On the all-round bikes I have ridden before, when I put down dancing power on a climb, my weight and power meant
I could feel the rear triangle, the seat stays, going soft or flexing.
The SLC5 I am on now seems to be the all-round frame where I feel that the least.
I heard feedback that it felt stiff, or a little harsh.
Perhaps because the wind was not bad, my average speed came out rather well.
Even taking turns at the front with the riders I was out with, I did not feel that holding speed was any harder than on an all-rounder.
Compared with the Cervélo S5 and Quickpro ER ONE I rode just before, the difference in aero feel is real,
but I never felt ‘how am I supposed to ride the flats on this!’. Of course rider position affects aero a great deal too, but whether it is the current fitting trend or the trend in frame geometry,
both the fitting and the geometry do seem to produce an aero position.
It feels like a bike that is good to handle and ride in all conditions.
It does not flex on the climbs,
and it does not wobble on the flats or fail to hold speed either.
Of course the match between frame and wheels matters too,
but the Wheellab Allche wheels feel good.
With a 25 mm internal / 32.6 mm external profile, it is a typical wheel following the current wide-rim trend.
Being heavier, I quietly feel I am the biggest beneficiary of the trend toward wider tyres and wide rims.
Ride comfort has improved compared with narrow tyres, and aero has improved as well at the same rim width.
Not to boast, but since I have gone through about as many wheels as bikes,
I consider the feel of wheels quite important, and Wheellab wheels clearly seem less affected by crosswinds than others of the same spec.
It is probably an effect of the rim shape,
and since I am not an engineer I cannot explain it in detail; but from experience, crossing the Jamsu Bridge I often feel crosswinds being filtered out,
and with Wheellab wheels, unless the wind is truly vicious, the handlebar being shoved by side gusts has noticeably decreased.
So I suspect the aerodynamic performance of frame and wheels has come together well.
To wrap up, this was the hardest ride I have done since changing frames, and here is the immediate result.
The wind and the group were largely favourable, which may have contributed to the PR, but over roughly 420 km I did not find any one area where the frame felt lacking or rough-edged.
That is probably why I could train without complaints.
Above all, the good value for money is likely to be a significant reason to buy.
A price point that is easier to reach than the major brands,
light weight and solid stiffness make it look like a decent option for an advanced bike, or for people who enjoy training.
Having ridden it like this, this SLC5 review leaves me quite curious about Winspace’s recently announced aero model as well.
I am not sure whether my humble review has been of help, but thank you for reading to the end.
If you leave any further questions, I will ride it over a longer term and post again on another occasion.
