Launched at Eurobike 2023, the latest incarnation of the Look 795 Blade RS sports a wealth of smart tech details, with pure speed the aim.
The French brand’s revamped race bike is the weapon of choice for Team Cofidis riders.
Look claims the changes it has introduced to the new Blade result in a 10 per cent aerodynamic improvement over the outgoing model.
All the aero
Look says it conducted extensive wind tunnel testing in the development of the 795 Blade RS. In addition to its stated aerodynamic uplift, the brand says the new bike has been given a 7 per cent increase in stiffness.
The frame is constructed from Look’s Ultra High Modulus carbon fibre for “optimised responsiveness, efficiency and comfort”.
Its lines are particularly sleek and the svelte down tube is particularly notable in a sea of aero road bikes with oversized and bulbous down tubes.
The seatstays are dropped and have an offset, flattened edge where they meet the seat tube, similar to the Ribble Ultra SL but, judging by a quick BikeRadar poll, more pleasing to the eye.
The seat tube on the 795 Blade RS is sculpted around the rear tyre and the way in which the crown of the fork is shaped to match the underside of the head tube’s contours is striking, too.
Look claims the frame weighs 890g in a size small, with the fork adding 435g.
The 795 Blade RS can accommodate up to 32mm road bike tyres, in line with competitors such as the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL8 and the Canyon Ultimate.
Like Look’s endurance-focused 765 Optimum, the 795 uses a T47 bottom bracket standard in an 85.5mm width.
The front derailleur hanger is also removable, so you can expect an über-clean look if you opt to run a 1x drivetrain.
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Look has spent considerable time optimising the front end of the 795 Blade RS.
The brand has opted for a two-piece cockpit design, with the hydraulic hoses routed through the bar and stem before continuing through the upper headset bearing.
Look claims the Combo Aero cockpit saves 5 watts at an unspecified speed.
Both the Combo Aero handlebar and stem are constructed from carbon fibre and are available in a variety of widths, which you can specify at the point of purchase for an improved bike fit. The stems are available from 80 to 140mm lengths in 10mm increments and the bars are available in 38, 40, 42 and 44cm widths.
This size-Large example has a 110mm stem and a 42cm-wide bar.
The fork pleasingly uses a round 1 1/8in steerer tube (many brands opt for proprietary non-round steerers when integrating their cables and hoses) and there’s a magnetic cover that slots on top of the stem to conceal the top cap and stem bolts.
However, if you’re unsure on your handlebar height and want to leave some exposed steerer to experiment with, Look includes a second cap that fits over the top of the steerer and exposes the three T25 Torx stem bolts.
You can then run round spacers on top before deciding how much steerer to chop.
A cover conceals the titanium Torx bolts that secure the handlebar and stem and there’s an integrated out-front computer mount, which is compatible with Garmin Edge, Wahoo and Polar devices.
A top-drawer build
We’ve got the 795 Blade RS in this fetching Thunder Blue Satin paint scheme, which is more of a subdued purple when seen in person. All in, the build weighs 7.48kg.
Our build is equipped with a top-drawer Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 R9200 groupset. Look pairs the 52/36t crankset with a wide-ranging 11-34t cassette.
Sticking with the French theme, and keeping within the wider Look family, is a pair of Corima WS EVO 47 wheels. As the name suggests, these hookless carbon hoops have a 47mm rim depth.
They’re claimed to weigh 1,540g and the 3K carbon weave is stunning in the flesh.
The wheels are complemented with 28mm Continental 5000 S TR clincher tyres – fitting race rubber.
Well-considered seatpost and saddle design
A Selle Italia SLR Boost Superflow Carbon saddle is mounted atop the proprietary Look Aeropost 4 Carbon seatpost.
Look claims the seatpost weighs 160g in this 350mm-long variant. The upper cradle that clamps down on the top of the rails is made from carbon fibre.
Look has really sweated the details on how the saddle clamps to the post. There’s a stainless steel adjustment nut that enables you to adjust the saddle angle, but what makes the design particularly clever is there are three ways it can be adjusted.
You can adjust it by hand because it functions as a thumb screw, or you can adjust it from the top (ideal if your saddle has a cut-out) with a 4mm hex key. If none of those options are suitable, you can feed the end of a screwdriver through the two slotted holes and use the tool to turn the nut.
Although Look opts for an integrated seat clamp located on the top face of the top tube, it has chosen a larger T30 Torx bolt.
Most manufacturers use a smaller 4mm hex bolt or, if they go with Torx, it’ll typically be a T25 size. The larger T30 bolt will be harder to round and allow for more purchase on the bolt.
Stay tuned for a full review of the Look 795 Blade RS soon.
