

Movistar’s riders use much the same equipment in the 2020 Tour as they did last year, with the notable switch to SRAM’s RED eTap AXS drivetrain instead of Campagnolo Super Record EPS. They can choose between two models from Canyon: the Aeroad CF SLX and, for when things get climby, the Ultimate CF SLX. The bikes sport Canyon’s own bars, stems, and seatposts. New sponsor SRAM supplies the team with drivetrain and Zipp wheels, and the package is rounded out with Quarq power meters, a Garmin GPS unit, Look pedals, a Fizik saddle, Continental tires, and matching Lizard Skins DSP bar tape.

Mitchelton-Scott: Scott Addict RC

privas, france   september 02 adam yates of the united kingdom and team mitchelton   scott  daniel martin of ireland and team israel start up nation  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 5 a 183km stage from gap to privas 277m  tdf2020  letour  on september 02, 2020 in privas, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Michelton-Scott’s riders are aboard the Scott Addict RC again this year. While the glorious chameleon paint steals the show, the bike underneath is also impressive. The Addict RC is enhanced with improved aerodynamics by hiding the hoses, housing, and wires inside the proprietary bar and stem system. Dropped seatstay attachments and aero shaping to the downtube, headtube, seat tube, seatpost, and seatstays help, too. Scott claims the current Addict RC is over 14 percent stiffer than the previous model, and that this disc-brake-only bike hits the UCI minimum weight of 6.8kg in sizes medium and under (with team build).

The rest of the team’s equipment also mirrors last year. Syncros, Scott’s house brand, provides the bars, stems, seatposts, and saddles, while Shimano serves up its Dura Ace Di2 drivetrain with power meter and wheels. Tires are from Pirelli, and the team will watch its watts on Garmin GPS units.

Total-Direct Énergie: Wilier Triestina Zero SLR

sisteron, france   august 31 jerome cousin of france and team total direct energie  breakaway  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 3 a 198km stage from nice to sisteron 488m  tdf2020  letour  on august 31, 2020 in sisteron, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Total-Direct Énergie should sail up the climbs on their Wilier Zero SLR frames , which are dressed in a fetching shade of blue. The disc-only Zero SLR’s frame is made up of simple rounded tube shapes in its quest for low weight—a claimed 780 grams—while the integrated bar-stem tidies things up and improves aerodynamics by hiding brake and derailleur lines. The team uses Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 electronic components, and Ursus provides wheels shod in Hutchinson rubber. The riders pound on Shimano pedals and rest atop Prologo saddles as they make their way through the French countryside.

Deceuninck—Quick-Step: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7

sisteron, france   august 31 julian alaphilippe of france and team deceuninck   quick step yellow leader jersey  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 3 a 198km stage from nice to sisteron 488m  tdf2020  letour  on august 31, 2020 in sisteron, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Other than paint, the Specialized bikes of Deceuninck—Quick-Step are almost identical to the bikes of Bora-Hansgrohe. Julian Alaphillipe is piloting the new Tarmac SL7 dressed with a Shimano Dura Ace Di2 drivetrain and a Specialized saddle and Roval wheels. Deceuninck’s Tarmacs are fitted with bars and stems from Shimano’s PRO component line, while Shimano’s Dura Ace power meter sends data to Bryton GPS units.

Israel Start-Up Nation: Factor Ostro VAM

loudenvielle, france   september 05 andre greipel of germany and team israel start up nation  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 8 a 141km stage from cazères sur garonne to loudenvielle  tdf2020  letour  on september 05, 2020 in loudenvielle, france photo by michael steelegetty images

This team is making its Tour de France debut aboard Factor bikes. We’ve seen both the aerodynamic Factor Ostro VAM and the lighter Factor 02 VAM on the mountain stages. The drivetrain is a blend: Shimano brakes, shifters, and derailleurs, 4iiii power meters that send data to Bryton computers, and unidentified third-party rotors seen here. The oversized Ceramic Speed derailleur pulleys are conspicuous, and the Black Inc. hoops are likely fitted with Ceramic Speed bearings as well.

Team Sunweb: Cervelo S5

laruns, france   september 06 marc hirschi of switzerland and team sunweb  breakaway  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 9 a 153km stage from pau to laruns 495m  tdf2020  letour  on september 06, 2020 in laruns, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Cervelo frames are the choice for Sunweb riders again in 2020, either the lightweight R5 or the aerodynamically optimized S5 seen here. The S5’s integrated cockpit means it’s an all-Cervelo affair, while the drivetrain and disc brakes are Shimano’s Dura Ace Di2 group with Dura Ace powermeter and wheels. Saddles are from PRO, tires from Continental, and the GPS units are supplied by Sigma.

UAE Team Emirates: Colnago C64

privas, france   september 02 tadej pogacar of slovenia and uae team emirates white best young jersey  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 5 a 183km stage from gap to privas 277m  tdf2020  letour  on september 02, 2020 in privas, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

UAE Team Emirates rides the most desirable, and most Italian, bikes in the peloton. Riders can choose from Colnago’s lightweight V2-r , the Concept aero road bike , or the incomparable made-in-Italy C64 . No matter the frame, riders use Campagnolo Super Record 12-speed components, Campagnolo wheels, Deda Elementi bars and stems, Prologo saddles, and Vittoria tires.

Groupama-FDJ: Lapierre Xelius SL

nice, france   august 29 thibaut pinot of france and team groupama   fdj  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 1 a 156km stage from nice moyen pays to nice  tdf2020  letour  on august 29, 2020 in nice, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Groupama-FDJ is using disc brakes again in 2020. Shown here is the Lapierre Xelius SL Disc frameset, though some riders are aboard the French brand’s Aircode aerodynamic frame. FDJ’s long partnership with Shimano continues, with the Japanese brand providing Dura Ace Di2 disc brake groups, the Dura Ace power meter, and Dura Ace wheels. Bars, stems, and seatpost come from Shimano’s PRO brand, while other bits include Continental tires, Prologo saddles, and Garmin GPS units.

CCC Team: Giant TCR Advanced SL 0 Disc

nice, france   august 29 jan hirt of czech republic and ccc team  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 1 a 156km stage from nice moyen pays to nice  tdf2020  letour  on august 29, 2020 in nice, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Many riders are astride the new TCR Advanced SL 0 , although some are still choosing the aerodynamic Propel Disc on the flattest stages. Giant recently rolled out a high-end parts brand called Cadex, which supplies wheels and saddles, while Giant-branded parts are used for the bar, stem, and even the bottle cages. CCC uses Shimano Dura Ace drivetrain and brakes, Dura Ace Power meters, and Giant GPS units and tires.

Astana Pro Team: Wilier Zero SLR

orcieres, france   september 01 ion izagirre insausti of spain and astana pro team  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 4 a 160,5km stage from sisteron to orcieres merlette 1825m  tdf2020  letour  on september 01, 2020 in orcieres, france photo by michael steelegetty images

Like Total-Direct Énergie, Astana riders are also piloting Wilier’s featherweight Zero SLR frameset hung with Shimano parts. Ceramic Speed derailleur pulleys are easy to spot, and longtime sponsor Corima supplies wheels. Look pedals again appear on the team’s bikes, fixed to Power2Max power meters. Prologo saddles have the honor of cushioning Astana riders as they pedal through the French countryside.

Cofidis: De Rosa Marek Rossa Team

nice, france   august 29 nicolas edet of france and team cofidis solutions credits  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 1 a 156km stage from nice moyen pays to nice  tdf2020  letour  on august 29, 2020 in nice, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Next to UAE Team Emirates, no one rides more Italian bikes than this French team. Cofidis climbers swing their legs over the De Rosa Merak Rossa Team, while Elia Viviani chases stage wins aboard the company’s SK Pininfarina. Campagnolo is an official team partner, and the bikes are hung with the brand’s electronic Super Record EPS groupset. Other Italian sponsors include Elite and Selle Italia. Look pedals and SRM power meters handle the pedaling, and the team rolls on Fulcrum wheels wrapped in Michelin rubber.

Bahrain-McLaren: Merida Reacto Disc Team

orcieres, france   september 01 marco haller of austria and team bahrain   mclaren  mikel landa meana of spain and team bahrain   mclaren  during the 107th tour de france 2020, stage 4 a 160,5km stage from sisteron to orcieres merlette 1825m  tdf2020  letour  on september 01, 2020 in orcieres, france photo by tim de waelegetty images

Bahrain-McLaren riders hunt for stage victories with a pair of bikes from Merida: the Reacto Disc Team and the Scultura Disc Team. The team doesn’t have an official drivetrain sponsor, but we see primarily Shimano drivetrains and SRM power meters. FSA supplies bars and stems, and the wheels are from FSA’s subsidiary brand Vision (they roll on Continental rubber). Bahrain-McLaren is yet another team with an Italian flair from product sponsors, including Rudy Project helmets, Scicon eyewear, Sidi shoes, Elite bottle cages, and Prologo saddles.

Headshot of Matt Phillips

A gear editor for his entire career, Matt’s journey to becoming a leading cycling tech journalist started in 1995, and he’s been at it ever since; likely riding more cycling equipment than anyone on the planet along the way. Previous to his time with Bicycling , Matt worked in bike shops as a service manager, mechanic, and sales person. Based in Durango, Colorado, he enjoys riding and testing any and all kinds of bikes, so you’re just as likely to see him on a road bike dressed in Lycra at a Tuesday night worlds ride as you are to find him dressed in a full face helmet and pads riding a bike park on an enduro bike. He doesn’t race often, but he’s game for anything; having entered road races, criteriums, trials competitions, dual slalom, downhill races, enduros, stage races, short track, time trials, and gran fondos. Next up on his to-do list: a multi day bikepacking trip, and an e-bike race. 

Headshot of Bobby Lea

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the pack cycles on the champs elysee avenue with the arc de triomphe in the background during the 21st and final stage of the 110th edition of the tour de france cycling race, 115 km between saint quentin en yvelines and the champs elysees in paris, on july 23, 2023 photo by marco bertorello  afp photo by marco bertorelloafp via getty images

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The Coolest Kids’ Bike Is Made in a Wonderbread Truck | MADE Show

Last year monē bikes showed a prototype minnē but this year it’s ready for sale as a “disc brake single speed… and it rips”.

Josh Ross

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Velo doesn’t dwell on flat bar bikes much but there’s one man I always go see at MADE no matter what shape his bars are. Cjell Monē actually makes both flat bar and drop bar bikes so I suppose he’s in bounds anyway but it’s not so much his bikes that keep me coming back. Monē runs his business out of a 1990 Wonderbread truck generally located in New Mexico and he’s generous with his thoughts and knowledge.

Monē bikes Minnē

I first ran into him as I looked for sources of information on the quality of Southeast Asian built bikes. He’s got a lot of stories to tell about his time in the area where he learned to weld in a way he didn’t think was possible. People who were, like him, generous with their time and thoughts and had a level of brazing and welding knowledge only possible when honed by a lifetime of production work. Since then I’ve found him to be refreshingly honest and generally a joy to talk to.

Monē bikes Minnē

I think that personality comes out in his bikes too. He uses steel and loves single speeds. Not so much because it’s the best but, by his own admission, because that’s what he likes. He also leaves his brazing work on full display. As an artist there’s nothing more honest than showing your work so it’s not a surprise that’s the direction Monē bikes takes but it’s also beautiful to look at.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Cjell Monē (@monebikes)

If you think I’m laying it on a bit thick, I invite you to shake his hand, look at his bikes, and see if you still think that. Once you’ve done it, I have no doubt you’ll fall in love. Or at least you will if you lean towards steel, brazing, and big tires.

tour de france bike brakes

No matter your predilection for bike styles though, this one is a fun one. It was part of our coverage at last year’s MADE show also but I’m revisiting the Minnē kids bike a second time. Last year’s bike was only a prototype with not quite enough clearance to really work. This year, it’s finished and available for sale. Monē doesn’t know if it’ll sell, and he doesn’t seem to care, but it’s clearly what the coolest kid would ride and it’s a beauty worth drooling over.

tour de france bike brakes

Of course this isn’t a cheap bike, it’s handcrafted out of brazed steel tubing and every detail is considered. Echoing conversations I once had with Isla Rowntree, founder of Isla bikes, Monē told me that much of the difficulty of making the bike was not in the brazing but rather in finding appropriate sized parts in the kind of quality that made sense for his bike. Tiny cranks and brakes aren’t easy to find and his solutions, such as the Tektro brakes, mirror what Isla bikes used to spec. Monē stays away from hydraulics though and instead uses cable actuated bars with TRP Sprye mechanical disc brakes and 140mm rotors front and rear. As expected, wheels are also a challenge. Monē told me that a significant part of the cost for the whole bike was due to the hand laced wheels he’s using.

Youngstar stem

At the front of the bike you’ll find a Ritchey headset but it’s the stem that’s more eye-catching. Once again, size is an issue but Monē found a solution in the Reverse components Youngstar stem. The trick to this stem is that it uses “Reverse Power Cube technology for mounting on the steerer tube. The Reverse Power cube is located inside the stem and clamps both the handlebar and the steerer tube with only one set of bolts on the front of the stem.” The Reverse components Youngstar is attached to BMC style bars and, of course, there’s beautiful brass bar ends.

tour de france bike brakes

If this all sounds like a very traditional kids bike, it both is and isn’t. As already mentioned it’s not a coaster brake bike which makes it both less traditional and easier for young riders but it also has another trick. “This frame and fork can build a sweet strider” which is the recommended way to help kids learn to ride and “when your spawn is ready to pedal” you can make the conversion. To say it a bit simpler, this might be a gorgeous artisan bike but it’s also a genuinely forward thinking bike that’s following best practices for helping kids to learn how to ride.

If you feel like doing a bit more than just drooling over the raw brazing, Monē reports that “Minnēs are indeed in stock. Give us a few weeks to get them on the site .”

kids' sized cranks

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2023 Tour de France bikes — your definitive guide to what the top pro cycling teams are riding this year

2023 Tour de France bikes — your definitive guide to what the top pro cycling teams are riding this year

First Published Jun 28, 2023

Let’s check out the bikes and equipment that the world’s best road cyclists will be riding in the Tour de France.

There are 18 WorldTour men's teams in 2023. All of these will race the Tour de France along with four wildcard teams that have been invited to compete.

Of the WorldTour men's teams, 12 use Shimano groupsets, only one runs Campagnolo and the rest are on SRAM. Perhaps the most unexpected shift (no pun intended) for this season was made by UAE Team Emirates, which dropped Campagnolo as its component sponsor along with other Italian components from its bikes. This might have left quite a few Italians mortified, as the UAE team are now running very Italian Colnago bikes with very much not Italian Shimano groupsets...

In terms of the teams themselves, the men’s WorldTour roster has seen two new teams in 2023: Alpecin-Deceuninck and Arkéa-Samsic. Both Israel-PremierTech and Lotto–Dstny have left the World Tour but they take part in the Tour de France as wildcards alongside TotalEnergies and Uno-X.

Without further ado, let's have a look at the bikes... 

AG2R Citroën Team

2023 BMC Team Machine SLR AG2R Citroen Team

We also spotted a new BMC bike being used by team members at the Criterium du Dauphine, and it's likely to see more action in the Tour de France.

> BMC prototype aero superbike spotted at Dauphine

We can also spot something that has become a rarity in the WorldTour: Campagnolo groupsets and wheels.

2023 Dauphine AG2R Campagnolo Super Record - 1

Yes, AG2R Citroen is the only WorldTour team that is running a Campag groupset in 2023. It'll be interesting to see if all of the riders are on the brand-new version of Super Record.

> Campagnolo ditches iconic thumb shifter and goes wireless with new Super Record Wireless electronic groupset... and it'll cost you £4.5k

The team bikes also feature Italian-quality components, with Pirelli tyres and Fizik saddles.

Alpecin–Deceuninck

2023 Dauphine Canyon Aeroad - 1

Alpecin-Deceuninck were only promoted to the WorldTour level this year, which might come as a surprise given riders like Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen are in its line-up. 

2023 Paris Roubaix Mathieu van der Poel © Zac Williams-SWpix.com - 1 (2)

Spec-wise, the team run Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2 groupset and wheels. The tyres are Vittoria – usually the new Vittoria Corsa Pro – and the team sit on Selle Italia saddles. 

Arkéa–Samsic

2023 Dauphine Arkea Samsic Bianchi Oltre RC - 1

French team Arkéa-Samsic have welcomed Bianchi  as their bike sponsor to replace Canyon, having the Oltre RC, Specialissima and Aquilla TT at their disposal.

2023 Bianchi Oltre RC Arkea Samsic - 1

The bikes come with Shimano groupsets and wheels, except for TTs where the wheels are Vision. The team uses Continental tyres and Selle Italia saddles.

Astana Qazaqstan

2023 Astana Qazaqstan Wilier action - 2.jpeg

Mark Cavendish's Kazakh team is continuing with Wilier Triestina bikes: the Zero SLR and Filante SLR models, equipped with Shimano groupsets and Corima wheels...

2023 Dauphine Wilier Filante HED wheels - 1

...although they've also used wheels from HED, which isn't a sponsor, this year. Those huge blue logos are hardly subtle.

2023 Astana Qazaqstan Wilier action - 1 (1).jpeg

For time trials, the team swaps onto the Wilier Turbine. The fresh “chrome-painted graphite” paintwork of the Wilier frames has impressed art lovers and bike enthusiasts alike. 

Bahrain Victorious

2023 Bahrain Victorious Merida Pearl - 1

Bahrain Victorious are using the same trusted Merida bikes as last year, with the Reacto, Scultura and Warp TT models forming the line-up – but in a Pearl finish especially for the Tour de France. It's a "homage to Bahrain’s rich pearling history", apparently.

2023 Dauphine Bahrain Victorious Merida - 1

Shimano Dura-Ace remains the groupset, the wheels are Vision, the saddles Prologo and finishing kit is handled by FSA.

Bora-Hansgrohe

BORA-HANSGROHE 2023

Even though they’ve been a World team since 2017, it was only last year we saw Bora-Hansgrohe win their first Grand Tour when Jai Hindley smashed the Giro d’Italia  and became the first Aussie to win the Giro. 

2023 Dauphine Bora Hansgrohe Specialized Tarmac SL7 - 1

The German team rides Specialized bikes, the US brand being a key sponsor. Specialized supplies it all: the Tarmac SL7 for the road, Shiv TT for the time trials, Roval wheels and Specialized tyres. Groupsets are Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, and the saddles and the finishing kit come from both Specialized and Shimano subsidiary PRO. 

2023 Look 795 Blade RS road bike  - 2 (1)

> Look unveils lightened 795 Blade RS road bike and disc brake-equipped 796 Monoblade RS time trial bike

Cofidis has moved from Campagnolo to Shimano this year, which means they had an opportunity to introduce yet another French brand, Corima, as the wheel sponsor. The tyres on those wheels are from Michelin.  

EF Education-Easypost

2023 Dauphine EF Education Cannondale SuperSix Evo - 1

The American team, well known for their bold kit designs, sticks to the same bunch of sponsors as before: Cannondale bikes with Shimano groups, Vision wheels and Prologo saddles.

The riders are on the Cannondale SuperSix Evo (above) which was updated earlier this year.

> Cannondale launches new aero-optimised SuperSix Evo 4 with threaded bottom bracket — all the details + first ride review

2023 Dauphine EF Education Cannondale SystemSix - 1

They also have the SystemSix aero road bike which, launched back in 2018, must surely be the next Cannondale bike to get a refresh.

Groupama-FDJ

2023 Dauphine Lapierre Xelius SL - 1

The French team entering its 28th season is continuing its long-lasting partnership with Lapierre bikes, which come equipped with Shimano groupsets and wheels.

2023 Dauphine Lapierre - 1

In terms of models, the Xelius and Aircode framesets are the go-to options.

Ineos Grenadiers

Ineos Grenadiers Geraint Thomas 2023 Pinarello

Another team with very few changes: Ineos Grenadiers continues to ride the Pinarello Dogma F and the refreshed Bolide TT.

2023 Dauphine Ineos Grenadiers Pinarello Dogma F - 1

The groupsets are Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and the wheels are usually from Shimano too – although the team has been known to dip into the Lightweight and Princeton ranges in its search for those famous marginal gains. 

The tyres are Continental, the saddles Fizik and the finishing kit is from Pinarello's MOST brand. 

Intermarché–Circus–Wanty

2023 Dauphine Cube Litening C-68X Aero Intermarche - 1

The Belgian team continues to ride Cube bikes equipped with Shimano groupsets, Newmen wheels and Prologo saddles.

Riders can choose either the superlight Cube Litening Air C:68X or the Litening C:68X Aero for lower drag. The Aerium C:68 TT is there for time trials. 

> Cube launches Litening AIR C:68X Series road bikes with a claimed frame weight of 799g

Israel - Premier Tech

2023 Factor Israel Premiertech © Zac WiLLIAMS SWpix.com (t-a Photography Hub Ltd) - 1

Pic © Zac Williams SWpix.com (t-a Photography Hub Ltd)

UCI ProTeam Israel Premier Tech rides bikes from Factor, usually the Ostro VAM (above). However, we know that Factor is releasing a new bike on 10th July 2023, the first Tour de France rest day, which suggests it’s a road race model that’ll play a part in this year’s race. We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled.

Israel Premier Tech use wheels from Factor’s Black Inc brand fitted with Maxxis tyres.

Although the riders use FSA chainsets, the shifters and derailleurs are Shimano Dura-Ace Di2.

Jayco Alula

2023 Dauphine Giant Propel Groenewegen Jayco - 1

Team BikeExchange-Jayco has had a slight name change to Jayco AluIa but the team’s bikes stay the same with riders on Giant’s Propel Advanced SL, TCR Advanced SL (above) and Trinity TT.

Wheels are from Giant's Cadex brand and Shimano is the main equipment partner. 

Jumbo-Visma

Jumbo-Visma won the Tour de France last year with Jonas Vingegaard and the team roster for this year's race includes huge names like Wout Van Aert and Christophe Laporte, as well as the defending champion.

2023 Dauphine Jumbo Visma Cervelo Vingegaard - 1

Cervelo is still the bike supplier to both the men's and women's teams, although the S5 (above), R5 and P5 models are now equipped with SRAM groupsets instead of Shimano. Vingegaard used a 1x (single chainring) setup for some stages of the Criterium du Dauphine. It'll be interesting to see if he takes the same approach in the Tour.

> Is Vingegaard going 1x for the Tour de France?

Wheels are new too, with the teams riding on Reserve hoops. 

Trek-Road-Camp-Calpe-2022-RB-Web-Res-685

Trek-Segafredo has just changed its name to Lidl-Trek. At the time of writing, it remains to be seen whether the riders will be racing immediately on bikes with updated livery.

The Trek Madone and Emonda road bikes are the usual weapons of choice, with the Speed Concept for time trials. 

SRAM supplies the groupsets while Trek's Bontrager brand provides pretty much everything else.

Lotto–Dstny

Lotto–Dstny use bikes from Ridley, usually the lightweight Helium or the aero Noah. However, we spotted a prototype being ridden by Maxim Van Gils in the Criterium du Dauphine, and it doesn’t look like any bike from the existing range.

2023 Dauphine Ridley prototype - 1 (1)

> New Ridley road bike breaks cover at Critérium du Dauphiné 

We don’t have a name or a launch date yet but it looks like Ridley is combining light weight with aero features – which has been a big trend in the road bike market over the past few years.

2023 Dauphine Ridley prototype - 4

Lotto–Dstny uses Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupsets, DT Swiss wheels and Vittoria tyres.

Movistar Team

2023 Dauphine Canyon Ultimate Movistar - 1

Movistar continues to ride Canyon bikes – the lightweight Ultimate (above) and the aero-optimised Aeroad (below). 

2023 Dauphine Canyon Aeroad Movistar - 1

The team uses SRAM Red eTap groupsets, Zipp wheels and Fizik saddles. 

Soudal Quick-Step

2023 Specialized Tarmac SL7 Soudal QuickStep Yves Lampaert - 1

After yet another name change (the eighth, if you’re counting), Soudal Quick-Step races the 2023 season with trusty Specialized bikes and Roval wheels, saddles, tyres and finishing kit. Groupsets are still from Shimano.

2023 Dauphine Scott Foil Team DSM - 1

Scott returns to provide the DSM men's and women's teams with bikes, the Foil RC being the popular choice for most stages. 

> Check out our review of the Scott Foil RC Pro 2023

2023 Dauphine Scott Foil - 1

The groupsets are Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, the wheels are Shimano and wrapped on them are Vittoria tyres. Scott’s subsidiary Syncros is providing all of the finishing kit, including the saddles. 

TotalEnergies

2023 Dauphine Specialized Tarmac SL7 TotalEnergies Boasson Hagen - 1

Although it’s a UCI ProTeam rather than a WorldTeam, TotalEnergies boasts riders of the calibre of Edvard Boasson Hagen and Peter Sagan on the Tour de France start list.

2023 Dauphine Specialized Tarmac SL7 TotalEnergies Boasson Hagen - 1 (1)

The team is sponsored by Specialized so uses Tarmac SL7 road bikes and Royal wheels.

2023 Dauphine Specialized Tarmac SL7 TotalEnergies Boasson Hagen - 2

This is yet another team that uses Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 groupsets.

UAE Team Emirates

2023 Dauphine Colnago V4Rs Trentin - 1

The UAE Team Emirates riders have used the Colnago V4RS road bike this year after Tadej Pogačar raced on the prototype version in 2022.

It's all change regarding the groupset, UAE Team Emirates switching from Campagnolo to Shimano.

Pirelli tyres have been swapped to  Continental , and the wheels are now Enve.

UNO-X Pro Cycling Team

2023 Dauphine Dare - 1

Uno-X has changed little for 2023. Norway's Dare continues to be the bike and finishing kit sponsor – a brand that's little known in the UK. The bikes come equipped with Shimano groupsets and DT Swiss wheels.

What's your favourite bike in this year's Tour de France? Let us know in the comments...

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tour de france bike brakes

Suvi joined F-At in 2022, first writing for off-road.cc. She's since joined the tech hub, and contributes to all of the sites covering tech news, features, reviews and women's cycling content. Lover of long-distance cycling, Suvi is easily convinced to join any rides and events that cover over 100km, and ideally, plenty of cake and coffee stops. 

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Looks like the Lotto rider has just borrowed a TCR. 

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Checked on the TV guide last night.

Pleased to see that ITV still get to show it.

I wonder for how much longer?

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No Tarmac SL8 this summer then...

Really sad to see Bianchi making such ugly bikes.

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This was a survey of the UK. You missed a key word, "connected", the small pockets of good quality cycling infrastructure typically amount to...

Tyre levers and a pump were briefly mentioned, I also find a tyre fitting tool useful for difficult tyres.

Maybe they should start imprisoning Labour MPs as they're now not issuing North Sea oil licences and thus supporting exactly what the protestors...

That is just the problem though.  A confusion of places, and multi-functional roads.  This is almost ubiquitous in the UK, but in other places...

Not promising for the future.

Well, no seat belt, helmet, lights or hi viz. Of course they are dangerous !

Not until my brakes are safely delivered please.

What skill does that childrens toy (as often quoted by motorists) a bicycle require - if it's a kids toy then any adult can become an olympic class...

When the cash is stolen, the machine is damaged to the extent a new one is needed so that's whay some places don't allow cash....

It's not just a plain prisoner's dilemma or tragedy of the commons either - the authorities (heavily lobbied by the various industries and...

Tour de France bikes: Who's riding what in 2021

A roundup of the bikes you will see at this year's Tour de France

Tour de France bikes

The Tour de France is widely accepted as the most prestigious bike race in the world. The bikes in use at the Tour de France are up there with the very best that money can buy. 

All of the bikes used in the 2021 Tour de France are made from carbon fibre. That includes their frames, wheels and most of the components such as handlebars and seatposts. 

Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) won the 2020 Tour de France riding a Colnago - for the Italian brand's first-ever Tour win, no less - but there are plenty of other manufacturers in the race. In terms of bike frames, there are 19 different brands in the 2021 race, with three different manufacturers of groupsets and 15 different wheel brands. Each of these brands is continually innovating and improving in a bid to improve their products and outdo their competitors. To do this, they look at the various barriers that a rider needs to overcome in order to go faster. Aerodynamics is a big focus, but rolling resistance, friction and of course weight are key areas of attention. 

Tour de France bike weight

Cycling's governing body, the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale), has long imposed a minimum weight limit of 6.8kg for the bikes in any of its sanctioned races - the Tour de France included. 

It was first introduced in the year 2000 to ensure manufacturers didn't cut corners on safety in a race for the lightest bike possible, and while the weight limit has been contested many times in the years since, the UCI has remained steadfast. 

In terms of the rule book, there is no upper limit on the weight of a Tour de France bike, but of course the lighter a bike is, the faster it will be when the gradient of the road starts to rise. All else being equal, a lighter bike will also accelerate more quickly and be easier to handle, so teams will do everything they can to get their bikes down to this 6.8kg limit, usually allowing 100 grams or so, to account for the discrepancy between their scales and the UCI's. 

The introduction of disc brakes on road bikes made this a tougher task, since the disc braking system is heavier overall, and the introduction of aerodynamic tube shapes has also yielded heavier frames, but even so, the weight of most bikes in the peloton will hover between 6.8kg and around 7.2kg. Some of the heaviest bikes will push closer to 8kg, but these will be aero bikes and will typically only be used on the flatter days, where weight is less of an issue. 

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Moreover, time trial bikes, with their deep tube shapes, rear disc wheels and deep section front wheels will weigh even more again. It's not uncommon for a time trial bike in the Tour de France to weigh in the region of 8-9kg, with the heavier time trial bikes nudging closer to 10kg. 

As a result of this minimum weight limit, manufacturers are no longer racing to make the lightest bike possible, and brands have instead focussed on the other areas for innovation. The result is a host of ongoing debates that continually simmer away, such as the rim vs disc brakes debate, the inner tube vs tubeless tyres debate, and more. 

Disc brakes vs rim brakes

The first of these debates doesn't centre around technology that speeds you up, but tech that slows you down: brakes. 

Disc brakes have been popular in mountain biking for well over a decade and over the past few years finally made their way onto the road. As of the start of this season, all but one of the major teams is using disc brakes. Most teams and their bike sponsors are wholly committed to the technology, while a few teams still have rim brake bikes in their fleet. 

Ineos Grenadiers are the sole representatives of #savetherimbrake and their talents continue to prove that the now out of favour technology is far from futile, but the fact remains that disc brakes are taking over. 

Many riders have an opinion on the matter, and former Ineos leader Chris Froome has made his point clear , but it's likely only a matter of time before the whole peloton is stopping with discs, perhaps as soon as next season.

Tubular vs tubeless vs clincher

Tyre technology came into the mainstream during last year's delayed Tour de France, when Specialized sponsored teams Deceuninck-QuickStep and Bora Hansgrohe took to the roads with a surprising choice of clincher tyres fitted with inner tubes inside.

For years, tubular tyres have been the favoured son in the peloton because they feature tyres that are glued to the rim. That means when they puncture, the tyre stays on the rim and allows a rider to continue until it is safe (or tactically preferable) to stop for a wheel or bike change.

Over recent years, tubeless tyres have been gaining popularity, since they promise to automatically repair any punctures, meaning that a rider doesn't need to stop at all. However, in the grass roots of cycling, from amateur racers to cycle commuters, the humble inner tube has reigned supreme for decades. 

With the improvement in tyre technology, rim design and the interface between the two, as well as the performance of tyres when fitted with latex inner tubes, the choice of clincher tyres was deemed the fastest option by Deceuninck-QuickStep and their wheel sponsors Roval. 

As for which technology will be most widely adopted in this year's race, only time will tell.

New bikes at the Tour de France

The Tour de France is the biggest bike race in the world and so is a global veritable shop window for cycling brands and team sponsors. Racing also makes for a thorough testbed for the durability of new tech and is often used by brands to test out prototypes prior to launch. 

Here at Cyclingnews , we'll be keeping our beady eyes on the race to seek out any of these prototypes and share what we find.

New Dura-Ace

One such new piece of technology that has already broken cover is the new Dura-Ace groupset from Shimano. Expected to be known as Dura-Ace R9200, the groupset was spotted on the bikes of Team DSM's riders at the Baloise Belgium Tour and is expected to be more widely adopted at the Tour de France. 

With the aforementioned shop window effect of the Tour de France, the biggest new tech releases we tend to spot at any edition of the race are new bikes. Last year, two brands (Factor and Canyon) used the race to test out their respective impending bike launches, and we expect it to be no different this year. 

After a recent sighting, the most widely anticipated is a new Pinarello Dogma , expected to be ridden by Pinarello-sponsored Ineos Grenadiers, but there are new bikes aplenty in the time trial scene, with a new Factor Slick spotted at the end of the Giro d'Italia and a new Trek Speed Concept used at the Critérium du Dauphiné.

In addition to the bikes, the summer so far has been a hotbed for new wheel launches. Almost all top-tier wheel brands have announced new wheels already, so we'll be keeping an eye on the rolling stock of teams' bikes to ensure nothing passes us by. 

AG2R Citröen Team

Greg Van Avermaet gold BMC Teammachine

Road bikes: BMC Teammachine SLR01

Time trial bikes: BMC Warp TT 

Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record EPS

Wheels: Campagnolo

Clothing: Rosti

Saddles: Fizik

Finishing Kit: BMC

Computers: Wahoo

Alpecin-Fenix

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Alpecin Fenix's Mathieu Van der Poel riding the Canyon Speedmax TT bike

Road bikes: Canyon Aeroad, Canyon Ultimate

Time trial bikes: Canyon Speedmax 

Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Disc

Wheels: Shimano (Aerocoach & Princeton Carbonworks are non-sponsor additions)

Clothing: Kalas Sportswear

Saddles: Fizik

Finishing Kit: Canyon

Computers: Wahoo

Astana-Premier Tech

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Astana Premier Tech's Wilier Zero SLR resting against a bus

Road bikes: Wilier Zero SLR, Wilier Filante

Time trial bikes: Wilier Turbine TT

Wheels: Corima

Clothing: Giordana

Saddles: Prologo

Finishing Kit: Wilier

Computers: Garmin

B&B Hotels p/b KTM

Tour de France Bikes 2021: B&B Hotels pb KTM

Road bikes: KTM Revelator Lisse, KTM Revelator Alto

Time trial bikes: KTM Solus

Wheels: DT Swiss

Clothing: Gobik

Finishing Kit: FSA

Computers: Bryton

Bahrain Victorious

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Bahrain Victorious' Fred Wright on his Merida Warp TT bike

Road bikes: Merida Reacto, Merida Scultura

Time trial bikes: Merida Warp TT

Wheels:  Vision

Clothing: Ale

Finishing Kit: FSA, Vision, Prologo

Bora-Hansgrohe

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Bora Hansgrohe are using the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 with a choice of wheels

Road bikes: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7

Time trial bikes: Specialized S-Works Shiv

Wheels: Roval

Clothing: Sportful

Saddles: Specialized

Finishing Kit: PRO, Specialized

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Cofidis' new De Rosa time trial bike

Road bikes: De Rosa Merak, De Rosa Pininfarina SK

Time trial bikes: De Rosa TT-03

Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record EPS

Wheels: Fulcrum

Clothing: Nalini

Saddles: Selle Italia

Finishing Kit: Errea

Deceuninck-QuickStep

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Deceuninck QuickStep's Specialized S-Works Tarmac leans against the team car

Road bikes: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7, Specialized Aethos

Clothing: Vermarc

EF Education-Nippo

Tour de France Bikes 2021: EF Education Nippo's Will Barta riding the team's Cannondale SuperSix Evo

Road bikes: Cannondale SuperSix Evo, Cannondale SystemSix

Time trial bikes: Cannondale SuperSlice

Wheels: Vision

Clothing: Rapha

Finishing Kit: FSA, Vision

Groupama-FDJ

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Groupama FDJ's Lapierre Aerostorm TT bike

Road bikes: Lapierre Aircode DRS, Lapierre Xelius SL

Time trial bikes: Lapierre Aerostorm DRS

Wheels: Shimano

Finishing Kit: PRO

Ineos Grenadiers

Adam Yates Pinarello Dogma F12 X-Light

Road bikes: Pinarello Dogma F12 rim

Time trial bikes: Pinarello Bolide TT

Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 rim

Wheels: Shimano (Lightweight, Princeton Carbonworks & Aerocoach are non-sponsored additions)

Clothing: Castelli

Finishing Kit: MOST

Intermarché-Wanty Gobert

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Intermarche Wanty Gobert's Cube Litening

Road bikes: Cube Litening C:68X

Time trial bikes: Cube Aerium C:68 TT

Wheels: Newmen

Clothing: Santic, NoPinz

Finishing Kit: Cube

Israel Start-Up Nation

Chris Froome Factor VAM

Road bikes: Factor OSTRO V.A.M

Time trial bikes: Factor Slick

Wheels: Black Inc, (Lightweight is a non-sponsor addition)

Clothing: Jinga

Saddles: Selle Italie

Finishing Kit: Black Inc

Computers: Hammerhead

Jumbo–Visma

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Jumbo Visma's Cervelo bikes stacked in a rack outside a bus

Road bikes: Cervelo R5, Cervelo S5, Cervelo Caledonia

Time trial bikes: Cervelo P5

Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2

Wheels: Shimano (Vision & Aerocoach are non-sponsor additions)

Clothing: Agu

Lotto Soudal

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Lotto Soudal's Jasper de Buyst aboard his Ridley Noah disc

Road bikes: Ridley Helium, Ridley Noah Fast

Time trial bikes: Ridley Dean TT

Groupset: Campagnolo Super Record EPS, C-Bear ceramic bearings

Wheels: Campagnolo

Finishing Kit: Deda

Movistar Team

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Movistar's Enric Mas aboard the team's Speedmax TT bike

Road bikes: Canyon Ultimate, Canyon Aeroad

Time trial bikes: Canyon Speedmax

Groupset: SRAM Red eTap AXS

Wheels: Zipp

Qhubeka Assos

Giacomo Nizzolo's custom BMC Timemachine Road

Road bikes: BMC Teammachine SLR, BMC Timemachine Road

Time trial bikes: BMC Timemachine 

Groupset: Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 Disc, Rotor crankset

Wheels: Hunt

Clothing: Assos

Finishing Kit: BMC

Arkéa Samsic

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Arkea Samsic's Canyon Aeroad

Clothing: Craft

Team BikeExchange

Road bikes: Bianchi Specialissima, Bianchi Oltre XR4

Time trial bikes: Bianchi Aquila TT 

Wheels: Shimano, Vision

New Shimano Dura-Ace closeup

Road bikes: Scott Addict RC, Scott Foil RC

Time trial bikes: Scott Plasma

Clothing: Team's own (Keep Challenging)

Saddles: PRO

Finishing Kit: Syncros

Total Direct Energie

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Total Direct Energie's Wilier bikes stacked in a bike rack

Road bikes: Wilier Cento10Air, Wilier Zero SLR

Time trial bikes: Wilier Turbine

Wheels: Ursus

Trek–Segafredo

Vincenzo Nibali's Trek Émonda SLR 9 eTap Disc

Road bikes: Trek Madone, Trek Emonda

Time trial bikes: Trek Speed Concept

Wheels: Bontrager

Clothing: Santini

Saddles: Bontrager

Finishing Kit: Bontrager

UAE Team Emirates

Tour de France Bikes 2021: Joe Dombrowski rides the team's Colnago V3Rs

Road bikes: Colnago V3Rs, Colnago Concept, Colnago C64

Time trial bikes: Colnago K-One

Computers: SRM

tour de france bike brakes

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Josh is Associate Editor of Cyclingnews – leading our content on the best bikes, kit and the latest breaking tech stories from the pro peloton. He has been with us since the summer of 2019 and throughout that time he's covered everything from buyer's guides and deals to the latest tech news and reviews. 

On the bike, Josh has been riding and racing for over 15 years. He started out racing cross country in his teens back when 26-inch wheels and triple chainsets were still mainstream, but he found favour in road racing in his early 20s, racing at a local and national level for Somerset-based Team Tor 2000. These days he rides indoors for convenience and fitness, and outdoors for fun on road, gravel, 'cross and cross-country bikes, the latter usually with his two dogs in tow.

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tour de france bike brakes

IMAGES

  1. The rise of disc brakes at the Tour de France + top tip from a pro

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  2. Discover Tour De France's Top-Performing Brakes

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  3. Disc brakes at the Tour de France: a mechanic’s perspective

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  4. Disc brakes at the Tour de France: a mechanic’s perspective

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  5. Disc Brakes in the Tour de France

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  6. Disc Brakes in the Tour de France

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COMMENTS

  1. Pogačar's Former Teammate Reveals Why World No. 1 Used Rim Brakes for

    After the mass switch in the pro peloton to disc brakes about five years ago, one of the last high profile riders to still race on rim brake bikes was two-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogačar. "There was definitely pressure from the manufacturer to be racing the disc brake bike because that's what's on the market, that's what ...

  2. Stopping superiority: did rim or disc brakes dominate the 2020 Tour de

    Over the 21 stages of the Tour de France, the scoreboard reads 11 stages to discs and 10 stages to rim brakes. When we look at the overall podium, first and second places were occupied by rim ...

  3. Tour de France bikes 2024: The ultimate equipment guide

    The Tour de France is a harsh test and every team arrives with its equipment in perfect order and ready for a hard three weeks. Movistar Bikes : Canyon Aeroad CFR, Ultimate CFR, Speedmax CFR (TT)

  4. New bikes galore, RIP rim brakes (almost) and cutting edge kit: all the

    The Tour de France is, in addition to being the biggest bike race in the world, the best opportunity for the team sponsors to show off their brand new products to millions of viewers watching their favourite riders, teams and equipment being tested to the limit.. It's also the reason we've been very busy typing up news of new bikes and components seemingly every other day in the past few weeks ...

  5. Tour de France bikes 2024: who's riding what?

    A complete list of the bikes raced by each team in the 2024 Tour de France, along with the groupsets, wheels and finishing kit they're fitted with.

  6. A decade apart: How far have Tour de France bikes come?

    2022 was the last Tour de France to be won on rim brakes and since then every team has used disc brake framesets. This and the move to wider tyres have been the most widely adopted tech changes in ...

  7. Farewell rim brakes: Tadej Pogačar embraces disc brakes in Tour de

    Tour de France bikes: Mathieu van der Poel's custom Canyon Aeroad CFR; Tour de France: Tadej Pogačar sends message on return to Belles Filles "The rim brake is lighter," Pogačar explained four months ago at Tirreno-Adriatico. "It's important on such a climb like today. Three-hundred grams for me is a lot, so that's why."

  8. How The Bikes of the Tour de France Have Changed

    By Matt Stephens July 1, 2023 at 6:00 am 5 min reading. Since Škoda's partnership with the Tour de France began 20 years ago, the bikes at the Tour have undergone remarkable transformations, fuelled by advancements in technology and the pursuit of optimal performance. In this article, I'm going to explore how these bikes have evolved ...

  9. Discover Tour De France's Top-Performing Brakes

    The brakes used in the tour de france are a critical aspect of the bike's performance and safety. The riders need to be able to quickly stop or slow down their bikes in a variety of conditions, including steep descents, sharp corners, and wet or slippery roads.

  10. All the gear? Check out the gearing choices of the pros at the Tour de

    23. Gearing choice in the Tour used to be easy, a standard chainset was the only way to go and cassette choices were limited at best. However, these days, with 12-speed options from Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo all represented in the peloton, there's more choice than ever. We've had a nosey at the pros' bikes to see what they're using this year.

  11. Tour de France Bikes Then and Now: What Has Changed in 20 Years?

    Bottom: A Scott Foil RC that will be used by Team Dsm-Firmenich PostNL at the 2024 Tour de France. 1. Carbon is the only way to go. Twenty years ago, carbon fiber had already begun to usurp aluminum, titanium and steel as the frame material of choice, but it was still early days. Many frames bonded carbon tubes to metal lugs.

  12. Disc Brakes in the Tour de France

    This year's Tour de France has had its share of drama, and the winner won't be the one most observers predicted. Among the sporting achievements, the technological innovation was easy to overlook: Finally, the UCI approved disc brakes, and the Tour is the first big stage race where they've been used. Reading the previews of Tour bikes, it sounded like all racers would make the switch.

  13. How Tadej Pogačar won Tour de France switching between disc and rim

    The 23-year-old preferred using disc brakes for the final flat stages of his Tour de France victory, but also utilised a rim brake bike to win the mountain-top Pyrenean stage to Saint-Lary-Soulan ...

  14. Tour de France bikes: winning bikes from the last 15 years

    The next most successful brand is Peugeot. Now better know for cars, the French brand first won in 1905, with its last victory in 1977. Trek can only claim two official Tour de France wins, with ...

  15. The rise of disc brakes at the Tour de France + top tip from a pro

    In some cases that is evident as certain new bikes - like the Cannondale SystemSix or Wilier Zero SLR - are only available with disc brakes. Let's not forget the Tour de France is a huge marketing opportunity and was originally conceived to sell newspapers so it's obviously conceivable that the brands want the riders to ride the latest equipment.

  16. Chris Froome, Long Time Lover of Rim Brakes, Finally Joins ...

    Long Time Lover of Rim Brakes, Chris Froome Finally Joins the Disc Brake Dark Side. After years of skepticism, the four-time Tour de France winner might finally be embracing the technology. Chris ...

  17. Tour de France 2022 tech trends: Who won with what?

    This is it. It's finally happened. Every stage of the 2022 Tour de France was won on disc brakes, and the eventual winner rode discs for every stage of the race. Despite the best efforts of Chris ...

  18. The Fastest Bikes of the 2020 Tour de France

    Team Jumbo-Visma: Bianchi Oltre XR4. Tim de Waele. Jumbo-Visma will be attempting to break the Ineos stranglehold on the Tour de France aboard the Bianchi Oltre XR4. It's not the lightest bike ...

  19. The bikes and components making their debuts at the 2021 Tour de France

    Campag unveiled its new Bora Ultra WTO wheels a couple of months ago, and 2020 Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar will be using them on his Colnago V3RS and C64 team bikes in this year's race. Find out all about the Campagnolo Bora Ultra WTO wheels here. The disc-brake-only wheels are tubeless-ready, and Pogačar will be running them tubeless.

  20. Tour de France tech: All the tech and trends from the 2021 race

    In the 2021 Tour de France, all but one of the teams has disc brake technology at its disposal, with the majority of teams being committed to discs entirely. Ineos Grenadiers is the only team ...

  21. One of the only rim brake bikes left in the Tour de France peloton

    The Trinity TT bike can still be seen today in the WorldTour peloton ridden by Team Jayco Alula's riders, one of only two WorldTour teams using rim brakes at this year's Tour de France. The other one is Arkéa Samsic, who use the rim brake-equipped Bianchi Aquila for time trials (their road bikes are all disc brake).

  22. Monē Bikes Kids' Bike Was at MADE and It's What the Cool Kids Ride

    Don't miss a moment of the 2024 Tour de France! Get recaps, insights, and exclusive takes with Velo's daily newsletter. ... such as the Tektro brakes, mirror what Isla bikes used to spec. Monē stays away from hydraulics though and instead uses cable actuated bars with TRP Sprye mechanical disc brakes and 140mm rotors front and rear. As ...

  23. 2023 Tour de France bikes

    In terms of the teams themselves, the men's WorldTour roster has seen two new teams in 2023: Alpecin-Deceuninck and Arkéa-Samsic. Both Israel-PremierTech and Lotto-Dstny have left the World Tour but they take part in the Tour de France as wildcards alongside TotalEnergies and Uno-X. Without further ado, let's have a look at the bikes...

  24. Tour de France bikes: Who's riding what in 2021

    The bikes in use at the Tour de France are up there with the very best that money can buy. All of the bikes used in the 2021 Tour de France are made from carbon fibre. That includes their frames ...