2006 – Cycling Plus – Aravis SL

f.
Tested Dista e b,; es
70 CYCLING PLUS MARCH 2006
Bikesr'lo
: Giant SCR3 £1499
C'Daie Synapse Tiagra £799
Hewitt Aravis SL £1325 Ambrosio Guido £725
MARCH 2006CYCLING PLUS 71
Tested Distance bikes
GiantSCR3
£1499
Contact:Giant 1r 0115 9775900,
www.qiant-bicvcles.com
-- -- - - - ----- - - - -- - - - - - -- - ----- _. - -~._ .. - - -- -- _:
T
he last year has seen a real boom
For others, the path to long distance
nirvana lies in the practicalities of audax
frames. Don't get too pigeonholed by
the term. Audax bikes are truly versatile
and with increasingly light framesets.
make nigh on perfect winter trainers
that won't feel o u t of place on a summer
club ru n too. Easily fitted full
mudguards - thanks 10 larger clearances
- aren't just for auda xes, they'llgo a long
way into getting you and your bike
through the winter rains.while rack
eyelets open up light touring
possibilities. The Aravis SL comes in at
the top end of the market at £1 32;. and
in typical Hewitt fashion, offers a
lightweight audax frame and a handpicked mix of choice components.
Ambrosio's Guido aims to satisfy those
on more of a budget - again with
mudguards and all the relevant eyelet
in the range of ro ad bikes tilting
the perfor m ance/comfort balance
firmly in the direction of the all-day
rider - be it for the Etape du Tour, a
Cyclosportifor a 150km erc Challenge
ride . With such a liber al smattering of
carbon, it's not that today's dedicated
road machines aren't comfortable.
because they're actually plusher than
ever. The real advantage of these new
comfort road hikes is that the
geometries havebeen tweaked. with
typically longer headtubes and
chainstays to offera more upright. stable
riding position. Rather tha n being a
co m prom ise. it's a recipe th at suits any
rider who loves to put in the big miles
whilst still savouring the thrill of a
lightweight, agile road bike.
l ast year, Specialized's Roubaix
impressed us with its matchless comfort,
performance and value for money - this
year,Giant's TCR derived SCR3 enters
the arena, at a similar price point of
£1500. But if that's too much. then at
£799, Cannondalc's Tiagra equipped
Synapse aims to be all the top end.
£3399 Synapse (C+ 171) was - minus the
carbon and the hefty price tag.
72 CYCLING PLUS MARCH 2006
(jianthavegone for
internalcable runsonthe
SCRl's top tube- which is
tidyand stylish. butwill
be fiddlyto rethread
boxes ticked. Builtup in its current
guise,it costs £725.
FRAME
Giant 9('dale 8Hewitt 8Ambrosio 7
The main difference between the Giant
SCR Composi te series and the popular,
racing orientated TCR, is their slightly
longer wheelbase and more upright
geometry.This means there's provision
for a wider variety of tyres. as wellas
more comfort and stability for longer
rides. Both models share the same
compact frame geometry. with five sizes
to choose from this year, so you should
find a fit to suit. with different seat post
and stem lengths available too. The
monocoque construction looks great,
with elegant,curved chainstays and a
beefy profileat the bcadtubc. The
exposed carbon weave on the top tube
ikeshop
(annandale Synapse
£799
Carmondale Europe " 0041 61 487
9380, wwwcannondalecom
and logo arc nice touches, thou gh the
rest is painted a rath er unappealing flat
silver - the higher end SCRComposite 2
gets a more striking blue finish. Thcrc'rc
two bou le mou nts, and the rear brake
cableis fullyslotted within the frame.
Carbon scat posts have a habit of
slipping. but the SCR's two bolts hold
things securely in place.The matching
fork, with aluminium steerer, is a lad
heavier than expected but it's no big
issue- we're still talking about a very
light frameset.
The Synapse shares the same angles as
the £3399 Synapse we tested in C+ 171.
It's slightlyslacker and more relaxed
than a full on road bike. such as the racy
R series. This 'low end' model uses full
aluminium tub ing - you have to up the
budget to £1550 for the first of the
carbon versions.The subdued, frosty
blue finish feels hardwcaring and quality
wise, it's built to Cannond ale's high
standards, with a really tidy finish and
excellent welds. At 3.2 lbs it's a light
frame consider ing the size and its non sloping design, and with the forks at just
l ib. it comfortably undercuts the
Giant's fork by 300g.
As the name suggests, the SLis a
much lighter version of Hew'itt's Aravis,
using AN6 tubing over the 7005db
original. In fact. it comes in at an
impressive 3.1 Ibs. II's a handsom e frame
too. with a glossy coat and neatly filled
welds. A big, triangular dowmu be
provides lots oflateral stiffness and
there're some nice details, like cable runs
on the headtube to protect against paint
rub. Semi sloping in design. our bike
carne in a 54c111, which along with the
massive layback in the scar post,gave it a
TheSynapse's36150
compact and12-26
dusterwasidealatthis
pricepoint andintended
use. Atriple isalso
available
com pact look . But in the quest for light
weight, gone are the rack eyelets - though
there's ample tyre clearance and provision
for mudguards.The Issaac Audax carbon
fork also features those practical touches,
and is reasonable in weight too.The price
includes plenty of time on the jig to ensure
you get just the right fit.
The Guido uses 7005 aluminium
tubing, with a semi sloping top tube.
There's an oversized teardrop downrub e.
relaxed angles and ample clearance for
deep drop brake callipers and mudguards.
Welds are on the utilitarian side and the
rear dropouts are very basic. The finish is
uninspiring- the general consensus was
that it has a bit of a cheap look abou t it.
The forks are good looking thoug h, with
carbon blades, an alloy steerer and eyelets
for mudguards. Thcrc'rc two bottl e
mounts and rack eyelets for light touring
duties too but these were fouled by the
Ambro sio's deep pull brakes.
HANDLING
Giant 9('dale 8Hewitt 8Ambrosio 8
From the off, the SCR is simply ultra
smoo th to ride. swallowing up every road
dimple and pothole effortlessly. Its
MARCH2006CYCLING PLUS 73
Tested Distance bikes
Hewitt Aravis ""'
5L
..
_
£1325,_ _
HewittCycles 1r 01772-424773,
wwwhewittcycles.co.uk
- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - -- --- --- - ~- ------ -- _:
i
(
"
could have done with a centimetre or
two off the stem as it did put a bit more
pressure on my lower back over time other than that, the fit was spot on.
( annandale claim the hourglass seat
stays and flattened chainstays help tame
the back end. while a snff bottom
bracket ensures an efficientride and
lateral stiffness, It borrows the SAVE
technology (SynapseActive Vibration
Elimination) from its carbon brothers,
though it doesn't feci as effective in
aluminium. In practise, while it's not as
hard on the body as the R900. it could
handling is just on the right side of neutral
- lean back to stretch out and the bike
stays tr ue, throw it int o the corn er and it
carves its way with aplomb. With its
compact design, the rear wheel feels
almost tucked under the frame. giving a
punchy.nimble feel [0 the ride and great
hill climbing prowess. We've had issues
with the limitations of three-size ranges in
the past. so it's good to see a couple of
fillersizes in between. With compacts. it's
easiest to size them by checking their
effective top tubes. Ours came in a
medium, which was on the small side and
mean t I had to run the seat pos t at its
maximum extension. This said. it's
testament to the frame that it was still
really comfortable on a long weekend
ride, even though the drops were lower
than I'd have liked.
Compared to the SCR, the Synapse
rides like a more stiff-framed road bike.
It's not such a natural climber but when
you put the power down, its traditionally
stiff (annanda le frame delivers,and
there's a reassuringly solid feel too. The
riding position is on the roadie side - it's
longer and more stretched out, extending
the back and opening out the chest. I
The Hewitt comeswith
theever-popular Arione
saddle andan FSA SL220
Alloyseatpostwithplenty
oflaybad forcomfort
----- - - --- -- - - --- - - ------- - ------- - --------- ,,
,,
74CYCUNG PLUS MARCH 2006
\
still do with a carbo n seat post and
padded bar tape to iron out road hum.
Even with mudguards and all the
extras, the Hewitt feels like a light bikewhich it is at less than 21 Ibs. As you'd
expect. it has noticeablyslower steering
than the Giant and the Synapse, which
makes it an easy bike to ride in mixed.
wintry conditions, with a little more
effort involved on long, sinewy descents.
The frame is amply stiffenough to be a
good climber, coupled with its oversized
handlebars,but felt good on a 7D-mile
outing too. Three centimetres of spacers
Bikeshop
Ambrosio Guido'--£725
RSI
1r
_
02089652510,
www.ariane-int.com
isgenerous. though the cables were cut a
hitshort to run the handlebars at their
maxi mum height.
TheAmbrosio Guido givesa
surprisingly balanced ride which is much
morethan the sum ofits parts. Itssteering
feltsmoother and more fluid than we were
expecting. Stripped down. its efficient
frame would actually make a competent
racehiketoo, even tho ugh it's carrying an
extrapound in weight. when riding hard
out of the saddle.the front end could be a
little bit wandery,with lessof the surefootedness common to many audax bikes.
Icouldhavealso done with a slightly taller
headtubeto crank up the cockpit.
Audaxcs often involve a whole variety of
tarmac, from smoot her A-roads to more
dimpled backlanes. The firm ride would
have benefited from some padded bar
tape, as the tape used is particularly thin.
EQUIPMENT
Giant 8('dale 8Hewitt 9Ambrosio 6
While Giant list the SCR3as having an
U1tegra/105 mix, the only piece of
Ultegrametal is the front mech.levers
are 105s,as is the rear mech. Ten speed,
it's mated to a quality Truvativ triple
chainset with outboard , Hollowrech 2style bearings and bonom bracket.
Shifting was light but a littleskittish. The
new 105 levers are compatible with
double chainrings, so you could easily
swap the triple for a compact. Tektro
dual pivot brakes offer good modulation
and savebudget over 105s. Elsewhere,
there's matching Easton EA30kit with
oversized handlebars and a comfy Fizik
saddle. At 201bs, it's not the lightest bike
for the money,but it's no slouch either.
The 36/50 compact and 12-26 cluster
fitted to our Synapse was idealat this price
point and intended use. There's the option
of speccing a triple for those tackling
reallyhillyterrain. though I got on fine
with the double in Wales.Shifting is nice
and crisp: the Tiagra levers may not have
the pimp}'finish of this year's 105but
there's little to fault in their performance.
The rest of the kit is all Cannondale's.
we're pretty spoilt with carbon these
days, even on 'lower' end bikes. so it's a
shame we didn't get any here - maybe a
seat post. Still,there's a whole range to
choose from, including Campag equipped
and full carbon fram esets, start ing at the
£1550 Carbon 105.
The Hewitt's endowed with Campag
Velocc all round. While the Italians are
Ambrosio'sown-brand still playingcatchup to the latest big S
brakeswortwell,
offerings,Veloce has proved itselfa tough,
butsome may find the reliablegroupset with predictable shifting
cosmetic'arbon-look' - even if it can't match 105 for
finishan acquirt'd taste featheriness. The levers are comfortable
MARCH2006CYCLING PLUS 75
Tested Distance bikes
and you can trim the front rncch, which
saves constan tly faffing wit h your gears.
The ability to shift in clusters isgreat too,
while running a bar bag is that much
easier thanks to the cable routing. 170mm
cranks suit the frame size, though there's
Hewitt.The front and rear mechs were
badly set up,and the mudguards were
fitted so dose to the front wheel that
they had a tendency to rub. Of course
this bike is half the price of the Hewitt
but it still falls short on build quality
when compared to the cheaper Ribble
Audax tested in C+ 179 and certainly
when compared to the Synapse here.
still th e inevitable to e overlap wit h
mudguards. The matching FSAoversized
bar and stem is amply stiff for hard climbs
out of the saddle: again, a little carbon
under the backside wouldn't go amiss. But
thanks to Pizik'swonderful Arione saddle,
you shouldn't have [00 many complaints
- the longershape helps climbingtoo.
We've alwaysbeen impressed by
Shimano's long reach dual pivot brakes,
which provide excellent stopping power.
Quality.well-fitted SKS mudguards assure
a more sociable ride in a pack, and a much
more practical all-weather commute.
We've found that whilst you may pay
extra for a Hewitt, you're pretty much
guaranteed to end up with a bike which
simply doesn't need any changes- every
component spccc'ed is there for a
purpose. rather than to meet a price point.
The Guido is equipped with a full
Campag Xenon group set, sensibly
specc'ed with a triple. While generallya
big fan of the Italian way,the shifting on
this low-end groupset proved a bit un ruly.
and the springs just don't feel as assured as
on other models. Although the hoods are
comfortable, you can't change up in
d usters. Trimming the front mcch is
harder too, as you can only make fine
adjustments on the way up. At this price
point, we'd prefer Shimano's Sora, which
feels better made and more solid. The rest
of the kit is matching Ambrosia, and
everything is dependable, Abrosio's own
brand brakes are amply powerful and are
finished in a carbon look, as arc the rails
of the perch. Overall though, the bike
simply wasn't built to the standards of the
76 CYCUNGPLUS MARCH 2006
Don't be put
off that
comfortroad
bikes are a
compromise
- formany.
the slightly
less razor
sharp
handling will
be farless of
an issue than
the extra
comfort
WHEELS
GiantS('dale 7Hewitt9AmbrosioS
Xero wheels arc appearing on more and
more bikes these days.The XSR 3son the
Giant use cartridge bearings, with 24
spokes at the back and 20 on front.The
rims are designed to fit 23-28mm tyres
and whilst not the lightest wheels on the
marker.they've proved remarkably
strong. Art EdWarren's been running a
pair for a while now and sings their
praises. The 25c Michelin tyres sit fairly
wide on the rim - we had no problems
with them even in somewhat muddy
back lanes.
Cannondale has opted for a more
traditionalwheel build. They're triplecrossed for strength, and more
comfortable than a radially spoked
wheel. Weight wise, there's not much in
it compared to the Giant's - the Xero
Acres are a little heavier on the front, a
little lighter on the back. The cup and
cone hubs are easy to serviceand the
Mavic semi deep CXP22 Ss are
underrated. well-priced rims with wear
Rivals
Specialized Rouba lx Camp
Trek Pilot 1.2
nfosiCK7
Ribble 700 5 aud ax
£1500
£700
£919
£693
SpecializedRoubaix(amp£1500 (( + 170)
Spedalized tr 020 8391 3S00, www.spedalized.
com ( + 2005 distancebikeoftheyear, fu ll carbon,
: scores highlyon comfort andspeed. Trek Pilot 1.2
line indicators too. Unfortunately,
( annandale has pinched the pennies by
buildingthem up with plain gauge spokes
all round, while the inner tubes are very
flimsy.Hutchinson's Flash tyros proved
prone to deep gashes within the first few
rides, and punctured twice- certainlynot
up to winter conditions.
As for the Hewitt we've seen
Ambrosio's Excellence rims crop up a few
times,and they've stood up well to yearround abuse. They're double cyelcted.
which is alwaysgood to see. and built in a
three-crass style with a combination of
plain gauge and butted spokes to Paul
Hewitt's usual exacting standards. Hubs
arc smooth running Centaur. Continental's
Grand Prix 4 seasons are heavier than
some but ideal for winter.They're popular
on the audax circuit and have proved
resilient against punctures in typical
winter road conditions.
The Guido's wheels arc also laced with a
traditional three-cross design using double
butted spokes, making retruing that much
easier.The box section Ambrosio
Evolution rims should last several seasons,
and the matching hubs rolledsmoothly.
Throughout our time with the bike. the
wheelstayed true and the spokeswere well
tensioned. Tyres are rather cheap
Gommitalia Logosports. which arc
actuallyreasonablygrippy.On this kind of
bike. we might be tempted ( 0 fit 25ct}TCS
for the winter. just to add an extra cushion
of air and help with all-day riding comfort.
£700 Trek UKtr 01908 282626,www.trekbike.cQ.uk.
Comfy, more upright geometry,aluminium frame
withcarbonforks.TifosiCK7£919www.ritosicydes.
cc.uk, tr 01582 872202 Compact Colombus7005
frame,Tifoslcarbon forks and Veloce drivetrain,
several buildkits available. Ribble7005 Winter
trainer/Audax,£693(C+179)Ribble Cycles tr 01 772
721721,www.ribblecydes.co.uk. Versatile,winterised
alurace bike with 105 drivetrain andwheelset
Bikeshop
GiantSCR3
C'DaIe Synapse
R~cementv.IUtI£1499
ReplacemltOt value £799
CannondaIeEurope'll"OO 41614879380.
www.cilflnondale.com
Giant'lf Q1l59ns9CXl,
'NWW.giant -bicyde<..com
Frame:Ak:(':lhaAlcaiyte
Fram!'Weight \463g!32 Ib
Fork:Cannondale SliCe Premium
Fork weight 434g1J.()Ib
Bike dimensions
Bike dimensions
Toptube: 550cnV21.7ln
Frame and forks
Sizetested: S5cm
Sizes avallable: {SO. 52,55. 58,6OCM)
Weighl astested IO.2OOkgl 215lb no pedals.
Frame-. Nerve..: 7005
Fram!'weight 1895g14.21b
Fork: Ambl"osioCarbon, carbon wI alloysteerer
Fork wetght 593g1131b
TOPIUbe:58JJcmI22.8in
Seat tube (c-d: 53.0cmI20.9 in
Chai"stays:4 1.0cmI16.1in
Wheelbase:105.0CrnI41.3in
Headtu be angle:73.0
Seat tube angle:725
Fort offset:45c m/ l.8in
l rail: 6.OCm
BIbheight :26.& m/10bn
Stardovee heig ht: 812cm/ 32.0 in
Breze-o- s zx water bone
Sizelested:S&:m
Sizesavailable:(47.50,53.56. 58. 60. 63em)
~ht as tested: 9.0 lkgl2O.OIb no pedals
seat tube (c-c):4 5.OCmfl7.7 in
Chainsta~415cm116.3in
wreetese 99.5cnv'391in
Headlube angle: 72.5
Sealtube angle: 72.5
ForkoffsetA.5cm/l.84n
Trail:63cm
BIbheight: 27.1cm,ll O.7in
Standovef height: 77.OCm/30Jin
Braze-oos Zx waterbottle
Frame a lignmen t
Head tube: Perfect
Bike dim ensions
Toptube: 57.OCm/22.4in
Seat t",bE' (c-e): 5O.QcmJ19.7 In
Chainstays:42.OCm/16.5ln
w-eetese 102.OCm/402 In
Headtubeangle: 735
Seattube angle: 75.0
Forkoffset:4.3cml1.7in
Trail: 5.9cm
8/bheight: 26.7cm/105in
Stenoove height 79.3cm/31.2in
Braze-ens. 2x water terre, f&r mudg uards
Frame al ignment
Framealignm ent
Head lu be: Perfect
Rear tria ngle: Within2mm
Fork:
Perfect
Head tube: Perfect
Rear triangle: Perfect
Fork:
Perfect
Reartriangle: Perfect
Fork
Perfect
Transmission
ssion
- -- Tran smi---.
_..- -
ceoetsro-e
Gear ratio (in)
Soccker
12 13 14 15 16 17 19 21 24 25
13. 68 62 5854 51 48 43 39 l4 30
13. 88 81 75 70 66 62 55 50 44 39
152 117 ICll 100 94 8883 74 67 59 52
Whee ls
Fronl&Rear: xec utewbeeeer
lyres:MiChelin DynamiC. 700x25c
Wheelweight f: 136Og;t. 1905g
-
_._-
Chainset:TruVativ Elite. 36-50T.172.5mm
Bottom bracket TruVativGPXXR
Freewheel;SRAM
Chain brand: Shimano HG53
Derailleu rs: Stumano liagra
Gear levers: Sturranc TldQra
Chainset:Campag Xenon. 30-42"521. 170mm
Bottom brdcketCarnpagnolo Xenon
Freewheel Carnpaqno loXenon
Chain brand: KMC
Derailleurs:Campagnolo Xenon,9 speed
Gearlevers:Campecro o Xenon. 9 speed
Pedals: rore
Pedals. oo-e
Gear ratio (in)
~.------
Gear ratio (in)
_
Scrocker
Sprocket
12 13 14 15 17 19 21 23 26
g' 36 81 75 69 65 57 51 46 42 37
~ I SO 113 1()1 % 90 79 71 64 59 52
.5
Wheels
Front & Rear:32H Mavk:CXP22 rimson
Caooo-da'e Earth hubs wI plain gauge spokes
lyres:Hutchinson flash , 700x23c
Wheelweight f. 1430;1: r:1880g
qtJl~~ _components
Q!h~~co~~~!1ts
Haoolebarstem Easton EA3O, ncnm OS
Harxj\ebaf5.; EastonEA3O.445cm, OS
ueeosec Aheadset. integrated
Saddle: Rzik vsesse
Seerpost Unbranded carbon
Brakeset, Unbranded dual pivot
Handlebar stem:Caorcooee Plre.l 2Omm.OS
Hand'ebars.: Caoroooae Fire.44 Ocm,OS
HeadsetFSAintegrated
5addIe: Cannandale
seercost Cannandale rite
Brakeset: Cannoodaleo Det a
Accessories: None
scoessoees, None
Ambrosio Guido
RepIawment .... lue£725
RSI 'II" 0208965 2S10.WMY.dndne-int.com
Frame and forks
Frame and forks
Seetested: SOcm
Sizesavailable: (43.465. SO, 555. 585)
weight ~ tested: 9.07lJigl2OfJlb no peda/5
Frame: Carbon r-coococqce
Framt'Weight 1293g12.81b
Fork: carton wI alloyCI"CM'fI and steerer
FOO weight 574gfl.31b
.Transmission
__ ..
.
_ ._ - Chan set :TruVativElila,30..39-52T, 172.5mm
Bottom bracket:TruVativGXP
Freewheel:Shimano lOS
Chain brand:Shimano 105
Derailleu r~ Sbrreno Ultegral l as
Geallevers: Shimano 105
Hewitt Aravis SL
_
,
,.
17 19
1213 14 15
3. 68 62 58 54 51 48 43
42 9S 87 81 76 71 67 eo
52 100 100 100 94 88 83 74
21 23 2S
39 35 32
54 49 45
67 61 56
Wheels
Front& Rear:32HAmbrosioExcellence rimson
Campag vekx:e hubs wI triple butted scokes
lyres:ContinentalGrand Prix.: Seesco.700x23c
'Mleel ~ht: f: 113CkJ; r: 16~
Other components_.c-c~~~~_ _
HandlebarstI"lTl:FSAOSl40, 12Omm, 311lmm
Handlebars.: FSA RO 250,445cm. 31Bmm
HeadsetTHIndustries, integ rated cartridge
5addie:Fizik Ariooe
Seatpost: FSA 5l220AIIoy
Brakeset Shimano Dual Pivot
Accessories: f& mudgUdfds, 2x bottle ~
r
.5
,.
13 14 15 16 17
21 23 2.
3. 62 58 54 51 48 43 39 35 31
54 49 44
42 87 81 76 71 67
52 ios 100 94 8883 74 67 61 54
'"
Wheels
Front& Rea1: 32H Ambl"osio Evolutionrimson
Ambrosio hubs wI stain1es5 db spokes
Tyres.:Gommnalla logosport. 700x23c
'Mleel~hl f: 134Og; r: I ~
Oth er components
Handlebafstem: Ambrosio
=· -::',.,.,=",:CC;os.O;-;I-::IIlmm
= =-Hdndlebal$; Ambrosio Litell44.OCn\
Headset Integ rated cartridge
Saddle:AmbrosioLite
Seatcost Ambrosio
BrakesetAmbrosio
sccesscoes f& mudguards
!:jQ.L'.\fiVe r d ict
Don't beput off by theidea that comfort
road bikes are a compromise - for many,
the slightly lessrazor sharp handling isan
easy trade off for theextra comfort.
Although similar in weight tothe
Synapse, theGiant is in adifferent leaguein
terms ofrider comfort and isafa rlighter,
Iivelierdimber too. Its£1500 price may
seem steep considering its finishing kitpredominantly Shimano lOS- when
comparedtothe new breedofUltegra
equipped, carbonfibre roadbikes costing a
couple ofhundred pounds less. However,
where theSCR scores iswithits simply
superb frame. It's nigh on perfect for a long,
hillycydosportif and with component
upgrades, you're guaranteed a seriously
light, nimble, yet smooth ride.
The Synapse is impressively good value .
Entry level relative totheGiant, £799 buys
you avery wellfinished frame that'slight
enough towarrant upgrading overtime.
However, thestretched out ridingposition
won't suit everyone, and the stiff frameis
more ofabenefit for biggerriders. Afew
tweaks, notably acarbonseat post anda
shorterstem, would boost all-daycomfort.
The Hewitt is a great example ofan
audax/winter bike that couldeasily
translate tomore dedicated summeruse.
Shed those mudguards and you've got a
light yet reliablemachine.As ever, itscores
highly with its well-builtsetofwheels,as
wellasits superb attention todetail. There's
nothing we'dwant tochange - thebikeis
simply spot on- thoughyou can always
spec your favouritebits ifyou choose.
TheGu ido isacompetent frame with a
ba lanced poise and smooth handling, let
downby adisappointing drivetrainand
rack ca lliperincompatibility. Althoughit
ridesa lotlighterthanitistolift,it faces
some serious rivalsat this price point, such
asRibble, Quest , Surosa, andthoughit may
takeadifferent approachtocovering
distance, the Cannondale.Whilst sharing
thesame tubing, Ribble's 7005 Winter
trainer/Audax (C+179) undercuts theGuido
in priceand even boastsafull Shimano 105
groupset (albeit last year's).
Giant8l10
Superb frame:perfect for aCyclosportif the
bike's a9but it could be more keenly priced
(annandale 8/10
light, stiff, worthy of upgrading overtime .
Hewitt 9/10
Perfect attention todetail, light and reliable
Ambrosio 7/10
Competent, balanced frame, letdown by
disappointing drivetrain