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2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road bike sheds 300g with all-new carbon production

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike
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The new 2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road bike looks almost exactly the same as it did when Look introduced the slippery design to us back around Eurobike two years ago. But inside it’s apparently an all-new bike thanks to new, more complex molding and a mix of even higher modulus carbon fibers. The result is 300g weight savings of the original frame, plus another 120g saved of the proprietary seatpost!

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road bike sheds serious weight!

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, non-driveside
c. Look

Look’s 795 Blade RS looked like a pretty advanced disc brake aero road bike when we first got a glimpse of it at Eurobike, then followed up with more detail a couple of months later. It had been an early adopter of the sleekly integrated cable routing approach we see becoming the aero road norm only now, and even already had plenty of room for up to 30mm tires.

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, complete

But Look was a little cagey on the frame weights, ultimately only quoting us a rim-brake model at 950g. Only later did we really know that the disc brake model was over 1300g. But now with revised carbon construction, Look has clawed back almost 25% weight savings for the disc brake frame – now hitting a painted frame weight claim of 1050g for a size medium.

Though let’s be honest, if the new 795 Blade RS frame kit is able to lose 420g just in revised carbon, it’s safe to have called the original heavy to start with.

So what’s new? How did they save that much weight?

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, aero cockpit

Look says they trimmed 300g of the disc brake frame by completely rethinking their manufacturing of the bike. The outer steel mold doesn’t change (so it keeps the same UCI certification number), but they’ve started using a more accurate EPS molding tech that wraps the individual carbon plies over a hard polystyrene form before it goes into the main mold.

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, Pro Team frameset

By doing so, Look produces a more consistent and smoother internal surface to the frame, with fewer imperfections, that means they need less extra material to achieve their desired strength and stiffness.

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, riding

Add to that, Look has moved to a more premium mix of carbon fibers, doubling their use of hi-mod UD fiber and adding ultra hi-mod (UHM) fiber for the first time. Now, the 795 Blade RS is made up of 63% hi-mod (up from 32%) and 4% UHM to get the same stiffness as before with fewer layers of carbon, while still allowing them to adjust stiffness depending on frame size.

795 Blade RS – Tech details

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, details

The same details as before remain the same, including the five size range and uniquely adjustable effective seattube angle. What is interesting is that there is no longer any detail on the rim brake bike from the 2018 debut, that never made it to the UCI-approved list.

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, disc brake Speed Release details

The 795 Blade RS features integrated aerodynamics with almost fully internal, but manageable routing through Looks’ own ADH aero alloy stem and into the semi-recessed headset – working with electronic or mechanical groupsets. The bike gets flat mount disc brakes, Speed Release thru-axles, a proprietary Aeropost 3 aero carbon seatpost with integrated clamp, a BB386 bottom bracket, and clearance for 30mm tires.

Look 795 Blade RS – Pricing & availability

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, frameset
2021 Look 795 Blade RS Chameleon frameset

Eight complete bikes fall under the revamped 795 Blade family, with four getting the new top-spec, lighter weight RS frame. That new lightweight frame is also available for 3300€ in chameleon, black metallic/red, carbon/champagne, and Pro Team white paintjobs.

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, Red AXS
2021 Look 795 Blade RS Chameleon Red AXS

The top spec 795 Blade RS Disc Chameleon sells for 10,000€ with a complete SRAM Red AXS build and 47mm Corima carbon wheels for a 7.3kg weight claim.

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, Dura-Ace Di2
2021 Look 795 Blade RS ProTeam Dura-Ace Di2

A 795 Blade RS Disc ProTeam sells for 9000€ with a Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 and Corima 47mm wheels at 7.5kg.

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, Ultegra Di2
2021 Look 795 Blade RS Champagne Ultegra Di2

For 7500€, the 795 Blade RS Disc Champagne gets Ultegra Di2 and Look R38D tubeless carbon wheels for an 8kg weight claim.

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, Ultegra mechanical
2021 Look 795 Blade RS Black Metallic Ultegra mechanical

And the 6000€ 795 Blade RS Disc Black Metallic with Ultegra mechanical & Look R38D wheels at 8.2kg will be the cheapest build to feature the lighter frameset.

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, 105
2021 Look 795 Blade Disc Blue Metallic 105

In what appears to use the older 1.3kg frame, there are builds with Ultegra Di2, Ultegra mechanical, and a 795 Disc 105 mechanical build for just 3400€.

2021 Look 795 Blade RS aero road, 300g lighter aerodynamic carbon road race bike, riding

All of the new 2021 family of Look 795 Blade RS road bikes are already available to order through your local dealer network.

LookCycle.com

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23 Comments
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Time
Time
3 years ago

My 2019 795 blade rs rim brake Pro team is uci approved according to the decal on the top tube….

T.S.
T.S.
3 years ago
Reply to  Cory Benson

@Cory Benson

LOOK-795-RD
It’s on the UCI List as plain 795, just above LOOK-795D-RD
Riders at Team NIPPO DELKO One Provence are using the 795 blade RS rim brake version.

Hexsense
Hexsense
3 years ago

That seatpost offset though.
The older one were heavy. But it has adjustable seatpost offset.
New one is no longer adjustable. And from the picture, that’s a lot of offset, which can cause fitting problem for some smaller riders.

Greg
Greg
3 years ago
Reply to  Hexsense

Article mentions “uniquely adjustable effective seat tube angle” which I interpret to mean “not unique but still useful adjustable saddle clamp offset”.
I don’t see it in the pics, but I’m assuming it’s in there somewhere if it gets a special mention.

Dinger
Dinger
3 years ago
Reply to  Hexsense

The seat tube on many aero bikes is offset forward in order to have a deeper aero profile, the exaggerated seatpost offset is necessary to correct the saddle position, relative to the BB center.

Miclaroc
Miclaroc
3 years ago

LOOK has all but disappeared from the face of the earth whee I live, dealers tell me they won’t touch the brand due to its USA distributor – everybody hates them- bad business decision on LOOKs part I think to go w them. Otherwise such a great brand I still ride my 595 happily I’d love to see these around someday soon I’d even consider one if I could afford it.

jgrosserdc
3 years ago
Reply to  Miclaroc

I bought a Look 785 Huez RS from Wrench Science. Got it configured to my exact spec. It’s an awesome bike.

Brad Cole
3 years ago
Reply to  Miclaroc

@Miclaroc It appears that they made a change with their distributors in Aug/September, so this may not be the case anymore. I think most dealers are pleased with QBPs support.

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/announcements/2020/07/30/look-announces-new-pricing-strategy-us-distribution-partner#.X44QlZNKh0w

Chris
Chris
3 years ago

Looks like a Trek Madone to me without the IsoSpeed decoupler. Pass.

Sajuuk
Sajuuk
3 years ago
Reply to  Chris

@Chris
Dude, this thing blows the Madone away. Better manufacturing, higher quality, and a better bottom bracket standard (not to mention better QC on their BBs) than Trek could ever hope for.

Dinger
Dinger
3 years ago
Reply to  Sajuuk

On what planet does a Look achieve higher quality or performance than Trek, who is solidly 2 generations ahead of Look in aero design.

Where does one even see or buy a Look?

Sajuuk
Sajuuk
3 years ago
Reply to  Dinger

@Dinger Oh? Two generations, huh? Got any empirical evidence for this? Or are you just repeating the words from Trek’s oversized marketing department? Aerodynamics statements from any bike manufacturer should be taken with a grain of salt, and I say that as a person who loves aero road bikes. That being said, I’m pretty sure Look’s new aero bike is at least as aero as the next big-name carbon aero bike, including the Madone. That being said, I actually like the current Madone’s lines better than this Look (I’m a huge fan of sloping top tubes, like the Pinnarello Dogma F8/10 and the BH G7/8) but I would rather have a bike designed and built by a company with top-notch materials engineering, especially in carbon-fibre composites, and just as good quality control.

The thing is, Trek has a history of terrible bottom bracket shell manufacturing, hence them going to T47 to cover up any poorly laid up bb shells. Also, Look’s carbon manufacturing has always been top notch, and I’ll take small, high quality bike builders like Look or BH, who have been in the game for over 50 years, over massive upstart bike brands with bloated marketing departments like Trek, Speshy, Cannondale, etc.

As to where to buy a Look bike? Maybe check their website?

An203
An203
3 years ago
Reply to  Chris

@Chris,
Similar weight and quite stiffer than the Madone everywhere (headtube, BB and Fork), that has the benefit of the Iso-Speed, that for some may be a key feature.
On the BB side, seems Trek moved to the T47 that despite not being a real good solution (it’s a solution with more play in between the pieces… remove the BB creaking.

Gerhard Wanninger
Gerhard Wanninger
3 years ago

Can someone confirm the claim “The outer steel mold doesn’t change (so it keeps the same UCI certification number), but they’ve started using a more accurate EPS molding tech that wraps the individual carbon plies over a hard polystyrene form before it goes into the main mold.” Sounds strange….

Gillis
Gillis
3 years ago

The carbon is wrapped over/around polystyrene mold instead of a bladder, before being placed in the outer mold. How the polystyrene is removed prior to assembly is not clear

Robin
Robin
3 years ago
Reply to  Gillis

I suspect the polystyrene is melted and poured out.

GR
GR
3 years ago

Do these weigh reductions only apply to the are solely for the 2019 and 2021 disc models? The original rim brake model was quoted as 950 gram frame and 300 gram fork which isn’t overly heavy. Was the original disc version ‘overbuilt’ to account for the extra weight??

Has LOOK discontinued the rim brake version in RS mode? Is the 795 Blade (non RS designation) essentially the previous model year frame and layup?

John
John
3 years ago

@Sajuuk

BB386 (pressfit) is somehow better than T47 (threaded)? I don’t think so.

Czechmate
Czechmate
3 years ago
Reply to  John

@John: the superiority of a BB386 (press-fit) bottom bracket over a BSA or T47 (threaded) bottom bracket has already been proven by a 5-year old, using a powerpoint presentation. This superiority can be likened to the superiority of Look carbon frame manufacturing over that of Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, Canyon and others. Strangely enough, it is that same 5-year old who’s also proven this fact. He even has a rudimentary but highly informative scale in his powerpoint presentation to de-mystify the carbon frame manufacturing rankings.

Sajuuk
Sajuuk
3 years ago
Reply to  John

To paraphrase a BBInfinite article on T47: T47 is heavy, requires and even heavier interface that is bonded into the carbon BB shell, and is incompatible with the modern advances in wide bottom bracket shells. Press Fit doesn’t creak: poorly made Press Fit bottom bracket shells do.

Also, Press Fit was invented to solve the issue of the threaded interface delaminating from the carbon, because of two vastly different materials used. It’s a regressive standard, largely advocated for by retrogrouches (those are my words, not BBInfinite’s).

T.S.
T.S.
3 years ago

LOOK-795-RD
It’s on the UCI List as plain 795, just above LOOK-795D-RD
Riders at Team NIPPO DELKO One Provence are using the 795 blade RS rim brake version.

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