LOOK what we've spotted! Check out the new Team Cofidis Look road bike

After a potential new Cannondale road bike was seen out in the wild earlier this week, World Tour Team Cofidis have also leaked images of a new Look road bike to their social media channels, including the Team Cofidis Instagram itself. Let's take a closer 'Look' at what we can expect to see when this bike is released later in the year...

At the end of 2022, it was confirmed that Team Cofidis were moving away from De Rosa and returning to their French compatriots at Look. Cofidis is no stranger to Look, previously using them as a bike partner from 2009-2014 and using Look pedals since 2010. 

Cédric Vasseur, General Manager of Team Cofidis said that they are "proud to ride on 100% French high-tech products."

@mathildelazou

> Look bikes return to UCI World Tour in 2023

When it was released that Cofidis would be using Look bikes in 2023 and onwards, we thought that the team's riders would have the choice of the lightweight 785 Huez RS or the 795 Blade RS aero bike. 

However, it looks like we can expect to see Cofidis rider's on this all-rounder road bike which attempts to combine lightweight and aero. 

With over five years since either of these models was released, they were definitely due an upgrade but we aren't sure which of these bikes this new one is replacing. 

@mathildelazou

> One bike to rule them all: why lightweight aero bikes are now THE essential race weapon

How long will this handlebar tape stay white...The aero features of this bike start at the handlebars and like on the Look 795 Blade RS, this new bike features an integrated cockpit but with totally integrated cabling rather than channelling the brake hoses under the stem, and also has a centrally-mounted out-front computer mount. 

The top tube doesn't blend into the stem cutout shape like on the 795 Blade RS making this a less aggressive, all-round design. 

@mathildelazou

Other aero features include a relatively deep head tube and seat tube that curves with the rear wheel. There are also bladed, dropped seat stays to further chase aerodynamics, stiffness and compliance.

> What are dropped seatstays good for? Should you get a bike with them?

The 795 Blade RS featured a unique seat stay design with no bridge to deliver "maximum efficiency" and rear compliance, but neither the Look 785 Huez RS or the 795 Blade RS featured dropped seat stays - a feature that most bikes now have. 

@mathildelazou

> Best road bike wheels 2023 — transform your road bike with some shiny new hoops

This disc-brake road bike is fitted with a Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 Di2 groupset and like in 2022, Cofidis will use Corima wheels (part of the Look cycling group) with the choice between the MCC DX, WS Black DX, and WS TT DX wheelsets. They are pictured here with Michelin Power All Season road tyres. 

Corima wheels also have a rich history in the World Tour peloton; in fact, they have racked up four Grand Tours and a road race Olympic title in the last decade. Two teams will be using Corima wheels in 2023: Cofidis and Astana Premier-tech.

If you look closely, Alexis Renard has unusually opted for a Kronos chainring, more commonly seen on track bikes. They are compatible with FSA, Shimano, Sram, Campagnolo and Compact for Stronglight, Shimano and Campagnolo.

It is seen here with an SRM Origin 9 crank-based power meter which is used by the whole team.

@mathildelazou

Tyre clearance has been seen to have increased massively on new frames ranging between 28mm - 32mm for most bike brands. 

The Michelin Power All Season tyres come in three widths: 23, 25 and 28c. It is unknown what width tyres they have opted for in the photos but it is apparent that there is a good amount of clearance, indicating that this frame will comfortably fit wider tyres. 

> Best road bike tyres 2023 — ride faster and further with fewer punctures

Like the Cannondale, we spotted being ridden by riders from EF Education-EasyPost, this Look is painted up in team colours and looks ready to go. Which WorldTour Team is going to be next to leak a new bike? We are ready and waiting to see what we can spot at the Santos Tour Down Under... if we haven't seen anything else in the mean time!

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Davide Cimolai (@cimo89)

What other new bikes would you like to see released this year? Lets us know in the comments section below...