The overall wheelbases on both my Winspace T1600 Ultra and ER One are pretty short for my saddle-forward setup.

If I lived somewhere with a lot of sustained mountain descents I definitely would consider using a frame with a longer wheelbase that still allows me to get fairly low on the front end as my primary bike.

The current Polygon Helios-A, and even a sized up Canyon Aeroad come to mind. Shame the Factor One is both ugly and expensive.

The Stromm might suit you.
I think it is funny that my 2017 rim brake Rose Pro CGF 2017 would actually be kinda good for that with a zero offset seatpost, saddle slammed forward and a REALLY long stem.
https://geometrygeeks.bike/bike/rose-pro-cgf-2017/

I am 183cm tall with an 88cm inseam, but my arms are average length and more important, my forarms are almost as long as my upper arms, so higher stack and more reach actually makes sense for me.

If this is real, i am really pissed. But i actually can not imagine they improved the bb stiffness that much.

Also, who needs that much BB stiffness?
I'm pretty sure that would be well above the point of diminishing returns.

How could one proceed with importing a Vook V8 to Europe? The price is much cheaper than elsewhere.

The fellas from revbikecollective are selling it on carousell and they are willing to ship stuff to Europe.
https://www.carousell.sg/p/2025-vook-v8-new-decal-%E2%80%A2rose-carbon-frameset-%E2%80%A2690g-super-light-bicycle-1366655529/

You can also contact them directly via IG or Telegram [url]https://t.me/revbikecollective?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnSErI94WodCEhTiY9idD7_iFSnnmpKAmw21Kvv_QctkkcXVzivoHo228WqNc_aem_WjqmMPyXKg3MhWAeEb0gNg#]https://www.instagram.com/revbikecollective/[url] or Telegram [url]https://t.me/revbikecollective?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnSErI94WodCEhTiY9idD7_iFSnnmpKAmw21Kvv_QctkkcXVzivoHo228WqNc_aem_WjqmMPyXKg3MhWAeEb0gNg#.
You can also contact them/Velden directly via Whatsapp, the number is +65 8866 6098

I am at the point where it seems increasingly likely that my next road bike will be a TT bike conversion using one of the lighter framesets, like the Quick Pro TT One. Between an eccentric BB and a custom riser stem, I should be able to get it dialed perfectly, and after the customizations, it would likely be cost-neutral vs. a fancy Ti bike.

Honestly, it would probably be lighter than my current custom Ti bike too. Of course, I have the ability to design a custom riser stem and the means to get one made now that it's not super expensive to get things 3d printed from Ti and vacuum heat-treated.

A Bianchi Aquila RC turned roadbike would be bikeporn.

Honestly, Dan Bigham's drop bar shiv looks more interesting to me than this.
Imo a minimalist update, most aero gains are from the wherls and the rear end, which matters way less with the rider on. Crux and Aethos had good updates, but this one is meh.
They didn't want to really change their best selling product, which I can understand.

INCOMING!

YouTube Search: FASTER Than Cervelo S5 & Quick Pro - XM CarbonSpeed VRT

27 minutes long 

Great job dude! I do think you have a point when it comes to the prog fit not being for everyone, more glute and even hamstring fominant guys might just need a saddle position with more setback.
I always used to be a skinny kid with a big, muscular ass, so finding a position that lets me use those big cheeks in an optimal way might be more important.

The spec on the UAE bike is much better, and it comes with high-quality Scom wheels. Plus, it’s cheaper—unlike the €5,090 price tag for the basic Ultegra build with no-name wheels. I don't think the pricing is justified for a Chinese import, and nobody in Europe has even heard of Pardus. Even in China, Pardus doesn't have the best reputation; there are jokes that their frames are just glued together from the leftover scraps of other brands 🤷🏻‍♂️

I mean, their only claim to fame is that they are the OEM behind those Storck frames. For what it's, they do have a decent amount of CT teams that they sponsor and last year Solution Tech Vini Fantini (an Italian PCT team) rode their frames, so they even showed up in some world tour races. Yeah, the price tag is too steep, but pretty typical for certain Italian importers around here, who want to make a big profit and are often a bit sly and/or shady.

They used to have way more bikes on the UAE site and if you ask them they'll also sell you the fully built bike with Elitewheels Drive II wheelsets + I know for a fact that the UAE shop ships stuff to Europe.

Such a fascinating conversation. I really do appreciate all of you chiming in. Thank you!

This is my current bike and fit that I use for my harder efforts. 130mm stem because the Tavelo Arow in a size 540 (size 56 equivalent) has a reach of 399mm. I've done everything on this bike from crit races, 6 hour Z2 rides, sustained climbing efforts, and everything indoor training related.

No knee or back pain. It just "works" for me. But that doesn't mean this is my ideal bike fit especially with gains to be hand in the stability department. I tried using a sizing up to a size 58 Ventum NS1 last year. And I couldn't get the front end low enough. I like to be super low in the drops for my faster group rides.

So I guess the question moving forward is - What frames out there have a longer reach and front center without adding too much stack? I'm not looking to be faster aerodynamically. Being a breakaway rider is not my skill. But if there are watts to be had more efficiently...awesome.

The best thing would be if they made the bikes long and low, with a steep Sta, but offered 2 different handlebars, a regular one and one with extra stack gain. I do think brands could solve a lot of problems by just diversifying the handlebar options instead of increasing the number of bikes.