At the Tirreno Adriatico in early March, we discovered that Bahrain-Victorious had used the new Disc Brake TT instead of the previous Lap Brake TT model during the time trial, and now Merida has officially announced the new Time Warp TT. The new model uses Merida's fourth-generation Time Warp platform, and due to the trend of disc braking and wide tires on the field today, Merida also followed the trend and launched this Time Warp TT.
The new Time Warp has several subtle design tweaks, the most obvious of which is that only the disc brake version is available. The TT car's wiring is more limited than that of large groups of highways, and the brake routing of the lap brake type may encounter a large angle bend when passing through the frame or handlebar line, which will affect the brake feel and performance, which is a more difficult problem for TT cars. The advantage of the hydraulic disc brake type is that the cable routing will not be affected by the bending of the frame or handlebar, and the routing will not affect the brake feel and performance in any case. The improved braking performance allows the rider to postpone the braking point and allows the rider to turn more calmly.
But conversely, exposed discs and calipers will add extra air resistance compared to state-of-the-art lap brake frames. Of all the disc brakes vs. lap brake aerodynamic designs of all bicycles, the TT car is the most difficult to solve. Large groups of cars may only need to be one to hide the trace can bring very good aerodynamic benefits, and the circle brake TT model is originally a hidden clamp and trace, which has little impact on the aerodynamic effect of the frame, but the disc brake type is exposed to the outside of the frame Disc and caliper may theoretically bring more air resistance.
It is uncertain which is better than the TT disc brake or the circle brake, but if the disc brake is used instead, it means that Merida can widen the front and rear forks so that it can accommodate wider 28C tires. The advantages of wide tires have long been demonstrated on the field, but today we are seeing more and more teams using wide tires in time trials. Wide tires provide more grip, less rolling resistance and better comfort, and Merida designed the new Time Warp TT to improve comfort.
When designing a new generation of chronograph racing frames, most brands don't put comfort in mind. For riders, there is mental preparation before riding the TT bike – comfort is certainly not good. As cycling technology continues to evolve, we now realize that if comfort is improved, the stress on the rider's body will also be reduced, and their fatigue may come later, allowing the rider to maintain a high power output for a longer time. In addition to opting for wider tires, Merida also includes S-Flex seat tubes that increase compliance in search of marginal gains and improved comfort.
Interestingly, after improving comfort, Merida's focus is not on aerodynamics, but on weight. Typically, the frame of the disc brake is a little heavier than the lap brake, and the previous generation of Time Warp was 400 grams lighter than its predecessor thanks to the efforts of Merida engineers. When we first saw this new car in the Double Sea Race, we found that the frame tube type, whether it is the head tube, down tube or seat tube, is more slender than the previous generation, and even the frame looks like a large group of broken frames. With these changes, the new generation of disc brakes, Time Warp, transformed the frame from a lap brake to a disc brake while maintaining the same weight as the previous generation. Merida also gave a corresponding explanation: "To compensate for the weight gain of the frame after changing to a disc brake, we reduced the cross-section of the new TT frame, made it thinner in some places, and reduced the material as much as possible. ”
For most time trial runners, the importance of aerodynamics still outweighs weight and comfort. Merida's press release mentions the performance of the upcoming Time Warp, which mentions that the previous generation frame was able to save 9 watts of power than its predecessor at 50km/h. The press release does not compare the new model to the previous generation, but Merida said, "The goal of the new Time Warp TT Disc is to maintain the same level as the previous generation, both in weight and aerodynamics." "
Merida tested the new frame in the GST wind tunnel in Imenstadt, Germany, and claimed that "according to the test, the difference between the two generations of Time Warp TT in terms of aerodynamic levels does not exceed 0.5 watts". However, it is worth mentioning that Merida tested the upcoming Time Warp without riders, saddles and aerodynamic expansion components. Merida said that the new model shares the same saddle and aerodynamic expansion components as the old model, so the test data after installation should be the same, but we still hope to see more aerodynamic test data of the whole vehicle.
The Time Warp TT is only available for sale with frame groups. The complete frame set consists of S-Flex seat tubes and the standard Vision Metron TT handlebar set. The new frame is available in three sizes, S, M and L, and only one black is available in terms of livery, and Merida has not yet announced the price of the Time Warp TT Disc frame group.
Edit: Johnny
Image source: Merida