It’s all change for Tom Boonen’s bike in 2017, with the Belgian so impressed by disc brakes that he’s decided to use them in the final few months of his career. Boonen spoke to Cyclingnews on the eve of the Vuelta a San Juan about his decision to switch to discs, and we took the opportunity to take some photos of his new Specialized Venge ViAS disc, as well as note down all the specifications.
The Venge is Specialized’s aero frame, which features a curved down tube and seat tube for a snug fit around the wheels that minimises drag. In a bid to further enhance the aerodynamics of the set-up, Boonen is using a 64mm Roval CLX wheel on the back – compared to 50mm at the front.
Instead of the extreme Specialized Aerofly handlebars used by Peter Sagan and others, Boonen is using 40cm FSA Compact bars, while his stem is custom-made to provide him with extra stiffness.
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As for the disc brakes, they are Shimano’s R-785 series and both the front and rear rotors measure 160mm and are paired with a 12mm thru-axle.
Some riders have found that the flex of the larger rotors can create an undesirable noise - and Team Roompot reportedly switched from 160mm to 140mm rotors last year - but the QuickStep team is sticking with the specifications prescribed by the UCI to the neutral service vehicles, which hand out spare wheels in case of punctures. Only Boonen and Marcel Kittel, who debuts at the Dubai Tour later this month, will be using discs at the Belgian team for the time being.
Boonen is running Shimano’s Dura-Ace Di2 groupset, with a 53/39 chainring combination on the front and an 11-28 cassette.
Full Specifications
Critical measurements
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