MATT HANSON'S KONA BIKE CHECK: HOW A WORLD CHAMP VETERAN SETS UP HIS V-PRi
No athlete on the Quintana Roo team is as experienced and consistent as Matt Hanson. The man hailing from Castle Rock, Colorado, is known for his exceptionally fast running (he holds the marathon record at Challenge Roth), but he has lifted his game to a new level, making huge strides in his swim and bike.
Last time he visited the Big Island, Hanson came away with a Top 10 finish, his best-ever result at the World Championships in Kona. This year, he's hoping for more magic, and with a few big results already in the bag this season, we wouldn't bet against him. Let's take a closer look at the Studio NEXT V-PRi Hanson hopes will help him take down some big names on the Queen K this weekend!
Matt Hanson's Studio NEXT V-PRi
Few athletes know the V-PRi as well as Hanson does. Long before it hit the start line, Matt was riding prototypes, giving feedback, and helping our engineers test what worked and what didn't. His input and real-world testing were a key part of shaping the bike into what it is today.
"One of my favorite parts of working with Quintana Roo is being involved with the development of the V-PRi," says Hanson. "All the internal storage is great. The [Intelligent Integration Cockpit] is fantastic. But my favorite thing is that all the aero improvements actually make a difference. The original V-PR was already great in the wind, but now it's even better. In heavy crosswinds or at really high speed, the V-PRi is just so stable."
That stability matters in Kona, where gusting crosswinds on the Queen K and the climb to Hawi can push riders around for hours. When you can stay low and stay in the aerobars instead of fighting the bike, you save watts and energy for the marathon. For a strong runner like Hanson, that's a huge advantage.
Of course, a bike this fast has to look the part. Hanson's V-PRi wears one of our exclusive Studio NEXT paint schemes in Imola Red. Studio NEXT bikes get high-end automotive-grade paint with color-matched cockpits, and logos that are masked and painted rather than applied as decals. It's a time-consuming process reserved for our pro athletes and the riders who want the pro treatment.
A Kona Bike Built on Experience
Hanson has raced on the Big Island enough times to know exactly what he needs from his bike. Every piece of this build is chosen for speed, comfort, and staying fueled over 180 km through the Kona lava fields.
Up front, Hanson is running the Blackbird Delta Speed Mono Aero bar, a mono extension that hasn't been released to the public yet. Mono aerobars have exploded in popularity, and the Delta Speed cockpit is 100% carbon fiber (many use injection-molded plastic) to maximize aerodynamic performance with minimum weight. It's mounted to QR's Intelligent Integration Cockpit (IIC), which gives him a clean, integrated front end and plenty of adjustability to dial in his position.
Hydration is split between the front and back of the bike using products from Absolute Speed. Between the extensions sits an Absolute Speed BTA bottle holder, which has a molded nose cone that should smooth airflow around the bottle itself. Absolute Speed claims a 19.5 watt gain at 45kph.
Behind his Bisaddle 3D Hurricane Pro saddle is an Absolute Speed rear bottle holder, which Hanson has set up in the two-bottle configuration, a critical change he's made for the Kona heat. The saddle itself uses extra-long carbon rails for maximum position adjustment, and the 3D-printed foam has a more grippy surface texture to help keep you planted while riding.
The drivetrain is Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 with massive 58/44t chainrings. That big gearing lets Hanson keep pushing on the fast, rolling stretches of the Queen K and the screaming descent from Hawi without spinning out. Matching Dura-Ace SPD-SL pedals round out the setup.
For wheels, Hanson will ride the DT Swiss ARC 1100 DICUT 85mm wheels front and rear. Skipping the rear disc in favor of a deep front and rear pairing is a popular choice in Kona, where crosswinds can be unpredictable (and discs are banned). He's wrapped them in 28mm Continental GP 5000 S TR tires, set up tubeless with Silca sealant at 74 PSI for a fast, comfortable ride on the island's rough chip-seal roads.
You can follow Matt Hanson before, during, and after Kona on Instagram or by following QR, where we'll be tracking his progress with excitement!
