Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Ben Delaney/Future Publishing Courtesy Courtesy Courtesy Ben Delaney/Future Publishing

On Tuesday in Boulder, Colorado, Fuji launched the Norcom Straight, which the company claims has more positioning options than any other top-end time trial/triathlon bike on the market.


Industry veteran Steven Fairchild, who started with Fuji in 1985, began work on the project three years ago with the goal of building a fast machine that looked as good to a fitter’s eye as it did to an aerodynamic engineer.

“We wanted to make a bike that fits the rider, instead of forcing the rider to fit the bike,” Fairchild said.

The five-bike line ranges from the US$7,499 1.1 with 11-speed Shimano Di2 to the US$2,299 2.5 with a mix of Shimano 105 and Tiagra. There is also a Matty Reed Signature bike in the works with Campagnolo Super Record EPS. UK pricing was not immediately available.

With the Norcom Straight, Fuji isn’t staking claims to the lightest or the most aerodynamic – the frame is roughly 1,400g and Fairchild calls it “one of the fastest” TT/tri bikes in the world – but is bragging that the bike has “more positioning options than any other superbike”.

Beyond the common claims of ‘lighter, stiffer, more aero’, compared to past Fuji bikes, the Norcom Straight boasts a few cool touches, such as vertical dropouts that are horizontally adjustable and ‘hidden’ brakes with unique cable routing. It’s also quite likely the world’s first bike named after a Strava segment.

Fit options: Five sizes, 135mm cockpit height range, 74-81 degree seat tube

Early in the design phase, Fairchild regularly consulted with his fit database, which has the fit coordinates of more than 100 riders. “We wanted to have frame sizes that fit virtually everyone, from 5ft tall to 6ft 6in (165-197cm),” he said.

The end result was five sizes from a 49cm S to a 57cm XL, with a generous range of fore/aft and height adjustment at the saddle as well as at the cockpit.

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The stem sits flush with the top tube, where brake and shift cable enter the frame

An integrated Oval stem comes in six lengths (80-130mm) with four rise options (+/- 8 and 17). Combined with some spacer movement, the base bar height has 135mm of vertical adjustment. (Head tube heights range from 85mm for the S to 164mm for the XL.)

There are three arm rest widths, four riser height options, and five arm rest rotational positions. For extensions, there are three choices – straight, s-bend, and ski-bend. Each comes 376mm long, so will fit a tall rider, and can be cut down to fit smaller cyclists. The extensions are adjusted independently from the arm rest pads, however their angle is set by the angle of the base bar.

The clamp on the proprietary seatpost has 70mm of fore/aft adjustment, which equates to a range of seat tube angles from 74-81 degrees – plus, there’s still the standard fore/aft of the saddle rails.

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The seatpost has 70mm of adjustment above and beyond the standard saddle-rail adjustment

Construction: Aerodynamics, stiffness and adjustability

The Norcom Straight has an identical carbon frame shape across the range, with ultra-high modulus C10 carbon on the top two models and a high modulus C5 on the other three.

The frames use Fuji’s RIB technology, which acts as it sounds – internal carbon braces reinforce the tubing’s cross-section. Combined with the added girth of a PressFit BB86 shell, the Norcom Straight is 26 percent stiffer at the bottom bracket area than the D-6, Fuji’s previous time trial/triathlon bike. It’s also 20 percent stiffer at the head tube than the D-6.

Two notable things on the frame are the internal cable routing, especially for the front brake, and the vertical dropouts with horizontal adjustability.

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The vertical dropouts have horizontal adjustment

The front brake cable exits the base bar briefly before ducking into a pocket on the front of the head tube. From there, it exits into the center of the fork, then hooks round via a proprietary junction to tie into the TRP Aero TTV caliper that’s mounted on the back of the fork.

The other cables enter the frame at the top tube, just behind the stem, where interchangeable plates are used for mechanical or electric routing.

Some time trial bikes have horizontal dropouts, to tuck the rear wheel closely against the frame. Many bikes have vertical dropouts for ease of use. The Norcom Straight has both; the vertical dropouts are horizontally adjustable via a rear-facing bolt on each dropout. Once the desired position is achieved, a second bolt secures the dropout in place.

In terms of aerodynamics, Fuji developed the frame shape in the A2 Wind Tunnel in North Carolina using modular frame sections. The end result was a 16 percent improvement across the 0-20 percent yaw angles over the D-6.

Fuji made no claims in comparison to the competition, except to say the Norcom Straight is “one of the fastest”. That 16 percent increase over the D-6, Fairchild said, translates to a bike that’s 10 watts faster.

Five models: US$7,499 with Di2 to US$2,299 with 105/Tiagra

The Norcom Straight platform ranges from the US$7,499 1.1 with Shimano Di2 electric shifting down to the US$2,229 2.5 that uses a mix of Shimano Tiagra and 105 components.

All the bikes use Fuji’s house brand Oval wheels, cockpits and saddles of varying weight and performance levels. Complete specs for each bike are below. The same TRP Aero TTV brake calipers are used throughout the range.

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TRP Aero TTV calipers are used throughout the line

As a rule, a bigger price means bigger gears. The 1.1 has a 54/42 11-speed 9000 crankset, the 1.3 and 2.1 have the standard 53/39, while the 2.3 gets a semi-compact 52/36 and the 2.5 takes a compact 50/34.

A Matty Reed Signature Model is also in the works, which will use Campagnolo’s electric Super Record EPS group.

Norcom Straight 1.1

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Sizes S (49cm), M (51cm), M/L (53cm), L (55cm), XL (57cm) Color White Frame C10 ultra high-modulus Fork FC-330 carbon aero monocoque w/ 1 1/8in carbon steerer, integrated airfoil brakes Crankset Shimano Dura-Ace 9000, 54/42T, 11-speed Bottom bracket Shimano Dura-Ace press-fit BB86 sealed bearing Front derailleur Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070, braze-on mount Rear derailleur Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070, 11-speed Shifters Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 9070 TT/Tri, 22-speed Cassette Shimano Dura-Ace 9000, 11-25T, 11-speed Chain Shimano Dura-Ace 9000, 11-speed Wheelset Oval 981 full-carbon clincher Tires Vittoria Open Corsa CX, 320tpi, 700c x 23mm Brake set TRP aero TTV Brake levers Shimano Dura-Ace TT/Tri Di2 9070 Headset FSA No. 36 press-fit top/integrated bottom bearing, 1 1/8in Handlebar Oval 960 integrated carbon base bar w/ s-bend carbon extensions Stem Oval 760 aero, 31.8mm, 8 degrees Tape/grip Oval 300 suede-padded tape Saddle Oval R900T Triathlon w/ carbon rails Seatpost Oval aero carbon multi-position

Norcom Straight 1.3

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Sizes S (49cm), M (51cm), M/L (53cm), L (55cm), XL (57cm) Color Matte red Frame C10 ultra high-modulus Fork FC-330 carbon aero monocoque w/ 1 1/8in carbon steerer, integrated airfoil brakes Crankset Oval 720 hollow forged, 53/39T Bottom bracket Press-fit BB86 sealed bearing Front derailleur Shimano Ultegra Di2, braze-on mount Rear derailleur Shimano Ultegra Di2, 11-speed Shifters Shimano Ultegra Di2 6871 TT/Tri, 22-speed Cassette Shimano Ultegra, 11-25T, 11-speed Chain KMC X11L, 11-speed Wheelset Oval 981 full-carbon clincher Tires Vittoria Rubino Pro Slick, 150 tpi, 700c x 23mm Brake set TRP aero TTV Brake levers Shimano Ultegra TT/Tri Di2 6871 Headset FSA press-fit top/integrated bottom bearing, 1 1/8in Handlebar Oval 950 carbon base bar w/ 950 s-bend carbon extensions Stem Oval 760 aero, 31.8mm, 8 degrees Tape/grip Oval 300 suede-padded tape Saddle Oval R700T Triathlon w/ CrMo-Ti hollow rails Seatpost Oval aero carbon multi-position

Norcom Straight 2.1

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Sizes S (49cm), M (51cm), M/L (53cm), L (55cm), XL (57cm) Color Blue Frame C5 high-modulus Fork FC-330 carbon aero monocoque w/ 1 1/8in carbon steerer, integrated airfoil brakes Crankset Oval 720 hollow forged alloy, 53/39T Bottom bracket Press-fit BB86 sealed bearing Front derailleur Shimano Ultegra, braze-on mount Rear derailleur Shimano Ultegra, 11-speed Shifters Shimano SL-BSR1 Bar End TT shifters, 22-speed Cassette Shimano Ultegra, 11-28T, 11-speed Chain KMC X11L, 11-speed Wheelset Oval 945 carbon/alloy clincher, 45mm rim – 700c Tires Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Slick, 60tpi, 700c x 23mm Brake set TRP aero TTV Brake levers Oval 701 forged alloy Headset FSA press-fit top/integrated bottom bearing, 1 1/8in Handlebar Oval 750 alloy base bar w/ 750 S bend alloy extensions Stem Oval 760 aero, 31.8mm, 8 degrees Tape/grip Oval 300 suede-padded tape Saddle Oval R500T Triathlon w/ CrMo hollow rails Seatpost Oval aero carbon multi-position

Norcom Straight 2.3

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Sizes S (49cm), M (51cm), M/L (53cm), L (55cm), XL (57cm) Color Matte carbon Frame C5 high-modulus Fork FC-330 carbon aero monocoque w/ 1 1/8in carbon steerer, integrated airfoil brakes Crankset Oval 520 forged alloy, 52/36T Bottom bracket Press-fit BB86 sealed bearing Front derailleur SRAM Rival, braze-on mount Rear derailleur SRAM Rival, 10-speed Shifters SRAM SL-500 aero TT, 20-speed Cassette SRAM PG-1050, 11-26T, 10-speed Chain KMC X10, 10-speed Wheelset Oval 527 aero alloy clincher, 20/24H sealed bearing hubs, stainless bladed spokes Tires Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Slick, 60tpi, 700c x 23mm Brake set TRP aero TTV Brake levers Oval 701 forged alloy Headset FSA No. 36 press-fit top/integrated bottom bearing, 1 1/8in Handlebar Oval 750 alloy base bar w/ 750 S bend alloy extensions Stem Oval 760 aero, 31.8mm, 8 degrees Tape/grip Oval 300 suede-padded tape Saddle Oval R500T Triathlon w/ CrMo hollow rails Seatpost Oval aero carbon multi-position

Norcom Straight 2.5


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