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FEATURES: THE BIKES OF THE KENDA PRO CYCLING P/B GEARGRINDER TEAM
Philip Booth
March 17, 2010
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The Kenda Pro Cycling p/b GEARGRINDER team has been steadily building
their domestic racing program over the past several years. First formed
in 2005 as the Honey Stinger-Spinergy team, the program has developed
into a UCI-Continental outfit. For 2010 the program is firing on all cylinders with the addition of several new riders and American cycling
legend Frankie Andreu stepping into the role of director sportif. With the team poised to be a factor on the domestic scene, Road Bike
Action decided to take a look at the team's 2010 Masi Bikes.
Masi has
been a mainstay in the European peloton for the better part of half a
century. Masi bikes have been ridden by legendary riders like Fausto
Coppi, Luison Bobet, Felice Gimondi, Rick van Looy, Jacques Anquetil
and Eddy Merckx. So sought after were Masi frames that many of these
riders would have Faliero Masi “The Tailor” craft their frames and then
have them painted and decaled as their team bikes.
In the early 1970’s Faliero Masi and two assistants came to the United
States and began production at a facility in Carlsbad, California,
after selling the Cicli Masi name to American investors. Faliero would
later return to Italy while the Masi name remained in America.
The team is riding stock Masi Volumetrica 3VCs that are specially painted in Kenda red. The frame is built using high modulus full carbon lugged construction and features an integrated Ritchey Pro Logic headset and replaceable rear derailleur hanger. The frame is then mated to a 1.125-inch Masi FC/Pro monocoque carbon fork.
For 2010 the team is using Mercury carbon wheels. The wheels are available with 38, 58 or 85-millimeter rim profiles in tubular or clincher versions. For training the team will be using the clincher versions wrapped in Kenda C2C, Kaliente or Kriterium tires. On race day the team will switch to tubular wheelsets and use Kenda’s new Volare or Super Domestique tubular tires.
Kore supplies the team riders with their choice of Cockpit II, RACE
2014 or Elite MRB handlebars. While Kore supplies the handlebars,
Thomson rounds out the cockpit with Elite X2 stems and 31.6-millimeter
Masterpiece seatposts.
Selle Italia is a sponsor of the team and outfits the team with white
saddles. Team riders have their choice between the SLR XP and
Turbomatic, The Selle Italia saddles are mounted to Thomson Masterpiece
seatposts which feature a unique laid back design.
Few people know that Reynolds makes more than high-end wheelsets. To
get the word out about their carbon water bottle cage, Reynolds is
outfitting the team with bottle cages for the 2010 season.
The team is sponsored SRAM and like most SRAM sponsored teams the Red
titanium front derailleur cage has been replaced by a steel version
from SRAM’s Force group. The switch to the steel cage is done to
increase shifting precision and durability.
To get the power from the pedals to the rear wheel, the team is using
SRAM Red or SRAM S900 Quarq CinQo cranksets. The Quarq CinQo is a power
meter that is integrated into the crankset. To record their watt output
the team uses Vetta VL 110, ANT+ Cyclowatch or Vortex ANT+ cycle
computers. The CinQo and Red cranksets spin inside SRAM Black Box
ceramic bearing bottom brackets.
The Kenda Pro Cycling p/b GEARGRINDER team bikes are rounded out with
LOOK Keo 2 Max Carbon pedals. No word on whether the team will be
switching to LOOK’s new top of the line Keo Blade Carbon Ti pedals.
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