2013 marks the year with more new bikes from the Spanish brand than ever before. BH brings out new, replacement or trickle-down models for virtually the entire line. We’ve got photos and details on them all, plus actual weights for the complete bikes!
Above, G6 replaces the G5 and is now a full aero road bike. Before it was a normal frame with an aero seatmast. The biggest news is that it maintains the sub-900g frame weight and 325g fork of the G5 but gets a complete aero makeover. All tubes have an aero or Kammtail shape, but it’s meant to remain their best selling road bike.
Frame stiffness moves closer to their Ultralight, making it a race-worthy bike, but it keeps some compliance to appeal to normal riders.
The complete bike comes in at 14lb 15oz with normal high end parts, no chi-chi bits just to impress the scale.
Frame is both mechanical and electronic compatible.
Pricing will be $4,999 for Ultegra, $7,499 for SRAM Red with Reynolds Assault and $8,999 for SRAM Red with Zipp 404s. Top model will be the Dura-Ace Di2 but pricing isn’t set on that. Available September.
ULTRALIGHT RC
This replaces the RC1 and has the same mold as the Ultralight but with a different carbon layup. Lateral stiffness is within 5% of the Ultralight, but vertical compliance is “much greater, it’s a very smooth riding bicycle,” says Chris Cocalis, BH USA President. “It lets us get into new price points, we’re very excited about this bike.”
Frame weight is about 900g – 950g, up from the Ultralight’s 750g.
It gets internal cable routing and BB386EVO. Starts at $3,000 for a complete bike with 105 and goes up to $5,499 with Ultegra Di2. By comparison, the Ultralight darts at $7,999. Available September.
THE AERO TRIATHLON BIKE
The Aero is (likely) being raced by Eneko Llanos at the European Triathlon Championships this weekend. It’s a new TT/Triathlon bike that was designed in conjunction with top aerodynamicists (that they wanted to keep unnamed) that have worked on projects for Vision and Cervelo in the past. Seatpost goes from 74° to 81° and is the only part that’s not UCI compliant, so they’ll offer a second seatpost for sanctioned time trials.
Rear brake mount have holes for both TRP direct pull brakes and Shimano’s new aero Dura-Ace brake. Those same mounts will work with Magura’s hydraulic RT8TT brakes. The fork is still being finalized and will also work with all brake models. Fairings will be supplied for use with the Shimano or Magura brakes to maximize aerodynamics.
It’s designed around the BB386EVO, has all internal cable/wire routing and is both mechanical and electronic compatible.
The front end is very low to provide good pro level positioning. Stem is designed to smooth air slow over the top of the bike in either position (+/- 10°). For non pros that want or need a taller front end, they’ll include ~40mm of spacers that are shaped like the headtube so you can put the stem higher without a tall stack of goofy looking round spacers.
Available early next year, this is a prototype.
PRISMA
Their Prisma endurance road bike gets a new Di2 specific frame with Ultegra Di2 at $4,499. Available in two weeks. Won’t have the cable guides on the downtube like on this one. Complete bike weight is 17lb 5oz.
RX TEAM DISC CYCLOCROSS
All new bike that Cocalis has been working on for a while. He tried to have it ready for last year but kept coming up with more ideas…and I could tell he was pretty excited about it. It has all new geometry – compared to the old RX with euro geometry (short cockpit, tall BB), this has more modern fit and a lower bottom bracket.
The frame is designed to work equally well with cantilever brakes or disc brakes and, other than the disc post mounts, leave no trace that something’s missing when using one or the other. The seat collar has a removable brake hanger for the canti’s, and the canti mounts on the seatstays are flush with the frame. Remove the brakes and insert plugs and you have an almost seamless tube.
To accommodate both axle widths, it has swappable dropouts for 130mm or 135mm axle spacing. Canti version shown at left, notice the little silver bit between the frame and hub. On the right, the disc hub’s dropout is flush with the frame. Similar setup on the driveside.
Mechanical and Di2 ready.
$3,499 for the disc model, $3,199 for Canti. Disc bike comes with Stan’s tubeless wheels (you’ll have to figure out what tires you want to run tubeless though). Frameset is $2,299 and all bikes and Framsets come with all parts to run either brake setup. All will be available in a few weeks.
The fork crown and upper legs are thick and wide to prevent brake chatter. Not visible here, it also has canti mounts, so one fork works with both brake types. Brake cable runs externally for disc, so when SRAM’s Red hydraulic disc setup finally come out, it’ll be easy to retrofit. Cocalis said that was the plan to offer a model with that spec, but it looks like they’re months out from releasing the Red hydraulics.
Disc bike is 18lb 9oz and canti version is 17lb 14oz, so about 2/3 pound weight gain with discs.
