Kona Bike Check: Craig Alexander’s Specialized Shiv
- By Aaron Hersh
- Published October 11, 2012
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Alexander is racing Ironman Hawaii on the Specialized Shiv for the second year in a row.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Shimano’s standard pulleys have steel bearings, so those were swapped in favor of ceramic Enduro pulleys.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
He is racing the original Dura-Ace kit, not the new 9070 components.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
The Fuelcell was designed to tuck between the frame tubes.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
The Fuelselage bladder fits inside the cavity of this massive downtube.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Alexander has opted for the Fizik Arione Tri 2 for many years.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
His second bottle cage is zip-tied to the saddle, getting it as close as possible.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Alexander uses a three-pronged hydration gear strategy.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Alexander’s C50 front wheel matches his C75 rear. He raced on a prototype of this wheel last year that was labeled like the prior generation to keep it secret.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Specialized Shiv.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
The fit combination of the frame and aerobar allows Alexander to keep his stem in the lowest position without any risers.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
His bottle sits far forward on the bars, directly behind his hands.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
A single stripe of red electrical tape.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
The Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied through the holes in the extensions.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Dura-Ace Di2 brake lever/shifter combo is one of the primary advantages of Di2.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
He rode this frame en route to a new course record last year.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
The Fuelselage hose is fixed against Alexander’s horizontal bottle cage using two magnets.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
The Salt Stick Dispensers keep electrolyte tabs at the ready.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Alexander has been on the Pro Missile EVO for two seasons now.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Alexander’s rear wheel is Shimano’s new 24mm-wide Dura-Ace C75.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
The Di2 wires will be synched against the stem.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
The battery is mounted beneath his non-drive chainstay.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Alexander is racing Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
The slightly oversized 54-tooth chainring gives him a little more on the long downhill from Hawi.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Crowie uses a Garmin 500 computer mounted on top of his stem to track his effort.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Shimano Dura-Ace chain.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
He has short crank arms, just 167.5mm in length. The shorter arms help keep his hip angle open.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Alexander races with an SRM power meter.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
If Alexander is able to win his fourth Ironman world title, that will make him the third-most decorated man in the race’s history behind only Mark Allen and Dave Scott.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
Craig Alexander's Specialized Shiv
Crowie has an XLab Gorilla cage tucked tightly up underneath his saddle.
Last year, Craig Alexander overhauled just about every aspect of his bike setup and the results were spectacular. He had less than two weeks on his Specialized Shiv before the race in 2011, so he used the additional time this year to refine every detail of his rig.
He is riding a Specialized Shiv S-Works, Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components and a Pro Missile EVO aerobar with slightly up-turned extensions, just like last year. Two Salt Stick Dispensers are zip-tied to inside of his aerobar extensions to take electrolyte tabs during the ride. Alexander opts for a horizontal bottle between his aerobars, which is mounted to an X-Lab Torpedo Mount. He is also using the Specialized Fuelselage internal bladder hydration system, and fixes the hose in place with two little magnets taped to the hose. Their mates are glued and taped to his horizontal bottle cage.
Alexander’s second cage is an X-Lab Gorilla, zip-tied beneath his saddle in the position that many pros have adopted. A small piece of Velcro attached to the seat tube prevents the cage from clanking into the seatpost and rattling while riding. The final storage container on his Kona bike is a new contraption Specialized created to fit between the downtube and the seat tube. It’s called the Fuel Cell and it mounts to the water bottle bosses. Alexander will keep gel and Salt Stick electrolyte tabs in there on race day. A soft rubber lid keeps the supplies in place while still allowing him to reach down and grab them on the fly.
Alexander tweaked his Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 components with a few changes from the norm. He has a 54-tooth big chainring and is racing an 11-25 cassette. The standard Shimano rear derailleur pulleys with steel bearings were swapped for an Enduro ceramic alternative. The Di2 wire routes out of the aerobar and into the frame behind the stem, but it dangles out to the side ever so slightly. Alexander will use a small restraint that is held in place by the top cap bolt to pin the wires against the bike. His Di2 battery is mounted beneath the non-drive side chainstay next to the bottom bracket.
Crank length might be the most interesting aspect of his componentry. Alexander is racing 167.5mm cranks—substantially shorter than the 172.5 standard. These shorter arms help open his hip angle and allows Crowie to ride a lower front-end position than he otherwise could tolerate. Built in to those short crank arms is an SRM power meter, which he uses in tandem with a Garmin 500 GPS computer mounted on his stem. Alexander is racing the current version of Dura-Ace Di2, not the next-generation kit that was displayed at the Interbike tradeshow last month.
Mounted to his forward-offset seatpost is a fairly worn Fizik Arione Tri 2 saddle.
Crowie has opted for Shimano’s new Dura-Ace C50 / C75 wheelset with a broad 24mm-wide rim. Alexander raced an unlabeled prototype of the front wheel last year, but the broad rear is a significant upgrade over the older version he raced at Ironman Hawaii in 2011.
FILED UNDER: Gear & Tech / Photos TAGS: Bike / Check / Craig-Alexander / Crowie / foto / photo / Shiv / Specialized / Tech
