Shimano subsidiary Pro has not normally been recognised for currently being on the slicing edge of the body weight activity, but these times are apparently about with the introduction of its new Superlight collection of road cockpit parts. The claimed weights are surely eye-opening – the new bar and stem are 75 grams lighter than anything Professional has available in the earlier – but so is the thought that the new parts may not be extremely pushing the boundaries of safety, both.
The Professional Vibe Superlight bar
Headlining the new assortment is the Vibe Superlight carbon fiber fall handlebar, which is claimed to weigh just 153 grams in its narrowest 38 cm measurement. Professional builds the new bar from Toray T1100 carbon fiber for higher stiffness and very low weight, but adds Innegra polypropylene fibers in strategic spots to strengthen the affect toughness. The Innegra plies aren’t intended to wholly prevent the bar from suffering injury all through a crash, head you relatively, they’re intended to protect against a catastrophic failure so you can at minimum with any luck , make it property without having having to get in touch with a taxi (or an ambulance).
Professional isn’t bothering with aerodynamics here, instead concentrating on comfort with a 31.8 mm clamp diameter that maintains a lot of that form and measurement throughout virtually the whole size of the tops to healthy greater in your arms. That claimed, the Superlight also isn’t aimed at informal endurance riders, either, with an intense 80 mm achieve, 130 mm of fall, and Pro’s most classic-type bend with no flare.
Just a few dimensions are available: 38 cm, 40 cm, and 42 cm, measured centre-to-heart. Retail value is US$450 / £380 / €420.
The Professional Vibe Superlight stem
Shimano has under no circumstances shied away from making use of forged aluminum alternatively of carbon fiber if its engineers deemed it the much more correct substance for the job, so it is no shock to see the new Pro Vibe Superlight stem currently being built of solid 7075 alloy. However, claimed weight for the shortest 70 mm length is a scant 92 g.
The extension sports a squared-off profile, and the steerer clamp is significantly pared-away to minimize pounds. Up entrance is a skeletal-looking 4-bolt aluminum faceplate with titanium M5 bolts. Shimano is only featuring the Superlight stem with a 31.8 mm handlebar clamp diameter, while the steerer clamp is out there in 1 1/8″ or 1 1/4″ sizes. Accessible lengths run from 70 to 120 mm (in 10 mm increments), all with +/-6° angles.
Retail selling price is US$175 / £160 / €160.
Despite the weight-weenie aims, Professional has nonetheless built the Superlight stem (and bar) compatible with a variety of internal Di2 wire and hydraulic brake hose routing – despite the fact that it’s not solely distinct at this level which bike brand names will be a fantastic fit in terms of aesthetics. Of training course, external routing is continue to an solution, far too.
“The cables enter near to the shifter at the ahead bend, where by the gap is large plenty of to match a (hydraulic) brake hose and Di2 wire,” a Professional agent stated. “They then journey internally to the stem place, wherever the cables can both exit right before the stem (for externally routed bikes) or inside of the stem. Likely inside of the stem, you can then go immediately into the steerer tube, together with D-shaped steerers (like Ridley or Element, for illustration), or straight out at the bottom. Found from underneath, the exit out the base can also be employed to get cables from an external routed handlebar into the steerer tube place.”
New expander plug and pc mount selections, way too
Finishing the ensemble are the new Gap Cap Expander Carbon steerer plug and Vibe laptop or computer mount.
The compression plug functions a typical aluminum double-cone increasing wedge design and style with a knurled human body to give a company grip on the interior steerer tube wall. Up major is a carbon fiber major cap held in position with a countersunk aluminum bolt.
Pro is presenting the expander plug in 1 1/8″ and 1 1/4″ measurements, with the scaled-down solution tipping the scales with a claimed fat of 24 g – 16 g fewer than Pro’s present-day plug. Retail rate is US$35 / £30 / €35.
The Professional Vibe laptop doesn’t split any new floor, but it looks nicely made however. Created of 6061 aluminum and size precisely to in good shape Professional stems, the new laptop mount attaches to the stem faceplate holes (with extended M5 bolts), and can be attached in the significant or small position relying on rider choices. The hinged base offers even further adjustment, and the molded plastic pc puck can also be established in the shorter or lengthy place. Pucks are involved for Garmin, Wahoo, and Bryton desktops.
Claimed body weight is 37 g, and retail cost is US$70 / £60 / €55.
Professional even will get into the mini-aero clip-on game
If imitation is the sincerest sort of flattery, with any luck , the individuals at Farr aren’t also upset as the new Pro Compact Carbon Clip-on is fundamentally a knock-off of the Australian brand’s Carbon Aero Bolt-On.
Designed of Toray T700 carbon fiber, the Professional Compact Clip-on clamps to appropriate 31.8 mm-diameter bars to offer a extra aerodynamic hand place for very long days in the saddle. The upper surface area is textured so there is presumably no want for tape, and upfront is an built-in computer mount. Underneath is another accent mount for matters like lights and cameras. Pucks are bundled for Garmin, Wahoo, and Bryton pcs.
Claimed bodyweight is 135 g, and retail selling price is US$180 / £150 / €160.
Professional says all of these new bits will be offered sometime in the to start with quarter of 2023. Australian pricing for all of the higher than is nevertheless to be verified.
All of Pro’s new cockpit elements are included by a confined life time guarantee (though curiously, Professional specifically states a “ten-year expected lifetime”). Additional data on all the new bits can be found at www.professional-bikegear.com.