Kat Mathews' Canyon Speedmax CFR

Triathlon Forum
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Originally published at: https://slowtwitch.com/news/kat-mathews-canyon-speedmax-cfr/

It’s basically the “same same” for Kat Mathews this year. This usually means only one thing for riders that are at the top of the game. Most of their equipment choices have been working just fine – and this is definitely the case for the current IRONMAN Pro Series leader. That said, there are a couple of things that have changed since she raced here in KONA the last time.

She is ditching the Ceramic Speed Rear pulley and adding some aero features and rim depth to the front end, moving from a 60 mm front wheel to a 80 mm front for this year’s race. She has a much sleeker aero bar set up and, like everyone else, she has more bottles for more fuel. She looks REALLY, REALLY good on this bike.

Let’s dive in.

Drive Chain

Full Shimano Drive Chain (well, except for the pedals)

Drive Chain Shimano DURA ACE 2x
Crank Length 160 cm
Chain Rings 58-44t
Power Meter Favero Assioma Pedals
Cassette 11-30t

Front Cock Pit

Polishing the already smooth rock

Base Bars Canyon Specs
400 mm wide
75 mm length
with “skater grip tape”
Aero Bar Canyon Specs with Ergon grips
Number of Bottles 2 Plus internal bladder
Computer Wahoo Bolt

Rear End Hydration

Clean and fast

Rear Hydration Canyon with Xlab Cage
Saddle Shimano Pro Aerofuel
Number of bottles 2

Wheels, Rotors and Naming Rights

Getting as much as she can

Front Wheel DT SWISS Arch 1100
Rear Wheel DT SWISS Arch 1100
Rotors Shimano 140’s
Front Tire Continental AERO 111 Tire 26mm
Rear Tire Grand Prix 5000 TT TR 28mm
Property of Kat Matthews

My Personal take aways:

There is nothing I don’t like about this bike. It’s sleek and steadfast. Everything has a purpose and it’s been tested well. A slightly smaller frame would probably give her a little more edge, but since she doesn’t have that option at the moment she is doing everything right with this bike.

2 Likes
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My observations and questions are:

  1. 80mm depth front rim on Kona? I guess the wind forecast is benign but still gusts of 15mph side winds expected north of the Kawaihae turn. DT Swiss ARC 1100s btw (culprit autocorrect)

  2. Same lower BTA bottle set up as the ‘nfamous illegal one from Frejus, I think, but neatly mounted an inch further forward. It’s a cockpit not a cock pit btw :wink:

  3. 2x with a 58-11 max. ?Does she need a 44-30 low gear. I guess with the rollers a 58-30 combo allows her to stay in the big dog and pull away when her seatpost race ranger flashes red to stress the wheel suckers behind. OSPW ditched in favour of the Shimano DA pulley wheel.

  4. That rear hydration support is integrated into the seat post, right. With a M Matthews hack/bodge wedge to achieve desired elevation angle of the double bottles? Those bottle cages look to be opening at an angle ie not vertical.

  5. “A slightly smaller frame would probably give her a little more edge, but since she doesn’t have that option at the moment” The seat is almost as far forward as it can go. Matthews is 164cm (per wikipedia) but since Canyon don’t make an XS this is the smallest available frame for a Canyon Speedmax CFR TT. Nevertheless, can see her being a Canyon babe for a long time.

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About 2: No. Looks like she is using the Trek RSL Aero Bottle. Hayden used the Canyon Fuel Aero.

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That’s not a Speedmax CFR TT. They do make an XS.

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She seems just a tad bit cramped. Would love to see what 2-4 cm of pad x would give her.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPanO4PgBvQ/?igsh=Z29xcnR3N3Ficzdz

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XS has 650 wheels. I’d guess that has a lot to do with the decision.