O.K so after receiving the frame last week and building it up, it went for it’s maiden voyage in the weekend. Here are my thoughts on what I experienced.
Aesthetics- One cannot deny this is one sexy looking bike in person. The finish on the 12k weave carbon is top quality and you would struggle to find better on any other brand. The fork and seatpost also follow this high quality finish.
The Ride- Three and a half hours in the saddle and feeling pretty good. The ride combined flats, a few climbs and some strong headwinds(yay).
This is certainly a fairly stiff frame with minimal flex, when looking at the BB area it’s fairly obvious as to why. I’ts certainly not lacking for any extra carbon down there let’s put it that way. In saying this though the Stealth is by no means uncomfortably harsh doing a good job of eliminating any road vibrations and not beating up the rider. The stiffness was particularly evident when attacking a few hills, every pedal stroke was rewarded with forward momentum and no lost power.
Throughout the ride I felt comfortable enough to get down on the bars even on some particularly fast descents. It is a very stable, predictable handling bike that does not throw up any rude surprises.
Negatives, well I suppose some people could say a lack of internal cable routing, 76 seat angle(maybe not steep enough for some)and a bit heavier than the competition.
Positives, stiff yet not uncomfortable, stable predictable handling, great looks, great price, you will probably be the only person with one at your next event.
So if you are in the market for a new ride and fit wise the Stealth works for you well you would be crazy not to have it near the top of your list. Just a few of my thoughts.
