I’ve been engaged on this newest mission bike for a while, however it’s undoubtedly been definitely worth the wait. Constructed round Look’s entry to the gravel driving scene – their 765 RS carbon frameset, I added Corima 30.5 carbon allroad wheels, SRAM Drive AXS digital gruppo, ZIPP Service Course SL 70 XPLR handlebar, Zipp Service Course SLR carbon seatpost, Cadex saddle, Arundel Cages and saddle bag, Lizard Skins bar tape.
It’s been a few years since we reviewed a Look bike – however I can let you know I’ve been a fan of the model from means again. France have deep roots in biking (Even when Italian manufacturers appear to have extra cache). LOOK have constructed a number one international biking model primarily based on innovation (I can consider no higher instance than clipless pedals), design (the bikes have nearly all the time had a sure distinction to them that claims “European”) in addition to holding a lot of their manufacturing in home to raised management high quality (in instances when even probably the most revered Italian manufacturers despatched all of it off shore).
It’s straightforward to see the body is designed with the most effective observe tips – primarily based on what body builders have discovered within the final 20 years the way to design and work with carbon fiber. The large downtube flows into an equally massive backside bracket (extra pics beneath). There’s additionally sufficient room in there for an e-bike motor, and Look makes use of the Fazua Evation motor design for the e-bike model of the RS gravel.
That enormous downtube is ideally designed to anchor the headtube-downtube-BB-chainstay quadrumvirate of drivetrain stability and management. You can too see the opposite a part of this equation – the tapered prime tube, barely curved & sloping, that transforms to the purpose-shaped chainstays – which is designed to permit sufficient flex so as to add some rider consolation to the combination.
Styling across the entrance finish units the tone for the remainder of the body – easy, refined and useful. The cables disappear discreetly into the downtube and fork for outta sight inside routing that retains the strains and silhouette clear wanting, and on the sensible aspect, eliminates a small risk of a cable snags and paint scratches that would happen with externally routed cables.
The headset is a 1-1/8″ prime bearing tapering out to a 1-1/2″ backside bearing, offering most stability to anchor fork flex. The smaller prime higher bearing saves just a few grams, and proves the Look engineers are listening to shaving weight wherever they will.
Down low and up shut the underside bracket junction is very large. That is nothing new because it’s develop into normal challenge on efficiency stage bikes – it’s a logical evolution of carbon know-how and body design – greater tubes for optimum energy, stability and effectivity, however with the sunshine weight that carbon affords.
Each the entrance and rear dropouts are designed round Mavic’s Velocity Launch by way of axle, which lets you take away both wheel with out pulling the axle all the best way out. For this construct – we stayed with a lean and smooth bolt-through mount (vs a levered axle), which requires only a 6mm allen key to unscrew the axle from the suitable aspect, permitting the axle to slip half means out of the drop – sufficient so the left aspect mount disengages, and the wheel merely drops out.
The axle stays in place within the hub, so that you don’t have to fret about dropping it throughout a trailside repair. The rear axle unscrews from the non-drive aspect, which is smart to maintain the work zone away from the muddle of the drive-side.
Now again to the body…
The rear stays are goal formed for tire clearance, stability, and luxury. And that’s the fantastic thing about carbon fibre frames right this moment – form actually does matter in the case of journey high quality, and carbon fabrication permits for just about any form the engineers want for.
The seat stays are flattened proper the place you may learn the “3D Wave” graphic on them which provides a small quantity of vertical flex for a extra snug journey. The chainstays are additionally formed to anchor the rear wheel throughout the drive-force dynamic – all whereas providing as a lot pedal / shoe clearance on the surface, and chainring & tire clearance for 650×2.1 tires.
The chain stays are additionally asymmetrically formed. The non-drive aspect is a straight line from the underside bracket to the rear axle, however the drive aspect drops down simply behind the chain ring to permit for higher chain clearance within the smaller gear ratios.
And that cable we noticed disappear into the body on the headset…? They emerge simply the place wanted on the enterprise finish to hook up with the rear disc brake – and there are channels on each the brake and derailleur sides for those who want to run mechanical shifters.
WHEELS – CORIMA G30.5 Carbon Tubeless – US $2,200
The expansion – and let’s even name it maturity – of journey driving has drawn up the event of extra specialised gear throughout the bike – in fact together with wheels.
Discovering a spot someplace between highway and mtb wheels – all the main manufacturers now supply hoops particular to all-terrain driving – with wheels constructed to new requirements of lightness & energy. Enter Corima’s semi-deep part 30.5 carbon wheels – constructed particularly for all-road kind driving.
The Corima model has been round for over 30 years now, you would possibly bear in mind their unique 4-spoke carbon wheel design, and even seen their wheels rolling underneath highway stars like Chris Boardman and Laurent Fignon. They’ve fabricated in carbon for years, together with full bikes, in order that they know what they’re doing. And if geographic location means something to you by way of manufacturing choice, Corima wheels are made at their very own manufacturing unit in France.
On nearer inspection, you’ll discover what seems to be a second valve placement within the rim. In actual fact that is a part of what Corima calls its “Over stress safety system”. It’s really a launch valve that enables extra air to flee the inner rim cavity if/when the edges have been over pressurized throughout inflation and if air leaks across the valve core or rim tape throughout preliminary setup.
The essential information on the G30.5 wheels are:
- Rims are 30.5 mm width (inside width of 22mm)
- Will take tire widths from 28mm as much as 60mm
- Rims use their Inside Foam Core Overpressure Safety System
- 1560g weight for wheel set
- 24 spokes entrance & rear
- 5 bar max. tire stress
The Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H tire seems nice of their “basic” brown sidewall colour. The low tread sample is properly suited to a mixture of exhausting pack and unfastened surfaces, and makes good sense while you hit the pavement for a stretch too.
Design & Building
What stands out here’s what you may’t see from the surface – and what provides energy to those wheels. The interior cutaway beneath exhibits two issues of be aware:
- The I-beam help construction that runs backward and forward contained in the rim, which provides each sidewall energy, and diametrical energy to stop the wheel from collapsing because it rolls over bumps.
- That foam core you see – is tremendous mild, however really provides structural energy and help from the within.
Hubs and spokes are by DT Swiss – famend specialists in constructing the middle parts of the world’s finest wheel units. Every wheel makes use of 24 spokes, which affords sufficient energy that you just’ll actually by no means have to fret about busting one thing out within the wild. Even for those who do there’s sufficient further in-built that getting house on 23 spokes shouldn’t be a fear.
Visually, the wheels look actually cool – deep part 3K carbon weave – they rise up properly shorn with a wide selection of rubber – though Corima does supply its beneficial tire selections on the web site, primarily based on who they think about is making the most effective tubeless rubber for journey driving.
As soon as I begin driving larger air quantity tires, the plushness of the journey tends to cover the true worth of the wheel stiffness. I’ve been operating these round 35-40 psi, which is sufficient stress to roll effective of pavement and hardpack, however nonetheless supply some plushness on the path. The wheels themselves present a stable, stiff platform to anchor the tires, in order that the tires can do their job. That is my first expertise with Corima wheels, and after a couple of dozen rides, they’ve carried out flawlessly.
Drivetrain
The gruppo is SRAM Drive eTap AXS – drivetrain, shifters, derailleurs and brakes.
Whereas SRAM affords a 1x possibility (which has been round for just a few years now), I personally want the gear ratio choices provided with a 2x chainring setup – I would like the additional gears round right here, and I additionally like the way it affords somewhat bit straighter chain line over the vary of gears I exploit.
Rear cassette is SRAM Drive eTap AXS XG-1270 – 10-33t- (additionally is available in 10-28, and 10-36), which mated to the 43/30 from twin chainring setup makes for greater than sufficient gears to climb absolutely anything I’m up for.
The Flat Prime chain is designed to be a bit stronger, because of the physics of extra materials throughout the highest line of the chain.
Total drivetrain efficiency has been flawless. Lengthy gone are the times when SRAM first entered the market and we complained about their noisy cassettes. Their drivetrains have been by way of a number of iterations, renovations, and permutations, to a degree now the place they carry out on the prime of the category, and these enhancements carry all the best way down from Crimson to Rival, eTap to mechanical. Shifting on the backend is fast and exact. The entrance finish shifting (which was a break up second slower than it ought to), additionally feels higher, thanks largely to enhancements of their chainring designs, and shift ramps.
Upon preliminary setup, I did have a tire clearance challenge within the rear, the place the 40mm Specialised Rhombus skins really made contact with the brace-plate on the again of the rear derailleur. Fortunately the equipment comes with 3 brace-plates of various sizes, so we simply swapped within the “medium” sized model.
I’ve been driving lengthy sufficient (and am lucky sufficient) to recollect again to the 1980’s and what lever design was like again then. Keep in mind these tiny brake hoods, barely sufficient to carry onto – early variations didn’t even think about the “tops” to be an precise place dangle on.
Fortunately trendy lever design has gone absolutely ergonomic – and I nonetheless recall seeing SRAM’s first iteration of hydraulic highway levers and the way a lot greater the tops had been they versus typical mechanical tops of the day. Clearly they should be a sure quantity to carry the brake fluid reservoir in there, and after I first grabbed onto one I felt how a lot consolation – and higher management – this bigger dimension affords.
That huge knob is known as a nice platform to drive the bike from. There’s loads of actual property to carry the hoods in just a few hand placements, and sufficient to seize on to for stable management. The rubber is grippy, and the perforated design on prime helps the palms stick in place.
The levers are formed for each consolation and goal – the “S” curve form permits for a strong pull from each the tops utilizing center, ring and child fingers, in addition to from the drops utilizing the primary and center fingers. The attain can be adjustable to suit palms of all sizes.
Shifting is managed by two small paddles hidden behind the levers. Tapping the suitable paddle inwards strikes this chain on the rear cassette out and away from the wheel, to entry a taller gear. Tapping the left paddle inwards strikes the chain inwards while you need simpler gears – like for climbing. Tapping each paddles collectively shifts the entrance derailleur backwards and forwards between the 2 chainrings.
Establishing the system is fairly straightforward, and executed utilizing the SRAM AXS app (which additionally connects Quarq and Rockshox merchandise), and permits staple items like pairing levers to every derailleur, what number of gears every shift will soar, setting a number of bike profiles, monitoring journey information, and updating to the most recent firmware to make sure very best efficiency, and a bunch extra options.
The entire system has been perfected and works like a appeal. Shifts at each the entrance and rear are exact, stable, and actually higher than if I had been doing my very own shifting on a mechanical system.
The seat tube secures in from the highest – clear and outta sight.
Handlebars are Zipp Service Course SL-70 XPLR mannequin, designed for gravel driving with options like a shorter 70mm attain and shallower 115mm drop, making them simpler to search out the assorted holds – tops, hoods, drops, and extra allowance for transferring again on the bike – one thing we are likely to do extra of when driving off-road.
The tops supply a 3 diploma bend again in direction of the rider, which felt nice in my palms when gripping the tops. The drops function a pleasant outward bend that truly widens the bars from 42 cm C-C to the highest, to about 47cm vast on the bar ends. It makes ’em simpler to search out, and simpler to manage the bike from for those who like driving the tough stuff from a low place.
Bar tape was a ‘natch from Lizard Skins, however gold / champagne isn’t probably the most extensively provided colour both. I’ve used the Lizard Skins tapes earlier than they usually had been an ideal match for a high-end construct like this. They provide 3 completely different thicknesses of tapes – I went with the two.5 mm model (additionally supply e a 1.8mm and three.2mm variations). Being a very long time roadie, and given the respectable girth of the Zipp bars, the two.5 felt proper for the scale of my palms and nonetheless affords sufficient padding to soak up extra of the tough path stuff.
Lizard Skins tapes are two-ply design, with a spongey foam on the underside to grip to the bars and soak up shock, bonded to a sticky prime layer for good grip. They suggest NOT stretching and pulling the tape as you wrap it, since this will trigger the bonds to separate.
Fast sidebar about Lizard Skins… Most of us bear in mind Johnny Hoogerland’s horrific crash on the 2011 Tour de France when he and Juan Antonio Flecha had been introduced down when a automobile overtaking their five-man escape group swerved proper to keep away from a tree after executing an irresponsible overtaking manoeuvre on the grass verge. He was such a superb sportsman in regards to the crash that followers began supporting the workforce’s sponsors – one in every of which was Lizard Skins – and unexpectedly tape sale took off.
Transferring to a different all-important level of contact – I’m operating the Cadex Enhance saddle. Cadex – in case you aren’t accustomed to the the model – is owned by Big, however devoted to bringing high-end, excessive efficiency gear to market. To date they provide wheels, tires, this saddle and handlebars… all key contact factors and upgrades that may dramatically alter the journey of any body set.
The Enhance saddle is a 3 piece development, utilizing Big’s very deep information of carbon manufacturing to develop a saddle that mixes flex within the rights locations for consolation, with stiffness in the suitable locations to make sure pedalling energy isn’t misplaced or absorbed into the saddle, and as an alternative is transferred down your legs to the drive prepare.
The rails and base are carbon fibre. The rails (ovalized vertically to scale back flex) are formed to attach with the bottom in a wider form to disperse impacts, and positioned the place your sit bones aren’t – so that you gained’t get that jarring feeling going proper “up yer arse” like different saddles can.
The rear of the saddle suggestions up barely, forcing the rider ahead right into a extra aggressive pedalling place. Consolation is excellent. The padding underneath the sit bones space is dense sufficient to soak up bumps, and tender sufficient to be snug. The open channel down the center distributes rider weight away from the perineum, to assist in avoiding numbness on lengthy rides.
And in case you’re questioning what “Particle Movement Expertise” is – it’s principally a pocket of those tiny polymer particles positioned contained in the seat-pad kind of the place your sit-bones sit. Consider tiny bean luggage contained in the saddle – while you sit on em they form completely to you. Then they rebound to the unique form while you go away the saddle, all of the whereas adsorbing impacts and including consolation. My expertise has been a superb one – the saddle matches me properly, and is snug.
There’s additionally a tiny mounting bolt on the again so as to add a wide range of peripheral attachments – mild, fenders, saddle luggage and many others.
Lastly, it’s mild too – round 140 grams, and can run you round US$300.
Accent Mounts
All of my rides to date have been shorter out and again jaunts, 1-3 hours in size. However for individuals who wish to journey additional, you gotta be capable of take gear with you. The 765 has six completely different placements for add-on bottle and equipment mounts across the body – on the highest tube simply behind the headset, on the downtube – 1 underneath and a couple of on prime, the seat tube – 3 bosses in entrance. Then you may add gear across the saddle, handlebars with after market luggage for those who nonetheless must.
LOOK X-Observe Race Carbon Pedals – $140
Look’s X-TRACK RACE CARBON pedal claims the “finest power-to-weight ratio in the marketplace right this moment“, and what higher pedal may I consider as a part of this construct? That large platform and it’s big contact space permits extra environment friendly switch of energy from you to your drive prepare.
I can attest to the large contact patch being simpler to search out when clipping in. I additionally just like the dimpled floor that provides grip for stability the place shoe meets pedal – it really works and there’s one thing confidence inspiring a couple of beefier wanting pedal.
That greater platform may also add consolation by decreasing hotspots since pedal stress is unfold over a bigger space. That’s physics, and it really works.
Look has been perfecting carbon for years now – permitting them to construct a really robust pedal set that weighs in a 356 grams – and that’s mild. Rigidity (+/-) is adjusted with a straightforward to succeed in 3mm allen screw.
The mechanics are prime notch too with two sealed cartridges per aspect operating metal bearings.
The X-Observe pedals additionally are available in 3 different flavors to fit your finances – the
RIDE IMPRESSIONS
As gravel / all highway / journey driving emerged (earlier than it exploded) onto the scene, it grew out of a spot for individuals to entry biking, or discover new methods to journey their bikes from a bunch of various entry factors. From my vantage level as an OG mountain biker (c. 1982), then evolving right into a mostly- highway rider (round 1986 after I purchased a Pinarello Montello), I’ve all the time favored driving (in fact did bmx as a child). So I used to be intrigued by the prospect to take pleasure in a motorbike that would take me much more locations than I’d go on a pure highway bike.
Lately, exploring all-road driving has included biking into the wilderness at occasions just like the Peter Sagan Gravel Fondo, or an epic 120km level to level journey in Idaho at a product launch just a few years again. From pedalling by way of majestic surroundings on an hours-long journey, to one thing a lot nearer to house like a forty five minute “govt loop” round PEZ HQ connecting a few of my favourite climbs with path, filth highway or unpaved pathways on a motorbike that I don’t have to fret about breaking, I do prefer it all.
Cages and saddle bag by ArundelBike.com – their basic, and all the time working “Dave-O” cages.
There’s a noticeable distinction to driving an “all-road” bike that’s inherently extra enjoyable than driving a devoted “highway” bike. Positive, nothing beats the frenzy of velocity on a highway bike – however all-road affords up an unbeatable freedom to go anyplace, and never be penned in by highway floor.
There’s the sense that this bike can take much more punishment. I’m not as choosy about my line by way of tough stuff now that I’m on a motorbike with greater tires and sturdier wheels, disc brakes, and barely extra forgiving geometry. It’s extra enjoyable to only hammer the tough stuff.
The marginally slacker entrance finish (70 levels on my dimension Small) of the 765 permits for extra stability within the trails and tough stuff, and descending – higher management than a steeper highway geometry would. Whereas the steeper seat tube angle – 74 levels on my tester, retains the juice going into the drivetrain, and provides to a quicker really feel each accelerating and climbing.
Couple this with the lighter weight – my bike weighs only a hair over 20 lbs, with cages and pedals, and the chances for journey increase but once more. Wonderful tune the entire cockpit with handlebars with a slight flare out on the drops and my road-centric fixation with model and velocity slips out of the image to get replaced by the straightforward pleasure of bombing round on a motorbike.
I’ve set mine up with a barely larger handlebar place than my highway bikes, however nothing main. I don’t actually journey in an aggressive place anyway, so a few cm distinction within the saddle to bar tops top isn’t noticable, however does make it barely simpler to succeed in the drops within the case that I’m grinding out an extended flat part into the wind and simply wish to save as many watts as potential.
All of the off-road driving round PEZ HQ options some pavement to get to / from the place I’m going – so I like how this bike feels shut sufficient to my highway bikes that I nonetheless really feel quick on the unpaved stuff, and it hustles alongside at velocity with out feeling like I’m pushing a tank. The sunshine weight is a bonus too – holding the entire bundle shut sufficient to my highway setups that I nonetheless really feel quick.
Dwelling on the foot of Vancouver’s north shore mountains – I’ve instantaneous entry to some fairly good climbing. One journey I’ve been doing currently includes 400m of climbing in a 15km/ 45 minute loop – good for an finish of day “relaxer”. 4km of that’s up a gravel pathway with pitches up round 15% in locations – it’s a grinder. But it surely’s additionally an amazing take a look at observe for key elements like climbing and descending. My match on this dimension Small tester with its 52.4cm size prime tube has my seat pushed again on the rails and a 110mm stem mounted to finish my match. That places my weight properly again over the rear wheel, coupled with the cosy match of the rear wheel near the seatpost makes for some very good climbing energy and grip.
Look’s race bred geometry is obvious within the 765, and for me, coming from the highway aspect, I just like the quick responsive really feel of this bike general. It feels shut sufficient to my highway arrange that this feels much less like a unique geometry and extra like I’m driving my highway bike off-road.
The SRAM eTap AXS Drive 46/33 and 11-33t cogset has labored flawlessly. Shifting is easy and exact, and the gear ratios enable me to climb a 15% gravel grade (albeit grunting it out), and them dive bombing a 13% paved descent with sufficient prime finish that appears like it should take me quicker than my consolation zone permits.
This has been a enjoyable mission construct – however I think the true enjoyable remains to be forward as hotter days and larger rides are simply across the nook.
You possibly can attain me with questions right here: supervisor at pezcyclingnews.com
Look 765 Gravel RS Undertaking Construct Specs
Weight as Examined: 20.6 lbs, with Look pedals, cages, small saddle bag and rear mild
Body: Look RS carbon fiber, dropped chainstay, 12mm thru-axle, flat mount disc
Fork: Carbon Fiber with carbon steerer: 1 ⅛” -1 ½”, 12mm thru-axle, flat mount disc
Shifter/Brake Levers: SRAM eTap AXS Drive 2x , 12-speed
Brakes: SRAM Drive 1 hydraulic, Centerline rotors 160mm entrance, 160mm rear
Crankset: SRAM Drive
Chain Ring: SRAM etap AXS Drive 46/33
Cassette: SRAM Powerglide PG-1170, 11-33t
Wheels: Corima G30.5 Carbon tubeless clinchers
Tires: Specialised Rombus & Pirelli Cinturato Gravel H
Stem: 110mm Look LDS aluminum stem,
Bars: 42cm Zipp Service Course SL-70 XPLR
Seatpost: Look LS2, carbon, 27.2mm diameter
Saddle: Cadex Enhance
Pedals: Look X-Observe Race Carbon
Guarantee: Lifetime, body and fork
Nation of origin: Taiwan
Extra Data: lookcycle.com
Like PEZ? Why not subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter to obtain updates and reminders on what’s cool in highway biking?
