Up close with Jonny Brownlee’s bike; the Scott Foil

The Scott Foil, to me, is the perfect bike for Olympic- and sprint-distance triathlon racing. It’s aerodynamic, light, suits each and every one of the World Triathlon Series courses, is fast in a straight line and handles very, very, well.

Hands down, this is the best bike that I’ve ever ridden. It’s incredibly stiff when sprinting out of the saddle and feels great on a technical circuit.

The Foil is fast for racing but also comfy and not too harsh to train on, which makes it incredibly versatile. Basically it gives me confidence knowing I’m riding the fastest bike regardless of the terrain or weather conditions. It could be hilly, flat, technical, wet, dry… it wouldn’t matter.

To find more speed and prevent injury, I went to see Rich Follett at Fit4-Physio, in Sheffield, for a bike fit. There, we made sure that my set-up is right for generating the most power possible and that it won’t lead to any season-ending injuries.

I haven’t done any wind tunnel testing yet but Scott have planned some in for me soon, which I’m really looking forward to.

1 I use Zipp NSW 454s – incredible wheels. They’re aerodynamic, stable in a cross wind, handle well and offer great braking surface in the wet and dry.

2 My saddle is a Fizik Arione. I ride it about 6cm behind the bottom bracket, which allows me to use my glutes as much as possible.

3 SRAM Etap – game changer. Very light, very low maintenance, consistently smooth gear changing, and very reliable.

4The frame’s a Scott Foil – light, aerodynamic, handles well, stiff and very fast. Perfect.

Jonny is one of the world’s top triathletes, with Olympic bronze and silver, Commonwealth silver and 30 World Tri Series podiums to his name, to date.

This article appeared in the December 2017 (345) issue of 220 Triathlon. You can subscribe to the print magazine, or the digital version if you live outside of the UK, here

220 Triathlon Team Journalists, reviewers, coaches and athletes

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The 220 Triathlon team is made up of vastly experienced athletes, sports journalists, kit reviewers and coaches. In short, what we don't know about multisport frankly isn't worth knowing! Saying that, we love expanding our sporting knowledge and increasing our expertise in this phenomenal sport.