Yumiko Goda is a 23 year old climbing specialist from Japan. She is the only woman on BH’s sponsored team in Japan, and recently took 7th place in the women’s Japanese National Championship race, despite contesting the event on an almost flat course suited to bigger and stronger riders. I rode alongside her several times during media pre-rides before the 2016 Taiwan KOM Challenge kicked off, and thankfully, Yumiko was kind enough to take it easy on me any time the road tilted upward. At a total combined rider and bike weight of around 50 kilograms / 130 pounds, Yumiko and her BH UltraLight EVO are quite light. Click on through to see more of Yumiko’s BH Ultralight EVO…
BH released the original UltraLight in 2011; the frame was later optimized for low weight in 2015 along with a name change to UltraLight EVO. The EVO frame is almost a dead ringer for the original, but the changes came in form of different carbon layup and materials.
BH also made accommodations for power meter technology, by tweaking the non-drive side chainstay for crank-based measuring units. The front derailleur hanger was overhauled as well, receiving a molded carbon unit designed to be stiffer, lighter and better suited for shifting duties associated with ovalized chainrings.
On top of these changes, BH lopped 50 grams off the original UltraLight, dropping it to below a claimed 700 grams for the size medium frame.
Yumiko rides the smallest size BH Ultralight EVO – size XXS with a 510mm top tube and 108mm head tube.
Yumiko’s BH is kitted out with a Campagnolo Chorus 11-speed mechanical groupset.
Genuine Campagnolo brake and derailleur cables in red are routed inside the confines of the BH Ultralight EVO frame.
The cable port system on the BH allows for clean installations of mechanical or wired electronic drivetrains.
Two 10mm carbon spacers sit either side of the 3T ARX1 stem, which is the -17 degree model. Garmin 500 atop the stem.
The oversized Deda handlebars on Yumiko’s bike have led a busy life, evidenced by the scratches and scrapes experienced during life on the road.
Eschewing a compact chainring setup, Yumiko uses 52 / 39 chainrings on her Campagnolo carbon crankset. A Chorus front derailleur handles shifting duties between chainrings.
No power measuring technology for Yumiko, just a cadence sensor and Shimano’s Ultegra road pedals. The all-carbon bottom bracket shell of the BH Ultralight EVO is compatible with the BB386 standard.
The rear derailleur cable is routed internally and exits neatly towards the rear of the chainstay. The Campagnolo Chorus carbon rear derailleur is paired to a Chorus 11-27 11-speed cassette. Due to the length of the Taiwan KOM climb and severity of the grades in the final 10 kilometers, this not so low cassette is best suited to a flyweight such a Yumiko. Yours truly was pedaling much smaller gears…
Campagnolo’s Shamal Ultra wheels feature CULT – Ceramic, Ultra Smooth Bearings.
The Bridgestone Extenza RR2X is a high-end road racing tire but is a brand seldom seen in the United States. Bridgestone spent many hours on design, experimentation, and extensive road testing to hone this latest incarnation of the Extenza. The design is optimized for good traction in nasty conditions, with a long-wearing tread and puncture-resistant aramid belt. By today’s standards, the 700c x 23mm model is narrow but weighs in at 220 grams. The tire is also availble in 700c x 25mm (230 grams) and 700c x 28mm (255 grams).
Campagnolo Chorus dual pivot brake on the front end.
And on the rear of the bike… the traditional method of mounting rim brakes may not be as aerodynamically clean as aero brake options, but you cannot put a price on the ease of installation and serviceability of brakes like these.
Apologies for the bad photo. Yumiko sits atop a Bontrager Ajna Elite women’s saddle – the shaped nose and full-length contoured cutaway are designed to take pressure off soft tissue areas.
Yumiko Goda herself, the day before the 2016 Taiwan KOM Challenge.
Unfortunately, I had no access to a scale in the field, and thus cannot attest to the weight of Yumiko’s bike.
Yumiko ended up taking second in the women’s field at this year’s event, in a time of 4:31 – very well done! She admitted the ride was very tough, but stuck to her own tempo and pace.
Yumiko experienced breathing difficulties at 2,500 meters of altitude, and slowed her pace a little. This altitude coincides with the steepest of the climb’s grades – saving the best – or worst – for last!
For an account of my 2016 Taiwan KOM experience, check out Part One, Part Two, Part Three and my Race Day video.
Article and photos by Gravel Cyclist. Jayson O’Mahoney is the Gravel Cyclist: A website about the Gravel Cycling Experience.
