The transition now has competition in the fugliness dept
#5
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 12
Bikes: Trek 7.2FX
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
#7
Dude wheres my guads?
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Guess
Posts: 2,680
Bikes: Not enough
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
You guys need new browsers maybe? Works fine for me (maybe cached I guess)
Here is a link to cyclingnews.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?..._596_full_view
Here is a link to cyclingnews.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?..._596_full_view
#9
Dirt-riding heretic
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Posts: 17,413
Bikes: Lynskey R230/Red, Blue Triad SL/Red, Cannondale Scalpel 3/X9
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
Yeah, that's foogly, but I still think the transition is fooglier.
__________________
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
#11
Dirt-riding heretic
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Posts: 17,413
Bikes: Lynskey R230/Red, Blue Triad SL/Red, Cannondale Scalpel 3/X9
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
Originally Posted by cyclingnews
Don't scratch your head too hard trying to figure out the significance of the kinked top tube; Look says it's purely for style points.
__________________
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
"Unless he was racing there was no way he could match my speed."
#13
Making a kilometer blurry
That's much uglier than a transition. At least the decals are understated. Oh, wait, I mean they didn't have to use much base color paint...
#16
the great shark hunt
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Manitoba Canada
Posts: 1,334
Bikes: 2005 Cervélo Soloist w/ Campag Chorus (06/07 parts mix), 2001 Cervélo Prodigy w/ Campag Centaur '06, Giant Bowery Fixed-Gear, old steel black '70s bike waiting for FG build, trusty red SS mountain bike waiting for snow-bike build
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
whatever guys, I LIKE the look of that LOOK. Actually I think it's one of the prettiest TT bikes around right now. but then 90% of the other ones all look the same (like P3 clones). not that I don't like the P3.
#22
the great shark hunt
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Manitoba Canada
Posts: 1,334
Bikes: 2005 Cervélo Soloist w/ Campag Chorus (06/07 parts mix), 2001 Cervélo Prodigy w/ Campag Centaur '06, Giant Bowery Fixed-Gear, old steel black '70s bike waiting for FG build, trusty red SS mountain bike waiting for snow-bike build
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Just a little FYI on this bike
Taking an unconventional route to aero
By James Huang in Los Gatos, California
Time trial bike development has seemingly accelerated to supersonic rates as of late and a number of design elements have become increasingly routine: aero-profiled tubing, seat tubes with deep cut-outs, hidden brakes, fully-integrated forks and componentry, smooth lines. Yet Look has taken a somewhat unconventional approach with its latest speed machine, the 596.
First previewed at last year's Eurobike show, the new 596 does bear some common TT bike traits such as the deep-section down tube, seat tube and seat stays. However, instead of bringing the frame sections closer to the spinning wheels and reducing the gaps to the legal limit, Look has bucked the trend and added space both around their edges and sides.
Closer is better... or is it?
The key word from the previous statement is spinning. Look claims that tight clearances work well in the wind tunnel under static conditions but setting the wheels in motion creates high pressure drag in the confined spaces that actually make the bike slower. As a result, the seat stays and fork crown on the 596 are fairly wide-set and there's also more room around both wheels' circumference than we're used to seeing to let air easily flow through.
Unfortunately we have no easy way of verifying that claim (Look says its wind tunnel facility at the Magny Cours race track in France is perhaps the only place that can run a test where the wheels can be spun at a constant and controllable rate) but the idea is intriguing and might carry some merit. In fact, LeMans cars are fitted with fender louvers specifically to relieve the high pressure build-up that Look calls to attention here. Whether or not this matters at the slower speeds typically encountered in a time trial is another matter entirely but it's an intriguing idea nonetheless.
Regardless, one thing that can't be argued about the 596 is its substantial weight advantage over the outgoing 496 (which will still be available in track form). Claimed weight for frame and fork (but no headset) is just 1840g (4.06lb), knocking roughly half a kilo (1.1lb) from its predecessor while supposedly giving up nothing in terms of rigidity. Game on.
A new level of integration
The front end of the 596 is fitted with an all-new version of Look's radical Monoblade fork. Just as on the 496 where it first used the concept, the front of the fork extends all the way up to the stem and acts as a fairing for the head tube (effectively increasing the aspect ratio beyond the UCI-mandated 3:1). On this new edition though, the entire unit is markedly deeper throughout and capped with a far lighter two-piece carbon stem that is adjustable in angle and available in four lengths.
The new Zed crank is where things get particularly interesting. This new setup, limited to the 596 for the time being, is similar in concept to BB30 in that it uses oversized bearings pressed directly into a standard-width bottom bracket shell. However, the Zed spindle is roughly 50mm in diameter (instead of 30mm) and the hollow carbon fiber arms and spindle are all molded as one piece. A slight depression in the spindle allows installers to snake the whole bit through the bottom bracket bearings and a threaded collar on the non-driveside holds it all together.
Mechanics can think of the Zed as an analogue to a one-piece steel BMX crank but even those who can't remember 'righty tighty, lefty loosey' will be able to appreciate that it's way lighter. Claimed weight with bearings and chainrings is just 604g and we'd expect nothing short of monstrous stiffness given the section sizes (Look claims double the stiffness-to-weight of a 7800-series Dura-Ace crankset).
Moreover, a clever integrated carbon spider allows for both standard 130mm and compact 110mm chainrings and Look's novel Trilobe pedal interface quickly adjusts to provide 170, 172.5 or 175mm effective crank lengths. Trilobe will only work with a special KeO pedal though, so those on other systems should ready themselves for the swap should they decide a 596 is in their future.
Naturally, Look has also capped the top of the 596 with its elastomer-cushioned E Post integrated seat mast design. The 596 will come stock with a 32mm-setback R32 version, thus keeping it UCI-legal, but users can swap in the adjustable E Post Ti or 5mm-offset R5 variants depending on the situation.
Official retail price for the 596 is US$4,999 which sounds rather insane until you consider that it includes the frame, fork, headset, integrated seatpost, stem, bottom bracket, crank and even pedals. Heck, that almost makes it a bargain.