Author: John Dodgin

When the Cervelo Caledonia launched last summer it caught a lot people’s attention, not least because within a bike brand full of more functional, business-like model names such as S5, R5, P-Series and R-Series the model name ‘Caledonia’ immediately stood out as something different; did this name hint at a road bike that was less about performance and more about freedom and versatility? Our curiosity had been piqued…

The Cervelo Caledonia actually gets its name from a street in Toronto, Canada which sees Cervelo’s head office staff riding out on their weekly after-work group ride. It turns out those social rides were fairly typical of how a large proportion of us are increasingly riding our road bikes; cycling on the road is not all about performance and an endless hunt for more speed, nowadays it’s about riding socially with friends, seeking out new café stops, exploring new terrain and not flinching when the roads change from smooth tarmac to rough back lanes and even small stretches of gravel road. This ethos has been helped in no small part by the advent of disc brakes on road bikes which have significantly increased tyre clearance opening up the option of running larger volume tyres that can handle rougher terrain. Better brakes, more capable tyres, sophisticated carbon fibre construction and carefully considered frame geometry have all contributed to producing the sort of versatile, user-friendly road bikes that we probably should have been riding all along.

So as we’ve established the Caledonia doesn’t fit in a box nicely, it was conceived on Cervelo’s Thursday night rides on routes that often play fast and loose with the ‘road ride’ terminology. As the designers and engineers on this ride tried to stuff bigger tires into their R5 road bikes or streamline their Aspero gravel bikes the realisation that they needed a totally new kind of road bike became too obvious to ignore.  Calling on their existing library of tube shapes that have been proven on a wide range of other Cervelo models the designers were able to duplicate the qualities required – aerodynamic, stiff, ultralight, compliant and quickly move to the refinement process to create a bike that hit a brilliant balance point of being durable and comfortable while also being fast, aerodynamic and race-ready.

…Race-ready? Didn’t we say this was a road bike for soul-searching cyclists focused on long social rides on mixed terrain? Well, yes, but it turns out that this bike is also ready to race, should that be your fancy! Typically for a brand with such a rich racing heritage Cervelo also developed the Caledonia in collaboration with their World Tour riders to satisfy the need for a dedicated cobbles bike. If and when we see the return of the infamous Paris-Roubaix Classic road race (post-Corona Virus restrictions) don’t be surprised to see the pros from the Jumbo-Visma team opting for the Caledonia; Roubaix is harder on bikes than any other race on the calendar, and there’s zero margin for error. In direct response to pro racer feedback Cervelo increased the rear center, lowered the bottom bracket and increased fork trail; the result is a fast-handling race-ready bike with added stability.

The Cervelo Caledonia range is split into two sub-ranges of bike – the Caledonia-5 is Cervelo’s premium offering and features an integrated cockpit with fully-concealed cables through the handlebar and stem as well as a more-compliant D-shaped carbon seatpost. The Caledonia sub-range of bikes feature traditional non-integrated handlebars and stems with cables running externally until they enter the frame. The other difference is the seatpost, which in this case is a conventional round 27.2mm alloy post. Both options place lower modulus carbon in key areas to increase compliance (comfort) where you need it most, mitigating the stiffer, more brittle nature of hi-mod carbon fibre which is used elsewhere in the frame to increase the stiffness required to be fast and responsive to pedaling input.

Some fast facts…

• Caledonia-5 sub-range features fully integrated bar / stem with concealed cables
• Caledonia-5 sub-range includes D-shaped carbon seatpost
• Caledonia sub-range features conventional bar stem and external cables
• Caledonia subrange includes conventional alloy 27.2mm seatpost
• 34mm Max tyre clearance
• 31mm Max trye clearance with mudguards
• All frames feature removeable mudguard mounts
• Mounting point for top tube bag (Caledonia sub-range only)

 

You can find out more about each model in the Caledonia range by hitting the links below. Want to read all about the stunning Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS? Scroll down for a full write-up along with some great bike pics from our photographer James Vincent…

 

Cervelo Caledonia-5 Red eTap AXS

Cervelo Caledonia-5 Dura Ace Di2

Cervelo Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS

Cervelo Caledonia-5 Ultegra Di2

Cervelo Caledonia-5 Ultegra

Cervelo Caledonia Ultegra Di2

Cervelo Caledonia Ultegra

Cervelo Caledonia 105

 

A closer look at the Cervelo Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS…

The Cervelo Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS road bike sits in the upper echelons of the Caledonia range of bikes with the ‘5’ in its title denoting that this model is spec’d with Cervelo’s premier frameset featuring a fully integrated cockpit along with concealed cables. The result is a cleaner, uncluttered setup which is arguably more aerodynamic, helping you to ride more efficiently over long distances (every second counts!). Designed for modern road riders as we’ve previously described, the Caledonia-5 has been constructed to handle long-distance, high-pace rides with no limits; that means it’s a bike that’s ready for unpredictable rides that have a tendency to stray away from perfectly smooth tarmac; Cervelo’s designers and engineers have created a compliant carbon frame that is both comfortable and responsive to power input and combined that technology with some very well-thought-out geometry to provide stability on rough terrain without compromising on sharp handling.

The stunning Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS with cool, cable-free looks…

The Caledonia’s clever geometry gives a stable feel without compromising on sharp handling…

The Cervelo Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS includes a D-shaped carbon seatpost that has been designed to flex when you’re in the saddle, providing enhanced compliance and comfort. The D-shaped seatpost works in unison with the Caledonia-5’s carbon fibre frameset which features dropped seatstays and a very refined carbon layup to provide more forgiveness in key areas which further aids comfort during long hours in the saddle.

Dropped seatstays and clever carbon layup add compliance where it’s needed…

The ‘5’ in the Caledonia-5 denotes the higher spec’d frameset with fully integrated handlebars and stem…

When we looked at the Caledonia range as a whole we mentioned that this model has had significant input and feedback from the pro road racing teams that are currently competing on Cervelo road bikes. Despite most of Cervelo’s marketing material reinforcing the fun, free-spirited approach to riding the Caledonia, their designers and engineers were still focused on producing a fast, efficient and aerodynamic bike that could be raced too; looking head-on at the Caledonia-5 proves just how much focus they’ve put on all things ‘aero’. This particular model is spec’d with SRAM Force eTap AXS wireless transmission so that immediately eliminates traditional gear cables, leaving only the hydraulic brake hoses to be routed through the handlebars, stem and into the frame and fork. With Cervelo’s own carbon handlebar and alloy aero stem merging seamlessly into the frame the Caledonia-5 has been designed to cut through the air more efficiently giving you an advantage regardless of whether you’re looking to knock some time off your favourite Sunday café-run or are positioning yourself to get in the break at Paris-Roubaix.

The Caledonia is not only comfortable and durable it’s pretty darn aero too!…

Clean, clutter-free cockpit featuring Cervelo’s own carbon handlebars and alloy stem…

The Caledonia-5 features fully concealed brake hoses within the integrated stem…

Clutter-free cockpit thanks to wireless shifting and hydraulic brake hoses concealed within the bars…

As the Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS’s name suggests, this particular model in the range features SRAM’s brilliant 12 speed wireless Force eTap groupset. Sitting one rung below SRAM Red eTap AXS on the groupset ladder, the Force drivetrain takes all of the technology from Red and makes it more affordable by being manufactured by slightly cheaper materials. The efficient wireless activation remains the same and is brilliantly functional as well as being user-friendly and intuitive to use.

SRAM’s popular Force eTap AXS groupset brings wireless shifting to the masses…

The wireless Force eTap AXS 12-speed rear derailleur picks up a signal from the gear shifters and changes gear precisely every time it is activated. The battery that powers its motor is neatly integrated into the derailleur and is easy to remove and charge when required; to ensure that the chain always stays in place and is never bounced off the cassette or the chainrings SRAM have included a clever Orbit fluid clutch within the body of the derailleur. Specially profiled jockey wheels and the addition of a thin flat-sided 12-speed chain further enhance the efficiency of each gear change.

SRAM’s brilliant 12-speed rear derailleur with Orbit fluid clutch…

The front derailleur is activated by pressing both the front and left gear levers together at the same time, shifting from the small ring to the big ring with one activation and then back from the big ring to the small ring the next time you press both gear levers together at the same time. This becomes pretty intuitive pretty quickly!

The Force eTap AXS front derailleur features a removeable battery for convenient recharging…

This 12-speed groupset features SRAM’s unique ‘X-range’ approach to gear ratios, created in an effort to decrease the size and weight of the drivetrain while making the jump between each gear ratio smaller for an overall more user-friendly riding experience. For the Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS Cervelo have spec’d a 48T/35T chainset combined with a 10-36T cassette to ensure that you’ll always be able to select the appropriate gear for every riding scenario.

The gear ratios of the 12-speed Force eTap AXS groupset are unique to SRAM but give you all the gears you’ll need…

The SRAM Force eTap AXS groupset also features its own power meter integrated into the chainset. Designed specifically for electronic shifting with Quarq’s premier DZero power measurement technology the spider-based power meter readings are accurate within +/1.5% and take measurements from left and right legs separately. If you were in the market for a power meter anyway this might just be the deal maker – it’s a great addition to the Force groupset by SRAM.

The Force eTap AXS includes SRAM’s own power meter integrated into the chainset…

Force eTap AXS features SRAM’s distinctive flat-topped 12-speed chain…

The Cervelo Caledonia-5 carbon frame and fork features neat flat-mounts for the SRAM hydraulic disc calipers to attach to. The overall look is compact and unobtrusive with the rear brake caliper sitting neatly within the rear triangle of the frame safe from the potential for crash damage and tucked away from airflow to help the bike remain as aerodynamic as possible. The SRAM Force calipers combined with 160mm Paceline rotors provide ample stopping power in all weather conditions and on mixed terrain.

SRAM Force flat-mount hydraulic disc-brake calipers are compact, neat and powerful…

Cervelo have worked in partnership with Reserve to spec a suitable pair of wheels for the Caledonia-5. A bike that’s this fast and versatile, which is going to encourage its riders to push the boundaries more and more needs a durable but lightweight, fast-rolling wheelset. The Reserve 35 wheelset has been designed to be a mile-munching pair of wheels that are aerodynamic but with a rim profile that’s not too deep so that you still get quick, predictable handling on your most challenging rides. Reserve have produced carbon rims with a 21mm internal rim width to allow you to run tyres from 25mm wide up to 35mm wide with a bead hook that allows you to set up your tyres tubeless should you want to.

Cervelo have spec’d a pair of light but durable Reserve DT370 centre lock, XDR drive wheels…

Cervelo’s Reserve wheelset feature versatile tubeless-ready carbon rims capable of taking tyres from 25mm to 35mm…

To finish off the Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS road bike Cervelo have spec’d a Prologo Dimension saddle which is a great choice for a bike of this type. Prologo describe this particular model as a saddle that’s suitable for all disciplines and is perfect for men and women. Reflecting a trend we are seeing more and more of from most saddle brands as well as own-brand saddles from the larger bike manufactures the Dimension is relatively short with a short nose (35mm less than a traditional saddle) and a slightly wider profile (143mm wide) to allow for better pelvis support, making it ideal for long hours in the saddle.

A Prologo Dimension saddle is ergonomic and features a short nose…

Designed to be supportive for longer the Prologo Dimension is well suited to this type of road bike…

The comprehensive Cervelo Caledonia range of bikes provides plenty of choice in terms of integration / non-integration, componentry and budget so you should be able to find a particular option to suit you and the type of riding that you want to do. The Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS is a brilliant option within that range, with a lightweight fully-integrated frame, fork, stem and handlebar setup, a wireless electronic groupset with the addition of a power meter and a pair of lightweight but durable carbon wheels. Ten years ago if we were selling a high-end carbon fibre road bike, we would invariably be selling an out-and-out race bike which, although very popular, was not always perfectly suited to the needs of a keen non-racing cyclist. The Caledonia reflects just how much the bike industry has come in terms of listening to customers and the wider cycling community; this bike has been designed and constructed specifically to enhance our enjoyment of riding in the real world, on epic all-day adventures where the freedom to find new more challenging terrain with friends is more important than race results and performance stats.

The Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS is representative of all that’s good with modern road bikes…

The Cervelo Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS is available in store and on our website now….

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

Caledonia-5 Force eTap AXS photos by James Vincent

 

The Cervelo Caledonia-5 just scored 4.5  out 5 stars in a Cyclingnews review; after a six month long-term test they deemed the Caledonia-5 to be ‘the one bike to it all’. Read the full review by clicking the link below…

 

If you’re a road cyclist who has been battling through the winter, you’ll have no-doubt been riding in some pretty challenging conditions, head to toe in thermal, waterproof gear or will have been putting in endless hours indoors on your smart trainer staring at the same piece of wall in the ‘pain cave’. Well, there’s hope on the horizon, it’ll warm up, you’ll soon be shedding layers and enjoying long rides on dry roads again.

It’s not so bad, the next few weeks and months will fly by; things WILL get better. One way you can really build in an incentive to get through the tail-end of winter is to begin to start planning your dream bike, why not make this the year you finally indulge yourself and allow yourself to ride the bike that you’ve always lusted for, after all you’ve worked for it. Whether you’re a keen racer looking for a new road bike to meet the demands of fast and frenetic racing throughout a packed season or are planning a summer of long, challenging rides there’s nothing like a new dream carbon fibre road bike to re-focus your attention on riding and enhance your enjoyment of cycling throughout the summer months.

To get your juices flowing we’ve pulled together a showcase of some of the hottest road bikes for 2021 available from the best brands that we stock here at Wheelbase. Super-aero, feather-light, extra-comfortable or maybe all of the above! Each brand has their own take on what makes the ultimate modern road bike; needless to say, all bikes feature hydraulic disc brakes which has quickly become the established norm then there’s lightweight carbon wheels and in some cases electronic gear transmission and fear not, with each brand offering their flagship models in a range of different specifications there’ll be an option to suit you and your budget. Speaking of budgets, don’t forget that all of our 2021 road bikes are available with 0% Interest, Zero Deposit Finance to help you spread the cost of your dream road bike; find out more about our 0% Finance here.

 

Trek Émonda SLR

Launched in the middle of 2020 while the world was coping with the Coronavirus pandemic the all-new Trek Emonda didn’t launch in the usual way that Trek typically launch their flagship road bike. Rather than its debut being assigned to the Tour De France as previous incarnations have the  Emonda was revealed to the public first with the pro riders having to wait until later in the year to showcase just exactly what this cutting edge road bike could do. Happily when the Tour De France did eventually take place we saw Trek Segafredo professional Richie Porte take a very well deserved 3^rd place podium spot in Paris onboard the next-generation Trek Emonda.

This newest iteration of the Emonda saw some significant changes with Trek taking the super-popular model and bringing in more aerodynamic frame profiling throughout. The Emonda mixes all of the ultralight properties from the former model and have combined it with a fair share of the aerodynamic benefits seen on their most recent Madone model. The finished result gives us a range of bikes that are ultra-light AND aero making this the fastest climbing road bike that Trek have ever made. That’s a pretty bold claim from the American manufacturers, however, they have a lot of solid science and test results behind them to back up the claim and can show evidence of the bike being more aerodynamic even at the slower speeds encountered when climbing long hills.

This bike is a great choice for the cyclist who is looking for a contemporary, cutting edge road bike that’s capable of doing it all. This brilliant all-rounder benefits from the years of development and refinement that have preceded it with the previous models. The Emonda’s geometry is truly confidence inspiring; this bike feels agile without being skittish and is equally at home riding long epic rides in the hills as it is in a sprint finish at your local race track.

 

Focus Izalco Max Disc 

The German designed Focus Izalco Max Disc is a race-ready road bike which is super-aero and catches the eye thanks to its minimal, clean lines and aerodynamic silhouette. The Focus Izalco Max frameset goes well beyond eye-pleasing aesthetics though with some serious science and German engineering behind its development. Focus have struck that magic balance between lightweight and aero with all of the frame’s tube profiles designed and refined after many hours in the wind tunnel. The use of Kamm tail profiles have allowed the engineers to create an aero frame while cutting overall weight.

Despite the Izalco Max’s aero properties and racey look the Focus designers paid particular attention to how comfortable the bike feels over long distances. Sometimes the smallest details make the biggest difference; a good example of this is the Izalco Max’s carbon seat post design. Focus have developed an aero-profiled D-profile post which kills two birds with one stone, firstly it’s aerodynamically profiled and secondly it’s flattened rear profile has been designed to flex a little giving you added comfort in the saddle.

A subtle but really effective tweak to the frame’s geometry adds even more comfort and compliance. To maintain the optimum sitting position Focus have pushed the seat tube forwards so that the effective offset is only 2 mm. This means that you can enjoy the comfort of a seat post with 15 mm offset, without having to forgo an efficient, aero racing sitting position.

If you are looking for a versatile, modern road bike that ticks all the boxes, namely – disc brakes, aero-profiled frame, enhanced comfort, high-performance stiffness and responsiveness, then the Focus Izalco Max Disc may be for you. But just to reinforce the point, this is not a bike you’ll only want to ride on race day, as previously highlighted this aero road bike is also deceptively comfortable and is more than ready for all-day epic road rides over the hilliest routes you can find.

 

Specialized Aethos

The first thing you’ll notice about the Specialized Aethos is that the silhouette of the bike looks distinctly different to the type of high-end road bikes that are currently being launched. The latest generation of performance road bikes are firmly focused on aero-efficiency with each tube profile shaped to cut through the air and with fully integrated components and cables being the norm; Specialized themselves have recently relaunched their iconic Tarmac model as a more aerodynamic, complete do-it-all road racing bike that climbs brilliantly but is super-aero too, the Aethos completely bucks this trend.

Specialized say that this bike has been made simply for the love of riding; for once they admit, they’re not in it to win. They focused instead on the vast majority of cyclists out there who ride for the love of the sport and the freedom they feel while riding. By ripping up the established rule book which typically leads manufacturers to design modern, contemporary competition-focused road bikes, Specialized achieved a ground-breaking frame design and manufacturing process which gave the Aethos its feather-light weight of just 585grams for the frame, making it the lightest production disc frame ever made. The Aethos frame’s shape is what drives performance in terms of stiffness and responsiveness and Specialized discovered that tubes with subtle, elongated conical sections deliver the highest stiffness-to-weight ratio; they called this new approach their ‘Continuous Curvature Design’ strategy.

With a weight that comes under UCI rule 1.3. 019 which states that race bikes in UCI-sanctioned events must weigh at least 6.8kg (14.99lb) this road bike might just be too good for professional cyclists; for the rest of us though we can enjoy a light, stiff and balanced road bike that handles brilliantly. With key features including hydraulic disc brakes throughout the range, convenient threaded bottom bracket and clearance for tyres up to 32mm wide the Specialized Aethos is the perfect option for those road riding purists who seek out the perfect riding experience and don’t obsess about all things ‘aero’.

 

Cannondale Systemsix

The Cannondale Systemsix which is already well-proven on the UCI World Tour as one of the bikes available to the riders in Team Education First. Usually used for the flatter, faster sprint stages of the Grand Tours this bike is renowned as a super-aero high-performance road bike, however, it’s worth pointing out just how versatile this road bike is. How do we know? Well this model is used by our very own Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli road racing team which saw action in the (albeit limited) races that took place in 2020. The team will continue to ride the Systemsix in 2021 too; we love the feel of this bike which is super-aero, reducing drag and helping you to ride faster for longer. As we all know, small differences in performance can be hard to measure but when your road bike is this aerodynamically efficient you don’t just benefit from enhanced straight line speed but also gain an advantage in tight sprints, technical descents and even on long climbs.

The Systemsix ticks all of the boxes of what is expected from a modern aero road bike; namely an aerodynamically profiled carbon frame, internal brake & gear cables, neat flat mount disc brakes and fully-integrated handlebar and stem which features internal cables that run seamlessly into the frame, all helping to make this bike efficient at cutting through the wind. Through personal experience and valuable feedback  from our Team members we can confidently say that the Cannondale Systemsix is a fantastic option if you’re looking for a fast, race-ready road bike; it’s perfect for taking on your local weekly crit or even your club time trial thanks to its speed, versatility and supreme handling.

 

Pinarello Dogma F12

The Dogma F12 is Pinarello’s flagship race bike as ridden by the world dominating INEOS professional road racing team (formerly Team Sky). This iconic bike has seen many tweaks and refinements over the years with the addition of disc brakes and more aerodynamic profiling being the most recent developments. The success of this bike is undisputable with significant victories and high podium places achieved even in the stilted, abridged 2020 race season where we saw Tao Geoghegan Hart taking a storming overall win in the Giro D’Italia and Richard Carapaz taking second place at the Vuelta Espana.

Their fastest bike to date the Pinarello Dogma F12 features advanced aerodynamics and carbon construction that has been further refined to be 10% laterally stiffer than the F10 helping the bike to handle brilliantly and respond instantly to pedalling input. Part of the Dogma’s improvement in aerodynamic efficiency is down to its fully integrated design with all gear and brake cables stowed within the handle bars, stem and frame; as well as improving performance it looks great too, with that iconic Italian styling shining through once again.

One significant aspect worth noting is the wide choice of sizing and spec and choices available for the finished Pinarello Dogma F12 road bike. There are 13 frame sizes available as well as 16 handlebar sizes giving up to 208 combinations for a truly user-friendly optimum fit. Now the only thing left to consider is which groupset to adorn your Dogma with, do you go with the classic combination, keeping things all-Italian with Campagnolo, spec Shimano’s flagship Dura Ace Di2 option or go for SRAM’s brilliant eTap Wireless groupset…

 

Specialized Tarmac

There was a surprised reaction when Specialized launched the all-new Tarmac SL7. The cycling press and fans alike were initially shocked to see that Specialized had made the Tarmac much more aerodynamic than its predecessor. Specialized already had the Venge, their out and out aero road bike in the range, so why make the Tarmac more aero? Well, the Specialized engineers realised they could effectively morph the two bikes together creating a road bike with all the climbing and handling performance of the previous Tarmac with all the advantages of a more aerodynamic machine, and see benefits even at slower climbing speeds.

The well loved Tarmac model has been around for nearly two decades in one form or another, this latest version still has all the positive aspects of previous models with regards to handling, climbing prowess and snappy acceleration on the flats and uphill sprints. Aero-profiled tubing holds the key to the SL 7’s leap in performance with seat tube, seat stays, head tube and fork blades all benefitting from refined shaping which Specialized engineers claim gives 45 seconds advantage over 40km.

The all-new Tarmac SL 7 is another great choice if you’re looking for a true ‘all-rounder’ road bike. Race-ready but not at the expense of comfort you can confidently take on a season of races with more casual epic all-day rides in between with no need to change anything on the bike. Disc brakes are so common now they barely need to be mentioned but again, it’s worth noting the versatility that disc brakes have brought to road bikes enabling you to run a slightly larger tyre to add comfort on long days in the saddle on rough roads. The Tarmac is a streamlined do it all machine.

 

Cannondale Supersix

2021 sees the second year that Cannondale have carried the revised Supersix in their range. When the all-new version was launched in 2020 it was quite a significant departure from previous generations of this bike. Opinion was initially divided as the classic looks of the original Cannondale Supersix were iconic and well-loved within the road cycling fraternity. To be fair, the drastic overhaul was long overdue and it’s funny how dated the original version now looks. What seemed controversial at the time is now the established norm – aero-profiled tubing, disc brakes and dropped seat stays all make sense and have solid science behind these refinements.

Not everything from the past has been ignored though with the bikes’ light weight and telepathic handling of the being inherited from the previous version; the Supersix now gives a smoother, more capable and much more aerodynamically efficient ride. Cannondale engineers have managed to reduce drag by a massive 21% compared to the previous generation Supersix. Further aero advantages are gained by clever integration of gear and brake cable running through the handle bars, stem and frame and gives the Supersix its clean, clutter-free silhouette.

The Cannondale Supersix is an awarding winning bike with Bike Radar announcing it as their Bike of the Year Overall Winner. The Supersix has also won the Cycling Weekly Editor’s Choice Award for 2020, described as ‘the race worthy bike thatrolls like a storm cloud beneath you’. You can read a full review here

The Cannondale Supersix is another great all-rounder; the bike is available in a large number of specifications and a couple of choices of carbon construction making it a very good choice for a wide range of budgets. This modern road bike is ready for anything, it’s race ready, super-comfortable and confidence inspiring to ride.

 

 

So, that’s just some of our favourite road bikes available for the 2021 season. You can see all of our options here over on our website and of course if you’re in the area why not call into our Lake District, Yorkshire or North East stores and talk to one of our road cycling specialists.

Blog written by Johnny Dodgin

 

 

 

Today for Fast Bike Friday we’re taking a look at the URS 01 THREE from premium Swiss brand BMC. Wheelbase have only recently begun stocking BMC, bringing another highly-desirable, cutting-edge range of road and gravel bikes into our road department; on BMC’s arrival to our Lake District store the model that we couldn’t wait to unbox and build first was definitely the URS with a lot of fans amongst our shop staff. The URS 01 THREE instantly catches your eye, thanks to its hot colour, BMC’s iconic angular tube profiling and the relaxed-angle fork hinting at this gravel bike’s progressive geometry and potential for fun, technical off-road riding.

This is one good looking Gravel Bike, with BMC’s iconic angular tube profiling featuring throughout the frame…

So why is this BMC Gravel Bike named URS? BMC explain that URS stands for UnReStricted a signature that basically signs this bike off to endless off-road adventures and rowdy riding at your local spot. Right now there is a veritable sea of gravel bikes out there, with each bike brand interpreting the design brief in different, nuanced ways; when you start looking in more depth to the type of gravel bikes currently on offer you soon discover that there are ‘sub-types’ within the gravel bike genre – super-lightweight aero race machines, tough utilitarian bike-packing machines, affordable alloy bikes with geometries that are closer to more traditional road bikes, playful burly options with 650b wheels & dropper posts and carbon gravel bikes with cleverly engineered technology designed to isolate you from rough terrain. The BMC URS almost stands alone as a carbon gravel bike that is both super lightweight and race ready while also having a confidence-inspiring wild side, unlike a lot of its competitors the URS really is UnReStricted.

The ‘URS’ model name reflects the Unrestricted ability of BMC’s Gravel Bike…

While the URS gives off the appearance of a responsive, lightweight climbing machine that’s capable of stealing KOMs on every ride (which of course it is!) it is also a very playful, agile gravel bike that’s ready for fast, fun riding through tight singletrack. How is this done? Well, it’s mainly thanks to BMC’s clever tweaking of the bikes geometry; optimised for modern, aggressive gravel riding the URS features a slack 70° head angle, a long, roomy front triangle combined with a short stem to give you room to move freely about the bike while keeping steering sharp and a slightly longer wheelbase for enhanced stability on steep descents.

The BMC URS features some really progressive geometry for enhanced handling on technical trails…

A gravel bike with this kind of geometry will inevitably encourage you to push harder on tight, technical off-road terrain. With this in mind BMC have included their MTT system on the rear of the frame; MTT stands for Micro Travel Technology and as the name suggests this system provides a small amount of travel to take the sting out of riding in the saddle when off-road. This is a clever system that was first used on BMC’s range of lightweight cross-country mountain bikes, providing 10mm of travel between the seatstay and seat tube. The carbon frame has been cleverly engineered to flex vertically to accommodate this movement while retaining lateral stiffness so that your pedaling input and power transfer through the frame is not compromised in any way. The movement of the MTT system is clearly visible even when you are simply pressing down firmly on the saddle on the showroom floor and it seems a like a really simple but efficient design solution to staying comfortable in the saddle on rough terrain.

BMC’s MTT (Micro Travel Technology) adds 10mm of travel at the rear of the frame…

BMC’s clever engineering of compliance into the URS frame doesn’t just stop at the MTT system; the frame features BMC’s TCC (Tuned Compliance Concept) to give the highest level of compliance through a dedicated carbon layup combined with dropped seatstays which facilitate more flex as well as a D-shaped seatpost designed to flex when you’re in the saddle for hours and hours negotiating mixed terrain.

Dropped seatstays, BMC’s MTT and a D-shape seatpost all enhance comfort in the saddle…

With a keen eye for functional detail the Swiss brand has painstakingly analysed each element of their gravel bike, factoring in all of the sort of riding conditions that their bikes will encounter. With carbon frame and fork protection in mind BMC have included some neat rubber fork blade guards at the dropouts – a brilliant addition that will come into their own when your bike is in transit with the front wheel out or when you’re fixing a front wheel puncture at the trail side; similarly these guards provide protection from flying debris with additional protection on the downtube towards the bottom bracket as well as on the chainstay.

A nice addition to the URS carbon fork is the protective rubber covers on the fork ends…

The URS sub-range of gravel bikes is split into two different groups URS 01 and URS; it’s important to point out that the grade of carbon is exactly the same for both sub-ranges with the only difference being that the URS01 models feature BMC’s ICS integrated fork, bar, stem combination with fully concealed hydraulic brake hoses while the URS models do not. So in this case the URS 01 THREE features BMC’s ICS (Integrated Cockpit System) with gravel-specific stem dimensions; this is an aesthetically pleasing setup keeping the brake hoses in their place, out of sight with the front hose running though the stem, fork steerer and down into the fork and the rear hose running through the frame to the rear brake caliper.

The URS 01 THREE features some slick cockpit integration…

Hydraulic disc brake hoses are routed through the stem and into the frame & fork…

Like all good modern Gravel Bikes the URS includes bolt-on bosses on the top tube to allow you to run a top tube pack…

BMC have married up the URS 01 THREE frame and fork to SRAM’s excellent gravel / cyclocross specific SRAM Rival 1 groupset. When SRAM first launched their purpose-built 1X drivetrain groupsets they were well ahead of the curve. Things in the cycling industry move on quickly but it’s important to remember that they were the first component manufacturers to produce gravel-specific groupsets that featured the simplicity of a 1X setup – one chainring at the front combined with a wide ratio cassette at the rear; this simple solution provides a lightweight, easy to maintain, functional drivetrain with no need for a front derailleur that still provides all the gear ratios you’ll need to negotiate a mix of gradients both on and off-road.

The URS 01 THREE features SRAM’s simple, functional Rival 1X groupset…

The SRAM Rival long-cage rear derailleur features a clutch – technology that was first seen on their mountain bike groupsets – this clutch keeps the chain in tension regardless of what gear ratio you have selected; when you’re riding over rough terrain this tension helps keep the chain secure preventing it from unshipping from the cassette or chainring. BMC have spec’d a gravel-friendly SRAM cassette with a 10-42T range of gears so you won’t be spinning out on fast road descents or running out of gears on the steepest off-road climbs.

An 11 speed SRAM Rival long cage derailleur with clutch keeps your chain secure…

SRAM Rival 1 chainset with 38T narrow / wide chainring is simple and efficient…

SRAM Rival 1 shifters are simple and effective; with a left mechanical gear shifter combined with a hydraulic brake lever and a right hydraulic brake lever only with no gear shifter (because there’s no front derailleur) the brake / shifter setup is simple and intuitive to use. Gear shifting is taken care of by one small shift-lever tucked behind the brake lever; when pressed lightly the chain shifts down the block, when pressed more firmly (further inward) the chain moves up the block. If you’re used to Shimano or Campagnolo shifters it will take a moment to get your head around this, but it’s amazing how quickly you adapt to this system which feels a bit more ‘definite’ in its shift when compared to Shimano which can feel a bit light; this is a good thing when you’re making multiple gear changes while you’re negotiating technical terrain and everything happening at once. Another positive aspect with these shifters is the large hoods which are made that way to accommodate the brake’s hydraulic fluid reservoir but also provide a more secure feel when riding on the hoods, negating the risk of slipping and losing grip particularly when you’re riding in wet off-road conditions.

The SRAM Rival 1 hydraulic brake / mechanical shifter is comfortable and intuitive to use…

Braking is taken care of with SRAM Rival 1 hydraulic disc brakes matched with a 160mm rotor at the rear of the bike and a 180mm rotor at the front – another hint towards how BMC see this type of gravel bike being ridden – rowdy; the hydraulic flat-mount brake caliper is neatly tucked into the rear triangle to shield it from any potential crash damage.

Flat mount SRAM Rival hydraulic brake calipers are compact, neat and powerful…

Swiss brand BMC have rightfully spec’d a wheelset from their national contemporaries DT Swiss. The DT Swiss G1800 wheelset has been designed and constructed specifically for gravel biking duties; they strike that perfect balance between being lightweight and quick to accelerate while being robust enough to handle long days over rough off-road terrain. The wheels feature 25mm deep alloy rims which are tubeless ready combined with durable hubs with sealed bearings and centre lock interface for the disc brake rotors.

BMC have spec’d a light but tough DT Swiss wheelset on the URS…

DT Swiss G1800 wheels feature durable hubs with sealed bearings…

Tyre choice on your gravel bike is all important with riders keen to strike a balance between having tyres that roll fast on tarmac and smooth gravel sections while providing enough grip to retain traction on lose or muddy surfaces, especially when you’re throwing the bike down technical off-road trails. The 40mm wide 700c WTB Raddler gravel tyres hit that sweet spot, with a very shallow square tread running down the middle of the tyre the URS 01 THREE won’t be held back on the road; when you head out onto the gravel there’s still enough grip to bite on steep, lose climbs and when you point the bike downhill you can be confident that the larger square blocks that run along the outside of the tyre will dig in and keep you upright on sweeping downhill turns.

40mm wide WTB Raddler gravel tyres are fast rolling but grippy…

The URS 01 THREE has clearance for up to 700c x 45mm wide tyres…

The BMC URS 01 THREE comes fitted with gravel-specific alloy Easton EA70 AX handlebars with slight flare on the drops; nothing too excessive or over the top, just a sensibly shaped bar with a shallow drop and a little flare making them perfect for fast road miles as well as slow, tight turns when you want to spread your centre of gravity too retain control at slow speeds. A WTB SL8 Chromoly saddle fitted to BMC’s own carbon d-shaped seat post is not too narrow, making it comfortable over long distances spent in the saddle; a nice little touch is the scuff-protection trim to help prevent damage to the saddle in crashes or even when you’re just leaning the bike against abrasive surfaces.

A WTB SL8 Chromoly Medium saddle includes extra protection on the edges to prevent gravel-induced scuffs…

The BMC URS 01 THREE really stands out within the sea of gravel bikes now available. It’s no exaggeration to say that in the short time we’ve had this bike on the shop floor it has garnered A LOT of attention from staff and customers alike. The URS 01 THREE is stunning to look at, with its hot yellow colour and iconic angular tube profiles as well as its clean and efficient integration this bike is worthy of all the attention it is getting. That said, this bike is not all style and no substance; as I’ve highlighted in this Blog the URS 01 THREE stands out from the crowd for other, arguably more important reasons – it’s lightweight, fast, comfortable and thanks to its modern geometry is playful and agile making it one the few truly UnReSticted Gravel Bikes out there.

The BMC URS 01 THREE is fast and efficient BUT more importantly it’s very fun to ride…

Check out the BMC URS 01 THREE 360° view below…

If you want to find out more about the other URS gravel bikes in the BMC range or want to explore the full collection of 2021 BMC road and gravel bikes take a look at our recently published BMC Brand Spotlight…

 

Blog written by Johnny Dodgin

All photos by James Vincent

 

 

 

 

We’ve got new bikes coming into stock every day at WHEELBASE, here’s just a selection of some of our latest arrivals from the World’s best brands…

 

 

 

 

 

Every day is an adventure with the all-new Cannondale Adventure Neo electric-bike designed to excel on city streets, local cycle paths and further afield on weekend trips into the countryside. The Cannondale Adventure Neo features an ultra-low step thru frame that combines style and comfort with a Bosch electric motor system for confidence inspiring range capability. Built to suit a wide variety of riders it’s the perfect machine for commuting, cruising around and getting from A to B without the unnecessary struggle on hilly terrain.

The Adventure Neo has been created with comfort and confidence at the very top of Cannondale’s design brief. With a simple, functional step-through frame featuring on all models these e-bikes are easy to get on and off; an upright position further enhances your comfort AND perhaps more importantly your confidence as you ride in a safer-feeling manner. To cushion you from rough road surfaces the Adventure Neo 1 EQ, 2 EQ and 3 EQ models all feature a front suspension fork to absorb bumps and unexpected pot holes as you ride.

Cannondale haven’t stopped there though, to add more comfort and isolate your ride from the terrain they have fitted a Cane Creek Thudbuster G4 suspension seat post to their top two models in the range – the Adventure Neo 1 EQ and Adventure Neo 2 EQ. Even the Cannondale Adventure Neo 3 EQ provides a little suspension and added comfort with the TranzX suspension dropper post with 50mm of travel; this unique seat post lowers at a push of a lever, helping you to get on and off the bike with ease.

So what does EQ signify? EQ means equipped; the top three models in the Adventure Neo range are all equipped and include a rear pannier rack to help you ferry your belongings to and from work or carry essentials when you’re touring in your leisure time, lights to improve your visibility in urban environments, mudguards to help keep you clean and a kickstand to help you park your e-bike easily and securely.

Cannondale Adventure Neo Key Features…

All Cannondale Adventure Neo bikes are powered by premier e-bike motor manufacturers Bosch; these natural-feeling motors simply enhance your pedalling input allowing you to negotiate the city streets with ease, carry a load with no extra effort and conquer hills in comfort. Bosch motors and batteries are as efficient as they are powerful giving you a range of up to 100 miles on a single charge.

The top of the range Adventure Neo 1 EQ features its own radar, and that’s not a typo! Cannondale have collaborated with Garmin to create a clever integrated ‘radar system’ that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind allowing you to keep your eyes on the road ahead. The Adventure Neo 1, 2, and 3 EQ models all include a capable Suntour Mobie A32 suspension fork which provides 63mm of plush suspension travel. These super-comfortable forks even include a lockout so you choose when and where you use your suspension and also feature a crown-mount for a front light (which is also included with the bike!)

Wide, comfortable unisex saddles feature on all of the Adventure Neo e-bikes; the top of the range Neo 1 EQ and second tier Neo 2 EQ include an impressive Cane Creek Thudbuster G4 suspension seat post to provide even more cushioning from harsh roads and pot-holed cycle paths. Cannondale have also included mounts on the frame to enable you to fit a Abus-style wheel lock (sold separately) giving you the potential to make your bike even more secure when parked up between rides.

Cannondale Adventure Neo 1 EQ

Cannondale Adventure Neo 2 EQ

Cannondale Adventure Neo 3 EQ

Cannondale Adventure Neo 3 EQ

Cannondale Adventure Neo 4

 

Cannondale Adventure Neo 4

 

The Cannondale Adventure Neo range of E-Bikes are now live on our website and will be available in-store and online at Wheelbase very soon, watch this space!….

This week Fast Bike Friday focuses on a super-hot road bike that’s fresh into Wheelbase from our newest brand BMC! We recently shined a spotlight on this premium Swiss brand and ran through the road and gravel models that are now available; today we’re taking a more detailed look at the lust-worthy Roadmachine 01 THREE road bike…

Within the extensive range of BMC road bikes the Roadmachine is billed as BMC’s ‘One Bike Collection’, a true all-rounder that’s built for epic all-day rides with a frame developed specifically to offer more compliance and comfort, helping to reduce body fatigue and keep you feeling fresher for longer. That said, it’s worth getting one thing straight – this is not your typical ‘comfort road bike’ with a ridiculously high head tube or with gimmicky suspension elastomers; the Roadmachine is still very-much performance-focused with more traditional road geometry and a more-racey look and feel. Instead of an extreme upright position, this bike gets its comfort label thanks to clever carbon fibre engineering with BMC’s ‘Tuned Compliance Concept’ (TCC) which enhances compliance (flex) in key areas of the frame and fork.

The Roadmachine is billed as BMC’s ‘One Bike Collection’…

As you’ll expect from a bike brand packed full of precision Swiss engineering talent there are a lot of acronyms to digest as BMC explain their latest technology and manufacturing processes. TCC or Tuned Compliance Concept is one such example that needs a more detailed explanation; the Roadmachine models feature ‘TCC Endurance’ which is the most compliant version of their TCC principle. The principle is simple – engineer the carbon frame and forks to add compliance in key areas so that we can ride on the roughest roads and be able to push harder and ride further.

BMC’s TCC principle is the key to all-day comfort…

Using their Angle Compliance technology BMC are able to engineer predefined patterns of movement into specific areas of the frame and fork when they are subjected to vertical loads. All Roadmachine models feature Angle Compliance on their seatstays, fork and seatpost. With endless hours of R&D and testing BMC have been able to generate exact amounts of vertical compliance without compromising on lateral stiffness, this equates to a more comfortable ride in the real world, their iconic seatstay design further enhances vertical compliance and wheel traction while retaining lateral stiffness for those long out-of-the-saddle efforts and sharp accelerations on every terrain.

BMC’s iconic seatstay design enhances vertical compliance…

The Roadmachine range is split into two different sub-groups ‘Roadmachine 01’ and ‘Roadmachine’; it’s important to point out that the grade of carbon is exactly the same for both sub-groups with the key difference being that the Roadmachine 01 models feature BMC’s ICS technology integrated fork, bar, stem combination with fully concealed cables while the Roadmachine models do not.

The Roadmachine 01 THREE features BMC’s ICS technology…

The Integrated Cockpit System makes the Roadmachine 01 THREE one of the most integrated endurance road bikes out there. There’s some clever design solutions here from BMC with the hydraulic brake hoses running seamlessly from the handle bar, into the stem, down through the steerer tube, into the frame internally routed to the rear brake and through the fork to the front disc brake caliper. In this instance with a SRAM Force eTap AXS wireless groupset spec’d there’s no need to route gear cables through this set up, but needless to say on the models that do feature Di2 wires the setup is equally as clean and efficient.

A clutter-free integrated front end is efficient and aerodynamic…

The stealth cable routing on the Roadmachine 01 THREE creates a really clean look and improved aerodynamics. BMC’s sensitively shaped tube profiles with a unique angular appearance reflects this Swiss company’s carefully balanced approach to functionality and iconic aesthetic design.

Iconic angular carbon profiling makes the Roadmachine 01 instantly recognisable as a BMC road bike…

As I’ve already briefly mentioned, the Roadmachine 01 THREE comes spec’d with SRAM’s brilliant 12 speed wireless groupset Force eTap AXS. This is still the hot groupset to have, with many bike manufacturers featuring it somewhere in the higher echelons of their road bike ranges; sitting one rung below SRAM’s flagship Red eTap AXS groupset Force takes all of the technology developed for Red and makes it (slightly) more accessible to the masses.

Wireless eTap shifters make gear shifting precise and intuitive; they’re powered by button batteries…

The front derailleur is activated by pressing both the front and left gear levers together at the same time, shifting from the small ring to the back ring with one activation and then back from the big ring to the small ring the next time you press both gear levers together at the same time. This becomes pretty intuitive pretty quickly!

The motor battery clips securely onto the front derailleur and is interchangeable with the rear derailleur too…

The rear derailleur features a clever internal fluid-clutch to aid chain retention…

This 12-speed groupset features SRAM’s unique approach to gear ratios, created in an effort to decrease the size and weight of the drivetrain while making the jump between each gear ratio smaller for an overall more user-friendly riding experience. For the Roadmachine 01 THREE BMC have spec’d a 46T/33T chainset combined with a 10-36T cassette to ensure that you’ll always be able to select the appropriate gear for every riding scenario.

SRAM’s unique chain featuring a flat-profiled outer edge adds strength to the thinner 12 speed chain…

In a lot of cases disc brake road bikes have fast-tracked their way to being super stylish, clean looking bikes with compact, tidy brake calipers fitted almost seamlessly to the frame. The Roadmachine is a great example of this with the BMC engineers neatly integrating the SRAM hydraulic flat-mount disc brake calipers to the frame and fork.

As you’d expect, BMC have installed the flat-mount disc brake caliper neatly within the frame…

The Roadmachine’s front disc brake caliper is neatly integrated into the fork…

A high-performance road bike built for comfort AND speed obviously needs a fast pair of wheels capable of accelerating on the hills and wining the sprint at the end of your weekly chaingang; BMC have spec’d a hot pair of carbon Zipp 303S tubeless-ready wheels with an aero-efficient 45mm carbon rim depth. This contemporary wheelset has been specifically designed to excel on bikes like the Roadmachine 01THREE with a wider rim profile allowing you to run wider tyres and lower tyre pressures, a trend road riders are increasingly demanding.

BMC have spec’d the Roadmachine 01 THREE with a super-fast Zipp 303S wheelset…

The Roadmachine 01 THREE comes spec’d with 28mm wide Vittoria tyres, however BMC state that there is clearance for  tyres up to 33mm wide…

Tyre clearance up front is good too, BMC assure us that you can safely run tyres up to 33mm wide; aero AND comfortable, the best of both worlds!…

A nice detail to the Roadmachine 01 THREE is the Fizik Tempo Argo R5 saddle, billed by Fizik as ‘a versatile saddle for endurance racing’. The first, most-notable detail is the stubby profile of the saddle, this short-nosed design has become really popular over he last few seasons and now is seen within many saddle manufacturer’s ranges. The Tempo Argo R5’s short length allows you to sit further forward without placing undue pressure on your body; an ergonomic cut out further relieves pressure while a compliant carbon-reinforced nylon shell combined with Fizik’s Type 2 foam is slightly thicker than on other models to provide enhanced comfort during endless hours in the saddle.

Fizik’s stubby Tempo Argo R5 saddle is a popular choice amongst riders looking for more comfort during long hours in the saddle…

The Roadmachine 01 THREE is the road bike for you if you’re looking for a high-performing do-it-all road bike built to excel on epic rides and in demanding road races; equally capable on smooth pavements or rougher back lanes with wide 28mm tyres (with the option to run up to 33mm wide) and cutting-edge wireless SRAM Force eTap AXS groupset along with flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes and super-fast Zipp 303S wheels the Roadmachine is a fantastically versatile road bike that’s ready for almost anything you can throw at it.

Fast, efficient, comfortable, responsive, confidence-inspiring – the BMC Roadmachine 01 THREE is a fantastic example of how modern road bikes have recently evolved… 

The Roadmachine 01 THREE is available now in-store and online.

If you want to find out more about the other Roadmachine bikes in the BMC range or want to explore the full collection of 2021 BMC road and gravel bikes take a look at our recently published BMC Brand Spotlight…

 

Blog written by Johnny Dodgin

All photos by James Vincent

 

We’ve got new bikes coming into stock every day at WHEELBASE, here’s just a selection of some of our latest arrivals from the World’s best brands…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week’s Fast Bike Friday feature is focused on the popular Topstone Carbon gravel bike, with this particular model the Women’s Topstone Carbon 4 being marketed as a women’s bike. Why the distinction? We’ll look at the details further into the Blog, for now let’s just focus on the Topstone Carbon range as a whole.

The Topstone Carbon has become one of the more established gravel bike options available to consumers and has quickly gained popularity thanks to its unique looks and cleverly engineered performance qualities. There are many iterations of the versatile Topstone Carbon with a ‘Lefty’ sub-range of bikes being the most recent addition, bringing a Lefty front suspension fork and 650b wheelset to Cannondale’s gravel bikes, however at the heart of all of the Carbon Topstone bikes is the already iconic Kingpin configuration at the rear of the carbon frame.

Cannondale are renowned for being able to find the best athletes able to showcase just what their bikes can do and the Topstone Carbon has already been pushed to its limits by some of the most dynamic riders currently competing in some of the most demanding gravel and adventure events out there. Cannondale athlete TED KING has spent the last few seasons pushing the limits by taking on numerous epic rides which have been a mix of organised events and solo challenges with the Topstone Carbon successfully featuring in his exploits.

Another major news story that has captured the imagination of cycling fans across multiple cycling disciplines over the past few seasons is the progression of Lachlan Morton as an athlete who is capable of not only competing in grand tours such as the Giro d’Italia as part of the EF Eductaion-NIPPO pro cycling team but is also able to take on and excel in some of the most demanding gravel and multi-day events out there including the inaugural GBDURO in 2019. Lachlan piloted his Cannondale Topstone Carbon to victory in this gruelling event which saw riders compete over the length of the UK with a route that started at Lands End in Cornwall and finished at John O’ Groats at the top of Scotland with the great majority of the race taking place on gravel and off-road trails. The Topstone Carbon handled this ultimate bike-packing challenge with gusto, proving itself as a competent machine capable of taking all that can be thrown at it, day after day.

Watch Lachlan take on the GBDURO onboard his Topstone Carbon

Morton on his fully-laden Cannondale Topstone Carbon

 

So let’s get back to the bike itself and consider how and why the Topstone Carbon’s frame gained so much attention when it was first launched. Cannondale’s unique Kingpin configuration was celebrated at the bike’s launch thanks to its compliant rear end which has been achieved with some clever carbon fibre engineering, dramatically dropped seatstays and the placement of a pivot-point – the Kingpin. The Kingpin allows the seat tube and chainstays to flex more dramatically than they would without it; the carefully considered layup of the carbon fibre and the refined shape of each tube profile means that the rear of the frame is able to flex continuously without any lasting fatigue to the frame and significantly this configuration retains all of the stiffness and responsiveness that is demanded of a conventional carbon frame. What does all this mean in practice? Well it means that the Topstone remains immediately responsive to pedaling input both in and out of the saddle with the declared 30mm of rear wheel travel only coming into play when you hit the rough stuff. There’s no unwanted movement on smooth surfaces and there’s no requirement for an elaborate lockout; simply put, the bike has hit the sweet spot between being light and responsive and comfortable and compliant with the minimum of gimmicks, just solid, logical engineering.

Cannondale’s Kingpin is the key to that 30mm of rear wheel travel

Clever carbon layup and shaping allows for more flex

Wide, boxy bottom bracket area means the Topstone Carbon is responsive to power input 

 

This particular model within the Topstone range is billed as a Women’s Topstone Carbon 4 but it’s important to point out that there is no significant difference between this frame and the Topstone Carbon frames that are NOT deemed as women’s models. The frame’s sizing and geometry are identical, it is essentially the same bike. This is a trend that has been growing right across the bike industry with Trek and Specialized also following this ethos on a great amount of their bikes. Bike brands are abandoning the belief that women’s body proportions are vastly different to men’s; that’s too much of a generalisation, it’s more the case that our proportions are all individual regardless of gender. Sizing is consistent across the range regardless of gender, so if you’re looking at a size medium women’s bike all of the measurements and angles are identical to the men’s size medium.

Sizing and geometry are consistent regardless of gender

 

As you’d expect from an out and out gravel adventure bike the Topstone Carbon bike features multiple bolt-on bosses throughout the frame and fork allowing you to attach multiple bottle cages, bike-packing bags or even mudguards for a practical all-weather mile-muncher. Tyre clearance is good too, with the bike coming spec’d with 700c x 37mm wide gravel tyres; Cannondale state on their website that the bike will comfortably take a 700c x 40mm tyre with 6mm of clearance between tyre and frame/fork.

Full carbon fork with bolt-on bosses for mudguards or racks

Bolt-on bosses included on the top tube allows for the fitting of a small pack

 

As we’ve very quickly grown to expect from brands producing contemporary gravel bikes the bike features one of Shimano’s gravel-specific groupsets, in this case mainly 11-speed Shimano GRX 800 along with a GRX 810 Shadow RD+ rear derailleur and Cannondale’s own BB30a OPI SpideRing chainset. The 11-speed drivetrain provides a really user-friendly range of gears that are capable of handling the wide variation in terrain and gradients that you’ll typically encounter on an all-day gravel adventure. Cannondale’s chainset features 46/30T chainrings and this is combined with an 11-34 rear cassette to give you all the gear combinations you’ll need.

A gravel-friendly drivetrain is ready for action

 

One of the key features of the Shimano GRX groupset is the gravel-specific shifter/brake lever combination which has evolved from their proven road bike levers. Significant changes from their road specific cousins include a higher pivot point for the brake lever, which in practice means that there’s more leverage when the brake lever is activated from the brake hoods rather than the braking position in the drops. As gravel riders tend to spend the majority of their time with their hands on the hoods this is a great improvement from Shimano. Another detail is small but significant, a matt, slightly rubberised paint finish to the levers means that braking and gear selection is safe and secure even in wet, muddy conditions.

GRX shifters help ensure precise gear changes even under pressure

A GRX 810 Shadow RD+ rear mech features a clutch to keep the chain secure on rough terrain

The Shimano GRX 800 front mech is compact to prevent contact with large volume tyres

 

Shimano’s excellent GRX 800 groupset includes compact, powerful flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes combined with neat 160mm rotors. This set-up provides ample braking power both from the lever hoods and when you’re positioned in the handlebar drops. Shimano’s disc brake technology is well-proven across all cycling disciplines and these GRX brake calipers clearly take everything they’ve learnt over the years and tweaked the technology to specifically suit gravel bikes.

GRX 800 flat-mount hydraulic disc brakes are compact but powerful

The GRX 800 flat-mount rear brake caliper sits neatly within the frame

 

An agile carbon gravel bike built to go fast and get rowdy needs a pair of handlebars that put the rider into a comfortable and confidence-inspiring position particularly when descending down steep, technical trails. Cannondale have included a pair of alloy Cannondale 3 handlebars with a 16 degree flare to help keep you in control even when things get sketchy; this slightly wider handle bar set-up gives you more leverage and helps you hold your line over unpredictable terrain.

Flared Cannondale 3 handlebars provide more control when things get rowdy

 

Cannondale have spec’d the Women’s Topstone Carbon 4 with a Fabric Scoop Flat Elite saddle which is well padded and provides good pelvic support thanks to its refined profile. The saddle is fitted to a Cannondale 2 UD Carbon 27.2 x 350mm seatpost which features a flattened profile to further enhance compliance and comfort when used together with the Topstone frame. Incidentally it’s worth pointing out that the Topstone Carbon frame also includes internal cable routing for a dropper post. So if that’s something you think you may want to fit in the future then the frame is ready.

Fabric Scoop Flat Elite saddle is comfortable and provides good support

 

The Cannondale Women’s Topstone Carbon 4 gravel bike features a pair of tough but lightweight gravel-ready WTB KOM Light i23 TCS 28 hole tubeless ready wheels shod with WTB Riddler TCS Light tubeless gravel tyres which are 700c x 37mm wide and strike that all-important balance between being grippy AND fast rolling. Note that both wheels and tyres are tubeless ready, so if that’s your preference the wheelset can be easily converted to be run tubeless.

WTB KOM Light i23 wheels are tough but lightweight and are well suited to gravel riding

WTB Riddler TCS Light tyres roll fast but provide ample grip off-road

 

The Cannondale Women’s Topstone Carbon 4 is a fantastic gravel bike option for those looking for a fast, agile and comfortable bike capable of taking on multi-day wilderness adventures when you’re fully laden with all you need to escape the rat race. Equally, if competition and performance is your thing then this bike already has enough race-heritage to give you the confidence to sign up for whatever challenge you want to take on.

 

Blog written by Johnny Dodgin

Lachlan Morton photographs by Dan Monaghan

Bike photos by James Vincent

We’ve got new bikes coming into stock every day at WHEELBASE, here’s just a selection of some of our latest arrivals from the World’s best brands…

 

Check out the sublime Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert Carbon E-Mountain Bike. The headline? This is NOT your typical E-MTB, with Specialized taking a whole new approach to E-MTB design compared to what has been created before by the Californian bike brand. You may already be familiar with Specialized’s popular Levo range of E-MTBs but the Levo SL (Super Light) sub-range is significantly different AND it’s probably fair to say, is aimed at a mountain biker with a slightly different mindset and with different expectations from an electric mountain bike.

The Turbo Levo SL is not your typical E-MTB, in fact you have to do a double-take to even realise it IS an E-MTB…

So what was the design brief for the Levo SL? Well, Specialized set out to create a superlight E-MTB that would give you the pedal assistance required to go further and faster than you would have on an ‘acoustic’ mountain bike but without some of the extra bulk and subsequent effect on bike handling associated with a conventional E-MTB. While it’s fair to say there’s a whole cohort of mountain bikers who have fully embraced the E-MTB and have adapted their riding styles accordingly, there is still a whole load of riders looking for an almost unobtainable ‘E-MTB Unicorn’ giving the best of both worlds – namely an E-MTB that is light, nimble, loves to get airborne BUT with the extra power to ride more trails.

To hit that sweet spot between having ride-enhancing pedal-assist power and the feel of a conventional ‘manual mountain bike’ Specialized have spec’d their very own 240 Watt Specialized SL 1.1 motor (the same motor found on the their popular Turbo Creo SL e-Road bikes) to give the rider just enough assistance to really excel on the tougher climbs and encourage them to ride further and longer than they would have previously.

With a 240 Watt motor giving out 35Nm of pedal assist Specialized describe this riding solution as ‘2x You’…

The riding feel of the Specialized Turbo Levo SL is quick and lively with Specialized’s SL 1.1 Motor adding just enough power to give a more subtle ‘enhanced you’ feel than some of the other Levo bikes in Specialized’s range of e-MTBs. The motor’s responsive torque curve delivers power perfectly in-tune with your normal riding cadence and leaves no resistance when you’re riding without power assistance. So if you’re the type of rider who wants to feel like you’ve really had a proper workout, perhaps riding a little further and faster than you would have on your conventional mountain bike and you’re not looking for that significant kick and exaggerated torque that can feel a little unpredictable on some other e-mountain bikes then this bike is a great option.

That’s a seriously compact motor stowed inside a beautiful carbon frame…

What about motor modes? The SL 1.1 Motor features three assisted riding modes: ECO, TRAIL and TURBO, here’s how those modes break down:

ECO mode matches your effort by 30%

TRAIL mode matches your effort by 60%

TURBO mode matches your effort by 100%

You can also ride in unassisted mode, riding with no power and interestingly Specialized’s motor doesn’t give a significant feeling of drag associated with motors in unassisted mode from other brands. By using Specialized’s own Mission Control App you can even tune the motor to suit your own riding style, adjust the motor’s power delivery, control your range and record your rides.

Custom tune your motor with the Mission Control App…

Specialized have put so much investment into the development of their own motors and batteries for their e-bikes in partnership with specialist developers Mahle. Rather than going with a separate motor and battery supplier, they are able to refine and control the size, power and efficiency of their own unique technology. Part of the reason that many of us have to do a double-take on the Levo SL is due to the super-compact motor and their lithium-ion battery stowed away in the down-tube.

Despite it’s compact appearance the Specialized battery gives a range of 5 hours…

 

There’s a lot of chat in-store and out on the trails around Wheelbase HQ concerning ‘range-anxiety’. Gone are the days of simply carbo-loading the night before your big ride and making sure you’ve packed some good trail snacks, nowadays lots of us have to also consider battery range, either for an all-day epic ride or even for a weekend away with multiple rides planned. Again Specialized have you covered with an option to fit a 160Wh Range Extender battery which fits in your bottle cage increasing battery capacity by 50%.

The 160Wh Range Extender is available as an after market product…

 

The Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert Carbon is a beautiful looking bike spec’d with some very bling components; this model features a FACT Carbon fibre frame utilising Specialized’s 29 Trail Geometry combined with a big travel 150mm Fox Float 36 Performance Elite suspension fork upfront and a Fox Float DPX2 Performance Elite rear shock with 3-position adjustment giving 150mm of travel at the rear of the bike.

A substantial 150mm travel Fox Float 36 fork takes care of business up front…

You can control the Specialized SL 1.1 Motor quickly and easily with a pretty slick set up on the handlebars, this simple, compact shifter lets you quickly toggle between Motor modes even in the most extreme circumstances – uphill, downhill, tight turns the controls are at your finger-tips. There’s no clutter here, with a really neat combination of Deity grips, motor shifter and dropper post lever all taking up the minimum of space on the Specialized Trail 780mm wide alloy handle bars.

There’s no unnecessary clutter here… 

Specialized’s alloy trail stem features a clever Swat multitool stowed away within the steerer of the stem…

Specialized have spec’d the Turbo Levo SL Expert Carbon with a 12 Speed SRAM GX Eagle groupset for a simple, efficient setup. A Praxis crankset with a SRAM X-Sync Eagle 30T chainring combined with a whopping 10-52T cassette gives you all the gear ratios you’ll need, with rapid, positive gear changes controlled by a SRAM X01 12 speed trigger shifter.

Specialized’s integrated chain-keeper keeps your chain in place when things get rowdy…

A whopping 10-52T cassette combined with the drive of the Levo SL’s motor means you’ll conquer what you previously thought un-rideable…

A burly 150mm travel e-mountain bike is going to get up to speed pretty fast! To help ensure you remain in control and are able to negotiate tight, technical trails Specialized have fitted the Levo SL with powerful SRAM Code RS 4-Piston hydraulic disc brakes combined with big 200mm disc brake rotors to help you scrub-off speed when you’re under pressure.

4-Piston code calipers…

BIG 200mm rotors help keep you in control…

Tough handbuilt Roval 29” wheels featuring burly, wide Traverse 28 hole rims are laced to a Roval hub with sealed cartridge bearings up front while the rear is a Roval DT Swiss 360 hub with a 3-pawl design and SRAM XD Driver Body.

Sealed Cartridge Roval hub up front…

A fast, powerful e-MTB with great suspension and really efficient disc drakes needs a good set of tyres to keep you in control when you’re flying downhill negotiating tight turns and braking heavily on loose terrain; the 29×2.3” Specialized Butcher front tyre with protective GRID TRAIL casing features an aggressive tread pattern is ready for action. Out back Specialized have spec’d a 29.3” Eliminator rear tyre with GRID TRAIL casing too, so superior traction is guaranteed even when you’re running in Turbo mode.

Specialized Butcher front tyre…

So, that’s the excellent Specialized Turbo Levo SL Expert Carbon e-MTB. An e-Mountain Bike quite like no other really. The reasons for owning this e-MTB over others available both from Specialized themselves and other brands are subtle, it’s a great choice for mountain bikers who want an agile, low weight e-MTB that rides and handles more like their favourite ‘acoustic’ bike.

This bike enhances your pedalling input in a different way to most e-Mountain Bikes; clever technology allows you to tune exactly how it behaves and battery life is super-efficient, meaning you can go out on all-day epic adventures over multiple mountain passes without concern or alternatively if you’re heading off on a weekend away with your mates, ticking off multiple trail centres take along a 160Wh Range Extender battery and don’t sweat where you’re going to find a charging socket. E-Mountain Biking is still a relatively young from of cycling with technology and attitudes still evolving, as both industry and riders push the boundaries of what is ultimately possible. Will this bike serve as an early example of the way that e-MTBs are heading? Only time will tell….

The Specialized Levo SL Expert Carbon 2021 is in now stock now for £8,500.00

Blog written by Johnny Dodgin

Bike Photos by James Vincent