Fuji Bicycles

Altamira LTD Di2 Road Bike Frame - 2011

When Fuji began developing what would ultimately become its flagship Altamira, the objective was to build a frameset suited specifically for grand tour racing. At the time, the majority of Fuji's pro riders were aboard its rigid SST (Super Stiff Team) sprinter-specific frame, which was really a 'quiver' frameset. The engineers knew their athletes would benefit more from a well-rounded workhorse frame, so they began collaborating directly with its team Geox-TMC pro riders during the development process. They used real-time race feedback gathered from the Spanish squad to refine its new frame platform, eventually leading to the Altamira design.

The Altamira's two-year R&D process proved to be a success, as Geox's Juan Jose Cobo relied on his trusty new steed to claim the top spot in 2011's grueling Vuelta. We watched him battle the world's best throughout the Spanish countryside, with the highlight unfolding on stage 15 as he overtook fellow countryman Igor Anton to seal the deal on the famed Angliru climb. His bicycle handled beautifully, reassuring the Fuji team that their hard efforts produced the world-class race machine they had originally set out to build.

Fuji built its top-end Altamira from a high-modulus D-6 carbon blend. This is the highest level of carbon material Fuji manufactures, capable of producing incredibly low tube weights that deliver a stiff yet compliant road feel. Fuji applied the D-6 carbon to the Altamira using a three-tube -- top, head, and down tube -- monocoque front end, which was then molded to a second monocoque section that encompasses the bottom bracket and chainstays. The IST integrated seat tube and seatstays were molded separately, with all of the components assembled together using a modified tube-to-tube joining process. According to Fuji, the joints of the frame were strategically placed in low stress areas of the frame to provide a light, stiff, and vertically-compliant ride.

By working with Geox pro riders, Fuji's engineers were able to tweak the carbon tube shapes for an optimal race-tuned feel. They kept the lower chassis incredibly stiff by mating the large down tube and chainstays to an oversized press-fit BB86 bottom bracket. The enlarged juncture created an ultra-stiff pedaling platform, which, for you, means an efficient transfer of power directly into your rear wheel. Moving up from this section of the frame, Fuji paired a tapered top tube and slender seatstays for an overall balanced road feel. The result in this matchup is a rigid lower half of the frame combined with a more compliant upper section.

Rounding out the front of the frame, a tapered 1-1/8in to 1-1/2in head tube provides maximum rigidity and predictable handling. The fork Fuji developed specifically for the Altamira was molded from a lightweight FC-330 carbon layup. Below its tapered carbon steerer, Fuji's signature flared upper-blade fork design, which works to provide both front end rigidity and aerodynamics, flows down into the slender carbon dropouts.

The frameset includes an FSA No. 42 integrated headset with carbon top cover, a braze-on front derailleur mount, and carbon dropouts (with a replaceable hanger) round out the rear of the frame. And because Shimano was the drivetrain supplier for team Geox-TMC, the Altamira framesets feature pre-drilled cable routing, giving you the option of easily running Di2 components.

The Fuji Altamira LTD Road Bike Frame - 2011 comes in at a claimed weight of 955g. It is available in sizes 44cm, 47cm, 50cm, 53cm, 55cm, and 58 cm and in the Team Geox paint scheme.