By Stan Portus

Published: Wednesday, 06 October 2021 at 12:00 am

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This week, the AJ Bell Women’s Tour is finally back, having been cancelled in 2020 and postponed earlier this year.

While some of the big names are absent, there’s still an impressive roster taking to UK roads to compete in the final women’s WorldTour stage race of the season.

The final stage race also provides one of the last opportunities to check out pro-tech. So we headed along and took a look at the bikes of six of the biggest riders, including Lizzie Deignan, Elisa Balsamo, Joss Lowden and Alice Barnes.

Lizzie Deignan’s Trek Emonda SLR

Having soloed to victory at the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes last weekend, Lizzie Deignan is back defending her title at the AJ Bell Women’s Tour.

We profiled Deignan’s Roubaix-winning Trek Domane and away from the cobbles, she’s switched back from the endurance-orientated Trek Domane to the brand’s aero climbing bike, the Emonda SLR.

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

This Emonda SLR is fitted with an SRAM Red eTap AXS groupset with a 10-33 cassette and a SRAM Red AXS power meter crankset with 50/37 chainrings up front – a more traditional setup compared to the 1x gearing the champion ran at Roubaix.

Elsewhere, Deignan is still running Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37 wheels. She’s opted for Pirelli P Zero Race SL tubeless tyres, which are lighter than the Pirelli P Zero TLR tyres she ran for Roubaix.

Deignan is using a Bontrager Ajna Pro saddle, which is said to be bedded in for her before use.

Up front is a one-piece Bontrager Aeolus RSL VR-C integrated cockpit. The stem has -7 degree drop and is 120mm long, helping Deignan achieve an aggressive riding position.

• Frame: Trek Emonda SLR
• Drivetrain: SRAM Red eTap AXS, 10-33
• Crankset: 170mm SRAM Red AXS power meter, 50/37
• Cockpit: Bontrager Aeolus RSL VR-C integrated cockpit
• Saddle: Bontrager Ajna Pro
• Wheels: Bontrager Aeolus RSL 37
• Tyres: Pirelli P Zero Race SL tubeless tyres
• Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace

Elisa Balsamo’s Cannondale SuperSix Evo

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

Since we looked at Elisa Balsamo’s Cannondale SuperSix Evo she raced at Paris-Roubaix, the new world champion seems to have gained rainbow-adorned wheels and cranks, completing a rather spectacular-looking bike.

However, underneath the new paintwork, Balsamo is running the same Vision Metron 40 wheels and FSA Powerbox power meter crankset as on her Roubaix bike.

• Frame: Cannondale SuperSix Evo
• Drivetrain: Shimano Ultegra Di2, 11-30
• Crankset: FSA with PowerBox power meter, 52/36
• Cockpit: Cannondale HollowGram Knot stem and Save bar
• Saddle: Prologo NDR
• Wheels:  Vision Metron 40
• Tyres: Veloflex Corsa EVO TLR
• Pedals: Look Keo

Joss Lowden’s Ribble Endurance SL R

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

Last week, Joss Lowden set a new women’s hour record on an Argon 18 Electron Pro, but at the Women’s Tour, she’s back on her team issue Ribble.

The Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur Ribble Endurance SL R Disc is decked out with a Quarq power meter crankset and a Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8070 drivetrain. Lowden is running 53/39 chainrings up front and an 11-30 cassette out back.

While many pro bikes are now fitted with in-house components, Lowden’s bike has a Fabric Line saddle and ENVE’s aero handlebar and aero stem over the team sponsor Ribble handlebar and saddle.

Continental just released its new GP5000 S TR tubeless tyres, but Lowden’s Mavic wheels are wrapped in Continental’s older GP5000 TL tubeless tyres.

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

• Frame: Ribble Endurance SLR
• Drivetrain: Shimano Ultegra Di2 R8070, 11-30
• Crankset: Quarq power meter crankset with SRAM Force 22 chainrings, 53/39
• Cockpit: ENVE aero bar and ENVE aero stem
• Saddle: Fabric Line
• Wheels: Mavic Cosmic SLR 45 Disc
• Tyres: Continental GP5000 TL tubeless tyres, 28mm

Hayley Simmonds’ Basso Diamante

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

Hayley Simmonds is riding what appears to be the 2018 model of the Basso Diamante, and has a host of Italian componentry and parts to match the Italian frame.

Simmonds has opted for a Deda Vinci Aero bar and stem.

With this system, you have the option to run cables and hoses through the bars and into the stem, exiting via a port near the headset, but Simmonds’ bike seems to forgo this, with the cables not entering the stem.

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

Deda provides the wheels, too, and these are fitted with Schwalbe Pro One TLE tubeless tyres.

Simmonds is using a 12-speed Campagnolo Chorus drivetrain with Miche/SRM Attiva power meter crankset up-front. She has 53/39 chainrings, like Lowden, but has opted for a larger 11-32 cassette, providing a wider range of gears.

Simmonds is a former UK national time trial champion and is running an ISM Adamo Attack time trial saddle on her bike.

• Frame: Basso Diamante
• Drivetrain: Campagnolo Chorus 12-speed with 11-32 cassette
• Crankset: Miche/SRM Attiva power meter crankset, 53/39
• Cockpit: Deda Vinci Aero stem and bars
• Saddle: ISM Adamo Attack
• Wheels: Deda Elementi SL30
• Tyres: Schwalbe Pro One tubeless
• Pedals: Speedplay

Alice Barnes’ Canyon Aeroad

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

National road champion Alice Barnes’ 51cm  Canyon Aeroad is painted red, white and blue in honour of the jersey she has held since 2019, after the 2020 championship was cancelled due to COVID-19.

The bike is fitted with an SRAM Red eTap AXS drivetrain with a matching SRAM Red AXS power meter crankset.

Compared to Deignan’s 50/37 setup, Barnes has opted for smaller 48/35 chainrings with a correspondingly smaller 10-28 cassette.

Barnes is using Canyon’s fully integrated Aerocockpit. This one-piece design has a long 120mm stem, which is said to be her personal preference.

Barnes is using Zipp Firecrest 303 wheels fitted with 28mm Schwalbe Pro One tubeless tyres.  Schwalbe ceased production of tubular tyres a few years ago and, at the time, made explicit suggestion that it was moving to sponsor a team with its tubeless tyres.

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

• Frame: Canyon Aeroad
• Drivetrain: SRAM REd eTap AXS, 10-28 cassette
• Crankset: SRAM Red AXS power meter crankset, 48/35
• Cockpit: Canyon Aerocockpit CF 120mm stem
• Saddle: Ergon SR women’s
• Wheels: Zipp Firecrest 303
• Tyres: 28mm Schwalbe Pro One TLE tubeless
• Pedals: Speedplay

Amy Pieters’ Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

Amy Pieters rode this Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 to victory on the second stage of this year’s Women’s Tour, securing her fourth stage win at the race.

Like Barnes’ Aeroad, the bike has a SRAM eTap AXS Red groupset with the integrated power meter on the crankset. Pieters has also opted for a 48/35 chainset, but has gone for a bigger 10-33 cassette.

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

While we’re used to seeing Specialized bikes kitted out with the brand’s own components, like on Peter Sagan’s world championship bike, Pieter’s bike has Zipp 353 NSW wheels and a Zipp handlebar.

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

Pieters is also running Specialized S-Works Turbo tubeless tyres, making that five out of six bikes we’ve featured going tubeless. While acceptance of tubeless tyres has been relatively slow among the pro ranks, it looks as though this tech is beginning to finally make serious inroads.

Matt Grayson / www.mattgrayson.co.uk

• Frame: Specialized S-Work Tarmac SL7
• Drivetrain: SRAM Red eTap AXS, 10-33
• Crankset: SRAM Red AXS power meter crankset, 48/35
• Cockpit: Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 stem, Zipp Service Course SL-70 bars
• Saddle: Specialized Phenom
• Wheels: Zipp 353 NSW
• Tyres: Specialized S-Works Turbo 26mm tubeless
• Pedals: Time Xpro 15

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