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Test the Velocite Syn aero road bike & keep the frame for a steal

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Velocite Syn aero disc brake road bike

In February, Velocite announced their stunning new Syn aero road bike, and now they want you to help test it. The current version is in its third round of prototype testing, but they’re looking for real world rider feedback. That is, if your real world involves riding about 200 miles per week and you’re willing to provide back and forth communication on the bike.

If so, you can nab a preproduction frameset for $699 plus shipping and ride it for as long as you want (forever, even). Should you ever want to upgrade to a proper production frameset, that $699 would be applied toward full retail on a new frame.

The frames are fully EN tested and ride ready, and founder Victor Major says they’ve probably been more extensively tested than many production carbon bikes on the market today. Interested? Check out their blog post for details on applying and ordering, then slip past the break for hands on photos of the frame from this year’s Taipei Cycle Show…

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These darker tradeshow booth pics don’t do the bike justice, it’s gorgeous in person.

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Plenty of tire clearance for running bigger rubber. Note how the downtube splits the air around the water bottles.

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Flat mount brakes will be standard.

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Wires and cables will both enter the frame directly behind the stem.

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Thru axles front and rear, along with the frame design and layup, make this a stiff bike aimed more at performance than fondo style riding.

The test bike program only includes large frames that’ll come all black. Measurements are:

Seat tube angle: 73 deg
Head tube angle: 73 deg
Top tube length: 570 mm
Head tube length: 175 mm
Frame weight: ~950g bare

You’ll also be able to order the slick new Venn filament-wound carbon wheels at a great price if you need disc brake wheels to go with the bike.

Velocite-Bikes.com

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29 Comments
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Mike
9 years ago

Two words: Cross Winds

Other than that . . . cool.

Andy
Andy
9 years ago

Marketing genius!

erikv
erikv
9 years ago

I think it’s pretty cool, actually. It’s beefy looking and different. I’d do the demo if it came in my size.

Superfly
Superfly
9 years ago

Might want to dish the front wheel

Neilthemeal
Neilthemeal
9 years ago

@mike: what about cross winds?

bb_nl
bb_nl
9 years ago

I do agree with Mike: cross winds might send you flying. But having said that: If yo=u (live in an area where you) benefit from a aero frame this is certainly “something special” that not many of your mates will ride.

Question: These adapters to mount Post Mount brakes to a Flat Mount frame, anybody know where to get these (online), preferably in Europe? I’ve got exactly these HY/RDs, and need to mount them on a Flat Mount frame (not exactly this Syn though). Not much luck finding the adapters so far, not even through my LBS…

Dave
Dave
9 years ago

Aero bike with disc brakes… Puppies around the world cock their heads in confusion.

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
9 years ago

Properly thinking puppies would understand that an aero frame with disc brakes is faster than a non-aero frame with disc brakes. It’s not a hard concept to grasp. Aero benefits don’t disappear when you have disc brakes.

BigBenny
BigBenny
9 years ago

Why don’t aero bikes win races? Sure Cav rides a Venge but he actually won more on his Scott framed bike for HTC.

I’m going with podium data instead of lab data. Aero is not the miracle that science might attempt to indicate.

Veganpotter
Veganpotter
9 years ago

BigBenny…Marcel Kittel won quite a few races last year. Also, when Cav was with Scott, Cervelo had the only good aero road bike. A good aero frame is more important than an aero rear wheel(not as much of a factor as an aero front wheel). With internal cable routing and wide downtubes, regular road bikes aren’t too slow these days when you’re comparing them to an aero road bike that also has two bottles. That said, its still a difference and even more so when these guys are flying so fast in the last couple kilometers

Psi Squared
Psi Squared
9 years ago

Podium data are pretty much irrelevant as a measure of bicycle aerodynamics. Nothing is held constant.

thesteve4761
thesteve4761
9 years ago

@BB_NL- Flat mount frames exist in the wild??

William
William
9 years ago

Excited to get the invite to Demo!

Pete Davila
9 years ago

I’d like to test it out!!!….
200milers in a day solo.

bb_nl
bb_nl
9 years ago

@ thesteve4761 – Yes, currently one (KTM Canic CXC) exists in my work stand… I’d like to get it into the wild asap 😉

peter
peter
9 years ago

“test rider” or early bird buyer???

a_long
a_long
9 years ago

And lab data is pretty much irrelevant on the podium, psi squared.

Chris
Chris
9 years ago

@BigBenny

An aero bike will go faster, given same conditions and road.
But what will do you better than an aero bike is sitting in the bunch all day then following a train of four team mates, the last of which could have a go as a sprinter in his own right.
An aero bike is for riding by yourself in the wind, which is what most of us do, at least more so than Cav does in races.

BigBenny
BigBenny
9 years ago

@a_long: PRECISELY.

I don’t ride in a lab…..and neither do any of you. Aero data is like weight weenie data — it sells bikes to those that ride in labs. This isn’t car racing, kids….your legs do the work. 3W here and there is elemental data against tactics, teamwork, and real race conditions.

If you’re racing Ironman these things add up in a much more linear fashion. You’re alone, you have no team, and it’s you against the wind. Road racing is unrelated when it comes to aero since you could be riding in the pack on a wooden box and time your attack perfectly to beat the guy saving 6.37W on his aero bike right next to you.

Buy a bike you like and train yourself if you want to go faster. More money won’t make you a winner — it’s more power from your legs and more training in regards to race tactics.

Moffaman
Moffaman
9 years ago

@ bb_nl. I have the same KTM frame as you. Been there, got the t-shirt my friend, there is no solution until shimano release their OEM 140 mount in August! My KTM Canic is also solemn in the rack having bought a frame kit 🙁 it will be awesome though! In August…..

Trail Dog
Trail Dog
9 years ago

Molds are cut, EN test confirmed, supply chain ramping up… so they want your feedback for what exactly?

Bernard
Bernard
9 years ago

Regarding aero bikes ridden to the podium:

Kristoff, anybody?

Lee Rodgers
9 years ago

They sponsor me and I am testing it now. It’s one of the best I’ve ridden and I’ve ridden a lot. Melds comfort with stiffness in a way I’ve never experienced and just makes you smile. If this was by [insertbrandhere] it’s be costing you $5k. Review coming soon on crankpunk.com.

bb_nl
bb_nl
9 years ago

@ Moffaman Hmmm, bummer! 🙁 KTM dealer said he will/might be able to get them, and I’ve got another shop that was also hopeful. So without trying to second guess you… I surely hope you’re wrong 😉 The Canic wants to go out and play!

cz
cz
9 years ago

so only L size?

TechHead
TechHead
9 years ago

Aero frames are silly if you’re not racing. The Bicycle Quarterly folks put a bunch of riders and bikes in a U Washington wind tunnel and found what matters for everyday touring and rando riders:
* position on the bike
* clothing on the rider
everything else is pretty much noise including aero wheels and frame. And non-racers would be better served by non-aero bikes that handle well in weather. Which means cross wind handling matters…

Pablo
Pablo
9 years ago

@TechHead Don’t ever use Bicycle Quarterly as a technical reference for anything involving bicycles. Jan Heine also says riding in stiff shoes is no better than riding in Crocs.

Bryin
Bryin
9 years ago

ALL wind tunnel data for bicycles is more or less useless. When you ride a bicycle wind almost always hits the rider and bike from TWO directions as the rider creates a headwind from cycling forward and there is usually a natural wind coming from a different direction. Combine that with the nature of bicycle road racing, which creates a ever varying number of drafting and wind combinations and ANY DATA FROM THE WIND TUNNEL IS MEANINGLESS.

For those that pursue triathlon there is somewhat more validity to wind tunnel data but given the ever changing nature of 2 direction wind it is still very suspect.

Aero bicycles are mostly about marketing, but then EVERYTHING about road bikes is about marketing these days.

rupert3k
rupert3k
9 years ago

As I have been waiting for a road frame with bolted axles and hydraulics for a long time, i decided to pull the trigger one one of these, along with their filament wound $418 35mm 1460g carbon disc wheels ($1117 total)
Coming from a mountain bike background, things like discs, bolted axles, 1x drive trains and tubeless are features I myself very much want in a road bike.
it just seemed rather good value considering comparable Pinarello or Specialized frames & wheels would cost around five times as much (sans bolted axles).
We’ll find out in August whether discs really belong in road racing, but for me it’s a slam dunk.
I’m sure it will be a fun build and a blast to ride.

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