This Cannondale Capo may have started life as an alloy commuter, but it now weighs less than 5kg and was raced by Arion Oates at the National Hill Climb Championships yesterday.
The bike is actually owned by BikeRadar contributor Rob Borek, but he was ill for this year’s competition, and so he lent it to Oates.
This year, the nationals took place in Matlock, Derbyshire, on the demanding slopes of Bank Road. The 834m course has an average gradient of 14 per cent, taking in more than 100m of elevation before the finish line.
Arion Oates, riding for PDQ Cycle Coaching, finished the day in 40th place in the men’s open category and took 29th in the senior category with a time of 2 minutes 43.5 seconds.
This setup has been proven by Rob in the past. Jack Luke / Our Media
Oates used the same 39x19t gear ratio Rob used when he rode the bike for the 2016 National Hill Climb Championships, which also took place on Bank Road.
In a previous life, this Cannondale Capo was a commuter bike at a time when single-speeds and fixies were a more common sight than ebikes in many cities.
THM make impressively light components that are the envy of many hill climbers. Jack Luke / Our Media
In order to save weight, Rob built the bike with a host of premium carbon components. It has a carbon fibre THM Fibular brake caliper and a carbon THM Clavicular SE crankset, alongside a barebones carbon fibre saddle. Rob has also built the bike with an ENVE carbon fork.
Bullhorn bars are a popular choice for hillclimbers, and note the minimal bar tape. Jack Luke / Our Media
The bike has a lightweight bullhorn handlebar setup with a time trial brake lever and cotton bar tape.
The result is a fixie that weighs just 4.8kg, which is more than a kilogram lighter than the Monoc track bike Simon Warren raced at the nationals.
Although hill climb efforts boil down to how much power you can put out, Oates didn’t use a power meter or bike computer for his effort.
Bike lights are now compulsory for hill climb races, so Borek has fitted the bike with miniature front and rear lights, consisting of single LEDs zip-tied to the bars and seatpost.
These lights are just about as minimal as you can go. Jack Luke / Our Media
With no padding, you wouldn’t want to ride this much further than the 834m course. Jack Luke / Our Media
This bike is a common sight in the south west hill climb scene. Jack Luke / Our Media
Even the stem cap has been ditched to save weight. Jack Luke / Our Media
Single-speeds are a popular choice for hill climb racers due to their low weights. Jack Luke / Our Media
More from the National Hill Climb Championships