In 2018 Vlad Dascalu delivered a great World Cup campaign that culminated in victory at Nove Mesto. For all his races he relied on the Protek 29 FSTeam, a very special mountain bike that has been updated for 2019 thanks to the brand’s distributor in Spain, Bikesur Sport.
Vlad Dascalu’s Protek 29 FSTeam for the 2019 season
The frame of this Protek 29 FSTeam is handmade from T800 carbon at Protek’s facilities in the heart of Italy’s Abruzzo region. Every frame is produced with the same level of care the brand has applied since 1998, when it was born in a small artisan workshop.
The frame of this Protek FSTeam is handmade in Italy
The Prototype Carbon Team rims Vlad has chosen have an external width of 30 mm and are very light. Perfect for boosting comfort and feeling safer on the most aggressive lines. Together with the EVO 4 Boost 110 hubs, they are the ideal pairing for tackling World Cup courses that are getting ever more technical and faster.
Rims and hubs come from the Portuguese brand Prototype
At the rear, this Protek 29 FSTeam sports SRAM’s new electronic groupset, the XX1 Eagle AXS 1×12.
Sram Eagle XX1 AXS
For Vlad it is important to know at all times how much power his legs are putting out, which is why he runs the Rotor 2InPower power meter with a 36-tooth chainring.
Another key feature this season is the inclusion of Kogel components: the pulley wheels and bottom bracket with ceramic bearings ensure the lowest possible friction with far greater durability.
Kogel’s pulley wheels and bottom bracket feature ceramic bearings
To stop this Protek 29 FSTeam, gold Sram Level Ultimate brakes were chosen, together with 160 mm Galfer brake rotors and pads from the same brand.
Galfer rotors deliver powerful, progressive and modulable braking.
Suspension is another major update on Vlad’s mountain bike for 2019: he leaves RockShox behind to fit a Fox fork and shock. This change improves the overall balance of the bike and reduces the weight of the front end.
The Fox 32 Step Cast with Kashima coating is one of the big new features on Vlad’s Protek for 2019
The new MSC Tires hide the Zeroflats Zero CUC inside, a mousse weighing barely 50 grams that adds comfort and reliability.
Beneath the MSC tires hides the Zeroflats Zero CUC mousse
The Look X-Track Ti pedals, with a titanium axle and carbon body, offer the best power-to-weight ratio. The carbon handlebar and seatpost are Protek’s own. The 100 mm stem is by Ritchey and the grips are by Easy Grips.
The Prime saddle from Italian brand Repente weighs just 132 grams.
The Repente Prime saddle is a fine example of elegance, comfort and light weight
Vlad Dascalu’s Protek 29 FSTeam weighs 9.9 kg in total and is ready to kick off the World Cup on 17-19 May in Albstadt.
