INTERBIKE 2009 – Time announced their 2010 road bikes a little earlier in the year, and we posted a few shots and info on them here. But Interbike gave us the opportunity to take a closer look and learn a little more about the two top-end NXR Instinct (above) and RX Instinct bicycles.
One of the unique features of the Instincts is the Monobloc front triangle with bonded carbon tubes for the stays. This construction method allows Time to repair the bike in the event of a wreck by replacing the stays if they get damaged.
Hit ‘more’ for additional photos, pricing, details and weights…
The NXR built as shown with Prologo saddle (not standard), Time carbon pedals, FSA carbon stem and SL-K carbon compact cranks, Shimano Dura-Ace and Time’s Frullani-designed Equal wheelset with Michelin Pro3 Race tires weighs in at 15lb 15oz.
Above and below, you can see where the stays are bonded into the Monobloc front triangle.
The NXR Instinct benefits from the same fork, wishbone and stays as their top-of-the-line RXR Ulteam road bike, which has a few Tour de France stage wins under its belt.
With flash and without, the carbon layup on the Carbon/Green frame is sharp looking. Time’s RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) process is done in-house to control the layup and shape of the tubes, allowing for a “true one piece” product. Time says the benefit is consistent quality with no voids or risk of delamination. The combination of RTM and the Monobloc front triangle is what Time calls “Integral RTM.” The NXR Instinct also has their Vibraser vectran fiber technology to reduce vibrations and improve long-term comfort.
You can see the shaping in the top and down tubes, which is more obvious on our pictures (below) of the RX. The frame uses CNC rear dropouts and comes with a full carbon fork (including dropouts). The headtube uses an oversize bottom bearing and it rises up a bit from the top tube, called Ergodrive, allowing for a slightly more upright (comfortable) position without having to use a ton of spacers.
The NXR instinct is also available as a frameset (frame, fork, headset, seat clamp) for $5,000. Two modules are available, one with their stem ($5,300) and with stem and bar ($5,600), both of which are painted to match the frame. Besides the white and carbon/green shown here, it’s available in red, too. Frameset weight is a claimed 1,700g and the full module is 2,050g (+/- 5%). It’s also available as a complete bike with either Shimano Dura-Ace or Campagnolo Super Record. All versions come with a Time carbon bottle cage.
2010 Time RX Instinct
The RX Instinct is only slightly different than the NRX in that it uses more Vectran fibers (dubbed Vibraser Max) in the front triangle to provide a more tuned ride and further dampen vibrations. The rear stays are the same, and it’s also available as a frameset, module and complete bike.
The price drops $1,000 across the board (frameset: $4,000 / module: $4,300 / module +: $4,600), and you still get the carbon Time water bottle cage, but you only pay a minor weight penalty. The complete bike is exactly one pound heavier at 16lb 15oz, but frameset weight is only 50g more at 1,750g. Module weight is 2,120g.
Both frames have a braze on front derailleur mount with two positions for normal or compact cranksets.
The seat tube is indented at the derailleur mount.
The tubes are heavily shaped. Note how the downtube flattens its triangular shape as it moves down to the bottom bracket, creating a taller junction with the head tube and wider (stiffer) at the BB. Both the NXR and RX have BB30 bottom bracket shells. The chainstays are asymmetrical, and the cable housing (on complete bikes) comes with little rubber bumpers to keep them from rubbing into the frame.
The RX is available as a complete bike with either Shimano Ultegra or Campy Chorus/Athena builds. Both versions include Time pedals and saddle, Fulcrum Racing 5 Evolution wheels. Michelin Lithion tires and FSA stem and handlebars. The Shimano version gets an FSA Gossamer Pro BB30 triple crankset, while the Campy version gets Athena Carbon Compact cranks.
