Carbon layup, explained without the marketing jargon

Jul 26, 2027 · Fit & Performance

Every October, our race team disappears from the results pages

and into the least glamorous part of the season. There's no podium, no live coverage — just a training log, a stack of position notes, and a handful of prototype parts that may or may not survive to spring. Here's what actually happens during those five months, and why it matters for the bike you eventually buy.

Key facts

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- Every prototype completes a minimum of 1,500km before feedback is submitted

- Aero changes are re-verified in the wind tunnel, not just felt on the road

- At least two riders with different body types and riding styles test each frame

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This is the direct pipeline between race-day feedback and the production bikes on our shop floor nothing ships until it's been through this loop.

By the time the first race number goes on in March, a rider on our team has already spent five months rebuilding fitness

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Position work: the part riders skip on their own

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Around week eight, every rider on the team goes through a full re-fit — even veterans who haven't changed a single measurement in years. Bodies change through a season of racing, and small shifts in flexibility or strength can quietly cost watts if the position isn't rechecked.

The film received a standing ovation at its midnight screening and a formal protest letter signed by 340 documentary filmmakers the following morning. Both reactions felt entirely justified.

"The future of AI isn't about replacing human judgment it's about building people can actually trust enough to rely on."

Testing next season's frame before it's announced

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By December, prototype frames start showing up in the team van — usually undecorated, sometimes taped over to hide tube shapes from competitors. Riders log everything: how the bike handles in a crosswind, how it feels on a rough descent, whether the new geometry changes their sprint position.