There were plenty of shiny new road bikes at this year's Core Bike show. Here's a quick look at some of the standout models – see the image gallery for more.
Dedacciai
Italian company Dedacciai have traditionally produced tubing for other manufacturers but last year they began making frames under their own name. This year both framesets and full bikes are available in the UK for the first time, via Chicken Cycle-Kit.
Deda's Strada frames are built in the same factory as Pinarello's, and apparently benefit from much of the same technology. Their top-end carbon fibre road bike is the Super Scuro, at £1,880 for the frameset or £5,000 for a full build with Campagnolo Record. However, it's the second-tier Scuro RS that looks like the one to watch.
The RS frame is made from the same IM 600 high modulus carbon as the Super Scuro using Deda's Anti-Wrinkle Process (AWP) – essentially, the carbon is wrapped around a foam core during construction; Deda claim this results in a 18.5% stiffer and 15g lighter structure – and nano-modified epoxy resin, and then finished with a 3K lamination.
Features include a tapered (1-1/8 to 1-1/4in) head tube, integrated seatmast and BSA bottom bracket. Claimed weight for the frame and full-carbon (including the dropouts) fork is 1,320g (2.9lb), and RRP is £1,650. It's available in three colourways and five sizes.
However, we think most prospective buyers will be more interested in the complete bike, which comes with a Campagnolo Chorus groupset and Zonda wheels, plus a mix of own-brand (aftermarket not OE) Elementi kit, a Selle Italia saddle and Vittoria tyres for £3,360.
Argon 18
French Canadian brand Argon 18 have some nice looking road bikes in their line-up. The mid-range Gallium is from the same mould (literally – it's just made from a slightly lower modulus carbon fibre) as the top-end Gallium Pro.
Both bikes have a new tapered head tube for 2011, a lower bottom bracket and are a bit chunkier all round, with massive asymmetric chainstays (the old Gallium frame is now used for the cheaper Krypton, with the addition of a tapered head tube).
The standard Gallium frameset (including fork, seatpost and headset) costs £1,600 and weighs in at a claimed 1,470g (frame and fork). The Pro is £2,000 and 1,260g. A Shimano Dura-Ace Di2-compatible version is available for an extra £100. UK distribution is via I-Ride.
De Rosa
De Rosa are known for their high-end bikes with flashy paintjobs. UK distributors I-Ride have worked with the Italian company to develop two new models, the R838 and Milanino, which bring the De Rosa experience down to a more affordable level. Both are still hand-built in Italy.
The retro-looking Milanino has a triple-butted alloy frame and full-carbon fork. It's available as a frameset (including fork and headset) for £700 or as a complete bike with Campagnolo Veloce and Fulcrum Racing 7 wheels for £1,600.
The R838 is a different kettle of fish, with a carbon monocoque frame and a much more modern look. It's available with 11-speed Campagnolo Athena and Fulcrum Racing 5s for £2,500 or with Veloce and Racing 7s for £2,000.
Cinelli
Cinelli had some great looking road bikes on display – many of which we'd seen before at last autumn's Eurobike show. The Saetta looks like it could prove popular; it's essentially a cheaper version of the company's new mid-range Saetta Sprint road bike, made from lower grade carbon fibre but offering similar performance and weight.
For £1,375 you get a 30HM carbon frame and carbon/alloy fork. Complete bikes range in price from £1,900 (10-speed Campagnolo Veloce, Miche Race wheels) to £2,280 (Campagnolo Centaur, Campagnolo Vento Reaction wheels). Cinelli bikes are available in the UK via Chicken Cycle-Kit.
New for 2011 is the Italian company's first cyclo-cross race frame, the Zydeco. The £600 frame is made from triple-butted Columbus Zonal tubing, with a carbon/alloy fork up front. Claimed weight is 1,385g. A complete bike is available, with Shimano 105, an FSA Gossamer crankset, Fulcrum Racing CX wheels and Vittoria CX tyres, for £1,880.
Eddy Merckx
We showed you Merckx's new EMX-5 and EMX-7 race bikes, as used by the Quick.Step team, at Eurobike, along with the EMX-3 sportive machine. UK pricing has now been confirmed by distributors I-Ride.
The EMX-7 frameset will sell for £3,700, with a complete bike available for a whopping £13,000. This limited edition EMX-7 525 has been produced to mark Eddy Merckx's 65th birthday and celebrate his 525 race victories, and it's kitted out with drool-worthy kit including a Campagnolo Super Record groupset and Lightweight wheels.
The EMX-5 is only available as a frameset, for £2,700. Included with every purchase is a book about Eddy Merckx – a small version with the EMX-5 and a huge coffee table tome for buyers of the EMX-7. The EMX-3 costs £1,900 for the frame or £2,700 for a complete bike with an 11-speed Campagnolo Athena Carbon groupset, Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels and finishing kit from Continental, Prologo and FSA.
