Look Cycles has gone big on integration in the past to achieve lightweight or aerodynamics, but the new Look 785 Huez RS eschews tricks for a pared down, ultralight design made for climbing. And there’s a non-RS version made for all types of terrain that’s also easy on the scales.
Any good race bike needs to be efficient, stiff and, nowadays, comfortable, too. Look combined these with the usual optimized layups and fiber orientation, but dropped wall thickness down to just 0.6mm in some sections to get a frame weight of just 730 grams…
Comfort is improved by using a 27.2 seatpost. Weight is saved by minimizing metal inserts – both the bottom bracket shell and chainstays are a 100% carbon fiber structure
The key difference between the Huez RS and Huez models is the layup and types of carbon used. The chart above shows the differences by the numbers (click to enlarge). The RS uses their BB65 bottom bracket shell to allow use of their one-piece full carbon fiber ZED crankset…or you can get it with a more traditional PFBB86.5 if you want to run Shimano or other regular cranks.
The Huez RS comes in at a claimed ~730g, with a ~280g fork, putting the entire frameset just a hair over 1kg. Built with their ZED crankset, a complete bike can hit 5.91kg (13lb) without getting into crazy boutique parts…and that’s the claimed weight of the bikes Team Fortuneo Oscaro will be racing in the Tour de France this summer.
RS frames and bikes run from €3,999 to €9,999. Shimano Dura-Ace equipped bikes go for €5,999 with Mavic wheels, add €1,000 for the Corimas shown here. The BB65 frame (shown at top of post) with ZED cranks and SRAM RED group tops out the price list.
The standard Huez is built in the same mold and adds 260g to the frame weight and 70g to the fork, putting it at 990g for the frame and a 350g fork. It only has the PFBB86.5 bottom bracket option.
The Huez starts at €2,299 for the frameset, with an Ultegra R8050 Di2 group, Mavic Ksyrium wheels and Look alloy cockpit build going for €4,999. Mechanical Ultegra goes for €3,999.
Bikes are available from October 2017, both models with four or more paint scheme/color options.
To go with the bike (or your bike) are new Keo 2 Max Carbon pedals. They have a 25% larger platform surface than the regular Keo pedals, and this new Max version gets a more streamlined shape and massive 500mm² contact surface area, up from 400mm². That’s the stainless steel plate visible on the top of the pedal, which increased in width from 57mm to 60mm, and got deeper, too.
On the inside, there’s a new chromoly spindle profile with a conical spacer separating roller bearings on the crank side and needle bearings on the outboard side. Protecting it from the elements are new dual lip seals, and the new spacer is a lower friction material and allows for a lower overall profile – stack height is 17.3mm with cleats. Claimed weight per pedal is 125g, and 312g for the pair with cleats. Retail is $114 (€99).
