Accelerace Extreme Gear Testing

Accelerace Gear Testing/Product Review Centre

Triathlon/Cycling/Running

Bikes/Frames:

Specialized E5 Aerotec S-Works Frame

All-aluminium frame, made from Specialized E5 Aerotec Columbus tubeset, is brilliantly light and stiff, builds up to a very agile, nimble bike. The geometry is semi-compact – I’m 6’4”, and the 58cm fits like a glove, giving a reasonably stretched-out, aerodynamic feel. Adding to the aerodynamics is the semi-bladed seat-tube, with a cut-away section for the rear-wheel, and the bladed seat stays. This is a tried-and-tested design for Specialized, and has met with good response from riders and testers alike. Personally, regardless of the aerodynamic properties, I feel the overall aesthetics of the design are very pleasing, and add to the impression of a quality frame. The frame’s weight (or lack of it) really helps on the uphills – the bike seems to float up them, and the chunky chainstays help provide responsive acceleration when it comes to stomping down on the pedals (I tested a model with a super-stiff ’05 Dura-Ace chainset, which may also have helped here). On descents, the stretched geometry helps to keep you low to the saddle, and the S-Works all-carbon fork provides super-responsive handling. The carbon fork and seatpost are both high-quality Specialized affairs – the fork has a full carbon steerer helping keep the weight down, and the seatpost has a ‘zertz’ insert (a Specialized innovation of inserting a piece of rubber to the upper section of the post to help with shock-absorption). Both of these help significantly with comfort, and you don’t notice the absence of carbon seat-stays to the degree that I thought you might. In any case, the frame felt as comfortable after 100 miles as it did after 10 – validation indeed. The wheelset I had on the test model was the Shimano R550s, a reasonable training wheel, but not exactly the perfect match to the otherwise Dura-Ace/Ultegra componentry, and a lighter wheelset would add to the overall feel of the bike (not to mention further helping on the hills).

All-in this is a fantastic frame for the money – in S-Works factory red you’ll feel the part, and at £699 for frame, carbon forks, carbon seatpost, and FSA carbon headset, you can build this up to a fantastically specc’d race steed for comfortably less than the magical £2k mark. Oh, and it’s the frame Mario Cippolini rode when he clocked the (then) fastest speed for a sprint finish.

Chris.

Condor Italia 105

When your brother-in laws, your sisters, your brother and your friends have bikes, even the most single minded person has to give in. It was either that, or go into hiding.

So for the next few weeks my time was spent perusing the web, trying out the usual brands, discussing the pros and cons of carbon-fibre, Shimano, Campag, frame sizes and working out how to pay for it all.

The end result was a bespoke bike that existed only in my imagination.

I realised that I needed some help from people who actually knew what they were talking about. Enter Condor.

Condor Cycles are a London based shop producing high quality own-brand frames alongside selling the likes of Pinarellos, Colnagos and Litespeeds - nice bikes, basically. Situated on Grays Inn Road in London they are in a fairly inaccessible place unless, of course, you have a bike.

Their Italia frame is the one-up from the entry level Agio, although this is far from an entry level frame. It is a semi-compact design hand-made in Italy by Dedacciai. The frame is their 7003 cold drawn Fire tubeset with a hydroformed down tube to give extra strength. Add Deda carbon FireTail seat stays and Deda Blackforce 4 full-carbon forks and you have your basic (beautiful) frame. As Condor build-up each bike for each customer this gives you the opportunity to tailor your bike as you see fit. I went for the excellent Shimano 105 groupset option, coming in at £1,049.99. From the first ride this was by far the comfiest, lightest and most responsive frame I had tried (and I had tried out all the major players) - and I still had the option of fine tuning it before I parted with any cash.

This priced package comes with the choice of Mavic Aksium Race or Shimano 550 wheels. I got the Mavics (mainly because I thought they looked better) and upgraded to a carbon seatpost and a fi'zi:k pavé saddle for an extra 50ish quid, which I thoroughly recommend.

As this was my first bike I needed help with the frame size; and every shop owner had an opinion that I suspected would coincide with whatever size frames they had in stock. As Condor build up their bikes for each customer, they have no interest in selling you a wrong sized frame and for a newcomer that is the biggest selling point.

They get you on the jig in their basement and explain exactly what they are looking at as you follow their instructions. They can then knock up a 'close enough' test model for you for you to try there and then. With all my faffing and pondering it actually took me 3 days to buy the bike, and they happily answered all my daft questions and allowed me many many test rides to help make up my mind.

This review is as much about Condor as the bike. I am sure I could have found an equivalent spec'd mail order bike from somewhere on the internet for less (Focus and Felt have some tempting alternatives).

However the extra £10's of pounds easily covered the excellent service I got from the guys in the shop and the knowledge that I was being sold exactly what I wanted.

And how is the bike 3 months later? Brilliant. I haven't had any problems with it and give it 10/10. My only concern is that it still doesn't go up hills quick enough, although some people say that isn't down to the bike…

Ben.

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