Since VO2 started in 2009 with their Victory TT bike, the company have tripled their range to include the Revolution all-rounder and the V:Pro:Carbon with its massively oversized main frame tubes.
- Highs: Usefully stiff yet still comfortable enough for mellow miles
- Lows: Relatively heavy frame, can get sketchy at speed
- Buy if: You want a smooth yet responsive alternative all-rounder
The stiffness that the main tube’s extra diameter gives is obvious straightaway in the ride. Add matching fat leg forks, plus a short, quick-reacting 90mm stem and there’s useful clarity through the bars when you’re chucking it into a turn and no sense of bounce when you’re putting your shoulder into a sprint. The short wheelbase also makes it very agile.
While the conventional bottom bracketed SRAM Red chainset isn’t the stiffest there’s still decent torque through the pedals when you open your lungs and kick the turbocharger into life.
The frame with all the bolts, clamps and other hardware included is significantly heavier than VO2 list. The brakes are budget Tektro and the cassette and chain are also downspecced a long way from the headline kit to Shimano’s workmanlike 105.
There’s enough of SRAM’s super-light Red transmission to keep weight low enough to lunge forward with purpose, and it’s definitely more likely to be a predator not prey on climbs. VO2’s personalised build service lets you tweak parts to match your intentions and investment if you’d like it even lighter.
Back to our bike and its V:Race:50 wheels are tight enough to keep the steering on track and the bike up near the front of the pack. The Continental Ultra Sport tyres are light with a quality feel for training rubber. The simple rim format means they can be blown noticeably in gusty conditions, particularly with the short stem and really short wheelbase, and they soon start to feel twitchy on fast, twisty descents.
Despite the deep section wheels and stiff mainframe the thin, flat plate seatstays take a noticeable amount of sting out of the ride and leave it with a palpable glide over pockmarked surfaces.
Combine this with the relatively tall front end and reduced reach from the short stem and it’s a machine that you won’t mind putting generous mileages into even on successive days. The price includes a full bike fit (and first service) at VO2’s Kent base so you’ll literally be sitting pretty in terms of setup.
This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.
