Icon of French cycling Laurent Jalabert rode a new limited Eruption edition of the Look 796 Monoblade RS time trial bike to a second place in his 50-54 age group at the Ironman World Championships in Kona last weekend. Fifty of the special edition carbon TT bikes will be produced with a burnt bronze finish inspired by the volcano and lava fields that dominate the Hawaiian triathlon’s landscape.
Look limited edition Eruption 796 Monoblade RS TT bike
Look created this special edition 796 Monoblade RS for the former French pro and 1997 TT World Champion to take on the Ironman World Championships. Jalabert has worked with Look to help develop new bikes since his retirement over fifteen years ago, and having taken up triathlon soon after, played a role in creating the 796 Monoblade which can transition between TT & tri.
Tech details
Look’s rim brake time trail & triathlon bike, the 796 Monoblade, was first raced all the way back in 2015 at the Tour de France. Even then it was a sleek machine, with an incredibly narrow aerodynamic profile and all of its cables tucked neatly out of the wind.
In the years since the shape of the frame has remained the same, but it has earned the RS moniker of Look’s racing series frames, denoting a move to a lighter weight, “Very High Modulus” carbon fiber construction vs. that first generation TT bike.
The 796 Monoblade RS is available in three stock frame sizes, with UCI-approved frame design and adjustable geometry that can be adapted to race in time trials or triathlons. The carbon bike produced by Look in their own factory in Tunisia, features a proprietary Look-specific BB65 bottom bracket and has clearance for up to 25mm tires.
Just 50 framesets will be produced of the Eruption 796 Monoblade RS, with Jaja having rode #1/50 in Kona. Look says the unique Eruption design is the first of a planned series of Odyssey framesets with limited edition finishes inspired by their global cycling ambassadors.
The limited edition, individually numbered bike is being offered as a frame kit for $8000 / 6500€ including the carbon frame & fork with integrated front brake (and Dura-Ace rear brake included) & variable offset Aeropost seatpost, plus a Look Zed 3 carbon crankset and Look’s latest ergonomically adjustable full-carbon Aergo time trial handlebar & alloy Aeroflat stem.
The remaining 49 bikes are available now through your local Look Cycle dealer. A standard ProTeam white version of the bike is also available for the same price.
A bike debuts and the most bragged about athlete for its performance was a 2nd place age-grouper? Ouch, the Look brand sure has fallen
But when he literally passes 1000+ riders on the bike leg, that sounds pretty good.
Being a bit harsh are we?
To be fair, we are talking about one of the best cyclist to ever ride in the pro peleton. Despite of it being in the worst doping age of cycling, he still won a hell of a lot of races.
Sure sure, he and Steve Larsen (IMLP) – Steve DESTROYED the field in 03 (I think it was 03)
Another unrepentant doper that has a job in the industry. Goes from being a sprinter and winning the green jersey to winning the KOM jersey. Nothing unusual there.
I bet many of their customers identify with the age group he represents, so it makes sense.
Exactly. Now someone on the internet will accuse of all of being something ‘terrible’ like a dentist….
Why can’t Look make their other models with front-center distances like this one has? Most of their other models have ridiculously short front centers.
BB65. Viva la différence.
It’s unfortunate if it really does have a proprietary bottom bracket. Most of their bikes are BB386EVO.
Why is it called a monoblade? It has two fork blades. It has two sets of seat stays and chain stays.
But all together it’s one blade…
Agree with Larry. Saw the headline. Came for the one-sided something. Didn’t find it.
Single sided viewpoint of the man who rode it?????