Boardman Bikes

Elite AiR 9.8

Keeping his finger on the pulse of cycling's aerodynamic research since his Individual Pursuit gold medal in the '92 Games, Chris Boardman continues to funnel these wind-tunnel-obsessed years of research and experience into his Elite bike series. The new Elite 9.8 AiR stands in as Boardman's flagship aerodynamic frame, as it was developed to be the ultimate lightweight, comfortable, and efficient racing frame platform.

It's no surprise that every tube on the Elite 9.8 AiR was meticulously examined and tested to be the most efficient possible. After all, when you consider that a section of Mr. Boardman's resume includes breaking the hour record three times, you know that his frames' tube shapes — in relation to aerodynamics — are always at the top of the priority list. It's a striking characteristic that you'll notice the first time you look at the AiR 9.8, as the clean lines are both aesthetically pleasing and function-driven.

Knowing that road bikes are seldom ridden in flat, calm conditions, Boardman carefully designed the AiR 9.8's tubes with shapes that not only efficiently handle head-on winds, but also those less-than-ideal crosswinds that are encountered in racing situations. These wind-tunnel-tested tubes wear a fairly slender width profile throughout, which creates the optimal balance between vertical compliance and aerodynamics. The top tube remains fairly round, while the down tube, seat tube, and integrated seatpost have been shaped to maximize airflow and reduce wind-resistance. The material selected for the AiR 9.8's frame is a high modulus unidirectional carbon fiber, constructed with a full monocoque design. Similarly, the fork was built out of the same predictable, race-tested, and ultralight carbon fiber.

The Elite 9.8 AiR's fork was designed to be exceptionally stable, comfortable, and to efficiently handle variable wind conditions. Boardman factored in that both the proximity and spinning of the front wheel also affect the fork's ability to reduce wind-resistance, which is why its blades were computer modeled to manage that challenging local flow condition. Because of this, Boardman flattened the insides of the blades and curved the outside surfaces for an enhanced airflow interaction between the fork and wheel. This same principle is also true for the seatstays, which is why they feature a similar profile. The frame was built with full internal cable routing, furthering airflow enhancement and a clean overall appearance.

The Elite 9.8's AiR mold incorporates a one-piece BB30 bottom bracket and oversized box section chainstays, which, with a steep taper design at the dropouts, maximizes power transfer and strength at the rear junction. Along these lines, the full carbon fork was built with a 1-1/2 to 1-1/8in tapered steerer for increased stiffness and steering precision.

And while the 9.8 checks all of the aerodynamic and stiffness boxes, it's also light. The frame comes in at a feathery 1,150g, making it competitive among the other "aero road frames" that are currently available.

The Boardman Bikes Elite 9.8 AiR is available in five sizes from X-Small to X-Large and in the color Matte Black.