Rapha Condor Sharp: 2009 Team Condors arrive

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2009 Team Condors arrive · 13/02/09

Mechanical Mastery

The 2009 team Condor Leggero frames arrived in London on Wednesday, February 11 and were shipped out via a channel crossing the next day for their journey through France to the February Rapha Condor team camp in Spain.

Deano's special Leggero

With so little time available, team mechanic, Andy Verrall, joined the skilled Condor mechanics; Manuel Quiras, Stephen Grimshaw and Tim Holroyde, and the four undertook the mammoth task of turning framesets into sixteen team bikes. They were aided and abetted by Condor’s Neil Manning, who unpacked Dura Ace from boxes and laid them out for the mechanics to do the clever stuff.

Manuel Quiras

One bike they built was a special Condor Leggero for National Criterium Champion, Dean Downing. This is a one off Team Leggero in white, whilst Dean’s Rapha Condor teammates will campaign the now customary black and pink models.

Deano's special Leggero

The 2009 team bike is a modified prototype of Condor’s standard Leggero. The bike features a frame made from a combination of tubes; Dedacciai and Condor’s own Italian frame builder’s. Each frame is hand made in Italy and custom built for each team rider.

Following feedback from the riders in 2008, the front end has been strengthened and beefed up. The new bike has a 1.5” bottom headset bearing, an increasingly popular feature among the pro peloton. The rear end is a new shape from last season, again to strengthen the bike.

Tom Southam's Leggero

All bikes are fitted with: Shimano Dura Ace 7900 groupsets; Dura Ace wheels (and which will vary according to the event); Deda Elementi bars and stems; and custom team edition Fizik saddles and bar tape. Tyres are supplied by Continental.

The Team Leggero is only available to team riders and members of the Rapha Condor Club. The standard Leggero is on sale to all at Condor Cycles.

Team bike specifications

Frame: Condor High Modulus Carbon tubes, custom specified, individually custom built and hand wrapped with carbon layers for each rider. Now with stiffer tubes and oversized bottom head cup for increased rigidity at the front end.

There is also a new monocoque fork.