Mads Pedersen’s Trek Speed Concept time trial bike at the 2022 Tour de France

By George Scott

Published: Saturday, 23 July 2022 at 12:00 am

This is the Trek Speed Concept time trial bike of former UCI road world champion Mads Pedersen.

Trek launched the latest version of the Speed Concept in November 2021 with redesign tube profiles and, for the first time, disc brakes.

This is, according to Trek, the fastest bike the US brand has ever tested in the wind tunnel, with a claimed 16-watt saving over the outgoing model at ​​26 mph / 41.84 kph (in its triathlon guise).

On that note, the Speed Concept is available in two versions: this UCI-legal time trial bike and a tri option with down tube storage and the addition of Trek’s IsoSpeed decoupler at the rear for enhanced comfort.

"Mads
The front-end of the new Trek Speed Concept has been completely redesigned.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
"Mads
Heavily dropped seatstays and large compensation triangles are key aero features of the redesigned Trek Speed Concept frame.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
The UCI says ‘no’ to aero-enhancing storage and road time trials aren’t long enough to significantly benefit IsoSpeed, so neither port across to Pedersen’s Trek-Segafredo team bike.

There are deep tube profiles throughout, however, exploiting what is possible within the UCI’s rulebook, while the heavily-dropped seatstays now feature a stepped design on this third-generation Speed Concept.

"Mads
This rear disc wheel is a Zipp Sub 9, with the Zipp branding removed.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
"Mads
A Bontrager Aeolus RSL 75 is Pedersen’s front wheel of choice.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media

Everything is integrated up front, as you’d expect, with the base bar flowing into the head tube, which in turn has a deep, truncated Kammtail design. The fork is suitably skinny, too.

We photographed Pedersen’s bike ahead of the stage one time trial in Copenhagen, where the Dane finished sixth on home roads.

"Mads
Pedersen’s Trek Speed Concept has a 60t 1x chainring up front.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
"Taped
Taped up holes are nothing new, but don’t let any UCI commissaires see it…
Simon von Bromley / Our Media

For that short, 13.2km test, Pedersen used a 1x setup, pairing a huge 60-tooth chainring with his SRAM Red eTap AXS 12-speed drivetrain.

The front wheel is a Bontrager Aeolus RSL 75 and the rear a Zipp Super-9 disc, both wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Race tyres.

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Pedersen uses a bridge to get a narrower-than-stock elbows position.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
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The foam padding runs almost all the way up the extensions for extra support and comfort.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
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Pedersen has custom carbon fibre armrests, which were apparently made for him by Bontrager.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
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Blip buttons under the bar tape allow Pedersen to shift while on the bull horns.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
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Even Tour de France riders use tape to cover the valve holes on their disc wheels. The branding may have been removed but the dimples are a giveaway that this is a Zipp disc wheel.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
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Pirelli’s P Zero Race isn’t the Italian brand’s fastest tyre, but this could be swapped out for race day.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
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Pedersen uses a Bontrager Hilo carbon saddle for time trials, with some added grip tape on the nose.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
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All of Trek–Segafredo’s wheels have been upgraded with Kogel ceramic bearings.
Simon von Bromley / Our Media
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We weighed Pedersen’s bike ahead of the Tour de France.
George Scott / Our Media
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8.44kg. Not bad!
George Scott / Our Media