Weighing a mere 850g (for 55cm size), the Tete de Course frame from triple Tour de France winner and former world road champion Greg LeMond should attract the attention of weight obsessives, and is certainly in the ball park for superlight road models. The Tete de Course is described as ‘the Ultimate Carbon Triomphe frame’, and as such is the top model in LeMond’s Carbon Triomphe range.

Like other Carbon Triomphe ‘platforms’, the Tete employs specific tubing diameters for each frame size in order to dial a consistent ride experience. It will be made in 7 sizes from 49cm to 61cm in 2cm increments. The head tube is internally moulded so thatsteering bearings fit straight in without the need for machining, and the bottom bracket shell is co-moulded into a shape as wide as the shell itself for maximal stiffness.

The most interesting innovation from LeMond is the alignment of carbon fibres at either 20deg or 45deg to the tube centre line. This feature is said to obtain the best ratio of stiffness to weight of fibre; meanwhile, frame members including the down tube, head tube and chain and seat stays have been reduced in external dimensions but reinforced with high-modulus carbon fibre to shave weight with no loss of stiffness. The result is noticeably more slender than the standard Carbon Triomphe shape. Carbon rear dropouts with aluminium facings complete the frame specification.

The Tete de Course will be offered as a complete machine weighing a claimed 15.1lbs minus pedals thanks to extensive use of Bontrager Race X Lite components including fork and to the fitment of SRAM’s pro-spec Force groupset. Wheels are Bontrager Aeolus 5.0 as used by Discovery Channel. Shown at the Tour of California, the LeMond Tete de Course should be available late-June in the UK. Price in $US is currently set at $7699.99.

www.lemondbikes.com