Cyclist
Paris-Roubaix tech gallery: Sticky bar tape, Pirelli prototypes and big tyres
While the bikes of Paris-Roubaix are getting more boring, with fewer modifications thanks to the industry’s acceptance of wider and wider tyres, the race is still a treasure trove of tech and 2024 was just that. Both men’s and women’s pelotons were brimming with good stuff, so we sent photographer James York into the thick of it to get a closer look.
Last minute addition to the Ineos Grenadiers’ line-up, Tom Pidcock, doesn’t ride the biggest bike in the world, and he’s clearly sizing down from what a normal person would ride too with a setback saddle and long stem helping him get aero.
It almost makes his tyres look massive.
We’re always here for Fred Wright’s British bike. Unlike Pidcock he’s gone for the all-season GP5000s.
Long stems are for life, not just Roubaix.
There were a few of these Carbon-Ti chainrings doing the rounds at Flanders the week before, any weight savings will be taken when teams are sponsored by the component brands.
Hopefully he’ll be riding off into the sunset with a few Monument wins by the time he’s done.
In case he forgot.
The newest addition to the peloton is unsurprisingly very sponsor-correct.
A vital bit of bike tech.
Paris-Roubaix is probably the most important day of the year to have the right saddle, so there’s a lot of variation, even within teams.
Visma-Lease a Bike’s Dylan van Baarle was on a Cervélo Soloist, much like Wout van Aert at Omloop – the team clearly did its testing to rule out both S5 and R5 from the picture.
Can’t imagine how much rage of cycling’s many purists at the wealth of 32mm tubeless tyres on display.
Most riders using SRAM were on 1× drivetrains.
Q36.5’s Scott bikes are rather lovely, this one belonging to Ireland’s Rory Townsend.
Both Townsend and Van Baarle were running 54t chainrings.
32mm.
Nils Politt put in another good shift after his podium in Flanders, this time with bigger tyres.
And a longer list of sectors.
Shimano groupset means 2× drivetrain was necessary but the lightweight Carbon-Ti chainrings are subbed in, this time with a custom ‘UAE Emirates’ cutout.
Apparently this number belongs to photographer Sean Hardy, aka hardycc.
Lidl-Trek were all sporting prototype Pirelli tyres, which were handily labelled as such. Part of this update will no doubt be wider available sizes.
One of an increasingly large representation of Time pedals, due to the team’s SRAM sponsorship.
A few years ago QuickStep’s strong team had disappointing Roubaix results marred by a lack of tubeless tyres. Now they have tubeless and well…
At least Kasper Asgreen gave it a good go.
DSM-Firmenich-Post NL’s design upgrade for 2024 is paying off in spades.
32mm for DSM too.
John Degenkolb: Mr Paris-Roubaix, family man.
It’s still weird seeing Groupama-FDJ riding something other than Lapierre, but they had a solid day aboard these Wilier Filantes.
Mike Teunissen’s bike had a few quirks.
He had a satellite shifter in the drops and was using the new Prologo bar tape that sticks to the matching pattern on the rider’s gloves. A popular choice it seems.
Intermarché were pairing their Newmen wheels with the all-season GP5000s.
Teunissen had his bars tilting down quite considerably.
Movistar are another SRAM-sponsored team, so Time pedals and a 54t chainring were in.
Oier Lazkano placed his satellite shifters under the tops.
It wasn’t a great day out for Jayco-AlUla, but that doesn’t take away from the fact their paintjobs are the best.
Only 30mm tyres for Max Walscheid may explain why he could only manage 49th.
Even the 3D printed saddle couldn’t help him.
EF would’ve hoped for more too, though their bikes are very tidy.
The Dura-Ace groupset is subbed for an FSA crankset.
They were the first team spotted with the Velcro-esque tape.
Maybe Alberto Bettiol should’ve added a touch more padding to the tops.
Classic Roubaix shower picture.
The big dog, the winning bike. No wonder Mathieu van der Poel’s kit was clean, all the dirt’s on his bike.
Get this man an Ass-Saver.
Yes that is Mathieu van der Poel’s rear end.
Onto the women’s race now and we’ll never get tired of Cofidis’s Look bikes .
Very minimal bar tape. Brave.
While they’re mostly on Dura-Ace, Cofidis use Look cranks to match the bike and have an SRM power meter on board.
Victoire Berteau went with an ISM PR 1.0 saddle more commonly seen on triathlon bikes.
Michelin tyres and Corima carbon wheels are a great pairing, and you don’t see them in many other places in the pro peloton.
Practically everyone on Cofidis was using different saddles.
Specialized must be rather happier with their sponsored women’s team’s performances than the men. Not a bad day out for the Tarmac.
After going all white previously, it was this black number that Lotte Kopecky rode to victory.
Nothing too fancy under bum for the champ.
Some blue tack in the computer mount just to make sure it doesn’t bounce out.
SD Worx-Protime are another SRAM-sponsored team.
At least someone’s still on Lapierre, FDJ-Suez are the last representative.
They’re a Shimano sponsored team so no weird switch-outs here.
Grace Brown was another one with the sticky bar tape.
You just wouldn’t want to forget your gloves.
ProTeam Coop-Repsol have a fun setup, their Factor Ostro VAMs are specced out with Hunt wheels, Schwalbe tyres and a SRAM Force groupset. You’d struggle to find any of those three elsewhere in the race.
This one belongs to British rider Monica Greenwood.
Could’ve doubled the size of the tyres by the looks of that clearance.
St Michel-Mavic-Auber93’s Cannondales are arguably nicer than EF’s.
Like EF, the team use an FSA crankset.
Alison Avoine was ready for several eventualities.
30mm Michelin tyres for St Michel-Mavic-Auber93.
Again, that clearance is enormous.
No pressure mate.
Thanks to the team’s excellent kit design, Lifeplus-Wahoo’s Ribble also look fresh this season. They’re also on Hunt wheels.
Who needs Dura-Ace? The team were using Shimano Ultegra.
Eluned King was prepared for everything. She even added some motivational notes.
Canyon-SRAM are another team with brilliant paintjobs.
And another team with Time pedals and a 54t single front chainring.
Soraya Paladin was on GoPro duty.
She was using a wide Ergon saddle.
Despite Ineos not having a women’s team, Pinarello are actually in the Women’s WorldTour this year thanks to the Roland team.
They pair the Dogma F with a Dura-Ace groupset with FSA crankset, Vision Metron wheels and Pirelli tyres.
Movistar’s Emma Norsgaard wasn’t going to lose her computer.
More Time pedals than Shimano, Look and Speedplay but together at this point.
Boss.
None of this laminated nonsense for the GOAT.
She may have been on a Soloist but unfortunately she arrived at the line in a small group and just missed the podium. SRAM but no Time pedals, Wahoo Speedplay gets a look-in.
32mm for Marianne.
No prizes for guessing whose bike this is.
The Canadian flag lends itself very nicely to a bike frame.
Spot the bar tape.
Alison Jackson stuck last year’s motto onto the frame itself so had to use a new one on the bars.
32mm for Jackson.
The other team on Factor bikes is Human Powered Health, who also use Factor’s in-house wheel brand Black Inc.
Lily Williams was one of a few riding a 2× SRAM drivetrain.
She was using a Specialized 3D printed saddle.
With Specialized sister brand (or son brand as the case may be) Supacaz’s bar tape.
Elisa Balsamo had a great day out on this Trek Domane.
She was also given a go on the prototype Pirelli tyres.
Not the most inspiring paintjob but Uno-X’s Dare bikes are very cool.
Maria Giulia Confalonieri had a couple of alterations to the Shimano Dura-Ace groupset, with a different derailleur hanger and a CeramicSpeed oversize pulley wheel.
She also went for the drops for the satellite shifters.
While you may not have seen them at the pointy end of the race, the Winspace team were at Roubaix, including the Chinese champion Luyao Zeng.
They switched the Dura-Ace chainring for this one from Rotor.
This is Winspace’s normal colours, though red might be nicer.
A fantastic colour scheme for Fenix-Deceuninck.
Different bikes for different… needs. While Balsamo went Domane, teammate Lucinda Brand was on the aero Madone.
Sticking in action.
DSM-Firmenich-Post NL men’s and women’s team are part of the same operation, so get the same sponsors and set-ups.
Including their Shimano sponsorship.
32mm for them too.
Can’t get enough Roubaix pictures? Check out our full gallery from the race
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