Ineos doesn’t think you need a ‘special bike’ for cobbles – Tom Pidcock’s Classics set up
As the anticipation for the Paris-Roubaix builds, Tom Pidcock’s absence looms large. The Brit – who won the junior and espoirs versions in 2017 and 2019 – didn’t have the final cobbled classic on his race programme, instead opting to race Amsel as part of his preparation for the Tour de France. Now, a crash in Itzulia has put pay to that.
Still, with the cobbles of Roubaix calling the peloton, we felt it fitting to take a glance over the machine Pidcock rode earlier in the season – during February’s opening weekend.
This rig, tailored for the unforgiving terrain, mirrors what his teammates will ride, embodying Team Ineos Grenadiers’ strategy for the grueling race ahead – so just what have they changed ahead of cycling’s Sunday in Hell?
(Image credit: Future (Andy Jones))
For the 2024 classics season, the Ineos Grenadiers have opted for the trusty Pinarello Dogma F, maintaining a minimalist approach to bike-bodging for the cobbles.
Of course, the usual suspects of wider tyres and tweaked gear ratios are to be found on Tom Pidcock’s bike, but thanks to ever improving tyre clearances on road bikes, there’s no special edition cobbled classic frame to be seen for the team.
(Image credit: Future (Andy Jones))
These images are from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, where Ineos team mechanic Diego Costa explained some of the minor changes made to the team’s bikes.
“The only thing we are doing differently for the classics is the tyres. We are riding 32mm 32mm front and back, set up tubeless, with inserts. Some of the guys have also opted for double-wrapped bar tape, but that’s it.”
As tyres get wider and wider, tyre pressures drop too – Costa confirmed that for the cobbles, riders were running between 50 and 60 PSI, or 3.5 and 4 bar on their Dura Ace C50 wheelsets.
(Image credit: Future (Andy Jones))
As has been the case throughout the British WorldTour team’s history, Ineos is riding Shimano’s range-topping Dura Ace Di2 groupset, however, for the fast and furious racing in northern Europe, Ineos has opted for larger chainrings.
At a much hillier Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Pidcock rode a 54/40 chainset coupled with 11-32 cassette. For Roubaix though, expect to see larger chainring setups, anywhere from 54-60t, coupled with tighter range cassettes for maintaining optimal cadence on the brutal tailwind course.
Although, as Costa mentioned, some riders may opt for double-wrapped handlebar tape for the bone-shuddering cobbles, Pidcock prefers to keep his setup the same old. His Most one-piece integrated cockpit, which measures 120x380mm, is shod with Prologo Onetouch Nuetro bar tape.
(Image credit: Future (Andy Jones))
Finishing kit is topped off with a Prologo Scratch M5 saddle, which Pidcock has set fairly far back, with a slightly down tilted nose.
It’s fair to say that Tom Pidcock’s Pinarello Dogma F does more than perform well too – it really is a looker. The fade paint job this year is a bold, adding flair to the classic frame shape’s elegance.
(Image credit: Future (Andy Jones))
Such a well-proportioned setup really makes this bike one for the purists – a perfect fit for the rigors of professional cycling.
