The technologies of bike design and manufacture are constantly being pushed, leading to lighter, stiffer and more aerodynamic machines. For a long time the focus was on reducing weight but with so many flagship frames consistently below the UCI weight limit, the spotlight has shifted, most recently to aerodynamics.
Aerodynamic road bike design had its genesis in 2007 with the birth of the Felt AR so in that respect is not that novel. That being said, the ability to produce a lightweight, comfortable yet aerodynamic machine good enough for the pros to ride day-in, day-out and that sits at the UCI’s 6.5 kg limit has only been achievable in the last few years as carbon technologies have advanced. Thusly if you take a look at the portfolios of the major players in bike production, you will see ranges of ‘Aero-road’ bikes amongst the more traditional race and endurance models.
The LOOK 695 has been a benchmark in innovation and last year, having spent 3 years working on its aerodynamics and construction, further improved the performance of their flagship race bike to produce the 695 Aerolight. In parallel, LOOK also developed their 675 endurance bike to lend a more racy feel and this included the first use of an integrated aerodynamic stem design.
Look have pushed the technologies further still and have melded them to yield the new 795. More aerodynamic and even more integrated than ever before.
LOOK have integrated brake calipers and a new integrated aero stem, and has worked on the design of the tubes so that they provide better aerodynamic performance whilst slightly altering the geometries in order to confer greater comfort to counter the increased stiffness.
Like the 695 Aerolight and Light frames, the 795 uses the thinner 1.5K carbon fabric and despite the use of the broader aerodynamic tube shapes, has not added weight when compared to the 695 Aerolight of last year. The LOOK 795 Aerolight has been created with pure performance in mind. In order to achieve truly improved aerodynamics, all tube sections have a teardrop shape that reduces turbulence behind the tubes and helps maintain high speeds. Not only the seat tube and down tube, but also the head tube, fork and stays have been designed with this shape known as the NACA aerofoil, validated by aerodynamics engineers then wind-tunnel tested.
LOOK believe in pushing the envelope - not just in terms of cutting edge technologies and materials but at a fundamental design level. With strict rules governing frame design for use in World cycling, LOOK have decided to focus on integration to best optimise the precision of their flagship frame - the 795 Aerolight iPack. They believe strongly that to be innovative in design you have to be close to production - how else can you fine tune design if the processes are separated by thousands of miles and several time zones? To this end, LOOK have taken the unusual step of shifting the majority of their production from the Far East and 85% of Look's manufacture now takes place on French soil.
The 795 Aerolight has an unmatched level of brake integration. Look have used a mechanical V-Brake front brake and have located it in the middle of the fork arms in a housing that forms a window. This means that the caliper disappears completely into the fork to ensure the best possible aerodynamics. The front brake sheath and cable follow a unique route: they go in, under, and through the stem before running through the fork steerer and on to the caliper, all in a dedicated line. The rear brake is a Dura Ace direct-mount and comes supplied with the frameset. It is mounted under the chain-stay/BB interface in order to keep it clear of the seat stays and eliminate the turbulence created by the caliper - much like on TT frames. On top of the aerodynamic advantage the integrated brakes are also 20% more powerful than conventional brakes, making it possible to brake with just one finger while maintaining the power and progressiveness necessary for security and performance.
With the focus still on aerodynamics, both mechanical and electrical cables on the 795 are routed in an entirely new way. The cables are collected at the front of the head tube so as to bypass the bearings and be distributed inside the frame. The rear derailleur cable emerges behind the hanger, and for an electronic configuration even Shimano’s Di2 ‘Junction A’ , which is usually housed under the stem, is built into the frame, behind the stem.
The 695 Aerolite has already received widespread critical acclaim and in September 2013 was awarded 'Most Innovative Bike' at Eurobike. The 795 Aerolite is an exercise in optimising the key components of the complete bike. Rather than creating a frame as a stand-alone piece of the whole machine, LOOK decided to make the machine more homogenous.
Aside from the brakes another perfect example of this is the integration of the ZED 2 Crank into the frame. The crank itself is a one-piece design and by this we mean axle body, crank arms and spider are formed entirely from in a single piece of carbon which has to be threaded through the bottom bracket housing. It weighs just 320g and LOOK claim this is a World Record and the 'best crank on the market'. The bottom bracket houses huge 65mm diameter bearings for the oversized crank and combined with the crank design, purvey incredible stiffness to a key area of the frame. However, the main difference is in they way that the frame has been designed around the crank: using CFD (Continuous Fibre Design) a process that uses the fibres in orientations that maximise their mechanical performance, LOOK have laid fibres from the seat-stays, down tube and seat tube around the bottom bracket housing in a continuous and un-broken configuration that means there are no joins. No joins means fewer weak spots and an increase in stiffness in this key area of the frame.
The other important area on the frame is the front end. Stiffness here creates not only the tracking and steering characteristics but also braking efficiency which translates into stability. LOOK have integrated their headset and stem in much the same way as might be seen on modern Time Trial bikes. The new, 320g HSC 8 Aero fork is a single piece design with reinforcement at the crown for the oversize 1.5" lower bearing and Head Fit 3 headset. The headset itself has been designed to disassociate the clamping of the fork into the frame from the adjustment of the stem and uses a lock-ring to tighten the bearing independently of the stem. This removes the need for the expander bung from inside the steerer, saving 40g and reducing stress on the fork. The new Aero-Stem is considerably more aerodynamic than the C-Stem it replaces and now sits flush within the assembly much like the A-stem found on the 675 and is designed to be used sans spacers. This gives additional and obvious aerodynamic benefits whilst also enhancing the aesthetic as by their nature, carbon stems tend to be large, blocky affairs! The patented clamping system allows the stem to be pivoted between -13 and +17o for fine tuning position without compromising the lateral rigidity of the steering column.
All these features come together in conjunction with the use of 100% High Modulus carbon fibre frame construction to remove weight from the bike whilst increasing stiffness - and as we all know, high stiffness to weight ratios mean more power down and less to move!
The final piece of the puzzle is the integrated seat post. Although widely used by many manufacturers LOOK have gone a little further in order to allow the rider to modify the feel of the bike to suit them. Historically, ISPs have been a bone of contention with pros - for example, early Giant TCRs featuring these posts were so stiff that the Pro riders were not impressed after 6 hours in the saddle! Things have come a long way and LOOK's inclusion of 3 elastomer inserts with the frame offers the rider options for tuning the feel of the ride. As the industry moves towards electronic groupsets LOOK have 'bent like the reeds' in order to adapt and as you would expect from a company focused on integration, the E-Post also features a clip for battery systems to allow them to be mounted neatly in the seat post. The new e-post 2 goes further still: it is more aerodynamic and at 139g it is 29% lighter than the original version. It features a new simple tightening mechanism which requires just a half-turn of an allen key to secure. To ice the cake it is now compatible with both rail mount and Monolink saddles.
Integration is a bold move as there are obvious questions raised - not least that of cost. Forming multiple cranksets of different lengths would be expensive and LOOK have overcome this issue with wonderful simplicity. They have created a triple-lobed insert that allows adjustment of the crank length from 170 to 175mm and that does not require any special pedals. The Aero-Stem as mentioned earlier, is pivotable and is available in lengths from 80 - 130mm.
LOOK have created a precise handling, stiff and responsive race bike that functions beautifully as a whole and which can be tuned to the rider. It offers superb race performance but the ability to alter crank length, stem position and modify the feel also means that it is the ideal 1-bike solution for those of us who ride high mileage in Sportives and distance events as well.
When you factor in the incredible quality of the frame, the inclusion of the crank, stem, fork, headset and seat post you have a frame that offers remarkable value for money when held up against it's friends in the pro peloton. Yes, the Premium paint adds a bit to the price but the finish is exquisite and you can't knock the exclusivity. This is a bike frame for those of you who want something that is a little different yet still at the tip of the spear.
The 795 Aerolight Black / Reflect frame is available in 6 sizes.