![]() ![]() Shimano’s 105 mech, cassette and shifters deal with 10-speed drive duties. Though this is a race bike, there are still two sets of bottle bosses, which will be a boon if you’re into long rides, but the seatstays do lack rack eyes, though full guards can be fitted at both ends.Įquipment: Classy 105 gearing and brakes from Shimano, but narrow bars cramp the cockpit There’s a chainstay brace behind the seat tube and while this underlines the stiff rear end, it’s also a favourite hiding place for mud. Kinked seatstays leave plenty of room for mud and the rear brake stop is frame mounted. The top tube has a wide and shallow profile, with cables positioned along its outer corners, avoiding problems not only when shouldering, but also with standover, although the compact frame means the top tube’s well out of the way for botched dismounts. It’s supported by a stubby, oversized head tube that gives ample reinforcement and the FSA headset keeps the stack height low. It’s stiff enough to withstand forceful steering inputs, whether they come from the rider or the trail, but still does a grand job of soaking up vibration, leaving you less fatigued. Everyone knows red bikes are fastest, but when mixed with black and white the effect is trebled!Įaston’s carbon expertise means the fork complements the frame to perfection. One look at the X-Race Comp will convince you it’s quick. It’s a simple enough problem to remedy, but when a bike costs this much it’s not unreasonable to expect it to be specced to best effect right from the word go.Ĭhassis: Versatile compact frame and vibration-damping fork A 40cm (edge to edge) bar is way too narrow for most people – offering it as an option for very small riders is okay, but speccing it as standard cramps space for hands as well as impacting on the rider’s ability to steer effectively.Ī wider 42 or 44cm bar would offer greater leverage for climbing and steering, and more room to breathe while in the drops, as well as making more space on the tops for the secondary brake levers. We weren’t keen on the cockpit setup, though. There’s no disguising the race pedigree, or that it’s been designed to stay irmly within the trail tapes – but that didn’t stop it being a real hit with our testers out on the trails the light weight and flickable feel had us hammering along routes we’d normally only be taking flat out on mountain bikes. ![]()
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