The Poggio Disc has piled its way in to a competitive price category – so just what do you get for your hard-earned? First up is a quality T800 high-modulus carbon frame and fork from the respected Japanese company Toray, and Shimano’s new Tiagra, which adds a great deal of class to a budget component option.
Efficient operator
Most modern bikes aim to offer the tricky trinity of power transfer, speed and comfort, so some features have become more common. The Poggio has a curved and half-flattened top tube, and flattened, slim seatstays that are bridgeless and run independently between seat tube and dropouts, all to smooth the ride.
Chunky chainstays for power transfer, slim bridgeless seatstays for comfort
The BB86.5 bottom bracket shell sprouts very deep chainstays that reduce in height from 50mm at the front to 25mm by the dropouts. This aggressive lower section manages your pedalling inputs and helps convert watts to motion.
Endurance geometry usually includes a taller head tube, but the Poggio’s is a racy 16cm on our 56cm frame. If you like it low, this could be a good thing, but do check the fit first.
From the off, the Poggio displays the sort of mile-munching, cruising traits you want from a bike in this category. The new Tiagra chainset has ample stiffness, and there’s a definite feeling of efficient power transfer to the rear wheel thanks to those monster chainstays. The lever hoods feel to all intents the same as their loftier cousins, with just a little less shifting precision, but functionally they’re a huge improvement.
Skinny rolling stock
San Marco’s eRa saddle gives decent support and comfort. Mekk’s house brand Saturae provides the 27.2mm alloy seatpost and neatly finished bar and stem, which all look good and offer reasonable vibration absorption.
New Tiagra has inherited a lot of its looks from Ultegra and it works well
The wheels roll well, but 23mm rubber is a surprise. Many race bikes now have 25mm tyres, so wider rims and tyres are almost an expectation for endurance bikes, as their greater air volume and grip always help.
Acceleration is more efficient than urgent, and the ride quality is reasonably smooth, but though medium level bumps are dealt with, bigger hits still feel quite sharp. TRP’s Spyre mechanical discs are reliably consistent and powerful. The fork crown is drilled for no reason, and the front brake’s cable routing on the outside of the fork looks untidy, but the gear cables are all internal.
It could be more comfortable, and this Poggio’s head-tube won’t suit everyone. And though a decent budget endurance machine, Mekk doesn’t trounce the competition this time.
