Boardman Elite Air 9.8 Aero Road Bike Shimano Dura Ace 9070 Di2, ZIPP 404 Firecrest Wheels - £7999

Size SM

£1650 O.N.O

Whether you're racing for the win in the World Triathlon Championships or one of the world's greatest road races, it's all about exploiting minimal gains and the AiR/9.8 has enough of them to make the difference between the win and 2nd place. The AiR frame speaks for itself and is finished with a world-class component package. Boardman Bikes sponsored Alistair Brownlee, Olympic Champion 2012 and Jonathan Brownlee, Olympic Bronze medallist both ride the AiR/9.8.

This is a stunning, very high end Aero, Lightweight machine, the frame is designed to take advantange of every aero gain possible and as stated above has tested very well on the professional circuit. This build is kitted with full Dura Ace 9070 DI2 groupset and a stunning set of ZIPP 404 firecrest carbon wheels, the bike is fast, that is the best description I can give!
• AiR Aerodynamic Racing frame, fork and seatpost
• Full high modulus carbon fibre monocoque construction
• Wind tunnel developed tube profiles for real world conditions
• Down tube, seat tube and seatpost shaped for maximized airflow and reduced wind resistance in real world head and cross wind conditions
• Forks and seat stays have flat inside and curved outside surfaces for enhanced airflow interaction between the frame and wheel. This is further enhanced when using deep section wheels
• Full internal cable routing with cables entering behind the headtube for further airflow enhancement and clean lines
• Rear brake positioned underneath chainstay
• Mould design incorporates one piece PF30 bottom bracket and optimized oversize box section chainstays with steep taper at dropout for maximized 4 position seat post to ensure that riding position can be dialled to either Road, TT or Triathlon disciplines
• Internal front brake for enhanced airflow
• Stable, predictable geometry to cope with all race situations
• Full carbon fork with tapered fork steerer for increased stiffness and steering precision
Bike used mainly for races including winning GB Sprint Duathlon Age Group Champs and coming 5th in World Duathlon Champs. Estimate has probably ridden less than 3000km in its lifetime.

Boardman AiR 9.8 (video) review

Not yet rated
Just Landed: We have got Boardman’s top-of-the-range 9.8 Elite Series bike in for testing. Here’s our first take on the bike and its spec, prior to hitting the roads for a full test.

Chris Boardman and his eponymous bike company need no introduction to UK cyclists. From a stellar riding career, Chris has moved seamlessly into parallel careers as cycling advocate, race commentator and bike manufacturer.
Boardman Bikes manufactures the Elite series which is sold through independent cycle shops, as well as the Performance series sold through Halfords. Top of the Elite range is the Air 9.8, a fiercely aero bike with a no-holds-barred spec.
There is a Dura-Ace Di2 build available with a Zipp 404 clincher wheelset at a cool £7999.99. We have in the next level down AiR 9.8, a cheaper option at £4999.99, although Boardman has not exactly skimped on the spec – it’s still decked out with SRAM Red and Zipp 60 wheels. There are four other bikes below this spec in Boardman's AiR road bike lineup.
THE FRAME
Boardman has taken many of its design cues for this bike from time trial bikes, with concealed brakes, chunky forks and narrow tube profiles.
The down tube has an almost startlingly narrow horizontal cross-section when looking from above, with a barely there look to it. In contrast, the vertical cross section is wide, although the frame stays within the UCI’s 3:1 tube section ratio.
The forks too are thin from the front but broad when viewed from the side. Tucked away towards the trailing edge, where they are less likely to produce drag, are TRP’s mini V-brakes. The forks’ cross section is flat on the inside face but curved on the outside, as are the seatstays, again for aero benefits and stability.
There’s an FSA tapered headtube for steering accuracy and stable handling. All cables are routed internally, disappearing vertically into the frame just behind the head tube, with barrel adjusters just before they do so.
Boardman sets great store by its computational analysis and wind tunnel testing of its bikes during the design process, particularly its testing at greater yaw angles where there’s more of a side wind – an area where aero designs often suffer.
IN CONCLUSION

The complete bike weighs 7.65kg without pedals – light for an aero bike. We’re looking forward to seeing how its aero credentials play out in real world riding conditions, particularly in crosswinds.
It will also be interesting to see how it performs on hillier courses, where the extra strain on the bike when climbing will test its rigidity and power transfer while its aero features should come into their own on descents.

Perfectly happy to post a bike which I have done so many times without issue, price will be £100 with full insurance.