Triathlon technology is changing, and it holds the potential to make you faster. Here’s a look at the bikes of four of our SRAM and Zipp pro triathletes photographed at the Ironman World Championship at Saint George, Utah. While in Utah, we talked with SRAM Racing’s Jason Phillips about the latest tech advancements in triathlon, which you see reflected in the setups of our pros in the bikes profiled below. Among the notable changes Phillips sees in pro tri bikes:
Wheels: Zipp Super-9 disc , 858 NSW front
Aerobars: Zipp Vuka Shift AXS 90
Groupset: SRAM eTap AXS
Frame: Trek Speed Concept
Tech notes: Skye opted for 54/41T chainrings with a 10-33 cassette. Her bike’s eTap AXS shifting is efficient and clean with her use of Vuka Shift AXS 90 cleanly houses your aerobar extensions and shift-control in one neat package. The setup features SRAM Clics extension-end shifters and Blips shifting buttons for base-bar shifting.
Wheels: Zipp Super-9 disc, 858 NSW front
Aerobars: Vuka Evo Carbon
Frame: Cube Aerium C68 SLT
Tech notes: The German pro opted for a 52/39T front setup with a 10-33 cassette. The bike has a custom paintjob. He also rides the popular Zipp Vuka Evo extension.
Frame: Scott Plasma 6
Tech notes: Sebi ran 56/43T chainrings with a 10-28 cassette. The 56-10, if you translate it into old-style gearing, is close to a 61-11. It’s a massive gear, and pros like Sebi will use it. The bikes are so aero he can gain speed by continuing to pedal on fast sections.
Frame: BMC Timemachine
Tech notes: Brownlee has been with SRAM and Zipp for about 15 years as he’s won two Olympic gold medals and made the switch from ITU to Ironman triathlon. He’s new to BMC this season. Brownlee opts for the most aero setup with 858/Super-9 combo for wheels, believing the aero benefits are more significant than any weight savings with shallower rims, even on a hillier course. His bike had a 25mm front tire with a 28mm back to optimize aerodynamic efficiency.