Fara and The Transcontinental Race Join Forces
We’re honoured to be partnering with the TCR for their 10th edition this summer
Since it was founded in 2013 by ultra cycling pioneer Mike Hall, the TCR has cemented itself as the premier European ultra distance cycling race. This year the journey of a lifetime sets off from the Roubaix Velodrome in northern France. Beginning with a single lap of the iconic track, then some 4,000km of riding between four checkpoints lies ahead before finally reaching the finish in Istanbul, Turkey.
“We’re on a mission to progress the sport of ultra cycling”
Jeff Webb, Fara Founder & CEO
The perfect bike for the TCR
Proven at the highest level
We’ve created what we believe to be the ideal bike to tackle the TCR, The F/All-Road. Proven by Fara ambassadors Sherry Cardona and Gereon Tewes finishing as first pair in the 2023 edition on their F/All-Road bikes. We hope that this, combined with our partnership with the TCR will help us to elevate the sport of ultra cycling and inspire the next generation of riders.
Bikes of The Transcontinental Race
Andrew Phillips - Race Coordinator, Lost Dot
The perfect TCR bike is fast, capable, and comfortable.
I’ve gone for a 56cm Fara F/All-Road, in red (everyone knows red goes faster). The frame is lightweight, aero, and with plenty of tyre clearance.
Shimano Ultegra 12 speed Di2 is the perfect groupset for riding fast across a continent. 24 gears allows for small jumps, perfect for big miles on the flat, and a wide range for maximising efficiency on both the big climbs and long descents. My smallest 34-34 gear will allow me to climb almost anything without going into the red — spin it to win it! Di2 electronic shifting reduces stress on the hands, makes every shift close to perfect, and is easily charged on the go. Ultegra hydraulic brakes are close to perfect, giving me more control on any off-road parcours.
Wheels, I would always choose carbon if price is no object. They are stronger and more reliable than alloy rims, less likely to go out of true or have your tubeless fail because of a big hit.
Next up is the cockpit, where I’m going to pick the Fara Integrated carbon to help remove some of that road buzz and give my hands a better chance of surviving the race! I’ve picked the 40cm wide bars, as after years of trials I’ve discovered that a narrower setup takes some of the strain off my palms and helps prevent nerve damage.
The Fizik Vento Argo R1 saddle is the perfect shape for me (shortnose, cutout), but I’d want to get some big miles in before the race to make sure we were comfortable together.
My extra tweaks before the race would be GP5000 tubeless tyres in 32mm, Shimano XT pedals, side-entry bottle cages for use with my frame bag, and aerobars.
F/All-Road: Andrew's bike
Groupset: Shimano Ultegra 12sp
Cockpit: Fara Cycling Integrated Carbon
Wheels: Fulcrum RR900
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F/Gravel: Hannah's bike
Groupset: Campag EKAR 1x13s
Cockpit: 3T SuperErgo PRO Aluminium
Wheels: Fulcrum RR900
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Hannah Larbalestier - Race Coordinator, Lost Dot
I’ve put myself in the shoes of someone who’ll be racing TCR, but wants a versatile bike that can be used for a mix of road and gravel riding the rest of the year. I’m on a budget so having one bike that can do everything is important to me.
I’ve opted for a 49cm Fara F/Gravel, which I’ll equip with 700c wheels for TCR, but I might choose to swap out the wheels for 650b if doing a gravel event. I’ve chosen the Fulcrum Rapid Red 900 in 700c, which are a reliable alloy rim option, and I’ll be able to set them up tubeless so that I can run lower pressures on the gravel parcours, for better comfort and less risk of punctures. I’d personalise the wheels with a set of tyres with a slick centre tread for low rolling resistance on road, but some knobbly shoulders to provide a bit of confidence on the off-road parcours.
I’ve equipped the bike with a Campag EKAR 1x13s groupset, with a 40T front chainring and an 11-44T cassette, which should provide a good enough spread of gearing for some of the brutal climbs I’m likely to come across on TCR. It might spin out on descents, but on an ultra, pedalling downhill isn’t really essential and I’ll be happy to give the legs a rest.
Finally, the saddle and bars will be my main contact points with the bike, so getting the comfort and fit right here will be important. For the saddle I’m choosing the Fizik Tempo ARGO R3, which has a cut-out and should relieve pressure while riding long distances. For the bars, I’ve gone for a standard alloy drop bar option — the 3T SuperErgo PRO Aluminium. A flared bar might be better for off-road riding, but I just prefer the classic look of a bar like this, and find it perfectly capable off-road. Thankfully, it comes in a 38cm option, which I’ve found to be the perfect width for my shoulders, and this can help to relieve the upper body fatigue that I get when riding long distances. I’d also look to personalise my build with some aero bars, as a way to provide another riding position, taking the pressure off my hands while racing.