MBK Team Cofidis

This one came home in 2020.

MBK is a legendary name in French cycling, carrying the proud heritage of Motobécane. During the late 90s, their collaboration with the Cofidis team put them at the absolute pinnacle of professional racing, proving that their French craftsmanship could compete with the finest Italian brands.

I managed to get two versions of this iconic frame: the Prolight made with Columbus Altec tubing, and the 7005 aluminum tubing version. Looking back at the 1999 season, it is fascinating to see that some pros preferred one while some rode the other. In size 57, the 7005 frame weighs 1770g, whereas the Altec version comes in at a lighter 1550g.

In search of weight savings, I swapped the original Carbon Time fork for a Columbus Minimal fork, which weighs a mere 322g.