The Ironman World Championships are never short on drama and secrecy, and this year in St. George is no different. Those who have been paying attention to social media have seen on-road shots of Kristian Blummenfelt’s new bike. Now, we’ve got on-the-ground shots and info on Blummenfelt’s funky, top-tube-less new prototype CADEX tri bike. Read on for more and check out a video of Blummenfelt riding the bike at the bottom.
Blummenfelt’s new bike is a tri-specific prototype CADEX frame from the Giant-owned wheel, bar, saddle, and tire brand. Though owned by the bigger company, CADEX has its own engineers and designers. Details about the new bike are scarce, but it boasts a missing top-tube, non-double-diamond design.
Though not much is known about the unusual and unconventional design, clearly the truncated and oddly attached seat stay is a function of a missing top tube.
Using a 12-speed SRAM Red eTap setup, Blummenfelt’s new bike was recently outfitted with a new CeramicSpeed UFO AXS Road chain.
Blummenfelt’s prototype CADEX frame uses a superwide triple-crown fork system with a bisected basebar, between which he’s fitted a Giant hydration system.
Blummenfelt has done a bit of his characteristic DIY tinkering to the hydration system on his prototype CADEX bike.
Blummenfelt uses behind-the-saddle bottle storage with Giant cages to supplement his front hydration and rides an ISM PS 1.0 seat.
Wireless 12-speed shifting, courtesy of SRAM Red eTap AXS with a CeramicSpeed oversized pulley wheel (in red, of course).
Like his teammate, Gustav Iden, Blummenfelt’s new bike has a Drag2Zero front end, but unlike Iden, he rides the more standard arm rests.
Blummenfelt’s coated chain rests atop a 52/39-tooth SRAM Red Chainring with a built-in Quarq powermeter.
Blummenfelt’s new prototype CADEX bike has a four-spoke CADEX wheel for the front and a disc for the back—much like his teammate Iden.
Oddly enough, Blummenfelt has a set of Garmin Rally RS200 power-sensing pedals on a bike that’s already equipped with a Quarq rotor-based powermeter system.
In place of a top tube, Blummenfelt’s new prototype CADEX bike has nutrition storage in what would be traditionally considered the downtube.
Check out this video of Blummenfelt using the absence of a top tube for super-deep aero tucks while descending the roads of St. George.
Blummenfelt has somewhat haphazardly attached SRAM eTap AXS Wireless Blips to the ends of his D2Z aerobars for wireless shifting.
Like many other pros at St. George, Blummenfelt will attach his cycling computer head with a 76 Projects TT mount.
A closeup shot of the relocated seat stay that actually attaches to the functional downtube on Blummenfelt’s new bike.