The daybreak of a new yr brings with it hope and anticipation for a new season. Excitement on the prospect of impending spring and summer season miles. And for me, in 2024, a new bike.
After months of painstakingly enjoying with spreadsheets and agonising over specs, then lovingly jigsawing these components collectively, it’s lastly right here. My aluminium superbike is able to experience.
With high finish carbon race bikes routinely being launched with 5 determine worth tags, I wished to show – or disprove, you be the judge! – the speculation that it is attainable to construct a lean, imply, racing machine for a lot much less. This construct suggestions the scales at 7.8kg, with pedals and winter tires fitted, and would value £4,695.57/$5,937.
Sam has been Cycling Weekly’s video supervisor since January 2022. Having spent over 5 years working in a couple of native bike outlets, it is truthful to say he enjoys getting fingers on. He additionally likes to push himself to experience ever longer distances and to discover as many new locations as attainable.
An aluminium coronary heart
Beginning with the largest piece of the puzzle, I determined to make use of Trek’s Emonda ALR frameset. Launched in the course of final yr, with racier geo and a lower in weight, I knew it was the bike for me – I simply had to determine how I would construct considered one of these framesets.
Émonda ALR
(Image credit score: Trek)
The most up-to-date iteration of the Émonda ALR noticed the model drop 250g on the earlier mannequin, with a painted frameset weighing 1257g and a fork 406g. The geometry additionally turned extra aggressive, the headtube lowered by round 1.9cm (dimension dependant). Some aero touches have been made to the tube profiles, with the model additionally choosing built-in cabling and a T47 backside bracket changing the press match model.
I determined to go for an Ultegra groupset. In my opinion, it’s the groupset that greatest balances efficiency and worth. I went for a 52/36 chainset on 170mm cranks and I’ve paired that with an 11-30 cassette. For me, these are ratios that simply work. I could swap the 36T internal ring to a 38T sooner or later if I get any fitter – however proper now I’m comfortable with the vary I have.
The ethos of balancing efficiency and worth may be seen on the wheels too, these are the Hunt Aerodynamist 32s. They are available in at a claimed 1213 grams thanks largely to the tremendous light-weight carbon spokes. What this leads to are some wheels which speed up extremely shortly and really feel tremendous snappy, however let’s hope I don’t really snap them.
I’ve paired these wheels with the brand new Specialized S-Works Mondo tires. They’re made up of the identical rubber compounds because the S-works Turbo tires, however have a a lot stronger casing which makes them higher for all climate using. And sure, I have set them up tubeless with some Silca sealant. I’ve opted for the valves which got here with the wheels and thus far they’ve labored effectively, however in time, I could swap these out.
(Image credit score: Future)
Onto the ending package and on the helm, I’ve opted for the Bontrager Aeolus RSL VR-C built-in cockpit – I comprehend it’s a very catchy identify. The motive why I went for this cockpit above many, many others is as a result of I actually like how the bars deal with the brake hoses.
On these ones, there’s an exterior channel that runs on the underside of the bars for the hoses to take a seat in with a little cowl which bolts onto the bars and holds all of it in place. You get the good thing about a clear built-in look however with out the faff of needing to have all the things on the within.
I’ve opted for a 38cm width bar with a 90mm stem which is ideal for me. The bars additionally make use of Trek’s Blendr laptop mount system which suggests my Garmin biking laptop integrates actually cleanly with the bars. I went for the Supakaz Super Sticky Kush bar tape, as a result of it’s my favorite and I’ve used it for years now.
The different motive why I selected these bars is as a result of they work very simply with a regular steerer tube which suggests I can mess around with the height of the bars to work out what fits me greatest. Granted, it’s a little difficult transferring them about as there’s not a enormous quantity of give on the hoses however, with a little bit of mild manoeuvring you’ll be able to transfer them up and down far simpler than you’ll be able to on many different bikes.
Onto the seatpost and I’ve gone for an RSL inline seatpost to which I’ve mounted the Fizik Vento Argo 00 saddle which is one I swear by and completely love. When you look a little nearer, you’ll see that I’ve purchased a 3D printed rear mild mount which performs host to my Exposure Tracer. I love this mount as a result of it attaches to the saddle rails and holds the sunshine good and excessive up and simply seems to be so clear.
I additionally take pleasure in that the sunshine received’t be scuffing and chewing up the carbon on the seatpost which means it ought to keep in fine condition for a lengthy whereas. The pedals I’m utilizing are the Look Keo Carbon blades – the identical ones I’ve been utilizing for almost eight years now, however I did give them a service not too long ago when I modified the retention clips and carbon blades.
(Image credit score: Future)
FULL SPECIFICATION
Frameset
Groupset
Bottom Bracket
Saddle
Seatpost
Cockpit
Bar tape
Wheels
Tyres
Sealant
Bottle Cage
Rear Light
Rear Light Mount
Aluminium is the selection for the smart rider
Whilst carbon remains to be the selection for the lots, for me, premium alloy bikes simply make sense – particularly as bike costs proceed to climb. If you’re searching for one thing which has a lot of the excessive finish contact factors, then one thing like this might carry out rather well for you.
(Image credit score: Future)
It’s usually believed that selecting aluminium will at all times lead to a ‘heavy’ bike. But weight was a main issue for me when it got here to this construct. My 52cm frame, in a full construct with pedals, laptop mount and bottle cage, is available in at precisely 7.8 kilos.
I suppose that is a superb weight, particularly when contemplating that come summer season subsequent yr, when I match some summer season tires, I’m anticipating that weight to drop by one other 150 grams. Pair that with another adjustments I’m fascinated with making and I imagine this bike in summer season can be weighing sub 7.5 kilos.
It’s troublesome to supply direct comparisons, since quoted weights not often embrace pedals and mounts, however I’m assured that for a bike with a second tier groupset and an aluminium frame, that’s actually superb.
Unchartered tech
Whilst, clearly, I’m happy with the outcomes of all my laborious spreadsheet analysing and workshop tinkering, that’s to not say that I don’t have a few issues. Primarily, these encompass the wheels.
This is the primary time – on my private bike – that I’ll be operating a hookless, tubeless arrange with carbon spokes.
I’m no stranger to the know-how, having examined many bikes with related set ups. However, there’s one thing about adopting the tech for your self which provides in one other layer of jeopardy. I’m going to have an interest to see what my expertise is like with that over the approaching 12 months, in actuality, there’s a good probability that it will likely be flawless and I was involved over nothing.
What I am very enthusiastic about although is taking this bike out onto my native roads the place I suppose it’s going to work rather well. I have a lot of rolling hills, and steep inclines and I imagine this setup will sort out that parkour rather well, however in fact solely time will inform. It’s actually a nice bike for winter, however I’ll be eager to see if it leaves me hole throughout summer season.
Is this pretty much as good as ‘worth’ will get, in 2024?
The remaining level to the touch upon is worth. How a lot does it value to convey a bike like this into the world? Well, I’ve hunted down all the most effective costs I may discover, and obtained the whole value right down to £4,695.57 (at time of planning: December ”23).
In {dollars} that’s a tough conversion to about $5,937 {dollars}, however costs for components within the US will differ in comparison with what they’re within the UK. To be clear, that worth doesn’t embrace the pedals, bottle cage, Garmin or rear mild, and it additionally doesn’t embrace any labour to have the bike built up.
I’m actually comfortable with the worth this bike represents. Yes, it’s a lot of cash and you should purchase a absolutely built carbon bike for a similar cash.
For comparability, Canyon makes the Ultimate CF SL 8 Aero which is available in at a related worth level, a related claimed weight and does have a powermeter. However, for a bike nerd like me, I’ve had the enjoyment of selecting the proper parts within the good dimension to create one thing which I know balances worth and efficiency whereas nonetheless being distinctive and completely tailor-made to the kind of using I love to do. And, I do not suppose you’ll be able to put a worth on that.
