Boardman Air TT 9.2

Review from Tri Magazine (USA)

For those not familiar with the
Boardman name, a bit of a history
lesson is in order. Chris Boardman was
one the most successful time-trialists in the pro peloton in the 1990's. Hailing from England, Boardman won the Tour De France opening prologue on three different occasions, was the World Time Trial Champion in 1994, broke the One Hour Record three times and won a Gold medal at the 1992 Olympics and a Bronze at the 1996 Olympics.
Boardman was one of the first riders to
see the advantages of aerodynamics and
pushed the envelope as far as possible.
He pioneered the use of the radical bike shapes, aero helmets and "Superman
Position", which was subsequently banned by UCI officials. Chris is the
Director of Research and Development
for his namesake bikes. At its core, this brand understands the value of saving every second possible.
USE John Pierce Photos in folder here
and on the same page Last October, Australian Pete Jacobs piloted a Boardman Air TT 9.8 (the top of the line model) to a second place at the Ironman World Championships. This brand is strong internationally and
should see growth in the US. We took
out there more economical model, the
AiR TT/9.2 to see how it stands up.

On Paper:
The 9.2 features the same ultralight
uni-directional carbon fiber frame and
fork with integrated front brake as its
higher-end companions, the 9.4 and 9.8 respectively. Shaped using CFD and wind tunnel analysis, it has all the standard aero features like internal cable routing, a hidden rear brake and aero seatpost that can be run either forward or backward to get the right seat angle for you. The 9.2 differs from the top end bikes in its components, where cost is kept down while still providing performance. The
cranks and shifters come from SRAM's
Force family, with TRP supplying the
brakes. The bike rolls on Mavic Cosmic
Elite wheels shod with Vittoria Open
Corsa CX tires. The cockpit is full FSA with their OS150 stem mated to the
tried and true Trimax Team R Bend bars. Fizik's often-used Arione Tri Ti saddle puts the final touch on the bike.

On the Road:
With a stack height of 490mm and a
reach of 410mm for my size small, the rest of the 9.2 is somewhat on the aggressive side. Getting low and out of the wind is not an issue on this bike. For those that aren't making it to yoga everyday, a few spacers will help you get raised up. The seatpost allows plenty of saddle adjustment, from 76 to 79 degrees, and with extra adjustment via the seat rails it makes sitting easy. After dialing it in, I took it out for some real riding. The 9.2 exhibits a steady and predictable ride. In the aero bars and headed straight, this bike motors along with solid power transfer. Any surges or
spikes in power are met with an equally stiff bottom bracket. The SRAM cranks are not quite as stiff as some of the others I've ridden, but those cranks were also on bikes with twice the price tag. Bumps in the road are mitigated to a tolerable level. I would put the ride on the stiffer side of the comfort/stiffness spectrum, but not by too much. Mavic's Cosmic Elites are a great set of hoops for training and they help to smooth out the ride. Plus, going with standard wheels keeps the cost down and lets you decide which race day wheels are best for you.
The brakes are a bit mushy, as are all
integrated brakes these days. The front brake is hidden in the legs of the fork, with slots allowing for some adjustment. Working on these brakes is especially taxing, and unless you are willing to learn how to work on them, and have the time to do so, just know you'll be taking it to your local bike shop for any brake needs.
Up front the FSA bars are solid and
comfortable as always. As for the shifting,I am a big fan of SRAM's shift levers. Each pull leads to quick and precise shifting with a solid feel. The TT 500 levers don't have the return to center (R2C) feature, but they work just the same and again keep the cost down.

In conclusion...

What this bike does best is offer a solid and fast ride without breaking your bank. Using the same frame as the higher end models, the 9.2 doesn't sacrifice where it matters most. You get the same carbon lay up, design and aero features as the top model, just with some tweaks to the spec, which is still pretty good. Stiff ness, ride
quality and speed are perfectly balanced and ready for any course. This bike offers a lot for the price, and while Boardman may be under the radar in the US for now, don't expect that to last long.

Rating: N/A