WORLD’S LIGHTEST TIME ALPE D’HUEZ DISC?
I didn’t set out to make the world’s lightest Alpe d’Huez Disc… I just wanted to make a bike worthy of that name. After being a little surprised at how heavy the frame was, I knew I’d have to build it up with some of the best Chinese / Asian bike parts. But after finishing the build and seeing it tip the scales at 6.28kg (including pedals, mounts, cages and sealant) I had a look around the internet and couldn’t find a lighter build.
So, what parts did I use to get to this impressive weight? And how does it ride? Does it have the legendary TIME ride feel? Let’s find out…
Integrated Bar – CRW HB-01
One of the things I love about the CRW handlebar is how good it looks on ANY bike. Some bars only look good on aero bikes, some only look good on skinny climbing bikes. But the CRW seems to look good on anything. At 280g it’s not the lightest bar we have, but I love the ergonomics, so it was the obvious choice.
Wheels – ARCARIS
The wheels are doing a lot of the heavy lifting (pun intended) of getting the weight of this build down. At just 884.8g for the pair, these wheels are some of the lightest in the world. The low profile also perfectly matches the aesthetics of the TIME Alpe D’Huez. Carbon spokes and ceramic bearings keep the performance racey.
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Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product pageWheels Tires & Tubes, WheelsetsArcaris 8848 Climbers Wheelset
Price range: $1,599.00 through $2,499.00
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Out of stock
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Crank / Chainrings – Cybrei
As of writing, these cranks are not even out yet. These are the carbon axled version of Cybrei’s hugely popular crank arms. I weighed this set at 267g for the crankarms. The chainrings are another Cybrei prototype. All in the crankset with chainrings weighs less than 380g. Insanity.
Pedals – Magene
The direct-mount design of the chainrings means there’s no way to install a spider power meter, so I opted for the Magene P715 power meter pedals. In my testing these have been reliable and accurate, even if they’re not the lightest solution out there.
Seatpost – GANNA
A new product on the site and one that I predict will be very popular is the GANNA Aerofin seatpost. It’s available in 27.2mm round seatpost profiles, but also available for several aero seatpost options (SL8, S5, Soloist, etc.) At just 99g, it keeps the weight down as well as having claimed aero benefits from the slim profile.
Saddle -MVMT
A saddle I use on many of my bikes. At just 65g it certainly helps keep the weight down too. I’ve done >150km rides on this saddle multiple times without issue, but of course, saddles are all about personal preference.
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Out of stock
Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Other Components
There are a few other components on the build that you won't find on our website. Shifting and braking duties are handled by Shimano Ultegra Di2. Again, some weight to be dropped by switching to Dura Ace. The tires are from Continental. The Aero 111 in 26mm at the front and the GP 5000 STR in 28mm at the rear, both setup tubeless using the Arcaris tubeless valves. Disc rotors are from Galfer. I personally use 140mm rotors front and rear on most of my road bikes. Other finishing touches include Neutron's MK2 lightweight cassette, EXS Superlight Bartape and Pertual C10 Superlight Bottle Cages.
If you want to build a similar Time Alpe D’Huez (or any similar bike for that matter) you can use the links down below to find the relative products on our website.
| Component | Model |
|---|---|
| Frame | Time – Alpe d’Huez |
| Wheels | ARCARIS 8848 Pro |
| Handlebar | CRW HB-01 |
| Crank | Chainrings | Cybrei – Ultra (Coming soon) |
| Pedals | Magene P715 Power Pedals – Look Standard |
| Saddle | MVMT M-Gold Ultralight |
| Seatpost | GANNA AEROFIN (coming soon) |
| Groupset | Shimano Ultegra Di2 – 12 speed – 8170 |
| Tires | Front – Conti Aero 111 26mm | Rear – Conti GP5000 TR – both setup tubeless |
| Bottle Cages | Pertual C10 – Ultralight Bottle Cages |
| Bartape | EXS Airtape |
| Cassette | NEUTRON MK2 |
| Bottom Bracket | CYBREI BB386 |
| Brake rotors | Galfer (2*140) |
The bike rides great! Of course any sub 6.8kg road bike is going to fly up the climbs but the ride quality of this build is also equally impressive. The classic “Time” ride quality is in full effect. The GANNA seatpost also takes an edge off road imperfections, and the ARCARIS low spoke count keeps road chatter to a minimum.
Straight line speed is also nothing to scoff at. The most important part of aerodynamic performance (by a large margin) is the rider itself. The 34cm CRW handlebars allow me to get in a very aero position meaning the bike performs just as well on the flats as it does on the climbs.
But what do you think of this build? Is it a crime to build a classic European frame up with Asian parts? Or do they work well together?
Let us know in the comments below.
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