supersix evo 2 red - Kenda

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“The Ventoux has decent power transfer. There’s no tangible flex but it doesn’t have the rock-solid feel of the other three” power transfer for its comfort level. There’s no tangible flex but it doesn’t have the rocksolid feel that the other three share. In fairness, the Ventoux is unlucky to come up against such stiff – in every sense – opposition, which highlights the bit of pedaling stiffness that’s missing when you’re climbing a steep gradient out of the saddle in a low gear. The weight saving that the Mavic Ksyrium Elites deliver compared with the Cosmic Elites on the Scott is clear and they help the Ventoux to climb in a manner befitting its name. As you’d expect from the incredibly beefy front end, the steering is very precise and the bike feels rock solid when descending at speed. Stevens haven’t made the head tube too tall so, while you can still set it up for comfort by raising the stem on the spacers, you can also get quite low. If you want a really aero position with clip-ons, though, you may need a more angled stem. The anatomic bars have deep drops, giving a wide range of positions. We don’t recall seeing an Oxygen saddle before but it’s comfortable whether you like to sit on the back or perch on the nose. The Ultegra kit all works very well, brakes included, but shifts require a lot of lever movement compared to SRAM. If you agree with us that the Ventoux looks a bit dull in this colour, check out the crisp white alternative. conS proS VerdicT Light and well equipped, with particularly good wheels Comfortable frame with numerous intelligent details Lacking in ultimate stiffness for aggressive riding and steep climbs This colour scheme is dated but at least the white version looks better Performance Value oVerall the ventoux is a good bike with a comfortable ride but little to make it really stand out. we expect to be dazzled more at this price february 2012 117
The BIke TEST Trigon rqc-29 £3,849 trigon-cycles.com this cut-price taiwanese superbike boasts the highest spec on paper and delivers a fast and aggressive ride TrIGon IS a Taiwanese carbon fibre specialist which, until a few years ago, only made frames and parts for other top brands (including Shimano Pro and Pinarello). Then they realised that they could use their expertise to produce a range under their own name. A UK distributor came on board a year ago and the brand is gaining a foothold, led by the racefocused rQC-29. FRAmE AND FORKS The RQC-29 uses Trigon’s advanced proprietary technology, including Venus C8 carbon fibre, a super-high modulus blend claimed to give an exceptional strength to weight ratio. The full monocoque frame is cured using a high-pressure AngleS 6 1 2 head angle seat angle lengThS 118 february 2012 2 7 9 5 compaction method, dubbed ‘Hipact’, with a solid inner mould that produces denser material than conventional air-bladders. This is similar to Cannondale’s method but with a totally different outcome – this RQC-29 frame weighs 1,190g, getting on for twice as much as the SuperSix Evo. Trigon claim 1,100g for a 52cm frame without paint, so our figure is no surprise. The oversized tubes suggest that the extra mass may not be gluttonous. The top tube and down tube are described as ‘trapezoidal’ and the head tube tapers from 1 1/8” to 1 1/2”. The 400g fork uses the same spec carbon fibre as the frame, and its legs are straight from the crown to the integrated drop-outs and also trapezoidal in cross-section for rigidity. The cable routing is all external, although the rear 4 3 8 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 top tube length cockpit length seat tube length standover chainstay height length bb height 73° 73.5° 55.5cm 72.5cm 55cm 81.5 cm 40.5cm 27cm 98.6cm 10.8cm 17cm 1 10 Size tested: 55cm wheel- base head tube brake cable is concealed in a channel under the top tube for aesthetic purposes. ThE KIT Most of the build kit is also made by Trigon, starting with the 58mm full carbon clincher wheels which are the obvious bonus on the spec sheet compared to the Cannondale or, for that matter, almost anything else at this price. You can also choose 38mm rims or tubular versions of either. The very light monocoque, single-bolt carbon seat post is Trigon’s, too, as is the dramatic one-piece carbon bar-stem combo. Obviously the latter can’t be adjusted but you can choose from three bar widths and five stem lengths. A complete SRAM Red groupset is fitted, with a 53/39 crankset and an 11-25 cassette. Trigon do make their own saddles but they’re somewhat quirky so it was a smart choice on their part to fit a premium brand saddle instead. The Prologo Nago Evo Nack matches the bike perfectly and this is even the super-light carbon-railed version. Colour-matched Jagwire cables and two good carbon fibre bottle cages finish the bike off to a high standard. ThE RIDE The RQC-29 is a joy to ride hard and it deserves a name that better reflects its character – Piledriver perhaps, or Typhoon. Codes always obstruct the bond between a rider and a great bike. Even so, if you prefer to attack every ride rather than cruise, you’d still love the Trigon if it was called Cuthbert because it’s a beast! The extra weight in the frame seems to have been used to good effect – the huge tubes and junctions make it extremely stiff under load. There’s a real spark to the acceleration when you dig in. The front end is similarly flex-free so when you’re out of the saddle and pulling on the bars there’s no sensation that Trigon’s one-piece bar and stem is light, smart and very stiff. The non-round shape necessitates the computer mount Behind the SRAM Red crankset you can see the massive bottom bracket area. This one isn’t BB30 but it’s an option 58mm full carbon clinchers are the Trigon’s trump card against its price rivals. They’re light, stiff and rapid you’re twisting the bike in the middle, only that you’re driving the bike forwards even harder. Sprinting may not have much place in triathlon but the same qualities also mean that the RQC-29 could handle big riders well and that when you’re hauling yourself up a steep climb all your energy is being used to fight gravity. The deep-section carbon clinchers are the stiffest and lightest wheels here, and they definitely boost the Trigon. They’re 200g lighter than the
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supersix evo 2 red - Kenda

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