Despite a blustery day with occasional drizzle, I took the bike out for a maiden ride. I don't want to jump to too many conclusions due to the swirling winds, but here are a few (very) preliminary thoughts:
- The ride is very comfortable. This is probably more due to the bike and less to the frame itself - I'm sure the 32 tires do their part in this.
- Handling is neutral. It's nimble but stable compared to my previous race-oriented bike which feels twitchy in comparison. I like the way it's got a bit of "understeer" in car terms where, unlike my previous bike, not every movement in my arms will cause the bike to react, which gave me a lot of confidence taking corners even on this first ride. I like being able to control the bike using body English through my (ample) hips/butt.
- I do feel cross-winds, more so than on my previous bike. This is probably due more to the 45mm rims than the frame. I don't really notice it until I'm making a turn, where it feels like I'm "catching" the wind in the front wheel. This is my first time on deeper rims, so I probably just need to get used to it.
- The acceleration took me by surprise. Starting at traffic lights, I had to back off a few times because I'd close the distance to others on the road quicker than I'm used to. Maybe this is the aero profile of the bike shining through, or maybe it's the chunky T47 bottom bracket giving it extra stiffness, but the bike gets up to speed quickly. I'm really curious about how the bike does on climbs, given this initial sense of efficiency.
Again, these are just first impressions FWIW. Enjoy the pics!
