With the road events of the Rio Games completed and the medals decided in both the road races and time trials, we soon shift focus to fixed gear bikes and the events on the track. And this is when we’re likely to see a raft of new innovations for products including, for example, the left-hand drive-side of the Felt bikes used Team USA.

(Of course there will also be the MTB and BMX events but that’s an entirely different batch of products all together.)

After a quick look at the photos from the time trial yesterday, here are a few observations made about the equipment used in the men’s event.

The Olympics often provides a launching pad for different product concepts and yet, curiously, there wasn’t too much change from the time trial set-ups between July and August but we’ve noticed a few little differences…

 

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– Photos: Graham Watson

 

There's a slight revision of the aerobars used by Tony Martin: a little more streamlined but still providing something of a 'Praying Mantis' stance as the German used in the Tour earlier this year (see below). Photo: Graham Watson

There’s a slight revision of the aerobars used by Tony Martin: a little more streamlined but still providing something of a ‘Praying Mantis’ stance as the German used in the Tour earlier this year (see below).
Photo: Graham Watson

 

Martin finished a surprising 12th place in Rio, over three minutes behind another multiple TT world champion Fabian Cancellara. Photo: Graham Watson

Martin finished a surprising 12th place in Rio, over three minutes behind another multiple TT world champion Fabian Cancellara.
Photo: Graham Watson

 

This photo illustrates the older iteration of the aerobar extensions used by Tony Martin. Photo: Graham Watson

This photo illustrates the older iteration of the aerobar extensions used by Tony Martin.
Photo: Graham Watson

 

Tim Wellens was in the first wave of starters in the Olympic TT. Lazer helmets have created some innovative new shapes and we can expect to see new products on the track but the roadies are using designs seen before the Rio Games. Photo: Graham Watson

Tim Wellens was in the first wave of starters in the Olympic TT. Lazer helmets have created some innovative new shapes and we can expect to see new products on the track but the roadies are using designs seen before the Rio Games.
Photo: Graham Watson

 

Maciej Bodnar is one of the riders to use partial shoe covers. He also used what seems to be a customised big chainring... Photo: Graham Watson

Maciej Bodnar is one of the riders to use partial shoe covers. He also used what seems to be a customised big chainring…
Photo: Graham Watson

 

Dan Craven kept his 'aero' equipment rather basic. Ah, actually he just rode his road bike. Cannondale SuperSix Evo – lovely bike – but completely standard set-up. Oh, hang on, he may have dropped the stem a spacer or two from his road race set-up... He finished last, 15'33" behind Cancellara. Photo: Graham Watson

Dan Craven kept his ‘aero’ equipment rather basic. Ah, actually he just rode his road bike. Cannondale SuperSix Evo – lovely bike – but completely standard set-up. Oh, hang on, he may have dropped the stem a spacer or two from his road race set-up…
He finished last, 15’33” behind Cancellara.
Photo: Graham Watson

 

It looks like there's a bit of a change of shape for the TT bars of the Pinarello used by Geraint Thomas... And who needs any more of an excuse to run a photo of a bike like this? Photo: Graham Watson

It looks like there’s a bit of a change of shape for the TT bars of the Pinarello used by Geraint Thomas…
And who needs any more of an excuse to run a photo of a bike like this?
Photo: Graham Watson

 

Fifth place for Australia's Rohan Dennis... 1'10" behind Cancellara. And this was done with a change of bike in the closing 15km because of broken aerobars. Otherwise we see a standard set-up for the TT wizard, only that his TimeMachine TMR01 gets a green and gold colour scheme instead of the team-issue red. Photo: Graham Watson

Fifth place for Australia’s Rohan Dennis… 1’10” behind Cancellara. And this was done with a change of bike in the closing 15km because of broken aerobars.
Otherwise we see a standard set-up for the TT wizard, only that his TimeMachine TMR01 gets a green and gold colour scheme instead of the team-issue red.
Photo: Graham Watson

 

Jonathan Castroviejo earned fourth place and it's always interesting to see his position... quite simply because his handlebars are so low. Photo: Graham Watson

Jonathan Castroviejo earned fourth place and it’s always interesting to see his position… quite simply because his handlebars are so low.
Photo: Graham Watson

 

A fractured wrist only a few weeks ago, a silver medal today. Tom Dumoulin was 47" behind Cancellara with the only really obvious change to equipment the paint scheme of his Giant Trinity. Photo: Graham Watson

A fractured wrist only a few weeks ago, a silver medal today. Tom Dumoulin was 47″ behind Cancellara with the only really obvious change to equipment the paint scheme of his Giant Trinity.
Photo: Graham Watson

 

Gold medal... again! Cancellara earned the same result as in 2008: first place in the Olympic TT. His bike? Fairly standard Trek. Photo: Graham Watson

Gold medal… again! Cancellara earned the same result as in 2008: first place in the Olympic TT.
His bike? Fairly standard Trek.
Photo: Graham Watson