We already checked teammate Cadel Evans’ bike out here, but the man of the hour brought along three bikes for his Gran Fondo.
George Hincapie’s BMC Gran Fondo GF01 is shown above, which we heard was the bike he actually used for the ride. Resting next to it were two of his Team Machine SLR01s, one of which had been ridden that day by someone else…and that was the one most customized by Big George. Click on through for pics and weights…
His GF01 had a mostly stock setup save for the upgrade from Ultegra Di2 to Dura-Ace Di2…but still the 10-speed version. The saddle looked practically brand new. One thing we’ve noticed is so many pros choose a smaller frame size and run a very set back saddle and long stem:
Hmmm – must’ve run out of Easton stems. Notice the electrical tape over the badge on the cap and the logo at the steerer tube clamp. We’ll give you one guess.
Hincapie knew how much climbing was in store and went with Easton’s lighter carbon EC90 SL wheels. The GF01 comes stock with alloy Easton wheels and wider tires to soak up the bumps, but the Gran Fondo route was pretty smooth.
Complete bike weight with pedals and two bottle cages was 16lbs 0oz.
One of his Team Machine SLR01 bikes was pretty much stock except for the switch to alloy wheels. This one comes stock with the EC90 SLX carbon wheels. Like the GF01, note the massive seatpost extension and long stem. The GF01 was a 58, this one’s a 57. I ride the 60 in the GF01 and am 6’2″. George is taller than me. Go figure.
Same weight as the GF01: 16lbs even.
Judging by the seatpost height, this one was a loaner for a friend, but we could tell by the spec it’s seen a few more miles and a little customization.
It’s barely visible here, but Hincapie’s name is on the top tube in the red graphic just in front of the Swiss cross. Check the set back available on that post! The rubber grommet around the seatpost was showing some serious signs of dry rot.
USA! USA! This saddle and the chain keep, below, show a bit of patriotism for the 3x U.S. Road Racing Champion.
The front brakes’ dust collection should give you a good idea of the descents. This bike also had a Campagnolo group and brakes.
