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Condor Bikes Overhauls Road, Cross Bikes For 2011

Written by Brad Sohner
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London-based Condor Bikes is rolling out their 2011 line, with some major revisions to some of their road and cross models, while the company takes a “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it’ approach to the rest of the line. See what Condor has been up to after the break.

Italia

At just £999.99 for a complete build, the Italia is quite the bargain. Race it, commute with it, or just enjoy the open road. The 7003 aluminum frame has some cool features, including a curved top tube and internal cable routing. The Italia comes with a Deda Nero carbon fork, built up with SRAM Apex components and a Deda alloy cockpit.

Squadra

Condor is aiming to break into the higher end road market with the Squadra, redesigned for 2011 with an all carbon frame, taking design cues from Condor’s popular Leggero race bike. The Squadra gets a tapering headtube, internal cable routing, and a Deda 5.6 oversize carbon fork to keep things stiff and comfortable on the front end. Pictures aren’t available for this model yet, but we do know it will retail at £799.99 for the frame, fork and headset, and will be offered in black/white and yellow/white color combos.

Baracchi

“The Baracchi has one aim, which is to make your long ride not only smooth, but also fast.” says Condor. The carbon frame gets updated internal cable routing this year, as well as a new, lighter “wave” fork which Condor says makes the Baracchi much more attractive for climbing. Complete builds start at £1,799.99, with an offering for the frame, fork, and headset for £1,399.99.

Terra-X

The Terra-X was designed with the serious ‘cross racer in mind. Dedacciai EM2 Scandium tubing makes up the frame, which now features a curved top tube for better shouldering and more clearance. Condor also designed a ‘cross specific straight blade fork for the Terra-X, which features the increasingly popular tapered steerer tube.

The Terra-X will come in the brown/blue combo pictured above, as well as a “limited edition team” color combo. Retail for the frameset is £799.99, and Condor isn’t offering these as complete builds.

Most of these models are available now on Condor’s website, which also features an option to build any of the bikes with custom spec’s via their online bike builder.

Brad Sohner
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Angus Rivers
Angus Rivers
13 years ago

I have a Condor – an Italia Cross from 2007. It was a very nice bike to ride, unfortunately I can no longer recommend them. My first frame snapped at the down tube to head tube weld after I’d had it a week – that was replaced under warranty. This second frame broke in exactly the same place when 3 years old, it was used only for commuting and was involved in no crashes. Condor’s warranty is 2 years and so I was offered £200 off a new frame. Unsurprisingly this feels like throwing good money after bad and I am riding my 10 year old Cannondale CAAD4 frame which is holding up just fine.

I’m sorry, but £800 for a frame that lasts on average less than 2 years is appalling value. I may have been unlucky but I’d have thought Condor would have stood by their product if that had been the case. Buyer beware!

Picture here: http://picasaweb.google.com/tyretracksphotos/BrokenCondor?feat=directlink

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cms
cms
13 years ago

But you did buy the bike knowing it had a 2 year warranty right? And it did last 3 years as you stated right? I think anything longer than a 2 year warranty is ridiculous. No other sporting equipment items have warranties as long as what is expected in the bike industry. Look up warranty terms for Ferrari cars etc. I applaud Condor for offering a realistic warranty period. And what a seriously cool cyclocross frame! My point though. Anyone who buys a frame then moans when it breaks after the warranty period should keep their mouth shut.

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voiceofreason
voiceofreason
13 years ago

NO bike should break under normal use after just three years, warranty or not.

Only in the most extreme case for a bike marketed as extremely fragile for competition-only would this be acceptable;
and it would have to be made clear from the start what its life-expectancy should be expected to be.

(and to boot.. Angus’ failure on that aluminum frame right at the weld looks pretty clearly to be a result of too high weld temperature or insufficient tubing butt thickness.)

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Angus Rivers
Angus Rivers
13 years ago

Thanks voiceofreason. 2 frame breakages in the same place appears to indicate a trend. I am a little upset at having to fork out for a new frame 3 years after spending £550 on what I thought was a quality tubeset.

To my mind a frame should outlast the chainrings, and this one hasn’t.

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cms
cms
13 years ago

So a bicycle frame weighing somewhere in the region of 1-1.5grams, with tubes 0.9-1.1mm thin (referring to middle center section of typical lightweight aluminium) designed to carry on average a 65-85kg rider thousands of miles on vibrating, fatigue inducing road or trails while under extreme pedal loads should not be considered fragile?! get real people, if you want your bike frames to last as long as a Land Rover then BUY a Land Rover. Or if you want a “lifetime” warranty then buy a bike with a so called “lifetime” warranty, but expect that you may pay more for this as it is probably built into the cost. What really bugs me about Angus Rivers first comment is that he slammed Condor for something that Condor did not do wrong! In fact they were quite generous in their replacement offer. And no I don’t own a Condor, nor do I have any association with the company.

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Angus Rivers
Angus Rivers
13 years ago

To be honest cms, I’m not sure what you are upset about: I listed some facts and stated an opinion.

Readers are now in a position to decide whether they want to buy an £800 frame which has a significant chance of breaking within the first 2 years (in which case it will be replaced) or soon after (in which case it won’t). So buy a Condor, enjoy it, but consider it disposable and hope you don’t hurt yourself if it snaps.

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Rae Merrill
Rae Merrill
13 years ago

nice looking bike but not for me i’m afraid.

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