Bicycling Australia

Cyclocross? Now there’s a bit of a novelty for me. Vague memories of really muddy northern Europeans running around with bikes on their shoulders spring to mind, but until now, I’ve never tried it. With the first Australian national series about to kick off, however, I suppose now would be a good time to start. Cyclocross enjoys virtually cult status in parts of the US and it certainly helps hone your handling skills for road riding. So, if you were about to embark on this slightly crazy cycling sport, what are you going to ride? Well, I reckon you could do worse than try the Scott CX Team.

The Scott is a smart looking bike. The frame’s black, red and white colour scheme is complemented by the colour-matched Scott-branded seatpost, bar and stem. The frame itself is double-butted 6061 alloy with a sloping top tube for extra standover height and a carbon fork up front. There is some funky profiling on the frame’s main tubes which is presumably more than just for looks. Wheels are Shimano’s R501-30 Aeros. The groupset is predominantly 10-speed Shimano 105, with an Ultegra rear derailleur and an FSA Gossamer CX crank/BB and headset. Brakes are Tektro CX cantilevers. The seat is a Selle Italia Team Edition, similar in shape to the Flite (a personal favourite).

It’s obvious even to non-cyclists that the Scott is not your average road bike. The knobby Schwalbe Rocket Ron tyres and the Tektro cantilevers proclaim the fact that this is a ‘cross bike but Scott haven’t just bolted these onto a road frame. Climb aboard and within a few pedal strokes you’ll notice the difference in handling compared to your roadie. The Scott is super-stable in a straight line, so much so that I stopped to check if the headset was over-tight! The bike really wanted to keep going straight ahead; this is due to the relaxed geometry of the frame/fork. After five minutes I was used to it and never gave it another thought.

On tarmac, with 60 psi in the tyres, the Scott moves along pretty smartly. It does take a little more effort to accelerate out of bends but I was surprised how quick it was. I played catch-up with a group of roadies and kept up for a couple of kilometres before jumping the kerb and heading off across the grass and continuing off-road.

This is where the Scott really comes into its own. Even if you’re not going to race cyclocross, the versatility it offers is not just useful, it’s great fun! It handled grass and dirt sections of my commute far better than a road bike whilst being quicker on the road than my slick-tyred MTB. I deliberately sought out gnarly sections of trail between home and the office, flying over roots and sandy sections that I wouldn’t take my road bike anywhere near.

The Scott ate up everything I threw at it over the weeks that I had it. Off tarmac, I felt compelled to get out of the saddle and ride hard at every opportunity purely because I was having so much fun. It reminded me of riding ‘racing’ bikes all over the place as a kid. These were anything but racing bikes but they had drop bars and five gears and you rode them anywhere regardless of terrain. The point was you had one bike and it did everything because it had to.

As we’ve come to expect from Shimano, gear changes were crisp front and back. The chainrings on the FSA crankset (46/36 tooth) were a good compromise given the varied terrain this bike might see, and mated with the Shimano Tiagra rear cassette (11-28 tooth) the Scott is capable of longer climbs in the saddle as well as short blasts standing up. The Tektro cantilever brakes provided a couple of heart-stopping moments early in the test. Straight out of the box, braking with my hands positioned on the hoods proved inadequate to stop the Scott as quickly as I’d have liked. As time went on, the pads did bed in to some extent and braking from the drops was much better, but I never became totally confident braking from the hoods. Cantilevers of this type are typical cyclocross stoppers and I suspect these just needed a bit of tinkering to bring them up to scratch; the angles between the various cables and brake arm components are critical for good braking. That said, now that they’re UCI legal, a set of cable disc brakes would work better without adding much to the price.

Overall finish and detail on the Scott was good. I liked the replaceable derailleur hanger and the eyelets at the drop-outs for a rack and mudguards. I suspect the bike would make a good soft-road tourer given its comfort and stability. I’d have liked derailleur adjusters near the bars but that’s a small point, although it might be important during a muddy cyclocross race. All cables are externally routed, with the rear brake cable on top of the top tube making it slightly more comfortable to shoulder the bike. There’s reasonable clearance between tyre and frame for muddy courses.

I didn’t race this bike but I did my best to create the conditions you might meet – muddy track, short sharp climbs and descents, some steps to carry the bike up and down – and it was great fun. I suspect most people would use the Scott for a variety of riding. If you’re after a bike that does more than pure road rides, the Scott CX Team is a pretty good bet. You’ll just have to get used to explaining to passers-by and other cyclists just why it looks that little bit different.

Price: $2,199

Distributed by Sheppard Cycles

www.sheppardcycles.com

However up until now I have not had the pleasure of owning or even riding a titanium frame. So I was excited to get my hands on the Van Nicholas Aquilo to see if titanium could live up to the hype.

The inherent strength of titanium alloy allows bike designers to do things that other materials won’t allow. The tubing, as thin as it is, is still able to be etched, allowing branding and logos to be engraved onto the frame which gives it a subtle and stylish look. From my perspective, painting a titanium frame is bordering on sacrilege and thankfully the Aquilo has been allowed to shine in all its glory. The brushed finish of the alloy is flawless and the welds are every bit as neat and tidy as I have come to expect from titanium frames. In keeping with the theme of precision is the use of Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 groupset, a choice that is becoming increasingly popular due to its reliability, function and increasing affordability.

Another thing I have noticed over the years with titanium bikes is that wheel choice can make or break the aesthetic of the bike. The Aquilo comes equipped with a race ready set of FFWD carbon/alloy clinchers, a smooth rolling pair of wheels that are swift enough to use in all but the hilliest of races, yet durable enough to use as your everyday wheelset, keeping your bike looking its best on a daily basis. The remaining components also finish off the ensemble nicely. The Easton EC90 SLX fork, despite being a relative lightweight, is stiff enough to not show any signs of flex, and keeps the Aquilos steering sharp and reliable. Van Nicholas’s own VNT Elements bars and stem take care of the steering duties. They are fairly standard range kit with the bars being a traditional bend. The saddle is a PRO Condor AF, with an anatomic shape and cut-out, not really a perfect fit for me but relatively comfortable nonetheless.

It is often difficult when testing a bike, to try to put the bike through its paces in all conditions that a prospective owner might encounter. However on one particular morning I was able to give it a pretty good shot. I had left home one showery Saturday morning on my way to the local races. It’s a 40-minute ride which takes in good quality roads, a section of bike path, a few short sharp hills, Sydney traffic, a quick criterium and then a dash to my daughter’s netball game. On the smooth hot-mix the Aquilo hummed along nicely, giving that silent, stealth-like ride that you hope your bike maintains throughout its entire life. Onto the bike path and the ‘steel like’ shock absorbing properties of titanium come to the fore. The traditional-looking frame and titanium seatpost proved to be an equal to purpose-built carbon classics frames, with large shocks dampened to a dull thud while still retaining bottom-end stiffness. Dodgy path joins and patchy bitumen are all handled with great aplomb and dental work intact. The Aquilo’s razor sharp, precise steering also kept me clear of iPod wearing walkers and errant dogs who seem to think bike riders shouldn’t be on bike paths. A few sharp hills just to warm the legs pre-race revealed a frame that was as stiff as you could want. The titanium frame seems better able to give the stiffness you require in the places you need it without sending shockwaves through the frame, and without the need for enormous bottom bracket clusters or wafer thin seat stays. With the package weighing in at 8.1kg there is a bit of a weight penalty over similarly priced bikes, but when you weigh that up against the durability of a titanium frame it can be a close thing.

The Di2 got a good workout over both sides of the short, sharp hills. Shuffling through the gears is a breeze, with everything taken care of with the touch of a button. If you haven’t ridden Di2 and aren’t convinced of the need for electronic shifting, all it takes is one shift up to the big ring under stress and you will be a convert. Ultegra Di2 is what is on my daily ride as well, and apart from being faultless so far, the battery life is nothing short of amazing. The Aquilo is built for Di2 so the cable routing is optimised for the Shimano groupset. The battery is neatly paced on the drive side chainstay, which from side-on renders it almost entirely concealed behind the chainrings. Not being used to the compact rings found me cross-chaining which is something I usually try to avoid, however you feel less inclined to worry about this cycling faux-pas as the Di2 self-trims the front derailleur and there is no chain rub. There was another reason to avoid cross-chaining though, the discovery of an annoying noise when cross-chaining which appeared to be the chain flicking the pick-ups when in the small chainring and small cog. While I’m being fussy, I must mention that with so much work going into internally routing the Di2 cabling, I would like to see the rear brake cable also internally routed to totally clean up the lines.

Onto the racing and this is where the Aquila was built to shine. Titanium bikes are a bit of a rarity at the best of times, but if you are after a titanium race rocket your options are even more limited. Allowing for the fact that the bars and saddle were not my usual fare I was still able to quickly and confidently slot the Aquilo into the racing bunch with confidence. It responded well to changes in speed and direction without any hiccups. The deep carbon wheels take a little longer to wind up and are obviously more suited to straight lines and flat tracks, but are a good enough compromise that they are not really worth swapping out for race specific wheels. Out of the saddle sprinting the frame exhibited a stiffness that was surprising and didn’t exhibit the springiness I had expected of a titanium frame. There is very good value for any effort you put in with this frame and with the excellent race handling I was able to maintain good speed out of the corners and into the straights.

After making the podium and pocketing a few dollars for my efforts, I had to make a quick dash to my daughter’s netball game. Flicking through the gears on the Di2 was becoming a necessity as my legs were toasted from the race. The joy of Di2 is that all shifts are equally effortless and precise. I find I shift more when on Di2 due to the convenience, and this in turn allows my legs to sit at their optimal cadence. On to a long, straight downhill and I was easily able to sit with the traffic in a 60kph zone. A time like this is when you need full confidence in your bike. Obstacles come at you pretty quickly at that speed, especially when they appear from under the car in front. The Aquilo’s ability to hug the road coupled with the precise nature of the steering made the downhill leg safe, swift and enjoyable. That enjoyment was short lived however, when a Sydney motorist gave me the opportunity to test the braking capacity to its fullest. The Ultegra brake levers were gripped fiercely and the bike slowed quickly and surely. The Aquilo came to a complete stop with the front tyre resting on the rear bumper of the 4x4. I must say I’m quite happy with the combination of the FFWD aluminium rimmed carbon wheels, Ultegra brakes and the Schwalbe Ultremo tyres. It’s nice when premium products combine seamlessly. Even nicer, as in this instance, when they save my bacon and allow me to ride another day.

Summing Up

Quality: It almost seems a moot point discussing quality when talking about titanium frames as I don’t think I ever seen a poorly executed one. The Van Nicholas is beautifully finished and is adorned with top quality and durable parts from Shimano and FFWD.

Performance: If the Aquilo is intended to be a race bike it certainly fits the bill in spades. It is stiff and responsive and the precise shifting of the Di2 makes it perfectly suited to racing situations. The race ready wheels are also a nice touch, but none of the parts are fragile or should be considered to be for race only.

Value for money: At $6,400 the Aquilo is at the top end of Ultegra builds. However as it includes a great pair of wheels the cost can be justified. It also comes with titanium bottle cages to keep it all matching. Apart from suiting those who want something a bit more substantial than a carbon frame it would also suit those who want one bike to do the dual jobs of a race and training bike.

Overall: Classic lines, aerospace materials, high tech components; the Aquilo has it all. A bike for those who don’t want a carbon frame, prefer the style of a more traditional frame, or want the durability of titanium. The Aquilo is a race bike with café cred that doesn’t need to be treated with kid gloves and will still look good in many years to come.

Specs

Frame Van Nicholas Titanium

Fork Easton EC90 SLX Carbon

Headset FSA Orbit

Stem Van Nicholas VNT Alloy

Handlebars Van Nicholas VNT Alloy Classic bend

Saddle PRO Condor

Seatpost Van Nicholas Titanium

Shift Levers Shimano Ultegra Di2

Brakes Shimano Ultegra

Front derailleur Shimano Ultegra Di2

Rear Derailleur Shimano Ultegra Di2

Cassette Shimano Ultegra 12-25

Chain Shimano Ultegra

Crank Shimano Ultegra 50-34T, 172.5

Bottom Bracket Shimano Ultegra

Wheels FFWD F6RC Carbon Clinchers

Tyres Schwalbe Ultremo R1

Bidon Cage Van Nicholas Titanium

Pedals n/a

Weight $8.1 kg without pedals

Price $6,400

Distributor www.blueglobe.com.au

Need a bike with style and comfort? Lapierre’s Sensium 400 CP fits perfectly into both these categories.

With the eyes of the cycling world recently focused on France, it’s a perfect time to road test a true French racing machine. The Sensium 400 is a bike with looks, performance, and comfort, upon which any cyclist at any level, would be more than happy to be racking up the miles.

Lapierre have been involved in frame building and bike technologies for more than 60 years. The French cycle building company have been involved with elite level cycling teams including FDJ for a number of years. FDJ continue to use Lapierre race bikes and work with the company to help develop and innovate their racing machines to suit the requirements of the riders using them.

Lapierre have categorised their bikes into a number of different levels with the Sensium 400 landing in the performance category of the Lapierre range. This second generation Sensium 400 has some significant improvements over the previous version. This enables it to stay in the race of providing great value and innovations that all carbon bike producers strive to offer. The frame has been coated with a high gloss paint finish which is becoming a little less common, with many other carbon manufactures going for more flat coated finishes. With the additional white and red colouring to the mainly black gloss frame, the bike looks superb. It’s definitely going to stand out when parked against all the other latest road machines at the local coffee shop.

The Sensium 400 is lighter than the previous model, coming in at 7.5kg, which seems to be one of the more standard numbers in the world of carbon road bikes nowadays. Most notable is the elastomer connection where the saddle stays join the saddle tube. Lapierre says this helps to absorb and dissipate vibrations while still allowing you to transmit all your power to the rear wheel via the bottom bracket and chain stays. It is vaguely reminiscent of Specialized’s Zertz inserts, though they don’t appear here on the forks.

Lapierre also claim to have made improvements in the vertical flex to this frame to keep the bike solid and responsive under all conditions. I found the Sensium 400 to be a super comfortable machine with a very relaxed saddle and head angle. The bike is ideal for those longer days out in the saddle, but still gives the rider plenty of performance when it’s required. Cornering, descending, and climbing were all a breeze. If there was one small, yet noticeable problem I could find, it was during a big aggressive sprint. While out of the saddle, a small amount of flex was evidenced in the rear stays. I did give the bike some real torture to be able to feel this and during normal treatment and riding, this would never be noticed. And of course, one man’s flex is another man’s comfort.

The carbon monocoque frame is combined with a straight blade, carbon tapered aero fork, that provides great steering and balance at the front end of the bike. Cornering and descending were a true indication that the Sensium was perfectly set up to allow the rider to choose any line required when and where needed. The alloy headset tapers from 1 ½ to 1 1/8 which is a feature of many good quality carbon bikes around these days.

SRAM Force is the groupset of choice on the Sensium 400 and not having used this group before, I was very surprised by the performance despite it being an ‘entry level’ model. I would be quite happy to race with Force on my bike. The bike is fitted with a SRAM GPX threaded bottom bracket and attached to this were a set of SRAM Force compact cranks. The 175mm carbon cranks were a super inclusion on this bike. The enjoyment of the extra length crank made this bike a true pleasure to climb on. SRAM have added 34 and 50 tooth chainrings to these cranks, allowing any big berg to be easily overcome with the combination of the 12-28 cassette. This is a very user-friendly spec.

Lapierre have also combined this frame with a great set of wheels. The Mavic Ksyrium Elite is a wheel that has stood the test of time. They are super strong and more than good enough to race on. Attached is a set of Hutchinson Equinox 2 tyres and this inclusion makes for a very satisfying part of the test. Often wheels are the place where bike brands try to save money, resulting in heavy and unresponsive hoops. It’s great to see that this hasn’t happened here.

As mentioned earlier the comfort level of this bike was superb. A good reason for this was also the quality saddle that was included. The Selle Italia X1 was one of the most comfortable saddles I have ever used. Small inclusions like this one can make a huge difference when riding a bike for the first time and more emphasis should be put into this area as we spend more than 90% of our riding time on the saddle during a normal ride. Lapierre have used Ritchey to supply the stem, saddle post and bars to this model. I found them to be capable and they helped piece together a smooth and comfortable ride.

The performance category from Lapierre has six Sensium models with the 400 CP the top level machine in this range. There are also five different sizes on offer from 46cm through to 58cm. There are three different models to choose from in the 400 range and Lapierre have developed an amazing website in which you are able to see exactly how your bike would look if you were to buy a frameset only, then build up the bike with your own personal components. This includes everything from wheels to paint to every other changeable component on offer. The monocoque frameset comes in at $2799, including bottom bracket, headset and derailleur hanger.

Overall the Lapierre Sensium 400 SL will be a bike that can suit most bodies and riding styles. It was very impressive in all levels of testing and was full of good quality inclusions. This bike may not come out of the top level of the Lapierre stable, but it does tick all the boxes without having a hefty price tag attached to it. Have it built for you, jump on and enjoy the personalised touches.

SUMMING UP

Quality

Lapierre have continued to be at the cutting edge of true race quality bikes and although this machine is outside their race spec category, the bike is of a high quality throughout. It could easily be used as a race bike with its quality components and wheels.

Performance

Very good. As Lapierre are so heavily involved with the FDJ WorldTour Team, this bike benefits from the huge amount of input from some of the best road riders around the world. The Sensium 400 lacked nothing in any one area and it had a comfort level second to none.

Value

At under $4,500 for a full carbon frame with quality components and wheels, this bike is reasonable value. It has been built well without leaving the rider short in any area. You could jump on and be ready for any long ride or race of your choice.

Overall

This bike was a real comfort machine, and with the more relaxed angles of the saddle and head tube, any rider of any age could cruise around for hours on this bike and be comfortable doing it. Good components in all areas made this bike one to look for in the ever increasing choice of good quality carbon bikes on the market. Having the opportunity to customise it is an added bonus.

Specifications

Frame :Lapierre Carbon monocoque

Fork: Lapierre Carbon Tapered

Headset: Alloy intergrated1.5-11/8

Stem: Ritchey Comp 4 Axis

Handlebars: Ritchey Road Compcurve 31.8

Saddle: Selle Italia X1

Saddle Post: Ritchey Comp 2B 27.2x300mm

Shift Levers: SRAM Force black

Brakes: SRAM Force

Front Derailleur: SRAM Force

Rear Derailleur: SRAM Force 10 speed

Cassette: Shimano Tiagra CS-4600 12-28

Chain: Shimano Tiagra

Cranks: SRAM Force 50/34 175mm

Bottom Bracket: SRAM GXP Threaded BB

Wheels: Mavic Ksyrium Elite M10 Black

Tyres: Hutchinson Equinox 2 TS 700x23c

Weight: 7.5kg 56cm

Price: $4,499

Distributor:

Advance Traders

www.advancetraders.com.au

Ph.1300 361 686

Finally it seems that the slow growing Cyclocross racing scene in Australia is taking off. With a National CX race series underway, the ground swell is increasing. So now could be the perfect time to add another bike to the quiver–one that could actually become one of your most ridden bikes in the shed…

Whyte have a series of ‘cross bikes all based on a slightly different platform than the standard. On test here is their top of the tree, the Saxon Cross. A disc brake equipped, carbon forked race bike. Whyte bikes are designed in the UK, for UK conditions so things such as tyre clearance are looked after early on in the design process.

The fit of the Maxxis Raze 33c tyres through both the fork and rear end is open and free. Jumping on the current trend of disc brakes on ‘cross bikes opens up this area even more. The frame is constructed of custom drawn triple butted alloy and is fitted with all the latest options, tapered steerer, internal headset, and direct mount disc tabs with a neat brace at the left hand rear dropout.

With a full carbon fork and a tapered steerer, the front end is solid and dependable but one of the interesting facts with the Whyte compared to other ‘cross bikes in the market is the front end. The head angle is over two degrees slacker than your average crosser, which makes a major difference in the stability, speed of the handling, and of course steering, and that’s important when you go off road.

Shifting is taken care of by SRAM Apex and Rival components. This is mated to a FSA crankset running 36/46 chainrings and a 12-28 cassette. This is a standard Cyclocross setup and also works well on the road as a commuter. The paint finish is class leading and kept looking good regardless of what I through at it.

With all cables running full length outers and kept out of harm’s way (read mud and sand) along the top tube, years of hassle free shifting and braking should be no problem. I had slight concerns about the cable guides running along the top tube. They look like you could get caught up on them in the event of an off, but there were no problems during the test.

Standing back and looking at this new bike in my shed after taking delivery, it became apparent that it could have many uses over the next few months. As a commuter, the Saxon Cross can handle the rigours of the trip to work, jumping up and down gutters or a few stairs outside the office and not being concerned at all about a gravel car park or two. It could even make getting to work fun. Onboard the Whyte, you find yourself looking for things to play on, not things to avoid. That grassy park down at the corner soon becomes a great shortcut. Either wet or dry, the Whyte will excel.

Also, when cruising around on my local commute and seeing the amount of people getting to work on a mountain bike I thought, don’t they know that they could leave home later and get to work faster and with less effort on one of these?

As a touring bike, the strong eyeleted Alex rims and sealed bearing hubs along with 33c tyres make for a dependable wheelset that I couldn’t fault throughout the test. Even after an over excited off- road trip ended in a front pinch flat, the wheels stayed nice and true. Coming stock with rack mounts, two sets of biddon mounts, and a down tube mudguard mount, it’s a great base for getting off the beaten track. These are not always standard on a ‘cross bike but are a welcome addition on the Whyte.

Throwing the Saxon ‘cross at a CX course, the slower steering will suit a lesser experienced pilot, being very forgiving and easy to control in the softer stuff, and therefore keeping you upright for longer. The cable disc brakes also stand out here, with much easier setup and more stopping power than rim brakes. These traits also crossed over into the fire trails and singletrack that the Whyte ended up attacking on an increasing basis. With predictable steering and great brakes, it handled the trails with no problems–opening up riding options that your regular road bike will never see.

At around 10kg, first impressions were that it might be on the heavy side. After getting out and about, the slight weight penalty, possibly due to the disc brakes, was forgotten and the complete package fell into place. This is one fun machine.

So as a solid commuter, tourer or Cyclocross race bike, all the basses are covered. Looks, performance and reliability.

Price $2,475

Distributed by Carbuta

Ph. 0439 902 770

Let me ask you a question. Imagine you’d always coveted a famous brand of Italian bicycles. Perhaps they’d had Tour de France winners and an unbroken race sponsorship. They’d previously been manufactured in Italy but in modern times were made in Taiwan and then shipped back to Italy for painting in their own factory. You’d still want one wouldn’t you? Particularly if they rode well and looked good. Well? The reason I ask, is that apart from the Italian heritage and Tour winners, I’ve just described Azzurri bikes.

Azzurri and their parent company Learsport have been in the bike business for nearly 25 years. They’ve made a huge number of frames in that time, which has gained them an enviable amount of experience when it comes to design and carbon layup. Bikes are created by Azzurri designers to their own specifications, manufactured in Taiwan and then shipped to the company’s own workshop, also in Taiwan, for painting. They then come to Australia.

Any discussion of Azzurri has to include the issue of buying direct. To many people, particularly bike shop owners, selling direct to the customer is an evil and should be stamped out. There’s no doubt that big overseas companies have made a dent into Australian distributors’ income. But is it such a problem if the direct supplier is an Australian company? I don’t know, but it is definitely something that is on the increase. Azzurri have an interesting business model which is somewhere in between the two. Yes they do sell direct through cyclingexpress.com, and incidentally currently employ 15 people in their Melbourne premises. However, they also have a network of bike stores around the country where you can collect your new bike, elect to get a professional fit or buy accessories. It seems a pretty fair way of doing things. Customers get cheaper bikes, shops get a profit and so do the distributors.

The Mezzo Pro on test here is a good indication of how the design process works. This model has been on the top of the Azzurri stable for some years. It is designed as a race bike, to be fast in a race and to add a bit of zing to an all-day ride. It has a monocoque, semi compact frame, with a short head tube. However the previous models were found to be a bit on the twitchy side when it came to cornering. Quite a bit actually, which is fine if you’re a full time crit racer and need to zip in and out of the pack, but less so for the rest of us, particularly on long, fast descents.

Azzurri tackled the problem and the result is the Mezzo Pro you see here. Similar to the previous model, this is a unidirectional monocoque frame with a different lay-up. More carbon has been added to the bottom bracket area to increase stiffness, and less in the seat stays and seat tube to add some more compliance for longer racers or for the rider who wants a fast bike to ride all day.

Extra carbon has also been added to the head tube to provide more stiffness and therefore, more steering control. It’s interesting to note that this bike has a 1 1/8 headset. Where other manufacturers have increased the stiffness by going down the oversize headset route, Azzurri have stayed traditional. Personally, I haven’t decided if this is the best way, or moving forward with new technology is better. Perhaps nether is ‘better’ if they achieve the same outcome. Additional stability has been added by slightly extending the fork rake and creating new moulds to give the frame a slightly longer wheelbase. It all makes for a bike which can tackle any corner or any downhill.

I didn’t ride the old Mezzo, but I can tell you that descending and cornering on this bike was excellent. Really, really good. Even with the low head tube I still enjoyed it. Despite increasing the length of the head tube on this model, it’s still pretty low (125mm) and if you’re coming from a less racy frame it may take a bit of getting used to, although there are smaller ones out there. But it does put you into the perfect position for going downhill fast. And having that rigidity will help you go even faster.

This bike also works well on the flat and when the road begins to go up. Our test model came with a pair of Mavic’s Ksyrium SL wheels and I have to say that I’m a big fan of these hoops. It seems like they’ve been around forever and that usually indicates that something is pretty good. The SL on these wheels stands for ‘super light’ and despite regular updates, at 1,485g it would be a bit of a stretch to still call them that. Still they’re respectable and are very stiff. Firm wheels at under 1,500g are a definite advantage when climbing, as is a stiff bottom bracket. I had no dramas at all, riding uphill on the Mezzo Pro, quite the opposite in fact. This bike gobbles climbs for breakfast and will leave enough in your tank to hit the drops as you fly down the other side.

The Mezzo Pro comes with two different wheel options, Ksyrium as seen here and Mavic Elite wheels for $500 less. All other components are the same on either models and include Continental’s excellent Ultra Race tyres and Fizik’s manganese-railed Arione saddle. FSA seem to throw their bars and seatposts to any bike manufacturer they can find, which can sometimes result in a good frame let down with heavy seatposts and stems. Here we see some of FSA’s better options, a carbon SL-K seatpost, OS-150 stem and alloy Wing Pro bars. Good and useful stuff but there’s still room for the weight weenies to lower the reading on the scales. The Mezzo Pro also comes fitted with Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 groupset, and lets face it, it had to. Ultegra Di2 is the current battleground in the war of the bike manufacturers because it works so well and is good value. As usual, it worked flawlessly.

So was there anything that I didn’t like? Well, I thought that four available sizes isn’t very many, particularly as the largest size has a 570mm horizontal top tube measurement. The smallest is 525mm and while that range will fit a lot of people, the option of a larger model would be nice.

I did like the paint job. The blue and black colour scheme looks excellent, particularly the shade of blue that has been chosen. But I felt that the 12k decorative weave let the side down a little, particularly as the frame is made from unidirectional carbon. Unidirectional is the current fashion because a woven layer is purely decorative, having no structural function. Frame makers like unidirectional because it makes people think that the frame is lighter. Having a 12k weave seems, as a friend said recently, “so 2008”. Perhaps Azzurri feel the same way, as their next model (a sub 800g frame) won’t have the weave and it will be available in five sizes.

As I mentioned before, Ultegra Di2 is one of the main battlegrounds in bicycle sales. You can purchase bikes with this groupset beginning at $2,700 and go right up to just under $5,000. The $3,500 you’ll pay for this bike with the Mavic Elite wheels is pretty spot-on, but in my opinion, it’s worth paying the extra for the Ksyrium SLs. They take this bike from being a good bike, to being an extremely good bike.

When I test a bike I have a range of terrains that I ride each time. There’s steep hills, downhills, hot mix and chip. And of course, dirt and gravel. This bike passed all of these with flying colours. But the big test is when I ask myself whether if this was the only bike that I could ride, would I be happy with it? The answer in this case is a very definite yes.

Summing Up

Quality

Unidirectional carbon (with a 12k weave!) and a good wheel spec makes this a high quality bike. It also has the extremely reliable Ultegra Di2 and a parts mix that doesn’t need changing.

Performance

Excellent. The Mezzo Pro Di2 descends, it climbs and it plays the piano. No, seriously, if you bought this bike not only would you not need to replace any of the parts, you wouldn’t feel that you needed a better bike either.

Value

A sizeable chunk of the $3,999 you’ll pay for this bike is in the wheels. So it’s also available with Mavic’s Elite wheelset. This would save you $500, but I feel that if you can afford it, then go with the SL’s. There are a one or two manufacturers who are putting very inexpensive Ultegra Di2 bikes into the market. You can get them for under $3,000. My honest opinion is that this bike rides like a $5000-$5700 steed. And, the frame does come with a lifetime warranty. So for those reasons I think its good value. If Ultegra Di2 is your main reason for buying, it can be done more cheaply, but you may find this is a better package.

Overall

An excellent bike from an Australian owned company. It rides like a more expensive model yet is still within many people’s budgets. None of the components need to be changed, but if you’re still looking at shedding some weight, it can be done. Give it a go, I think you’ll be impressed.

Specifications

Frame: Azzurri Mezzo Pro UD Carbon

Fork: Azzurri 700C UD Carbon

Stem: FSA OS-150

Handlebars FSA Wing Pro alloy

Saddle Fizik Arione w. manganese rail

Seat post: FSA SL-K carbon

Shift Levers Shimano Ultegra Di2

Brakes Shimano Ultegra

Front derailleur Shimano Ultegra Di2 10 Speed

Rear derailleur Shimano Ultegra Di2 10 Speed

Cassette Shimano Ultegra 11-25T

Chain Shimano 10 speed

Crank Shimano Ultegra 10 Speed

Bottom Bracket FSA BB30

Wheels Mavic Ksyrium SL

Tyres Continental Ultra Race 700x23c

Pedals N/A

Weight 7.3kgs

Price $3999

Distributor Azzurri Bikes

Italian flair meets Japanese technology on the new Di2 specc’d Bottecchia Super 8Avio.

It may seem like heresy, but the Bottecchia Super 8Avio was a bit of an enigma to me when I first came across it. The brand was unfamiliar and, for a start, how exactly do you say the name? Bottecchia is the easy bit, but is that the ‘eight-avio’ model? Getting to the bottom of this was easy with a bit of research and revealed an interesting snippet of cycling history.

Ottavio (anglicised as Octavio, with ‘Oct’ being the ‘8’ in the model name) Bottecchia was an Italian cyclist of the 1920s. In fact, he was the first Italian to win the Tour de France (1924, after a second place the previous year) and again in 1925. Then, in 1927, Bottecchia was found dead by an Italian roadside, his skull crushed by a rock and his bicycle propped up against a wall. Circumstances surrounding his death have remained a mystery ever since.

Bottecchia had been working with bicycle frame builder Teodoro Carnielli and it is Carnielli’s family company that still manufactures Bottecchia bicycles today. So, there is quite a long pedigree to the Bottecchia brand.

And so to the bike. The Super 8Avio is based on the company’s wind tunnel tested, monocoque Toray carbon frame, with a semi-integrated carbon fork. From the large diameter head tube, the top tube tapers down towards the curved seat stays via a beautifully sculpted seat tube joint. The chainstays are tapered and curved, meeting the seat tube and down tube at the substantial bottom bracket. A closer look at the frame from beneath reveals more unique tube shaping, designed to combine slippery aerodynamics, performance and comfort. An aero-bladed carbon fork completes the package up front. The test bike’s black, white and red finish with matching graphics (with a splash of green against the red and white making up the Italian tri-colour) is flawless and the whole set-up shouts ‘quality’ in an Italian accent.

On paper, one of the highlights of the Super 8Avio is the full Shimano Ultegra Di2 groupset. This was my first encounter with Di2 electronic gear shifting and I was, to be honest, a bit wary of it. Shifting with cables has been around for a long time and works pretty well, right? How much better can the electronic system be? To start with, the shifter ‘buttons’ are really just machined areas on the brake lever. They are positioned just where you’d push the lever on a traditional set-up so changing gear is very intuitive if you’ve come from a Shimano cable system. In use, the rear derailleur shifted perfectly and I was suitably impressed. The system never missed a beat at the back and I soon forgot about it being different. It worked brilliantly and with less effort than cables.

Initially, the front derailleur was a different animal entirely. Gear changes were quick and accurate but the automatic trim feature (which adjusts the position of the derailleur cage to clear the chain depending on which sprocket you are using at the back) was less than perfect. Chain rub was very obvious in a number of gears. Not having a clue about how to adjust the unit, I admitted defeat and dropped the bike in to my favourite shop where the derailleur was re-fitted. The transformation was immediate and obvious. Perfect shifting with minimal effort, and zero chain rub in any gear combination, even the extreme big ring/big sprocket and small ring/small sprocket combinations which I’d normally avoid. The lesson? Shimano have done their homework when it comes to electronic shifting so if you have a problem it more than likely to be in the set-up.

I’m sure there are those out there who’d be quite happy never to have electronic gear-shifts. I was one of them! It’s a bit clinical – there’s no real feedback through the lever as to what’s happening at the derailleur. But the essential point is there doesn’t need to be. I found myself changing gear more than usual, particularly at the front, because it worked so well. I wouldn’t upgrade an existing bike but I’d go for it on a new one. I suspect that in a few years I won’t even have a choice.

The Super 8Atavio has a standard 53/39 crankset and a 12/27 cassette. I appreciated the spread of gears at the back, with the 27-tooth sprocket providing a comfortable option for longer and steeper climbs. As for the rest of the groupset, the grey anodising looks sharp and the brakes were excellent. I’m not sure I like the look of the Di2 shifters but that’s a small point. Similar to most electronic equipped bikes on the market, the battery pack for the Di2 is mounted to the down tube below the bottle cage and shares the mounting screws. There’s also a zip-tie clamping the bottom of the battery pack. This looks a bit like an afterthought but the arrangement is common on many frames, with manufacturers only just beginning to design specifically for Di2. Personally I wish they’d hurry up as a zip tie really isn’t good enough. Brake cables and wiring are internally routed.

Moving along, the wheels are a pair of Fulcrum Racing 5s in black and white, but with a couple of silver spokes thrown in either side of the tyre valve for a distinctive touch. Taking the front one off to load the bike onto the car revealed they’re not quite as light as my personal Zipp 101s. Claimed weight for the pair is 1,760g though I found them to be slightly more than that. Fulcrum describes the 5 as a durable training wheel for everyday use and I’d agree. They rolled well and stayed true over the month I used the bike, but I wouldn’t be racing on them anytime soon. The tyres are white Vittoria Zaffiro 2s. I have to say I like my tyres black on principle but they performed just fine out on the road. They didn’t stay white for very long though…

The Zero 100 bar and the Corsa Zero 100 stem are both from Deda. Both are colour-matched to the frame and there are plenty of spacers included above the integrated headset providing fine-tuning options for your riding position. The fork, stem and bar combination is noticeably stiffer than other bikes I’ve ridden recently and you can certainly feel the road through them, but the ride wasn’t harsh. In fact, I thought that overall the Bottecchia was very comfortable over longer rides. Bottecchia claims that the seat tube design is intended to combine shock absorption near the top while providing a stiff bottom bracket area and I think that comes across very well in the ride. A matching Deda Superzero seatpost completes the componentry package, with a nicely sculpted seat clamp gripping a white and red San Marco Team saddle. As is common with Italian bikes these days, seatpost, stem and bars are painted to match the frame.

My first week or so with the Bottecchia was overshadowed by the aforementioned front derailleur woes, but once adjusted I rode it on some extended trips up and down the hills of the Illawarra escarpment. Comfort is evident but not at the expense of climbing ability, with that 39/27 gearing coming into its own when crawling up some of the steeper sections such as Bald Hill or The Wall near Otford. Downhill, the Bottecchia inspires confidence, with impressive stability through bends. On the flat it accelerates smartly and with some dedicated race wheels I think it would really fly. As a package, the Super 8Avio has just about everything you’d expect to see on a mid range bike; Ultegra Di2, Deda components and a classy look. About the only thing I wasn’t a fan of on the bike was the handlebar tape. The carbon fibre-look tape wouldn’t be my first choice – I like something a bit softer with a bit of ‘give’.

The Bottecchia Super 8Avio is a performance-oriented bike with a nod to comfort for long days in the saddle. As a bonus, the bike is steeped in Italian style and cycling history. It looks bellissimo and, coupled with its relative rarity on the streets and the Di2, the Bottecchia draws curious looks from other cyclists when parked outside the coffee shop. There’s also a Campagnolo option for the whole-hog Italian experience. Given the obvious quality of the frame and the top end components, a quick fling with this Italian beauty could develop into a long-term affair!

Quality

Excellent frame and components to match. Attention to detail in the build was generally good though the front derailleur needed re-fitting to get perfect gear changes. This issue would normally be picked up at set-up stage by the bike shop.

Performance

This bike is comfortable and fast. Ride it all day straight out of the box or swap the wheels to lose a few grams and it’s a full-on race bike.

Value

At $6,299 the Bottecchia may struggle to compete with more mainstream brands on performance alone. Throw in some Italian style and pedigree and you begin to justify the extra expense. Think Ferrari – but the engine is BYO!

Overall

I really enjoyed the Bottecchia. It rides beautifully, turns heads and is that little bit different from the more run-of-the mill bikes out there. If you’re looking for a bike that competes on performance, has the latest gadgetry in the form of Di2, but has that extra something that makes it stand out from the pack, the Bottecchia should be on your shortlist.

Specs

Frame Toray 12k Carbon Monocoque

Fork Toray 12k Carbon

Head Set Deda

Stem Deda Zero 100

Handlebars Deda Corsa Zero 100

Saddle Selle San Marco Team

Seat Post Deda Super Zero

Shift Levers Shimano Ultegra Di2 10sp

Brakes Shimano Ultegra

Front Derailleur Shimano Ultegra Di2

Rear Derailleur Shimano Ultegra Di2 10sp

Cassette Shimano Ultegra 12-27

Chain Shimano Shimano 105

Crank Shimano Ultegra 10sp

Wheels Fulcrum Racing 5

Tyres Vittoria Zaffiro

Weight 7.3kg without pedals

Price $6,299

Designed for Thor Hushovd, BMC takes a brave step and in the process sets a new benchmark for cobbles and mass participation rides with their new GranFondo race bike.

There seems to be an increasing trend for bicycle manufacturers to recognise that not everyone needs to have the stiffest bike on the market, partly because there is a sizeable increase in the number of people using their bikes in a number of different situations.

Increasingly, the words Gran Fondo are appearing on cyclists’ lips. Taking over from the French word ‘randonee’ or even Cyclo Sportive, Gran Fondos are appearing everywhere. The idea is simple; a mass participation ride, usually over a long distance with tough terrain, where riders challenge themselves by the clock or their mates. As a general rule, Gran Fondos are not races, although some riders do treat them as such. In Europe you will find prize money and awards but here in Australia the events are participation only.

Despite the GF01 being a BMC Team race bike, they have named this model GranFondo because they believe it personifies everything a rider could want in such an event. A bike which is quick and responsive enough to keep you going quickly, is light enough to ride up the toughest of climbs, will absorb enough small bumps and road vibration to keep you fresh all day and also to be able to handle a bit of rough stuff. Let’s see how they went.

When the BMC designers set to work on this model they had two things on their mind. Thor Hushovd and Paris-Roubaix. The big Norwegian has finished second and third in the Hell of the North and BMC wanted to put him on the top step of the podium. Unfortunately for them, and for Thor, it appears he was riding with a serious virus and despite finishing 14^th, was in a good position before crashing. That virus saw Thor eventually pull out of the Giro, the Tour and the Olympic Road Race. All that aside, BMC would have been happy to see him right up there with the leaders on their new bike. They would have been even more happy to see Alessandro Ballan make the podium on it in the same race.

BMC claim their new fork design is 20% stiffer and 40% more comfortable.

It sounds like a simple thing, especially if you say it quickly; build a bike that’s faster than the others and glides over the cobbles. But it’s not that easy. BMC have tackled the problem in a different and interesting way. The first point of contact on a cobblestone is the tyres and BMC have gone right out on a limb here by specc’ing 28c tyres on the GF01. There has been an increase in tyre widths in recent years with many manufacturers heading to 25c and creating wheels to match. Many people would see 28c as a step too far, but BMC say the tyre gives extra grip in difficult conditions and allows a lower pressure to be run with no loss of speed.

I was fortunate enough to ride some of these a few months ago and I have to say that my initial scepticism on tyre width seems to be completely unfounded. I was initially introduced to this bike in Queensland at its Australian launch. As a group we rode on tarmac roads to Daisy Hill, a bushland area with plenty of fire road-style tracks. On the tarmac we hummed along as a group. There was no feeling of sluggishness from the rubber. In fact, I would defy anyone to be able to say they were riding more slowly on these tyres. Once we hit the dirt, well, the confidence they inspired was amazing.

But it’s not all tyres with the GF01. There’s a lot of interesting facets in the frame. You’ll notice of course the massive chainstays, particularly their slight upward angle. BMC have changed the way they mould this part of the frame. Often, the bottom bracket, bottom of seat tube, down tube and chainstays are moulded together, to give you extra stiffness where you’re putting in the power. On the GF01 BMC have slightly lengthened the amount of chainstay that is created in this process. This makes that whole drivetrain area incredibly stiff and responsive. They claim that this bike is 20% stiffer in that area than the SL01 and combined with the 1-1 ½ headset, we’re talking a stiff and responsive frame overall. If you get the chance to look carefully, you’ll see that despite their inherent size, all of the tubes on this bike are designed to be thickest where they reach the bottom bracket. This is without a doubt, a full on race bike.

The Bi2 Battery is discreetly located below the left chainstay.

However, BMC have also created this bike to be more comfortable. How have they created a stiffer, yet more comfortable machine? The first answer can be seen in those chainstays. You’ll notice that they trend down towards the rear hub and then kick up. This little kick is actually designed to ‘flex’ under load. Think fork rake, but at the rear. The drop-outs are set a little bit further back to allow this and to also add some stability.

Moving up the seat stays we can see more compliance indicators. The seat stays themselves are flat and sweeping and are positioned fairly low on the seat tube. Again, you’ll see that upward bend where the stays come together which, similar to the chainstays provides an element of shock absorption. In concept, it’s like a full suspension road bike with miniscule amounts of movement. While we’re in the general area, the seatpost is 27.2mm to again allow for comfort and is available in three offset patterns; the standard 18mm plus 3mm and 30mm.

Not all the comfort is at the rear end of the bike though. The same treatment has been given to the fork. While it is super stiff at the steerer end, the bottom has been given an extra 50mm of rake. If you blur your eyes a little when looking at it, the shape is reminiscent of a classic steel race machine. BMC claim that all this attention to comfort makes the GF01 a whopping 40% more comfortable that the SL01. Twenty per cent stiffer and 40 per cent more comfortable than the bike George Hincapie used to race on? That’s some claim.

Back up top, the Gran Fondo style comes into play with a slightly longer head tube which puts you a little upright but not too much. The top tube is shorter than normal and this is something to be aware of when purchasing. Your normal 56cm frame may be a bit on the small side and this is good to know because at the time of writing there appeared to be no geometry information on the BMC website. In fact you have to go to a section saying ‘Preview 2013’ to find anything on the bike at all.

Taking this bike on the road it’s easy to see why BMC are feeling a bit smug with the GF01. As previously mentioned, it hums along and there’s very little feeling of any slackness coming from the rear end. There’s also little in the way of bumps coming up from the road. I feel like I’m just gliding along. A few out of the saddle efforts to chase people down shows me that this bike performs exceptionally when you put the power down, but I also find myself wondering if it will be a difficult sell on the showroom floor. People when they test a bike in a shop want to feel a zing from the frame. Never mind that after two hours of riding they’ll be aching all over. In many people’s mind, stiff equals fast and while the GF01 is incredibly stiff, I don’t immediately feel it with all the vertical compliance happening. What I do feel though, is a bike that is extremely confidence inspiring, particularly as the road gets rough. Regular checks of my speedo show no loss of pace.

The real beauty of this bike leaps out at me as I take it off road. Regular readers will know that when the tarmac ends I’m happy to keep going, making a loop on the dirt rather than turning back. I can say, hand on my heart, that I’ve never ridden a road bike that performs better on the dirt than this one. The combination of shock absorption and fatter tyres mean there’s simply no need to slow down, even when cornering. It’s just possible that BMC may have created a bike that will open up a whole new world for anyone who buys it.

Summing Up

Quality: BMC bikes always look good and the GF01 is no exception. Predominantly with a touch of red, it looks the goods. All the parts are out of the top draw and the quality of the carbon is such that BMC do not state a rider weight limit, yet give the frame a five year warranty.

Performance: The GF01 does its job and does it well, as evidenced by Alessandro Ballan’s third place in Paris-Roubaix while riding it. However the bike does it so subtly that you have to take the time to notice. You can hold your own against all comers and still have plenty in the tank because you haven’t been smacked around.

Value for Money: A great build, good parts mix, proven race pedigree and a frame that could take you to another level. That’s pretty good value.

Overall: BMC have managed to create a bike that possibly will set a new benchmark for an emerging group of riders. Those who want performance, but may also want to extend their rides out of the tarmac comfort zone. As Gran Fondo events become more common and push the boundaries of what is considered a ‘challenge’ the GF01 will be ready.

Specifications:

Frame: BMC Carbon with Tuned Compliance Concept

Fork: BMC Carbon

Stem: Easton EA70 Aluminium

Handlebars: Easton EA70 Aluminium

Saddle: Fizik Aliante

Seat Post: BMC Carbon

Shift Levers: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Brakes: Shimano Shimano Ultegra

Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 12-27

Chain: Shimano Ultegra

Crank: Shimano Ultegra 10sp

Wheels: Easton EA90RT

Tyres: Continental Grand Prix 4 Season 700x28C

Weight: 7.54kg without pedals

Price: $6,999

Distributed by Echelon Sports

www.echelonsports.com.au

Titanium has always held an almost mythical place in bicycle frame design. The seemingly indestructible alloy is said to have all the desirable properties of the more popular frame materials with none of the downsides. I have always admired titanium frames. Their clean lines, predominantly traditional tube shapes, a clinical and industrial look and of course the impeccable weld lines. However up until now I have not had the pleasure of owning or even riding a titanium frame. So I was excited to get my hands on the Van Nicholas Aquilo to see if titanium could live up to the hype.

Yep. We'd agree wotj tjat/

Summing Up

Specs

Frame: Van Nicholas Titanium

Fork: Easton EC90 SLX Carbon

Headset: FSA Orbit

Stem: Van Nicholas VNT Alloy

Handlebars: Van Nicholas VNT Alloy Classic bend

Saddle: PRO Condor

Seatpost: Van Nicholas Titanium

Shift Levers: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Brakes: Shimano Ultegra

Front derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 12-25

Chain: Shimano Ultegra

Crank: Shimano Ultegra 50-34T, 172.5

Bottom Bracket: Shimano Ultegra

Wheels: FFWD F6RC Carbon Clinchers

Tyres: Schwalbe Ultremo R1

Bidon Cage: Van Nicholas Titanium

Pedals: n/a

Weight: $8.1 kg without pedals

Price: $6,400

Distributor: www.blueglobe.com.au

Another custom coloured dream bike designed by Danilo di Luca. You want stiff? You got stiff!

“The big draw for Kyklos bikes is the pedigree of the design put into this young brand. Kyklos bikes are co-designed by current pro rider Danilo Di Luca; not many bikes are designed by a current day Giro d’Italia winner!”

Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start with a bike review. Simon reviewed a Kyklos bike not long ago, in our 2011 November/December issue. This small Italian brand had a good intro then, so I won’t rehash too much nor use that as a segueway into the rest of the review. Being a man of mortal means I need to point out that this is a $15,000 bike. How about we get that out of the way right now? That’s a serious amount of coin and the Kyklos would want to be a very serious performer or a very beautiful bike, or preferably both.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I can’t say a bad word about the visual appeal of the Featherweight Plus. Deep and ‘so-glossy-it looks-wet’ black paint with crisp baby blue graphics really floats my boat. And the white Fulcrum Racing Zero wheels and elegant Campagnolo drivetrain are a treat. Even if this bike rode like a dog I’d still look about as fast as I could ever hope to.

All Kyklos models make use of a BB30 bottom bracket shell and tapered steerer fork and are manufactured in Taiwan to the specs of Kyklos. The frame carries a ‘Painted in Italy’ sticker, which is a refreshingly frank statement. The geometry of the Featherweight Plus is fairly conservative, neither ultra-aggressive or casual. The big draw for Kyklos bikes is the pedigree of the design put into this young brand. Kyklos bikes are co-designed by current pro rider Danilo Di Luca; not many bikes are designed by a current day Giro d’Italia winner! The all-round geometry makes sense when you consider the designer is a Grand Tour rider.

The Featherweight Plus is a new model in the Kyklos line up which has been developed as an evolution of the existing Featherweight model. The geometry is the same and many of the tube profiles are also the same or at least close. Side by side it’s clear that the bikes are from the same family. The Featherweight Plus frame weighs a claimed 850g which is in keeping with bike’s name. Our test bike weighed in at 6.85kg without pedals in a 56cm, so getting below the UCI weight limit would be pretty simple given that there are no weight weenine parts in the build.

The Featherweight Plus differs from the other Kyklos models in terms of the grade of carbon used, which reputedly results in a frame that is both lighter and stiffer. The Featherweight Plus is the only model to use a traditional removable seatpost. It comes with a colour matched Kyklos post which makes for a smooth total package. The frame uses a nifty double clamp to secure the post into the frame: the upper clamp tightens around the post only, and the lower clamp tightens around the seat tube itself. This means that each bolt only needs a maximum of 6Nm to keep the post in place. Ergo both the post and frame can be made a little lighter. A removable post also means that if you change seats or have an injury and need to adjust your saddle height significantly then you can do this easily when compared with an integrated post. It also means that packing the bike to travel (Giro trip, anyone?) is much easier.

Our test bike came equipped with Campagnolo’s newish Super Record EPS electronic groupset, which is a major factor in the bike’s overall value. About half of the fifteen grand if you bought the groupset at the current retail price,. As much as this review is about the Kyklos frame, the bike on review has to factor in the group. This was my first time aboard an EPS equipped bike, and I need to start saving so that I can ensure it is not the last. Campagnolo have spent a long time developing this group, with special focus on the tactile experience. The lever shape is the same as the current 11 speed Ergo levers, which is a fantastic place to start. The hoods are textured with a grid-like pattern for extra grip and I found them to be very comfortable with or without gloves. The forefinger shift paddle has had the doughnut treatment, with the middle of the paddle removed. This small touch was excellent as it locates the point of your finger easily and allows the finger to actuate the lever in and out or side to side with no effort or thought. When compared with Shimano’s Di2 the EPS feels more ‘mechanical’. Whether you like this or not is up to you, but Campagnolo have made intentional effort to make this a feature of their electronic groups and I preferred this to the clinically cold precision of the Shimano groupset.

Coming from a SRAM equipped bike the EPS threw me off a little at first, as the short and ratchet like throw of the forefinger shift lever is extremely similar to the release action of the SRAM mechanical lever. Instead of dumping a few gears in one go I’d shift a few gears lower as my brain assumed I was shifting SRAM style. Once I got over this the EPS was dreamy. The ease of changing gear is a real eye-opener and makes you aware of how many small little thoughts and actions you invest in changing gear every time you saddle up. The ability to change several gears almost instantly and with no effort, regardless of the pedaling torque applied at the time, frees you to just be an engine instead of doing the thinking of an auto gearbox too. Bicycles have been called the ‘freedom machine’, and electronic shifting makes this term more accurate than ever as you can spend your thought and effort concentrating on or enjoying the ride itself. Over a long sportive like the Three Peaks Challenge, or a three week Grand Tour, the EPS system would save the rider a noticeable amount of energy.

With such a lovely Italian groupset it was nice to see that the Kyklos frame has electronic specific cable routing. The battery unit mounts via the bottle cage bolts and the cables emerge through a small port under the bottle cage itself to keep the aesthetics intact. There are no provisions on this frame for mechanical shifting, but Kyklos do offer the Featherweight Plus in a mechanical compatible configuration. If you intended to build a mechanical drive-trained Featherweight Plus it would be wise not to ride an electronic equipped test bike first, as an inevitable electronic groupset upgrade will immediately follow. You can’t build a beautiful bike such as this and not go all out.

The balance of the Featherweight Plus is an all-Italian affair. Fulcrum, Deda, Selle San Marco. The high price tag makes sense when each part is considered. The efficiency of the Super Record EPS group is perfectly complemented by the Fulcrum Racing Zero wheels. These clincher wheels use ceramic bearings and Fulcrum’s distinctive 2:1 spoke pattern on the rear wheel. They are very stiff, roll smooth as butter and provide great braking. At under 1,500g for the pair they are unbeatable all-rounders which simply blend into the ride experience. I hadn’t ridden these wheels before but they’re very impressive and have gone onto the wish list. It should be noted here that the wheel build is a custom version done especially for the owner. In fact this frame can pretty much be specc’d with any wheel and component combination you care to mention.

The San Marco Concor saddle has a broad nose and flat profile with a moderate amount of padding which I found to be comfortable, be it in the drops, on the nose climbing, or sitting and plugging out a cadence on the flats.

Although the Campagnolo Super Record cranks do not feature a 30mm spindle, the BB30 bottom bracket and surrounds are more than stiff enough. Apparently Di Luca has prototype Kyklos bikes tested by his professional mates including Mr Pettachi before they are approved for production, so it’s not surprising that the back end of the Featherweight Plus is very, very responsive. The seat stays are positively spindly looking but the back end stays true when out of the saddle. And the point where they join the seat tube is a work of art.

For such a solid bike the road feel is very good. Over typical suburban roads you get a nice transmission of the surface without being too beaten up. For a fast and stiff bike the Featherweight is more than capable of long rides on rougher roads. It’s no lounge chair, don’t get that wrong, but many of the Kyklos’s rivals offer a much harsher ride whereas the Featherweight considers the fatigue of a rough ride as well as the energy saved by a mercilessly stiff frame. The pedigree of the Kyklos does show on potholes and raised seams in the road, where a decent mule-kick is delivered through the frame and bars if you don’t pay attention. It’s a very acceptable trade off given the zippy feel of the frame.

Up front the Kyklos didn’t feel as taught during big out of the saddle efforts. The Deda bar has a give in it that contrasts with the unwavering rear triangle and the head tube area doesn’t feel quite as torsionally stiff as say, the Scott Foil we had a few issues back. Still, this is splitting hairs, and the Kyklos is not going to stop you from reaching the maximum speed that your body is capable of, and doing so damn quickly. Descending is intuitive and the Kyklos makes light work of high speed corners.

All of the componentry was selected by the bike’s owner, and they did a mighty fine job in their build. The local Kyklos importer, Ollo Industries, can help you put together a complete dream spec bike or guide you through a more standard build. This Featherweight Plus is the kind of bike that makes you want to keep riding all day long. Little out of the saddle bursts shoot you forward and attacking descents rewards you with extra speed. The EPS group and smooth rolling wheels keep you at speed once you’ve gained some steam. It’s an addictive and trance-like experience that is immensely enjoyable.

Quality

The Super Record EPS, Fulcrum wheels and gorgeous frame are pretty hard to fault. This is not a price point bike, it’s a bike that exists to be great. The paint is super nice and no corners were cut in this build. Too nice!

Value

At $15,000 any discussion of value is an emotive evaluation. This is a beautiful and unique bike with an enviable pedigree. How much that is worth is up to the potential owner. Remember that you can always spec the Kyklos to suit your own requirements and budget.

Performance

Faultless for an all-rounder road-racing bike. Smooth and responsive without being overly aggressive. The Featherweight Plus is a great ride that doesn’t excel in any one aspect, it goes up, down, across or around with equal aplomb.

Overall

If we ignore the price the Featherweight Plus is a really great bike. The spec complements the abilities of the frame perfectly. This is a bike you can get on, get pedaling, and then let yourself melt into the ride. It’s an experience that begs for more.

Specs

Frame: HM T1000 Carbon

Fork: Kyklos Carbon

Head Set: Deda

Stem: Deda Zero 100

Handlebars: Deda Zero 100

Saddle: Selle San Marco Concor

Seat: Post Deda Carbon

Shift Levers: Campagnolo Super Record EPS

Brakes: Shimano Campagnolo Record

Front derailleur: Campagnolo Super Record EPS

Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Super Record EPS

Cassette: Campagnolo Super Record 12-27

Chain: Shimano Campagnolo 11 Speed

Crank: Campagnolo Super Record Carbon

Wheels: Fulcrum Zero with custom spokes

Tyres: Schwalbe Ultremo R1

Weight: 6.85kg without pedals

Price: $15,000

Distributor: www.olloindustries.com

Bike saddles. When was the last time you considered yours? That’s what I guessed. Most people don’t give saddles a lot of thought, unless they find theirs uncomfortable. Personally I found a saddle that my undercarriage likes years ago and I haven’t looked back. So for that reason when the editor told me I was to be reviewing the XRD SL Carbon Saddle there was no happy dance of excitement in anticipation of it arriving. That said, the level of excitement quickly changed when a package containing the saddle in question arrived at my front door, and just like any overexcited kid on Christmas morning I ripped into that package like there was nothing more important in this world. But when the XRD SL Carbon Saddle fell out of the package it was met with mixed emotions.

My initial thought was ‘this thing is ugly’. With its less than exciting dull black and grey colour scheme (it does come in a white option) and down-turned nose I couldn’t think anything else except perhaps ‘man, this thing is light’. It’s approximately 155g.

XRD (Extreme Racing Design) are the sister company of RAVX, manufacturer of low to mid-range accessories. XRD however take direct aim at the pointy end of the cycling peloton. One thing is clear, they know how to make lightweight products. The SL Carbon Saddle has not only a carbon fibre injected base but the saddle on test came with carbon rails, making the 155g weight possible. The SL saddle also has a titanium rail version with only a 60g weight penalty.

So the million dollar question is, how does it ride? It took a couple of goes to get the XRD SL saddle in the correct position. But when I did, oh did my undercarriage take full advantage of the ‘microcellular polymer foam inserts’ that are strategically placed throughout the saddle. These inserts are designed to help absorb the kinetic energy transferred from the road. This mixed with the carbon fibre injected base and the carbon rails not only make for a lightweight saddle, but also help soak up the road vibrations that lead to soreness and discomfort. Once I got the saddle in the sweet spot, all of its design features and technology went to work making it possible to forget what I was sitting on and allow me to focus on what really mattered; crushing the pedals.

To me a good saddle isn’t about what it weighs and what professional teams or riders are using it. The mark of a good saddle is something that you can sit on and forget about. The XRD SL Carbon saddle definitely has met this criteria and although it isn’t the prettiest of saddles, I for one will be keeping it in mind the next time I need to purchase a new saddle for my ride.

Weight: 155g

Price: $259

Distributed by FRF Sports

www.frfsports.com.au

Merida’s latest high end race bike, the Scultura Evo SL, combines those elements you think of first when talking ‘bike’ at the cafe. It’s light, stiff, comfortable, responsive and looks great. Oh and did I mention it’s light? Really light! When the courier (girlfriend) rocked up with the Scultura in the back of the car from the Bicycling Australia office, I met her in the garage and couldn’t get the bike out quick enough. Everyone loves a new toy to play with don’t they? Lifting the bike, I nearly threw my shoulders out as the required force to lift this lightweight machine was way less than I put in.

I did a double take, checking the car to see if I only had part of the bike. I couldn’t believe how light it was, so I bolted into the house, sidestepping comments such as, “Why do you have another new bike to ride? I only have one bike, why do you get to have so many?” to put it on the scales.

The Merida comes with the new SRAM Red 2012 as its running gear. I added Shimano Ultegra pedals, a Garmin 500 with cadence sensor and a second bidon cage and whacked it on the scales to see the tiny figure of 6.4kg blinking at me. Still 400g under the UCI weight limit for racing. Merida list the frame weight in their spec sheet at 844g including the seat clamp, derailleur hanger and headset cups. The complete frameset with forks weighs in at 1,290g which in anyone’s books is a lightweight frame.

Aesthetically, this bike looks really good. Merida (along with everyone else mind you) have gone for the black frame with a minimalistic addition of colouring. Naturally, they have used their official green colour as a nicely flowing line around the frame, including the rear stays, which gives it the appearance of pushing forward. I like it. What confuses me though is the black part of the frame. At the front of the bike under the headset and running along the underneath of the bottom tube into the bottom bracket, the bike is gloss black. Basically, the ‘inner’ part of the frame is a matt black, which gives you the impression they either couldn’t make up their minds, or ran out of gloss before putting the bike into the market. Personally I think an all matt option or all gloss would have been better, but it’s open to opinion.

The simple looks of the Scultura SL are misleading. This is one hell of a bike.

What Merida knew perfectly well and implemented into this bike was the required stiffness. Every pedal stroke I took on this bike drove me forward with a hunger to go further and faster than I have experienced on other bikes. The propulsion was immediate and rewarding. The handling was precise and responsive. It didn’t matter whether I was climbing a hill seated or out of the saddle, or in the pack rolling around trying to get to warp speed (most likely getting dropped). Every slight change in direction, lean, cadence, pace etc, was immediately felt and superbly executed by this bike.

The 86mm wide bottom bracket, using the BB386EVO standard, is very stiff. By using this technology Merida say they were able to get their R&D guys and tech heads to add an extra cross sectional area in the down tube and chainstays, giving extra rigidity and a direct transfer of power and it certainly felt so. The chainstays are also very short, only 400mm instead of the normal 410mm, and this aids in the steering performance, creating an aggressive handling feel which I thought was fantastic.

The Scultura comes with SRAM's vastly improved Red group set.

So, all these high end performance features and the Scultura’s crazy light weight must make it pretty uncomfortable to ride for a long time, right? Wrong! Not only did this bike really perform at a high level and would be fantastic on the race circuit, but it is extremely comfortable to boot. Again, we can thank the tech heads at Merida for this. It’s not new technology from Merida and I know it’s their job to come up with all this stuff, but combining their use of ‘Flex Stays’ with their high performance technology has really worked to make a comfortable ride. The seatstays basically flex vertically, oh so slightly and this is the first part of the comfort plan.

The second part of this plan is new technology and they are calling it ‘Bio Fiber Damping Compound’. What is it really? It’s flax! What’s flax? Flax is a combination of layers of compound within the top and bottom edges of the chainstays and front and rear edges of the seatstays, which they say dampens the vibrations that normally travel up the bike frame and into your body through the saddle. Less vibration equals more comfort. More comfort equals less fatigue. Less fatigue equals higher performance. Higher performance equals quicker times. Quicker times equal better results and that all leads to larger bragging rights.

A BB386 bottom bracket keeps things nice and stiff.

SRAM Red 2012 has been reviewed for you here in Bicycling Australia before, (July/August issue 2012) so I won’t go into it much at all. The bike I tested came with the new SRAM Red which for the main part was smooth, and gear changes were made without any dramas. For those who prefer to run Shimano Di2 on their bikes, Merida have included in their design on this bike a universal internal cable routing system which works perfectly for both mechanical and electronic shifting. So you can buy the frame from your dealer and have him build it up with Di2 if that’s your fancy. The Di2 battery would sit snugly underneath the bottom bracket, making battery charging an easy exercise.

Moving to components, the DT Swiss 1450 Tricon wheelset certainly looks the part. Clearly custom coloured with the Merida green on black to match the overall colour scheme of the bike, they look great. They rolled well and coming in at 1497g fitted in perfectly with the lightweight concept of the Scultura EVO itself, particularly considering they are aluminium road wheels. They offer tubeless rim technology and hubs with a ratchet system. They have bladed, straight pull spokes, which apparently create a high tension wheel which is stiffer and more responsive. Just like the concept of this frame. The only issue I had with these on the second ride I went out on was this annoying ticking sound which had my mates asking what was wrong with the bike. A quick once-over and a tighten of a spoke solved this problem. Had the crappy, bumpy roads loosened a spoke or where they not finished in the factory properly? I don’t know, but it was a minor issue and solved pretty quickly.

The Selle Italia SLR seat which comes standard on this bike is extremely comfortable. I mean, how could it not be? Most things Italian that you can sit on or in usually evoke feelings of comfort, and this seat is no different. Again, the seat has been custom coloured with Merida’s green running throughout the mainly white seat. Which, I might add, complements the white/green custom-taped bars and white cabling.

The FSA K-Force bars, yet again colour matched with a streak of the Merida green, like every other part of the build on this bike, work perfectly well. They do exactly what they are meant to do and the angle of the drops felt good. I didn’t like the way the bars angled out away from the bike though, which, coupled with the SRAM Red shifter/brakes, that also angle away from the bike, made me feel like my arms were both being dragged away from my body when sitting up with my hands on the shifters. Is it a major problem? Of course not. A simple replacement option at time of build with an angle that suited me personally would obviously overcome this issue. However, you might love this feel, plenty of riders do.

Always reliable DT Swiss hubs.

Another insignificant issue I encountered was the Merida bidon cage. Clearly this is nothing that would stop me from buying this bike. Just a little something that annoyed me every time I rode, yet simple to replace and solve the problem. I get that they were trying to minimise weight in their carbon bidon. However, I’m pretty sure an extra millimetre or two in the circumference of the bidon opening wouldn’t go astray. Every time I took a drink, no matter, what type of bidon I was using, I had to fight to get it back into the cage. The FSA cage I added to the bike in comparison allowed the bidon to slide in effortlessly yet still held the bidon in place without rattling around.

I keep glancing around my office at this latest offering from Merida and can’t help but smile. We had fun together. Bonded even, and I’m not looking forward to returning it. In the pursuit of giving the cycling world a high-end, lightweight racing bike, I think Merida have come up with the goods. The Scultura EVO is definitely a great looking bike and with all the colour matched build parts from other industry leaders it looks like a pro itself. So much so that Team Lampre will be using this frame for the 2013 season. It’s so light, yet maintains a stiffness you would expect from something much heavier. The performance feels ‘race’ with every turn of the crank delivering. The responsiveness is fantastic. I had a few minor concerns with aspects of the bike build, but nothing to do with the frameset and the issues I had were with personal preference, nothing bad.

The seat stays flex every so slightly.

Would I buy this bike? Damn straight I would! With a retail price of $6,699 its great value for money. You’re able to get a really high performance bike for under $7,000. Personally I’d make a few changes which would push the price slightly higher, but whatever way you look at it, this is a bike I’d be proud to train on, race and even stand beside at the coffee shop telling everyone to look at my ride.

Summing Up

Quality

This is a quality bike. It is Merida’s top of the line race bike for a good reason. The carbon is high end, the build options are high end, it performs just as you want it to and looks great. It’s also one of the most comfortable bikes I’ve ridden.

Performance

This bike rides exceptionally and I can’t see anyone complaining about how well it performs. It feels aggressive, like it wants to chew up the road you’re on and spit it out behind you. It’s stiff, and the stiffness allows it to be very responsive. You are going to want to race this one.

Stock standard is the Selle Italia Monolink system. But a standard clamp is also included for those who wish to use a standard seat post.

Value for Money

For just under $6,700 you can own a high performance, lightweight machine used by a pro team, built up with high quality components. That is the definition of value for money. Personally I’d change a few things, which would increase the cost, but even so, you would still not come close to the scary $10K mark.

Overall

I’d buy this bike at the drop of a hat. I’ve ridden other bikes I’ve been happy to hand back to their owners to get on my trusty steed. The Merida Scultura EVO could become my trusty steed. Its lightweight, high performance, great looking design ticks the boxes for me. The stiffness, responsiveness and aggressive nature of this bike make it a great race bike. The comfort makes it a great bike to train on for half a day. Added together, you have something you can’t wait to wake up to and burn around the streets on.

Specifications

Frame: Scultura Superlite BB386

Fork: BC CF Superlite -S Taper

Head Set: Procraft PRC

Stem: FSA

Handlebars: FSA K-Force Ergo OS

Saddle: Selle Italia SLR

Seatpost: Procraft PRC

Shift Levers: SRAM Red

Brakes: SRAM Red Carbon

Front Derailleur: SRAM Red

Rear Derailleur: SRAM Red

Cassette: SRAM Red 11/28

Crank: SRAM Red

Bottom Bracket: BB386EVO

Wheels: DT Swiss RR1450 Tricon

Tyres: Vitoria Diamante Pro Radiale

Bidon Cage: Merida Carbon

Price: $6,699

Distributed by Advance Traders

www.advancetraders.com.au

OK, let’s get one thing out of the way before we begin. This is a really, really good looking bike. There, I’ve said it. To my eye, everything from the matt black finish, the bulky curves and the sweep of the top tube is excellent. If you gave me a pencil and told me to sit down at a bench and design a bicycle shape, this is pretty close to what I’d come up with. Except my lines would probably be a lot more wobbly.

If you’re thinking you’ve seen this Fondriest before, then you’re kind of right. Fondriest used to sponsor the now defunct Amica Chips Pro Continental team with the Original TF1 frame. You may have seen that bike underneath Aussie rider Simon Clarke in the features we’ve done on him, and you may also remember the review we did on the Fondriest TF2 back in the dear distant days of 2009. Looking at the shapes here, particularly the top tube, I’m guessing they may be using the same moulds on this bike, or at any rate, similar moulds. But as we shall see, the layup is a little different.

The other place you may have seen this bike was during the 2012 Road World Championships under the winner of the U23 Men’s road race, Matej Mohoric of Slovakia. Yep, the World Champion won on this frame which in itself should speak volumes about the quality on offer here. It also makes a bit of a misnomer of the grouping of Fondriest’s fleet of bikes which run from the Zero, Team, TF2.1 and TF3. It mistakenly suggests that the TF3 is a lesser bike. I found exactly the opposite.

The heart of the TF3 1.2 is the frame. I mentioned before that it had a different carbon layup to previous incarnations. This model uses a Toray-manufactured 50 Ton tensile carbon. It contains additional ribbing in the bottom bracket area, which gives the bike a lot of stiffness. The combination of these fibres with the ribbing is something you’re more likely to see on a more expensive bike. Claimed weight for the medium sized frame is 980g and an extra 370g for the fork. You also need to add another 240g for the seatpost. This fork, by the way, has been re-designed. It’s much wider and chunkier near the top to provide a lot of stiffness when steering. The ‘wings’ are also channelled to bring the wind into the all important downtube area in order to keep the bike slicing through.

The bulkiness and overall shape of the forks contributed to the excellent handling of this bike.

The TF3 also sports an interesting feature that Fondriest call ‘steering differentiated integrated cables’. This involves a reduction in the cable sheaths where the gear cables enter the frame. This point is quite high up, right at the junction of the tube. In addition, the point where the cables have to be routed past the bottom bracket to the derailleurs is rather neatly done with a guide that is integrated into the bottom bracket. It’s all very nice but completely irrelevant to this test because our bike was specc’d with Shimano’s Ultegra Di2 system. If you’re running mechanical however I guess it’s nice to have. We did have a small concern with the left brake cable which was very rough through the frame. Some tender loving care and lubricant in the vital points took care of this problem and when we reported the matter to Fondriest they said they would be ‘taking it up with the factory’.

Apart from the Ultegra Di2 this bike came with Mavic Aksium wheels, FSA bar and stem, Mavic’s Aksion tyres and a Selle Italia saddle. It has to be said that these wheels, while keeping the price ‘down’ do add a certain amount of weight to the overall package. A shade under 1,800g in fact. There’s been a bit of discussion happening in the Bicycling Australia office of late whether the old ‘the worst weight to have is in the rotating mass’ question. We’ve been calling in a number of experts but the jury is still out. Still, if you’re climbing, any weight isn’t going to help. On the plus side with the Aksiums, you get a bombproof wheelset that rolls very well, particularly once up to speed. You’re not going to win any standing start competitions with these, but at the same time, you’re not going to be pulling your anchor on the open road either. The tyres are also of the ‘workman like’ variety. They have a single casing and are fine for everyday riding.

The FSA 05190 bars work well, but they could look better.

The FSA bar and stem is a pretty basic affair. They’re aluminium and do their job without being fancy. My personal opinion is that their non-special looks (silver paint on textured aluminium) probably if anything, detracts from the overall look of the package. However, they’re comfortable and workmanlike and again, probably keep the bike affordable.

This bike was ridden by two people in the office, myself and one other. The other indicated that he really didn’t like the saddle. He said it was a very harsh ride. I thought it was OK and didn’t really think about it after a minute or two. As a point of comparison, we both ride Prologo saddles on our personal bikes. However his is a Prologo Scratch, which is a wide, traditional shape, while I ride a Prologo Nago, which is flatter and has less of a kick. The lesson, at this level there are plenty of saddle options and you need a bit of trial and error to find the one you like.

I have to give full credit to the designers of the TF3 1.2. I very much enjoyed riding this bike. The frame is responsive and wants to go fast. It doesn’t have the sharp kick in it, that rock hardness that you get from a pro frame for example, but it’s still pretty damn good. You can ride this bike fast, or you can ride it slow. You can climb comfortably, and it steers well on the descent. I felt riding the Fondriest that if anything, the frame was better than the sum total of its parts. It was a bit like a horse wanting to break out of its harness, so it’s tempting to say that an upgrade of the wheels would make a big difference. But it’s pointless. Any bike with upgraded wheels is going to perform better so I need to review what it comes with, not what you can add to it later on. The point here is that this bike rides well without the upgrade. It’s a sound, pleasurable machine.

We found it difficult to properly seat this Di2 cable. Having the inserts higher on the down tube would have helped.

If I had one beef at all it was with the seatpost and clamp. You’ll notice that the sweep of the top tube means that the point where the seatpost comes out of the frame is a little lower than usual. This means that if you have long legs (like myself), you may have trouble getting the correct seat height. Despite the top tube being the correct length for me I had to ride with the seatpost slightly above the minimum insertion line. We had a similar problem with the TF2 we tested a few years ago so it would be nice to see Fondriest supply a longer post.

There was also a small amount of slipping from the seatclamp. This could have had something to do with the extra extension as the other rider (who is shorter than me) reported none at all. You never quite know with aero seatposts how much of the clamp is actually putting pressure on the post.

Apart from these niggles I enjoyed the Fondriest TF3 1.2. The frame is a race winner and looks the goods as well. Personally I would be very surprised if this model isn’t Fondriest’s biggest seller in 2012-2013.

Summing Up

Quality

The Fondriest TF3 1.2 is an excellent bike, particularly the frame. With an upgrade or two you could have a fast racer, but should you not wish to race you can leave it as it is happy in the knowledge that you’re riding a very good machine.

Seat posts and clamps. We'd like a longer post and a clamp that does up at two ends.

Performance

Excellent. You can really feel the quality of the frame as you ride along. It’s sharp while remaining comfortable. The wheel and tyre combo is a little heavy, but they’re predictable and roll very well on the flat or downhill. Climbing there’s a small weight penalty, but not much. Riding this bike was predictable and a pleasure.

Value for Money

At around four and a half thousand this bike is at the high end of the Ultegra Di2 market. However it is a brilliant frame and riding this bike is a pleasure. There are less expensive bikes out there with similar componentry, but there’s still something special about this one.

Overall

Fondriest have done a lot of work with this frame and I think they’ve come up with the goods. It rides well, it looks fantastic and will repay any upgrades. Expect to see a few of these on your local roads in the coming months.

Weight: 8.1kg (56.5cm)

RRP: $4,359

Distributor: Esperia Bicycles

www.esperia.com.au

Here in Australia we’re pretty proud of our heritage. Iconic inventions such as the hills hoist, screw caps for wine bottles and Victa mowers are a part of our national folklore. And Malvern Star is a big part of this.

Is it just me that remembers (sadly perhaps) this line from the Kingswood Country television ‘comedy’? “The Malvern Star! You’re not taking the Malvern Star! I just shampooed the brake pads!” The point is that everyone watching the show would have known exactly what a Malvern Star was without being told. If you were to put a similar situation into a current sitcom using any current bicycle brand, can you think of one that would be as instantly recognisable to an Australian audience?

You may or may not be aware that Malvern Star was originally re-released by Pacific Brands. The first bikes were pretty good without being exceptional, but were very popular as they were much cheaper than just about every other bike on the market.

Obviously this wasn’t something that could be sustained and the company decided to contract the design to Luescher Tekinik. This company made the Malvern Star a race level bike which was used by the Genesys Wealth Advisers cycling team. It’s fair to say that these guys were pretty happy with the way this bike turned out because they won more races in Australia during 2012 than any other team including the National Road Series.

Everything on the Oppy is neat and smooth.

Many people wondered what would happen to Malvern Star when Avanti (Sheppard Cycles) took over the cycling arm of the business earlier this year. Avanti is a strong company with a global vision. One of the first things they did was to replace the Genesys team’s bike with the new Avanti Corsa. This is to give Avanti a toehold into the Asian market where team Genesys do a lot of their racing. However, Sheppards haven’t ignored Malvern Star. They appointed a new design manager to liaise with factory designers and keep the brand moving forward. The Oppy on test here is the first step in this process.

To quote a phrase, there’s a fair bit to like with this frame, but firstly, let’s all sing ‘Glory, glory hallelujah!’ because the Malvern Star Oppy has been constructed to hold the Di2 battery on the down tube without, and I repeat, without, a zip tie! (Insert picture of Munch’s The Scream here). Seriously, all jokes aside, how many years has it taken for someone to do this? All it took was the addition of an extra braze-on mount under the bottle cage area. I’m not 1,000% sure, but this could be a world first. Well done Malvern Star!

The rest of the frame isn’t too shabby either, although I’m very keen to see what the 2015 bikes will be like. The construction here is a three-way monocoque, which involves the front triangle, seat stays and chainstays. The carbon is predominantly Toray’s T700 fibre as a 24-ton blend (the SL Race version is the same but with a 30-ton secondary blend and will run mechanical Dura-Ace.).

An unusual addition is the T700 fork, particularly at this price range. Many manufacturers will use one of Toray’s carbons for the main part of the frame but will specify a cheaper blend for the forks. Interestingly, these T700 forks are standard across the range.

Handy decals in case you forget...

A whole new set of targets was achieved with this bike. These involved weight targets, stiffness, cable routing and a different design on the head tube and bottom bracket. A medium raw frame (unpainted) comes in at 1,050g, which is heavier than a number of the top brands but still very respectable. The frame also includes a 1 1/8-1 ½ headset, full carbon bottom bracket shell (to match the Shimano BB86 standard) and carbon drop-outs. Mechanics and home mechanics will appreciate this frame as well because it sports carbon tube liners. This means no more fooling about trying to find cables. You just bung in a new liner and away you go. Easy.

Similarly the paint work was very easy on the eye, but there was no UCI sticker here, which may or may not turn off aspiring racers. I checked this with Malvern Star and they have assured me that the bike has been made to UCI specifications. I hope you can see it in the pictures, but there’s a large amount of ghost painting work which spells out ‘Malvern Star’ on the tubes. It’s a nice touch without being ostentatious.

The geometry of this frame is predominantly racing orientated, with a bit of a nod to the weekend racer rather than the professional. The chainstays sit at 406mm which is at the racing end, allowing the bike to be nice and sharp around corners. I definitely found this to be a characteristic while riding it. However the nod to the weekend racer comes from the length of the head tube. While it isn’t a super-tall comfort style tube at 180mm, it does make you a little more upright than an out-and-out racing machine. And it also highlights what I think is this bike’s best attribute, descending.

My descending has deteriorated a little of late. A particular crash and a couple of near misses have been playing havoc with my confidence. But jumping on the Oppy brought a ton of it back. This bike appears to have the perfect combination of tightness (courtesy of the chainstays) and confidence (the slightly upright position).

...while the shadow paint details are particularly attractive.

The rest of the bike was pleasing too, though I have to say, I had to be careful writing my review as I had been riding the Merida that was also on test. The Oppy doesn’t have the same pure speed that you’ll find on a team bike, nor was it designed to. The task for this bike is to be comfortable, not only with bumps from the road, but also in the way you ride. The style of this bike is confidence inspiring for the rider who isn’t racing criteriums every week, but wants to get on a bike and thoroughly enjoy themself. There’s no surprises or tricks here and there’s enough speed and reaction to keep most riders happy.

A short word about the components. I covered the Mavic Aksium wheels in our Fondriest test but to slightly re-cap, they’re a functional wheel, but a bit heavy. Mavic have brought the weight down on these hoops over the past couple of years and they’re now rolling pretty well.

The rest of the componentry comes from Avanti’s (Sheppard Cycles’) own brand, Zero. Having your own brand of componentry is one of the best ways of keeping cost down and a number of the big players do it. To me this is a fairly underrated product and I’d like to see it on more bikes. All of the components here worked fine, are a reasonable weight and were comfortable. However I was a bit uneasy with the decal and paint design which is a bit too similar to a particular Italian component designer. I’d like to see Zero re-think this aspect as they move ahead.

All in all, Malvern Star have come up with a comfortable and attractive package that will suit any weekend warrior looking for a ‘do anything’ bike.

Zero's Attack Pro componentry is good quality stuff, but the artwork does remind me of some other brands.

Quality

Extremely good. Good looks, good carbon, good geometry and good components.

The Malvern Star team have, on what I believe was short notice, come up with a bike that has lifted its game once again.

Performance

This bike isn’t your super-sharp race bike, but it still does a lot of things well. It hums along the road, climbs OK and descends really well. If you’re looking for a confidence booster that doesn’t lack in other departments, then this could be for you.

Value for Money

Malvern Star have always been good value for money and this one is no exception. For under four grand you’re getting a quality frame and fork combo, Ultegra Di2 and reliable wheels. Additionally this isn’t a frame out of a catalogue. The people who designed this bike are riders and it shows.

Overall

This bike is designed for the serious rider who is looking for a fast and reliable bike on a budget. It descends well and isn’t a slouch on the flat. Best of all, they’ve got rid of that blooming zip tie!

It’s also nice to know that Sheppard Cycles are pushing on with the development of the Malvern Star brand. This bike will stay pretty much like this for the next couple of years as it is a good fit for a large number of bike riders. It’s also priced to match a number of budgets, particularly those wondering about the switch to Di2. If any of the above sounds like you, then this is a bike worth considering.

Seat posts and clamps. Malvern Star have come up with a simple solution to avoid the barrety holder zip tie.

Specifications

Frame: Toray T700 Monocoque

Fork: Easton Totay T700 Monocoque

Headset: FSA

Stem: Zero Attack Pro Aluminium

Handlebars: Zero Attack Pro Aluminium

Saddle: Zero Zelix Pro

Seatpost: Zero Attack Pro

Shift Levers: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Brakes: Shimano Ultegra

Front derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 12-25

Chain: Shimano Ultegra

Crank: Shimano Ultegra 53-39T, 172.5

Bottom Bracket: Shimano Ultegra

Wheels: Mavic Aksium Race

Tyres: Kenda Kriterium

Pedals: n/a

Weight: 8.1 kg without pedals

Price: $3,895

Distributor: Sheppard Cycles

www.sheppardcycles.com

With all the scandal and gossip in the cycling world over the last few months it can be easy to get distracted, bogged down even, and forget about the real reasons we wake up early to ride, or subject ourselves to enduring lactic acid burning legs, or push our heart rate beyond normal limits chasing the wheel in front over the crest of that climb. Riding the Casati Demone, I was reminded of all the right reasons. There is nothing quite like that feeling of riding with a tailwind on smooth tarmac when all you can hear is the gentle hum of tyres on the road. The Demone’s integrated package was just the tonic resurrect this feeling of carefree, easy performance.

When the Casati first rolled down my driveway and we were introduced I saw several things: Firstly, this was a Casati. Not a high volume brand, but one that often hand makes their frames in Italy; tick. Secondly, I spied the electronic Campagnolo EPS; tick. Thirdly, the stealth colours, frame tubing design and deep dish wheels. This bike looked fast; tick, tick tick. The ‘sneaky’ thing about this Demone, however, is that it is not the usual handmade Italian job, but rather an Asian built monocoque construction. Thus the frameset price is a more affordable RRP of $3,395, shaving a couple of thousand off its hand built siblings. Combine this frameset with Campagnolo Record EPS and a Mavic Redwind clincher wheelset and the result is a complete bike with a retail price of $9995. This is not a price to be sneezed at but it is much less than other Casatis and also much lower than the impression the bike gives your mates when out on bunch rides or at club races.

The monocoque frame is a dual carbon construction. It consists of T800 carbon front triangle to give some compliance for comfort and T1000 at the rear for rigidity and power transfer. The frame weight for the medium comes in a respectable 920g. I found that the feel of the frame reflected the carbon lay-up. The ride tended on the stiff and racey end of the spectrum, but after four hours in the saddle I found I was still comfortable (although this may have also had a bit to do with the great Selle Italia SLR saddle -160g-). The frame felt especially rigid under hard accelerations, and the geometry whilst allowing me to get nice and low, also felt good over long climbs in the saddle. Cornering was surprisingly tight for an Italian bike. Perfect for crit racing but you need to be aware of what you’re doing on fast downhills.

A huge highlight of this bike was the Campagnolo Record EPS. Super Record EPS was reviewed thoroughly in the previous issue of Bicycling Australia, and the Record is so marginally different that this review will just touch on a few pros and cons experienced. Electronic shifting, whether it be Shimano or Campag for me is a game changer because of what it brings to front derailleur shifts. I believe that most high end mechanical group sets have pretty much nailed rear shifting, but can still drop chains or give clunky shifts at the front. Electronic front shifting amazed me by how smooth and seamless it is. In this regard the Record EPS did not disappoint. I found myself getting lazy and not thinking about the best times to shift, because I didn’t have to. Whenever I asked the EPS to shift, up or down front chainrings, it performed faultlessly, smoothly and within appropriate time. The EPS possibly doesn’t shift quite as quickly and forcefully as the Shimano Di2 front derailleur, but I never felt like I was left waiting. The auto trim of the front derailleur also serves as a little reminder that the EPS is there like a faithful concierge at a five star hotel, looking after your every need. Campagnolo Record EPS, does come with a five star price tag, so perhaps this service should be expected. After riding with seamless, smooth shifting, I was expecting myself to go into mourning once I was riding my mechanical again. However, changing back to my bike showed me that I feel more connected with the bike riding a mechanical group. You are much more acutely aware of every shift. It is akin to the difference between driving cars with auto versus manual gearboxes. As such, I expect that not all people will fall in love with EPS, but most will. The net gain of problem free shifting is greater than this loss of ‘connection’.

I very much enjoyed riding this bike and so I took it out whenever I could. In my time with the Casati I clocked up around 2,000 km before the EPS battery went flat and the rear Vredestein Fortezza tyre wore out. This battery life is in line with Campagnolo’s expectations, and the system doesn’t simply shut down but rather beeps at you and stops shifting for five seconds at a time, every few minutes. Enough that you won’t forget it’s going flat, but neither does it ruin your ride. In contrast I was quite disappointed with the Fortezza tyres. They had great road feel reminiscent of Michelins top offerings, but I encountered multiple flats during the mediocre 2,000km rear tyre life. It’s difficult to blame tyres due to varying conditions and speed versus the possibility of flats is always going to be a trade off. But this distance is about half what I get out of a Continental GP4000s.

The Fulcrum Redwind wheels were an interesting choice for this reasonably high end bike. They certainly look the part and matched the colour scheme nicely, but at around 1700-1800g they are by no means the light wheelset, which a bike like this deserves. They felt good at speed as you would expect from deep wheels, but due to the weight, didn’t feel quite as lively when accelerating out of the saddle. The Fulcrums certainly let you know when you were riding in gusty conditions, but this is the downside of using most deep section rims as an everyday wheel. A set of sub 1,400g simple clinchers would finish the Demone setup nicely without necessarily blowing the bike price out of the water and you can easily customise this choice at the point of sale.

The illusion of a continuous top tube/stays is a pleasing trend in carbon bikes.

In the end, the greatest strength of the Casati Demone was not any of the good componentry or stunning frame but rather the way the bike delivers an integrated ride. It just feels like all the parts were specifically designed for each other and this creates a fast bike that feels comfortable not matter what you throw at it. Let’s face it though, when you are spending close to 10 big-clams on a bike you really expect something that delivers in every aspect. Does the Casati do this? Yes and no. You can buy a much lighter bike for a lot less. You can get bikes with electronic shifting for less too. What Casati has accomplished with the Demone, however, is the Italian package which comes close in every area. What you get, for maxing out your credit limit is a bike that looks every bit the hand-crafted Italian thoroughbred and one that is definitely an absolute pleasure to either whittle away the hours on, or race hard.

Quality

Everything on the Demone is done nicely. From the gold headtube Casati insignia to the seatpost decals. Good componentry is matched well with a very nicely finished frame. The result; a high quality bike in almost every aspect.

Performance

The Casati frame is a real treat to ride, really nice and stiff with a reasonably balanced geometry. Combine this with the silky EPS shifting and you have a race ready weapon. Add some lighter wheels and this bike is the complete performance package.

The Campagnolo control unit and battery is said to be 100% waterproof. It will need to be in this position.

Value

Value is an interesting concept when you are sinking $10k on a bike. The law of diminishing returns really starts to kick in at around $5,000 in my opinion. What the Demone offers in the value stakes is a high performance machine from an almost boutique Italian manufacturer without the ‘handmade’ $15k+ price tag.

Overall

A high performance bike with a lovely frame, sharp looks, and silky electronic Campagnolo shifting. This bike looks the part and rides just as well. What’s not to like? Well perhaps a lighter wheelset, but that’s being picky.

Specifications

Frame: Monocoque T800 and T1000

Fork: Carbon with Carbon Steerer

Stem: Deda Demone Custom

Handlebars: Deda Zero100

Saddle: Selle Italia SLR

Seat post: Deda Demone Custom Carbon

Shift Levers:Campagnolo Record EPS

Brakes: Campagnolo Record (single pivot on rear)

Front Derailleur: Campagnolo Record EPS

Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Record EPS

Cassette: Campagnolo 11 speed

Chain: Campagnolo Record 11 speed

Crank: Campagnolo Record

Bottom Bracket: Campagnolo UltraTorque

Wheels: Fulcrum Redwind

Tyres: Vredestein Fortezza

Pedals: N/A

Weight: 7.8KG

Price: $9,995

Distributor: A and S Imports

Investing in a good bike helmet is one of the cheapest forms of life insurance a rider can have. And, while it’s easy and cheap to get just any old helmet, getting one that fits well, looks good and will save your noggin in a crash is more challenging. Here’s one to add to your shortlist: the Limar 777.

Limar has been making helmets in Italy since the mid 80s. Their range covers road, MTB, skate, ultralight, sport and kids designs. Amongst other things, Limar’s claim to fame is that it produces the world’s lightest helmet: The Ultralight+ at 175g (M size). The 777 isn’t quite that light, but weight weenies fear not – it’s not far off at 200g (again, for M size).

The 777 is one of Limar’s top road models and when you put it on it’s easy to see why. The first thing you notice is how light it is. Helmets have come a long way since the Stackhats I lusted after in the 80s, but 200g is still ridiculously light, even now. I tested the L size, which weighs in at 230g. As a comparison, the Specialized Prevail (L) is 228g, the LAS Infinito (L) 285g, the Giro Aeon (L) 224g, the Mavic Plasma SLR (L) 380g, the Rudy Project Windmax (L) 255g and the Scott Vanish R (L) 249g. The Limar 777 stacks up nicely against the competition, particularly at this price point.

Limar’s ‘Competition + Fit’ retention system consists of a large, rubber dial at the rear of the helmet. Tightening is as easy as rotating the ratchet dial (slightly harder with long-fingered gloves but still doable). Once you tighten it, it won’t come loose except by pressing the quick-release button. This is a great feature – there is nothing more annoying than wearing a helmet that gradually loosens itself as you ride.^* Another worthy feature of the retention system is that it runs the circumference of the helmet, meaning that when you tighten it you are making the whole helmet fit more snugly. Some helmets limit the plastic retention cradle to the rear of the helmet only, which can give you sore spots. Again, a tick to the designers.

I got to test out the retention system pretty well during my review. As the proud owner of a 57cm head, I usually take an S-sized helmet, so it was with some apprehension that I tried the large (advertised as fitting a 55-61cm head). Even though I fit at the smaller end of the sizing range, once I had amped up the retention system, the helmet fitted nicely and didn’t move around or look overly large. The chin straps have nice padding which helps with securing a comfortable fit.

The fit of the helmet itself was a little trickier. The internal padding was fine, but I did notice that my head hit the edges of the helmet at the back a bit. It wasn’t a problem but it was unusual enough to notice. It may just be that my head shape doesn’t quite suit Limar’s design, or that I should have gone for the smaller helmet size. In any event there is a lesson there for all of us: try before you buy! Not all helmets suit all head shapes and this isn’t something you can test online.

One of the best features of the Limar 777 was undoubtedly its bug net. The front air vents of the helmet (there are 24 vents in total) are covered discretely from the inside with a fine netting designed to catch the creepy-crawlies that fly into your helmet during a ride. You can’t see the netting once you are wearing the helmet. As someone who frequently wonders whether the bug that just flew into my helmet was a bee, and whether it came out the other side or was stuck in my hair, the bug net feature alleviated all my bee-related anxiety and alone would be a pretty good reason to buy this helmet. I don’t know why more helmet manufacturers don’t put them in.

So, in summary – a light, quality helmet with a great retention system and super-dooper bug-fighting capabilities. At $129, it’s a steal. Get it.

Price: $129

Distributed by Bikecorp

www.bikecorp.com.au

* On reflection, there are quite a few things more annoying than a helmet that gradually loosens itself mid-ride. These include slow walkers, people who ask too many questions, and some others that I can think of. Luckily none were involved or harmed in the course of this review.

While GPS bicycle computers are nothing new, the useable technology that is available to riders at an affordable price has increased considerably in recent times. They now provide accurate measurement of both speed and distance and the ability to download and map all training sessions, but with none of the fuss and hassle of fitting wheel magnets and sensors and figuring out wheel circumferences.

You can go out and get super fancy, with full-colour touchscreens and on-screen mapping (Bryton Rider 50), or if you just want a good speedo that has the ability to show maps (after downloading), this is also available in the Bryton Rider 20. The Bryton Rider 40 on test sits in the middle of both, but more towards the top end of the product range, providing many features such as speed, distance, altitude and pre-programmed training sessions without all the bells and whistles and the price tag of the top-end model.

Bryton are a relative newcomer and I had not had much experience of them prior to this review. I found the reason why most of us haven’t heard about Bryton up to this point when I went looking for information about the company and struggled. What I did manage to find out was that Bryton are based in Taiwan with manufacturing plants in China. They are focused on the development of sports electronics with GPS applications for cyclists, outdoor adventurers and fitness fanatics alike.

Bryton produce five different cycling GPS models ranging in features and price, from the Rider 50 at the higher end (similar to Garmin 800), down to the Rider 20 at the bottom of the range. Along with cycling computers they also produce two watch-based models that are more targeted towards the multisport/triathlon community.

The Bryton Rider 40 has everything that you would expect in a cycling computer (laps, speed, distance, time) plus a large number of extra features including heart rate, calorie consumption, GPS and the ability to download and analyse the data from your latest and previous rides. It is compatible with ANT+ heart rate monitors (included in the package) as well as speed and cadence sensors (also included). Another handy feature is that the unit has a similar quarter-turn mounting system to Garmin which means that it will fit any Garmin-compatible quarter-turn style mounts, such as the front of bar mounts from companies like Barfly. But the major feature of the Rider 40 compared to the lower-end models and its competition are the pre-programmed training sessions already installed on the unit. These include Easy Ride (Easy), Tempo Interval (Tempo), Cruise Interval (Cruise), Cruise 3 x 10km (Ci30K), Anaerobic-endurance Intervals (AE), Enhanced Power (Enhanced Power) and 100% MAP Intervals (MAP Intervals). These prompt you to change your style of riding during any ride, almost like having a coach riding next to you.

The unit itself is nice and compact but large enough that your data is still visible without the need for a magnifying glass. In the box you will find the computer unit, bar mount (along with plenty of rubber bands to attach the mount to any sized bars or stem), heart rate strap, USB cable, speed sensor, cadence sensor and a basic instruction manual that will get you up and running. With the computer unit only weighing in at around 50g, it is light enough to keep even the toughest of weight weenies happy. The mount gets top marks, not only for how easy it is to use but how securely it held the computer unit in place.

Using the device was relatively straightforward and the minor issues I had were more due to my own technical inabilities (or stupidity) rather than the complexity of the device. Turning it on for the first time, the unit prompts you for your basic profile data. You then hit ‘start’ and away you go.

The screen displays up to six data fields per screen, which can be customised to your liking and requirements. At the end of a session, downloading your data is done via the USB cable provided, using the free Bryton Bridge software available from their website. Once downloaded you will need to create an account before being able to download and access your data.

When you upload your ride data from the GPS unit to Bryton’s online training portal (similar to Garmin Connect) you will be able to share it with other Bryton users online. Bryton have recently added a file export feature that allows you to upload your data to Strava. There’s nothing quite like being able to show your mates how you smashed apart a climb during your last session, or knowing what your mates have been doing to give you that little bit more incentive to go out and train harder and faster.

Speaking of climbing, one of the Rider 40’s features is the ability to measure altitude. But while riding, the altitude often read incorrectly (it said I was at -111m when I was actually well above sea level). However, once the data was downloaded, the altitude figures seemed fine. It may have just been my unit or the way I set it up because you do have to calibrate the unit before your first ride. Either way it was a concern.

Since Garmin is currently the benchmark for cycling GPS units, I found it hard to not continually draw comparisons with them. The Rider 40 is, in many ways, similar to the Garmin 500. For example there is only a couple of grams difference between the units. Both offer a magnitude of features and use ANT+ connectivity. But where the Rider 40 stands apart from the Garmin 500 is in reported battery life, with the Rider 40 having nearly double that of the Garmin 500 (30 hours vs. 18 hours) and in the pre-programed training sessions. These are a fantastic way to add a bit of spice and variety to your standard training program which will lead to greater improvements in your cycling.

The good things about the Bryton Rider 40 include the long battery life (as mentioned), ability to connect with all your favourite ANT+ accessories along with the barfly type mounts due to the quarter turn connection system. There’s also the near limitless number of features along with the pre-programmed training sessions, the heart rate strap provided was one of the most comfortable I have ever worn from any company. And to finish off, the computer unit is quite aesthetically pleasing to look at.

What about the not so good points? I found the display screen to be very busy. When I had the screen set up to display six different data fields along with all the large number of symbols along the bottom of the screen (to which I had little idea what most meant and really aren’t required), it crowded the screen. There was also the issue with the altitude reading that I mentioned earlier. The basic instructions provided in the box with left me scratching my head on a few occasions due to a lack of information

Only time will tell if they become the Garmin’s biggest rival. With their feature-packed units and competitive pricing, they are well worth more than a casual glance if you are in the market for a new cycling computer.

Distributed by Oceania Bicycles

www.ocbicycles.com.au

Price: $219

Weight: 50g

The chance to test the Avanti Corsa feels like it has been a long time coming. We first saw this bike at Avanti’s 2013 launch at the Disc Velodrome in Melbourne last winter, but it wasn’t until November that we were able to ride one. In fairness it wasn’t so much the fault of Avanti. Many, many companies have had delays in the production of their 2013 range, mostly I understand, due to component issues. Even this particular bike was a pre-production unit. But if you look at some of the componentry in the pictures, you’ll understand that we weren’t complaining.

It was fortunate that Bicycling Australia was in Taupo covering the Taupo Cycle Challenge. Knowing that Avanti, as a proud NZ company, would be in attendance at what is arguably New Zealand’s biggest bike event, we called them up to beg a test ride. This particular bike on test here belongs to Avanti Group Product Manager, , Kim Struthers, so we should point out that the componentry on it isn’t standard. In an interesting sign of the times, Avanti actually apologised for the bike “only having mechanical Dura-Ace” as Di2 wasn’t available at the time.

The Corsa will be available in a range of options with the following prices. As you might expect with Sheppard Industries being the New Zealand distributor, each of the Corsa bikes is spec’d with Shimano groupsets.

Corsa DR 1.0 (Shimano 105) – $2,499.95

Corsa DR 2.0 (Shimano Ultegra) – $3,499.95

Corsa DR 3.0 (Shimano Utegra Di2) – $4,999.95

Corsa DR 4.0 (Shimano Dura-Ace 9000) – $6,999.95

Corsa DR Team Di2 (Shimano Dura-Ace Di2) – $9,999.95

Corsa DR Team Frameset – $3,499.95

Avanti continue the trend of lots of carbon around the bottom bracket. This bike was as stiff as you would like.

There are two carbon versions as well, CR5 and CR6. Both of the Dura-Ace models are aimed at team use so are therefore blessed with the higher level CR6 carbon. Is there much difference? Well…

The Corsa is a brilliant looking bike with a number of features and I spoke to Avanti’s Road Product Manager, Stephen James, at that dealer show in Melbourne and asked him what they were trying to achieve with its design.

“We’d first developed a lot of the technology you see on the Corsa when we were designing the Chrono TT bike. The whole endeavour was called ‘Project Evo’. We felt that the elements you see on the Chrono deserved to be ridden by a wider audience, hence the birth of the Corsa.

One of the key focuses was integration and then compatibility. Integration of the quick releases, headset, spacers and the seat clamp. The idea is for it to be part of the form of the frame and not something that is bolted on afterwards, to make all that functional. We call that Universal Component Capability.”

This photo perfectly captures what Avanti are trying to achieve with their component integration. See how the seat collar perfectly matches the line of the top tube? Not a bump anywhere.

I have a running joke with Stephen about Avanti’s, in my opinion, overuse of acronyms. And while this time they’re not pasted all over the frame, they’re still there in the marketing kit. As well as the UCC above, we have M.O.D.S. (Maximum Output Differential Stays), FEA (Fine Element Analysis), ILO (Internal Laminate Optimisation), CFD Tube Shapes (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and IQ (Integrated Quick Release). Moving along from the acronym issue, let’s have a look in more detail at these features.

M.O.D.S. is something that Avanti introduced in 2008 when they released their Quantum and Cadent bikes. It refers to the stays being of different size, with, logically the drive side being larger (40mm) than the left, which is 34mm. The pressure placed on the drive side means that more carbon is required to provide the required stiffness for a race level bike.

A similar thing is happening with the quick releases. We've left it a little open in this shot so you can see the recess but you can see what it is like closed on the last picture.

FEA is computer software used to develop the lay-up of carbon-fibre in the frame and analyse the structural stiffness of the frames. There’s been a huge amount of wind tunnel work done on the Corsa by Avanti, both on computer using the CFD software and in an actual wind tunnel and the focus has been to create a frame that will slice through the wind. A lot of this work was already done on the Chrono, particularly how the fork cuts through the wind, channelling it away from that down tube. The work on the seatpost is the icing on the cake. Its shape is absolutely aerodynamic and perfectly compliments the shape of the frame tubes.

ILO (Internal Laminate Optimisation) is a process used during the frame lay-up, moulding and curing cycle. This process involves not only an external steel mould to give the frame its shape but also a full internal mould to give near-perfect internal shape and repeatability. This means the full thickness of carbon laminate from the outside to the inside is correctly consolidated and no fibre bunching, wrinkling or excess resin is inside the frame. This leads to a stiffer and lighter frame. The internal mould melts out of the frame at the end of the curing cycle.

We had no complaints about the Zero saddle, or any of the Zero components for that matter.

Use of ILO is consistent right through the frame and while it may add a little to the cost, is well worth it when it comes to the bike’s performance.

ACC, or Advanced Carbon Construction, describes the monocoque construction and also the carbon used. As I mentioned previously, two types of carbon are used on the Corsa frames, CR5 and CR6, although the moulds used are the same. CR6 is Avanti’s high-modulus carbon, lightweight and strong. A medium CR% level Corsa frame weighs just 900g while a CR6 is just 100g heavier without any loss of performance.

IQ, or Integrated Quick Release, is the one that’s the most noticeable, at least at first because it is indicative of the rest of the frame. You’ll see that the frames have been made with a recessed section, just the size for the front and rear quick releases. When closed these levers are consequently tucked away out of the wind. The same thing is happening at the seatpost clamp, with the bolts tucked away behind. Even the shape of the clamp flows perfectly from the frame, creating a seamless path to the seatpost. It’s the same story at the headset, which mimics the flowing shape of the seatpost clamp. Everything on this bike has been designed to allow the air to flow around it in the most efficient way possible.

Out on the Road

This is all very well, but how did it ride? I picked up Kim’s bike from the expo at the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge and immediately felt faster, even though I was only walking to the café. There’s something great about walking through town with a bike like the Corsa, especially when it has a pair of Firecrest wheels attached. More than one head turned, with eyes pointed towards its lovely lines.

It's good to see Zipps being available as a standard spec instead of an aftermarket upgrade, even if it is only for the top model.

The next morning I was taken for a tour of the Taupo area by one of the local riders. Meeting me early in the morning at my hotel a bunch road past along the lake as the two of us were getting ready. We decided to chase it down and get a bit of a tow to warm our legs up before the later climbs. From the first pedal stroke the Corsa sprang into life beneath me. The combination of frame stiffness with the carbon wheels meant that we caught that bunch very quickly, and they were moving at a fair clip. With the Corsa under me it hadn’t felt like anything. I have to say here that it’s pleasing to see the Corsa DR Team Di2 spec’d with Zipp 404 clinchers. A lot of brands require you to upgrade to these wheels, but Avanti have made them standard.

Heading up the hill to Rangatira Park, the Corsa made short work of the climb. It was far better than my still-cold legs but I was beginning to see why Avanti were keen for the Genesys squad to be racing on these bikes in 2013. Plunging down into the Huka Falls the bike lapped up the downhill, although the crosswind made things a little tricky. The deep-dish wheels might have had something to do with it, but I did feel the steering was rather twitchy, perhaps more twitchy than my skills were comfortably able to cope with. In a gradual lean it was fine, excellent even, and leaning right over was brilliant. But long, straight, fast descents needed a steady hand.

Coming back into town the Corsa came into its own. Flat riding on the rivet on this bike was something else again. If you were out in front at Paris-Roubaix hoping to keep a chase group of Boonen, Cancellara and Hushovd from catching you, this would be the bike to have. The Corsa is a very impressive bike indeed and I think we can expect to see more victories from the Huon Salmon-Genesys squad this year.

The cable points are well thought out and provide a gentle, and therefore, non dragging curve for those riders using mechanical groupsets.

A New Dragon

So we’ve looked at the technical aspects of the Corsa and its ability on the road, but how about the commercial future? For the past few years Avanti have sponsored the New Zealand team, Pure Black Racing. However, for 2013 Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth Advisers cycling team will be using Avanti bikes, a mixture of the Corsa, Quantum and Chrono TT bike. This indicates a couple of things about where Avanti feel their business is heading.

If we go back to the split between Sheppards and Specialized in 2009, many people wondered if it would be the end of the company. Or at least the end of the company’s expansion. But exactly the opposite has been the case. Firstly Sheppards consolidated their Zero Components arm as a way of propping up the loss of Specialized’s parts and accessories. It wasn’t long after this that Scott came on board. The two companies seem to compliment each other well and the icing on the cake has been Orica-GreenEDGE’s use of Scott bikes. There’s no doubt that having one of your brands in the World Tour is good for business, but Avanti upped the ante yet again by purchasing the cycling arm of Pacific Brands. This has not only consolidated their parts and accessories line but includes bike brands Masi and Malvern Star.

The quick releases when closed are tucked out of the wind. It's a small thing, but it all adds up.

The Malvern Star Oppy has been a very successful bike for the Genesys team for two years, but now they will be using Avanti bikes. The team who are now known as Huon Salmon-Genesys Wealth Advisers are one of the top teams on the Asian circuit. This means they have good exposure in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia and with Avanti having recently opened stores in Malaysia and Singapore, there’s no doubt the exposure will help them grow. With the range of accessories and the quality of bikes such as the Corsa, I think they’ll be one of the leaders. It will be interesting to see if a company that began by making BMX parts in a kitchen can become one of the biggest bike brands in Asia. Time will tell…

BH is probably not a brand that everyone will be familiar with, but they are hoping to change that situation and the G6 is a great way to start. I had to brush up on my BH facts pretty quickly for this review as the G6 Ultegra proved to be a real head turner and I was getting questioned multiple times on each outing about the bike, the brand, and of course, its performance.

Suffice to say the brand has a heritage that extends back over 100 years, and they have continued to be involved with pro teams at various levels for part of that time. You may remember these bikes beneath the AG2R squad a year or so back and in 2013 BH will be sponsoring Saur-Sojasun.

I shouldn’t really have been surprised by all the attention the bike was geting—in my opinion the G6 is a fantastic looking bike. T, and that opinion was shared almost universally, with the exception of one of my riding companions who still hasn’t come to terms with sloping top tubes. The bike as it arrived was spot on for me, the joys of being dead set average I suppose. I quickly went over the bike with the allen keys and spent a few minutes admiring what is a fine example of an aero road bike—a growing sector in the road bike market.

The stays combined with the integrated seat post provide comfort.

One of the things that immediately catches your eye is the wheelset; the G6 Ultegra comes standard with Vision T42 carbon alloy clinchers. The next thing of note is the colour. At first glance it appears that the predominant colour is a matt finish carbon, but closer inspection reveals it to be an almost satin metallic gunmetal finish. This colour choice as well as the blue accents and contrasting decals gained unanimous approval—well amongst the guys anyway. My only beef with the colour scheme would be that some colour matched decals for the Vision wheels would have set the ensemble off perfectly. That said I’m being pretty picky, (no you’re not-ed) essentially this is really well turned out colour scheme and a welcome change from the current crop of red and black. Other subtle touches that show some serious thought has been put into this bike are the BH branded FSA crankset and the perfectly colour matched Prologo saddle. Unfortunately as much as I tried, the Prologo and I just didn’t get along, so I had to swap it out, but an all-black saddle didn’t spoil the aesthetic at all.

Any way you look at it, that is one serious bottom bracket.

Now I know you shouldn’t prejudge a bike, but that is often hard to do, as preconceived notions about performance and handling based purely on appearance is how many people while away hours on the internet. Those preconceptions would dictate that an aero road bike would be both heavy and lacking in ride quality. However this is far from the case with the G6. BH have been working hard to develop lightweight carbon frames and the trickle down from this has been put to good use in their aero frames. With the G6 frame coming in at around 900 grams it gives a total weight of 7.3kg for the complete 54cm package. Not bad at all for an aero road frame, or any frame for that matter, especially in an Ultegra spec. The G6 comes with a semi integrated seat post which makes the G6 look like a top end machine while still giving a little more adjustability than a fully integrated version. As for the ride quality, well, you could be forgiven for not seeing past the enormous chainstays, the oversized down tube, and the great lump of carbon that is the bottom bracket, and assume that this frame would rattle out your fillings in the name of aerodynamics. However if you look a little higher and cast your eye in the direction of the seat stays you will see that these spindly carbon members perform one of the most important functions on this bike. The seat stays on the G6 do a fantastic job of dulling road vibrations. My local test loop contains some coarse chip road and the rear end of the G6 handled these conditions almost as well as bikes designed specifically for rough roads. The aero fork did give enough feedback for you to remember that the roads weren’t billiard table smooth, but the carbon bars brought the vibrations of the rough road back to a hum. The G6 tracks well in straight lines and handles descents and corners dependably without being twitchy. The G6’s bars and stem are both branded “Titan” and are BH’s own in-house brand. They performed well and I found the bars with their short reach to be quite comfortable especially in the drops. As you would expect, the Ultegra groupset worked faultlessly, and had no issue working seamlessly with the FSA chain rings. It is worth noting here that the FSA chain rings are of the compact variety. I’m not sure how enthusiastically the general riding public are taking to compact cranks, but I did find them a strange choice for a bike aimed, one would assume, at those who would be inclined to race or at least ride long and hard. That being said, I don’t think there are many occasions where I have run out of gears on a compact. Truth be told, I’m just not used to the gear selections and often found myself cross chaining. However, I’m sure more time on them, would have me getting used to them.

Chunky head tubes are de-rigeur these days and with good reason. They provide good cornering control and road feedback.

When a frame is touted as being aero you automatically start casting a critical eye over possible areas of drag. The G6 has routed all cables internally, and should you choose to utilise Di2 in the future the frame is compatible with electronic shifting as well. The cable routing on the G6 is a little convoluted especially for an aero frame. I assume that with a bit of time on your hands, and your position set, you could trim the cables a bit and tidy this area up. There was also a bit of cable drag on the rear brake, which hopefully a shorter, straighter cable run might alleviate. Another point of note on the G6 is the use of the BB386 Evo bottom bracket. This system allows for the manufacture of a full carbon bottom bracket shell for weight savings and a press fit bearing to accommodate the extra width needed to give the G6 its bottom end stiffness.

We love it when bikes bring the rear wheel close to the frame like this. It's not only aero, it looks good too. Just keep your fingers away after riding over any debris...

The icing on this cake is the Vision T42 wheelset. Its not often you get a bike kitted out with wheels like this at this price point. The T42’s are a race quality wheel that can be used on a daily basis due to their utilisation of an aluminium brake track to take the clincher tyres. The 42mm carbon profile is aero enough to give you an advantage (and look cool) without being too flustered by all but the stiffest of breezes. The hubs are incredibly smooth and the wheels showed no signs of deflection, and stayed true throughout the test. Couple with good tyres and the BH G6 is ready to race straight out of the box, or head straight to the coffee shop.

The FSA cranks are stiff, light and good looking.

Summing Up

The adage “cheap, aero, light; choose any two” is close to being made redundant here. This is a bike that is light without being fragile, and it’s kitted out from top to bottom with quality, reliable parts. It is suitable for short or long rides, racing, or would even look at home with some tri bars clipped on.

Performance

The bottom end is as stiff as you could possibly want. The ride quality of the rear is a wonderful work of engineering. The front end suffers a little in ride quality if only by comparison to the plushness of the rear end, but is certainly not harsh. The Ultegra groupset is as reliable as you would expect and the wheels are good looking, fast and robust.

Value for Money

If you factor in the race quality wheelset that the G6 is equipped with, then the BH mounts a pretty good argument for your hard earned dollars. While it may be at the upper end of the Ultegra spec’d bikes, there is really nothing on this bike that needs to be upgraded.

Overall

The BH G6 is a great looking bike and while some may think that aero road bikes are an answer to a question no one was asking, when you can get a bike at this price that weighs only 7.3kg, race wheels and the ability to save a few watts with an aero frame, surely you should ask “why not?”

Perhaps the only thing we didn't like on the BH was the red details on the wheels and the skewers. At least with the skewers it's easily remedied.

Specifications

Frame: G6 Carbon

Fork: G6 Full Carbon

Stem: Titan Evo

Handlebars: Titan Superlite

Saddle: Prologo Zero

Seat post: G6 Superlight

Shift Levers: Shimano Ultegra

Brakes: Shimano Ultegra

Front derailleur: Shimano Ultegra

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra

Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 12-25

Chain: KMC X10

Crank: FSA SLK Light Compact 50/34

Bottom Bracket: BB386 PressFit

Wheels Vision T42 Carbon Alloy Clincher

Tyres: Michelin Lithion 2

Bidon Cage: JetBlack

Pedals: n/a

Weight: 7.3kg without pedals

Price: $4,399.00

Distributor www.jetblackproducts.com

There are few bikes in recent memory that have been as prevalent in the WorldTour as Specialized. By virtue of multiple team sponsorships, the big S can be seen gracing head tubes in almost every in-action shot from any Grand Tour in the past few years. If you factor in Specialized helmets, and Specialized shoes, which are worn by some of the teams which do not use Specialized bikes, it's clear to see that Specialized has some major stock in the game.

The names really tell the story: Cavendish, Boonen, Martin, Contador, The Schlecks, Vinokourov, Cancellara, Voight and Goss. All these guys have plied their trade on Specialized bikes, and more specifically on their Tarmac models.

The Tarmac line of bikes is described by Specialized as their 'pedigree race bike'. It's a light and stiff carbon machine that is built for pro level Grand Tour racing. As one of the big three (along with Trek and Giant), Specialized offer a mind-boggling range of models. For riders that want a bike tailored to their specific riding style it seems only appropriate that a brand that calls itself Specialized would deliver not one, but three different lines of performance road bikes.

The FSA SLK Light cranks look the goods on this bike. Its nice to see them appearing on more models in 2013.

The Tarmac line of bikes debuted with a carbon/alloy frame. At the time this was cutting edge, but seems so primitive in hindsight. All Tarmac models are now made from carbon, even down to the base model. The original Tarmac was superseded by the all-carbon Tarmac SL, then SL2, SL3, and now the latest SL4. The SL4 is a new frame shape that has been refined from the SL3 shape and as always, it's a case of lighter and stiffer. The SL3 shape is still featured on the base level Tarmac bikes and SL4 frames start at the Expert (on test here) and run through to the Pro issue S-Works level.

Specialized really push that the Expert frame is a premium product in its own right. Their own testing compares the new SL4 and SL4 S-Works frames with the superseded SL3 S-Works frame as well as premium frames from the likes of Trek, Cannondale and Pinarello. Performance metrics of bottom bracket stiffness and torsional stiffness are measured, as well as stiffness relative to weight. In torsional stiffness the SL4 Expert frame outperforms the previous SL3 S-Works model, and is only a fraction behind it in bottom bracket stiffness and carries just a 100g weight penalty.

The Expert was a great chance to ride a frame that is contemporary and almost indistinguishable from a top tier product, but hung with everyman parts at a price that many can afford. At $4,000 (or $3,999 to be exact) a non-cyclist will surely baulk, but $4,000 for a cutting edge frame with bankable parts seems like a reasonable deal to those of us hopelessly fighting the cycling gear virus. If you consider that the SL3 S-Works frame on its own (a grand Tour winner no less) carried a price tag equal to that of the complete Expert bike, the Expert seems like it should offer amazing bang for the buck for the self-funded racer. The current SL4 S-Works frame bests the Expert in all metrics measured, but at $4,000 for the frame you are again faced with the question of how many dollars are you willing to part with for fractional performance improvements, especially when the level of performance available so closely mimics that of the pro level.

Specialized also provide good in-house components.

Specialized have often used the term 'innovate or die' in their marketing, so each new product generation is faced with some heady internally-generated pressure. Minor tube shaping and carbon layup tweaks have resulted in the SL4 frame being lighter and torsionally stiffer than the previous SL3, but these physical differences are difficult for the rider to spot. Personally, I have always admired the profile of the Tarmac frame. It looks burly without being overdone when compared with many other modern carbon frames which can at times look so oversized that it is almost a novelty. The Tarmac cuts a classic and elegant profile while still looking modern.

The first thing I noticed when I swung my leg over the top tube of the Tarmac is that this frame has some major real estate in the top and down tubes, despite the classic side on silhouette. The top tube flares out so that it is significantly wider than the head tube that it joins. It literally engulfs and swallows the top part of the head tube. Specialized refer to this as a Cobra top/head tube junction, and the top tube does resemble the flared and flattened head of a Cobra. The down tube, although rounder in shape, also has a larger diameter than the head tube. The whole point of this is to enhance torsional rigidity through the front of the frame for direct steering. Specialized claim that surrounding the head tube with the wide embrace of the top and down tubes gives the best stiffness relative to the volume of material used to make the tube shape.

All the tubes on this frame have been finished off excellently. They look even better in real life.

The less obvious frame feature is the head tube and fork. Bigger isn't necessarily better, and Specialized have reduced the lower bearing from 1 1/2 inch to 1 3/8 inch. It's a small change that Specialized claim offers a smoother ride without sacrificing rigidity. Other well-known makers such as Focus and Cervelo already use lower bearing diameters between the traditional 1 1/8 and the in vogue 1 1/2 inch. It's interesting that Specialzed have decided to downsize in favour of ride quality in this bigger is better market.

In any case, it only takes one ride to know that the Tarmac is 100% committed to going where you want it to go. The fork blades are thick and the front wheel tracks precisely when lent over hard or being shimmied around in a clumsy maximum effort sprint. From front to back the Tarmac is as solid as a rock. As much as an all around race machine needs to climb, the Tarmac shows its true colours when the road points down. One particular descent stuck in my mind. Cork screwing down into a small valley the rider is faced with three sharp and steep 90 degree corners with the middle corner slightly off camber. The Tarmac railed through the choppy road surface and middled itself in anticipation of the next corner where other bikes have twisted and twanged in the commotion of gravity and direction changes.

The Expert level Tarmac is an accessible mid level bike, but it is unequivocally the descendant of a premium race bike. The price point shouldn't confuse recreational riders into thinking the Expert is for recreational coffee and banana bread riding. The rider position is aggressive and the bike responds best when you grab a fist full of the drops, stretch your outside leg and weight the pedal and lean in as hard as you dare. She loves it! Bomb the descent, regain your composure as your adrenalin haze subsides, then crack on with a good cadence towards the next high speed party. The Expert also has the feel of a quality race machine. You can detect every seam in the road and almost imagine the texture of the surface based on the feedback that you receive through the bar, pedals, and saddle, but it's not a nasty ride that leaves you beaten up after a few hours. The Expert gives the rider all of the information they need rather than making the decisions on their behalf.

Just as Specialized offer a large range of highly regarded apparel, the Expert is clothed extensively in Specialized branded components. This allows Specialized to control the entire fit and feel of the bike as well as to offer a bike that is conceived as a total package from A to Z, and at a decent price point to boot. The Expert complete bike really is all about getting the rider onto a premium frame with blue collar parts that offer solid performance, but also offer room to upgrade over time. The Expert wouldn't look out of place with Red or Dura-Ace fitted, but the Ultegra drivetrain is an echo of the frame: close to pro performance at a fraction of the price. Specialized have spec’d a BB30 FSA crank with 52/36 rings and an 11-28 105 cassette. The range is super broad, so the Expert will have you covered whether you're a climber or sprinter. That said the 36 tooth inner ring may frustrate stronger riders that ride with a high cadence and tempo and are used to doing most of their k's in their 39/18 or similar. But that would be a minority.

Specialized's Body Geometry Toupe saddle is one of the company's latest designs. It keeps you comfortable while maintaining blood flow 'down there'.

The ergonomics of the Expert are excellent out of the box. The Toupe saddle is flat in profile and has a moderate amount of padding. It didn't look like the kind of saddle that I usually make friends with but I only found myself pining for my own saddle (a Specialized Romin) after extended periods on the flat with my hands in the drops, when I got a little numb. The stem and post also warrant mention. The stem has a removable shim that allows the angle to be altered so that you can fine tune the position of your bars. It's a really nice touch and it's Specialized's way of telling you that you should make the effort to get your riding position just right. The post is just a post, but it's a skinny 27.2mm post, which allows more in-post flex to take the sting off rough roads.

The DT Axis 4.0 wheels are only available on Specialized bikes. The hubs are not DT made but are a well made generic unit with sealed bearings and alloy axles and should last well. The high spoke count and traditional j-bend spokes also point to durability and the Axis 4.0's weigh just over 1700g. Unfortunately, both front and rear wheels on our test bike were not quite true once the bike was built up it. On inspection there were several insufficiently tensioned spokes and many of the nipples had their heads partially ground off by the wheel assembly machine.

Bicycling Australia contacted Specialized about this problem and immediately another set of wheels was on the way. Our representative at the big S reported that they hadn’t had any reported issues with these bikes and hoped that our test wheels were an unfortunate one off. At any rate, we were impressed with the speed of the response, which indicates good respect for the customer.

Regardless of the price point or components, the Expert frame delivers a race focused performance that highlights its DNA. The front to back stiffness of the frame enables aggressive descending and the road feel gives a confident rider more than enough information to safely push their limits without being beaten to a pulp after 60 minutes. The complete bike is a great value way to enter a top performing chassis and is a solid privateer bike in stock form.

Quality

The Expert frame is nicely finished, nothing to worry about here. Its even got all the cable ports for tidy electronic cabling for the future. All of Specialized's in house parts are well thought out and perform without fuss, and Ultegra is the default for consistent performance at a price point. The quality control on the wheels was slightly disappointing.

Value

Many will look at the Expert and see a carbon bike with Ultegra at $4,000. This is a ferocious segment in the market, and on paper there are plenty of better value alternatives. The pro level performance of the frame brings an extra element to the equation: you can easily spend this amount just on a frame that offers similar or inferior performance to the Expert frame. The Expert offers a great ride which, if required can then be further refined over time with upgrades.

Performance

Direct feel lets the rider know what's going on under your tyre, but it's not so direct that you'll have sore fingers the next day. End to end, the Tarmac is solid and predictable. It's a go fast machine without being suicidal to ride. The Ultegra spec is bullet proof and leaves you to worry about your personal performance rather than that of your equipment.

Overall

The Expert looks like a middle of the range bike, but there is a wolf somewhere under the polite silver sheep suit. Excellent road feel and frame stiffness offer a bike that suits fast paced and aggressive riding. The Expert is up for anything, and has plenty of room to upgrade. This is a great bike for the privateer that is less concerned about having S-Works painted on their down tube than getting in the saddle and pushing the limit of their own performance metrics.

Specifications

Frame: Specialized FACT 10r carbon, FACT IS construction, tapered/shaped HT, compact race

Fork: Specialized FACT carbon, full monocoque, OS race for 1 3/8" bearing

Headset: 1-1/8 upper and 1-3/8" lower stainless steel cartridge bearings integrated w/ headset, 8mm cone spacer with 20mm of spacers

Stem: Specialized Comp-Set 6061 alloy, cone head bolt, 12-degree, 4-degree shim, 31.8mm

Handlebars: Specialized Tarmac Expert, 2014 alloy

Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra

Brakes: Shimano Ultegra

Shift Levers: Shimano Ultegra STI

Cassette: Shimano 105, 10-speed, 11-28

Chain: KMC

Cranks: FS SL-K Light, carbon, BB30 with 52/36 chain rings

Wheels: DT Axis 4.0

Tyres: Specialized Turbo Elite, BlackBelt, 100TPI, aramid bead, 700x23c

Saddle: Body Geometry Toupé Comp, hollow Cr-Mo rails, 143mm Comp

Seatpost: FACT carbon, 27.2mm

Weight: 7.66kg (58cm)

Price: $3,999

Distributed by Specialized

www.specialized.com

Could Giant’s flagship mid range bike change the way we think about value and performance?I must have been particularly good this year because Santa delivered a Christmas treat – a Giant TCR Advanced Zero. And from the minute I opened the box, it was like all of my Christmases had come at once. There are still those who feel that Giant does not boast the style and sexiness of some other brands in this spec range, but there’s no faulting its value for money and ride quality. This was evident the first minute I threw a leg over the new steed on its first bunch ride.

A lot has been written about the stiffness and front-end rigidity of Giant’s 2012 offerings and I’ll mention more about that later, but the first thing you need to know about the TCR Advanced Zero is that it is so damn comfortable. This bike doesn't make its case with any degree of outrageousness– there are no complex fork systems or triple-kinked rear ends here. No, apart from the enormous tubes, this bike goes about its business in a more subdued manner and lets its engineering and technical prowess do the talking.

It's good how saddle manufacturers are now offering custom colours for bike manufacturers.

It seems that several characteristics have carried over from the preceding version and in this case that's a good thing. Having never owned one before, it is hard to compare, but I did let a few mates who already own a TCR of some description ride the Advanced Zero during a couple of group outings, and to a man (and one woman) they agreed the pedalling stiffness was among the best they had ridden. There's a distinctively direct and efficient feel under foot when putting the power down, particularly in higher-wattage situations like out-of-saddle climbs. Take-off responsiveness and power transfer during a couple of bunch sprints was certainly more immediate and far more responsive than the ‘stiff’ time trial bike I have been riding during these highly competitive and much anticipated Saturday morning interludes. To sum up, ride quality could be described as smooth and resilient, with a lively overtone.

The shallow but wide Giant P-SLR1 clincher wheels, which come as standard with the TCR Advanced Zero, glide along with outstanding vibration damping while still managing to communicate some information to the rider. That said, for many riders there is little point talking about wheelsets because so many riders these days replace their stock wheels with a pair of carbon clinchers for serious riding. However, it must be said that the stock wheels are awesome and if you’re not intending on heading down the carbon route, you’ll be more than satisfied with the P-SLR1s.

You can get a good idea of the size and shape of the down tube from this angle. Both are very impressive.

Now settle in because it’s time to talk tubes, or at least tube names. Giant call their steerer tube design ‘OverDrive 2’ for precision steering and handling. Their oversized down tube and top tube combination is the ‘MegaDrive’ and they have thrown in their ‘PowerCore’ bottom bracket for good measure. Giant say this combination produces the razor-sharp, super efficient ride quality of this model. I have to agree, although I’d prefer not to have the marketing inspired names. Giant weave their own carbon (in this case T700) and mould the down tube, head tube, top tube and seat tube as one continuous piece. This front half is then joined to the chainstays and seat stays in a second baking process and then they eliminate the outermost woven composite sheet of carbon to reduce the weight without affecting ride quality, strength or stiffness. They’ve also managed to reduce the number of pieces of carbon used in the construction. This means that the frame is stiffer due to the lower number of joining points and also lighter from the lack of overlap. From my point of view after riding the TCR, it works perfectly. Tapered steerers are common on road bikes now and while they’re great for squelching unwanted fork flex, the upper diameter of most conventional chassis is still comparatively puny. The TCR Advanced's new 1.25 to 1.5 inch dimension, offers a rock-solid feel, eradicating any hint of twist or bending when you put torque on the bars. This bike’s front end is a real game changer, a step out of the square.

The seat post on the TCR Advanced 0 has the aero benefits of the more expensive integrated version, but with the ability to adjust the seat height.

But if I did have one thing that I thought was strange, it was the fact there are two internal cable ports on the head tube, which are useless given this bike was running Ultegra Di2. The higher-end TCR model frames are Di2 specific and don’t have these cable holes. I can see that using the same mould for both mechanical and electronic is cost effective, but since electronic shifting is one of the main reasons people are gravitating towards the Advanced Zero, I’m wondering if future models will have separate moulds. Anyway, it is a small drawback on a bike that has such sleek lines and something Giant will hopefully address with the next edition of this frame set.

Current users of Shimano equipped bikes will find their use instinctive as the Ultegra Di2 shift buttons are in the same place as regular STI levers. A really nice feature with Di2 is that it will suit many riders, particularly women or anyone with smaller hands, as the distance between the lever and the handlebar is adjustable so braking and gear shifting is comfortably and safely within reach.

Check out the size of that head tube. It's massive, as is the stem. Combined with Giant's proprietary headset size they make cornering feel like you're on rails.

The Di2 system has been used in the world’s toughest competitions and has proved to be very reliable, with features such as automatic realigning ensuring that gear shifts always remain crisp and precise. But the one thing that really annoyed me was the fact that the control panel was not housed somewhere on the frame and it flapped aimlessly in the breeze at any decent speed. The constant slap, slap, slap of the indicator was such an overpowering annoyance, I found myself constantly trying to move it; bending cables away from the frame and at one point squeezing a gel between it to stop it from hitting. Clearly this doesn’t affect the performance of the bike, but it did annoy the hell out of me.

Regarding ride comfort, the development of the Integrated Seat Post (ISP) means riders looking for an especially comfy feel from a top-end race bike will have to make a tough decision. The TCR Advanced's standard telescoping seatpost is easier to live with than the ISP of the top-end SL (that model is also available with a standard post if buyers so desire) – adjustments are more straightforward, packing bikes for travel is far easier, and there are fewer concerns with resale to riders who may not share the exact same saddle height. However, at times on outer Sydney’s rough roads I found myself dreaming of the 15% more comfort claimed by Giant on their top of the line integrated model. Like I said, if comfort is important then you will have an interesting decision to make.

Giant have put a lot of research into lay up shapes. The result is very pleasing!

This bike was a revelation. A top notch frame with Di2 and a stack of quality components and it is under $4,000! In my humble opinion, it will be a tough act to follow. For those of us that have been around the bike scene for a while, bikes with weight and features like this are the bikes that will get talked about for years to come. This will be the bike that sets the benchmark for the future.

So why buy a TCR Advanced Zero? Value for money and quality of build and specifications – it is unparalleled in the marketplace at present – plus it is just so damn good to ride!

Quality

RideSense, OverDrive 2, MegaDrive and any other word Giant want to put a capital letter in the middle of, all coupled with their compact road design and advanced carbon composite have put this bike into the quality end of the market. It might be marketing speak but those sections of the frame really work. The TCR Advanced 0 truly is a quality bike.

Performance

Stiffness, power transfer, superior handling are all words you will use when describing this bike to your mates. On the hills of the Royal National Park to the rough agricultural roads of the Hawkesbury, this bike performed really well. Most bikes are more suited to just one type of riding. This bike will perform excellently in any format. Crits, road, coffee ride, whatever. It’s simply a pleasure to ride.

The in house componentry coming out of the Giant factory is very impressive.

Value For Money

Here is the main thing about the TCR 0, bang for your buck. The Giant design team have come up with the goods on the TCR and at a retail price point of $3,999, that’s serious quality for not much outlay. Almost anyone could decide to buy one now and ride it tomorrow.

Overall

I said earlier that this bike is a game changer and I meant it. The combination of its improved carbon fibre lay-up and oversized tube combinations make for a fantastic ride. It is stiff and responsive in a way that I have yet to experience with a bike at this price point.

Giant's tyres and wheel sets are seriously underrated. The time will come when people buy them for other brands of bikes.

Specs

Frame: Giant Advanced Grade Composite

Fork: G6 Giant Advanced Grade Composite

Stem: Giant Contact Overdrive 2

Handlebars: Giant Contact 31.8

Saddle: Fizik Arione (manganese rails)

Seat post: Giant Vector Composite

Shift Levers: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Brakes: Shimano Ultegra

Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra Di2

Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 11-25

Chain: KMC X10SL

Crank: Shimano Ultegra 39-53T

Bottom Bracket: Shimao PressFit

Wheels: Giant P-SL0

Tyres: Giant P-SL1

Pedals: n/a

Weight 7.65kg without pedals

Price $3,999.

Distributor: Giant Bicycles

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