Reigning World Champion Cento1 Integrates Award-Winning Electronic Groupset

Atlanta, GA – Wilier Triestina USA has announced the special order availability of its reigning World Road Champion model, the Cento1, in a version modified specifically for use with Shimano’s acclaimed electronic drivetrain, Dura-Ace Di2. The Cento1 Di2 frameset boasts the same superlight 46Ton carbon monocoque construction and performance features, while enhancements have been implemented in the form of internal routing for wiring that connects the Di2 battery with its electronic shifters and derailleurs.

“While performance was the key pursuit in the development and use of the Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 electrically actuated shifting system, the side benefit is the freedom and creativity afforded frame makers with respect to cable routing,” explained Devin Walton, Director of Media Relations for Shimano North America. “Wilier’s new frame design takes advantage of that benefit and with the special accommodations for the battery pack creates historically sought-after integration of frame and controls without any impact on shifting response.”

Angelo Cilli, Wilier Triestina USA co-owner and founder, added: “We’re excited about the promising new age being ushered in by Shimano’s electronic groupsets for road and time trial bikes. In the past, attempts were made by other manufacturers to offer electronic shifting, but after extensive in-house testing we have become believers that this technology by Shimano has been refined to the point of being truly feasible and relevant. Campagnolo is promising release of its own electronic drivetrain in the near future, so it seems that the technology may finally be here to stay,” concluded Cilli.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Shimano Dura Ace Carbon Clincher Wheels for Bicycles

Units: About 275

Importer: Shimano American Corp., of Irving, Calif.

Manufacturer: Shimano Components SDN, of Johor, Malaysia

Hazard: Rim surface and spoke hole plugs on the wheel can cause a puncture to the inner tube, resulting in a flat tire. This can cause the rider to lose control and fall.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves the Shimano Dura Ace Carbon Clincher Wheel Sets with model number WH-7850 C24CL sold for road racing bicycles. The rim has labels that read “Shimano WH-7850″, “Dura Ace”, and “Carbon 1380.” These wheels are intended for use with high end adult road racing bicycles.

Sold at: Bicycle specialty stores and dealers nationwide from April 2008 through August 2008 for about $1,300.

Manufactured in: Malaysia

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the bicycles with the recalled wheels, remove the wheels, and return them to their local bike dealer or retailer for a free inspection and repair.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Shimano American Corp. at (800) 353-4719 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s web site at bike.shimano.com

To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to:

Ultegra SL Wheelset Review by Gary Lee

Shimano Ultegra SL WH-6600G

• 24mm 6061 Aluminum rims
• Offset rear rim increases rear wheel rigidity
• Bladed & butted spokes, 16 front/20 rear
• Oversized hub and axle
• Ice Grey in color
• 10-speed compatible only
• Weight – 1,680g (pair)
• MSRP - $530

The Ultegra gruppo is more than adequate for the weekend warrior or even a serious racer. The price range is attractive and you don’t lost that much to the higher end Dura-Ace gruppo. Ultegra users over the years have benefited greatly from the trickle down technology of the Dura-Ace DNA, with its smooth, short throws, and light weight characteristics.

This is very true of the new Ultegra SL wheelset in the stealthy Ice Grey color option. The wheelset is decently light, affordable, and due to the new rim profile and spoke nipple design is stronger and stiffer than the previous Ultegra models.

One concern voiced to me during a group ride was the lack of lateral stiffness with the older Ultegra wheelsets. According to him during hard cornering the spokes on the earlier generation models would flex to the point that his wheel magnet would make contact with the sensor and he’d hear the clicking it made when it rotated. Obviously a bit un-nerving when you’re at speed on a tight turn bunched in a group!

Read the rest of this entry �

Shimano announced today that Dura-Ace Di2 7970 Electronic Groupset is in fact ready for production and will be available in January 2009!

For years, Shimano has been testing prototypes of its electronic Dura-Ace system. Pictures have surfaced from time to time of teams in the peloton that were testing the system, but no word on how far along in development it was or when we would see the final product come to fruition and into production. Well, wonder no longer, because Shimano today announced that Dura-Ace Di2 7970 is in fact in production and should start arriving at your local bike shop in January of 2009.

Read the rest of this entry �

VCRC Ceramic Bottom Bracket (Shimano Compatible)

• VCRC Grade 5 Full Ceramic Si3N4 Balls w/ ABEC 5 Races
• English 68mm
• Actual weighed weight: 98g
• MSRP - $179.95
• Company website - www.velocarbon.com

To go ceramic or not to go ceramic has been a hotly debated topic for some time now. Cost versus benefit being the biggest argument between those that choose to and those that do not. With the price of ceramics on average costing 3x more than their normal non ceramic counterparts, it’s hard to justify the cost for some. While others will pay it gladly for any gains, actual or perceived that they may benefit from. With hybrid ceramics becoming more widely available, the cost has come down somewhat. We recently received one of these hybrid ceramic bottom brackets from VCRC, an online company that sells ceramic upgrades as well as a handful of carbon bits.

Our tester was VCRC’s Shimano 10 compatible bottom bracket. First thing we noticed was how light it was, a quick check on the scale and to our surprise it actually weighed the same as what the manufacturer claims, coming in at 98 grams. At first glance the bottom bracket looks no different than your standard Shimano outboard bearing bottom bracket. What separates this particular bottom bracket though is the Grade 5 ceramic balls used inside paired with steel races. This is what makes this a hybrid solution, a full ceramic setup would costs up to twice as much.

Installation is a breeze as with all outboard bearing bottom brackets. Once installed we gave the crank a spin and were very impressed with how smooth and free flowing the crank spun. Impressive given that a brand new Dura Ace bottom bracket usually takes some time to break in. Now that we’ve put on several hundred miles, we’re happy to report that the bottom bracket is still preforming as well if not smoother than when first installed. A quick check of the bearings show no excessive contamination.

Video of crank spinning with the VCRC bottom bracket installed here.

Conclusion
Overall, we’re happy with the performance of this upgrade. We weren’t able to produce any objective data to show power savings, but there is definitely a noticeable difference over the standard Shimano bottom bracket. Given the relative price of the upgrade, we would feel confident in recommending this as one of those upgrades that one might look into to squeeze every last bit of performance out of their rig.

Value -

Overall -

Irvine, CA – Shimano introduces the all new 7900 series Dura-Ace. The new mechanical Dura-Ace group loses over 135g while maintaining it’s legendary durability and improving performance and ergonomics.

Since 1973, Shimano’s Dura-Ace components have been at the forefront of pro racing and pro-level technology. Dura-Ace has continued its legacy of being proven in the peloton as well as serving as a launch pad for new technologies. Index shifting (SIS), integrated brake and shift levers (STI), and hollow forged cranks (Hollowtech II) have set Shimano’s Dura-Ace as the benchmark in road bike componentry.

FC-7900 Dura-Ace Crankset
The iconic Hollowtech II hollow forged crank has always been a benchmark for strength to weight performance characteristics and is the perfect platform for a crank intended to be used at the highest echelon of competition. Combined with a hollow outer chainring the crankset is 20% stiffer for optimal power transfer while still saving 15 grams. Other changes include redesigned chainring teeth for better contact and power transfer. Improved bottom bracket seals further reduce contamination and friction.

New for 2009, Shimano will also carry a Dura-Ace level compact crankset.

ST-7900 Dura-Ace Dual Control Levers
The new STI Dual Control levers offer a refined ergonomic shape while reducing the weight by over 40 grams. With a Shimano first, the new STI levers offer unidirectional carbon fiber lever blades which reduce weight and offer shift cables hidden under the handlebar tape for a more sleek design. Using a revised internal mechanism along with PTFE lined casing, the shifting is still as light as ever.

Shifting stroke for the rear derailleur has been reduced by 20% for quicker shifts and a built in reach adjuster allows for fine tuning the fit for riders with smaller hands.

The shifters continue to have integrated controls for the all new FlightDeck computer (SC-7900), which has been updated to include heart rate, altitude, grade, cadence, gear position, and directly downloadable data via a wireless connection. The new SC-7900 is completely wireless.

CN-7900 Dura-Ace Chain
The new asymmetric design of the Dura-Ace chain has redesigned plates that improve the contact interface with the cogs and reduce the chance for chain suck on the chainrings. Other improvements to the links provide greater durability and life with less noise and smoother function. The chain uses hollow pins and weight drops by over 18 grams even with the addition of a quick connection / removal link. A departure from the traditional Hyperglide connection pin, the SM-CN79 quicklink provides a reusable connection and removal point for the chain. The quicklink can be used on any Shimano 10-speed chain and the new chain can also be joined by a traditional Hyperglide 10-speed connection pin if necessary.

RD-7900 Dura-Ace Rear Derailleur
With a new carbon fiber rear pulley cage, the rear derailleur loses another 16 grams while maintaining durability and improving performance. The new design is compatible with wider range cogsets and can accommodate a maximum 28 tooth cog. The available wider range creates even better compatibility with compact cranksets.

FD-7900 Dura-Ace Front Derailleur
The new Dura-Ace front derailleur cage eliminates the need to manually trim the front shifting. Additionally, the redesigned, more efficient wide linkage and optimized spring tension combine for reduced shifting effort.

BR-7900 Dura-Ace Brakes

Increased linear response, improved braking power, and reduced weight all make their way into the latest version of the Dura-Ace brakes. A new brake pad compound doubles wet condition performance, while also improving dry power by 20%. Enhanced linear response comes from a redesigned caliper arch while a lower profile cable stop creates better lines for the cables and reduces cable friction. While other brakes ditch sensible features like a spring tension adjuster or adjustable toe, the new Dura-Ace brakes still come equipped with those features and manage to drop nearly 30 grams per pair.

FH-7900 / HB-7900 Dura-Ace Freehub and Front Hub
Both the hub and freehub body have evolved to designs that improve rigidity for efficient power transfer and quick handling. The bearings have been updated with a new tool-free bearing adjuster for quick bearing adjustments. The freehub continues with the durable titanium shell and quick engagement internals.

CS-7900 Dura-Ace Cassette
Shifting has been even further improved by creating an even more rigid (and lighter) aluminum carrier unit along with re-engineered teeth profile. Cassette design is lighter as Shimano has developed a super lightweight and rigid aluminum cassette sprocket carrier. The largest four cogs are titanium and weight is reduced by 10 grams. Available combinations will be: 11-21T, 11-23T, 11-25T, 11-27T, 11-28T, 12-23T, 12-25T, 12-27T.

True to tradition, Dura-Ace 7900 combines new technologies with features relevant to the highest levels of competition

Available Fall 2008