ROLO sneak peek

[carbonLORD]

Hmph, I went to see it on the last day, and did not see it. Ah well, I'm sure it was marvelous as were a lot of things there.

[mythical]

The website, http://www.rolobikes.com, appeals to my taste. It looks rather well executed. As for the bikes, I've only seen Rolo's but not ridden one, thus my verdict is inconclusive.

[RippedUp]

Any news on this topic?

[andy2]

Hi All, We have been busy attending shows and getting getting the bike out to be tested with magazines. As we are starting to roll out our first dealer orders now we have had to move our production to a facility that can handle larger volumes. Up to now the bike has been fabricated by one guy in Linköping, Sweden and he will continue to work in a r&d capacity, developing prototypes and fabricate full custom bikes. No we are not taking production to Asia! Production is moving to a larger facility near Barcelona that is ISO9000 certified and currently working in aerospace and auto racing. So moving tooling and getting these guys up to speed has/is taken up some bandwidth, hence the lack of activity here..
Meanwhile we are very excited to have had our first complete road test published in L'acheteur Cycliste in France. They have a pretty formidable record testing bikes in the south of France, near Mount Ventoux. Their testing methodology involves taking all bikes on the same route using data log to compare the results.
In recent tissues they have tested the Lightweight Urgestalt, the Storck Aeronario, Ax Lightness Alpha and the main test rider owns a Parlee Z1 so we knew we where in for some tough comparisons! Below are some excerpts of the article translated to English:

"The Rolo is undeniably a monster of efficiency… It feels much stiffer to me than all the other climbing machines tested in these pages… What matters is that as I ride the frame weighing under 700g, my 95kgs are not a problem for the frame at all!"

"I finish the last bit of the climb without being able to engage the 53 ring, but I spin in 39x19 with impressive ease at arrive at the top in a condition on which I would not have bet one kopeck at the beginning of the climb and the first section at 10%!"

"As I descend, […] the speedometer proves that [my speed] is not just an impression. Never have I achieved such a speed in the descent."

"Back at the office and the habitual sprint on the short climb. Good turn of events: here I discover that the bb is truly stiff while the rear triangle is forgiving and follows the wheel perfectly at full power. As such, it is highly efficient. A perfect run."

"The Rolo is probably one of the most efficient climbing machines I have tested… In the descents, despite the stiffness, it behaves very predictably and you can launch yourself fully. The sign of a true competition machine. It is on the flat that it seems to lag a bit. So we decided to mount the famous pro to MWC wheels. The Rolo then showed us it could do everything."

"For us, [the Rolo] is cut first and foremost for competition. Its explosively, stiffness, one could almost call it violence, have a tendency to put it on the starting line."

/a

[HammerTime2]

Yes, but does it handle corners like a prostitute?

Which version (lay-up, customization) did L'acheteur Cycliste test? How do you/tester decide which version to test, customization, etc.?

Is Pez among the current or planned testers?

[michel2]

making a frame that feels rock solid under 700 gram for a 95 kilo fella thats a achievement !! i would love to get my hands on one of those puppies !

[andy2]

-HT2 : They tested the medium stiff frame in a 56. It is quite stiff but the really stiff frame is some 25% stiffer than the stiffest frame ever tested at 'a highly regarded German test institute':)! At a ~20-50g weight premium, and if you so wish, we can now also tune out most of the high frequency vibrations commonly associated with these ultra stiff frames. This is done through the introduction of Kraibon resin in critical places such as the head tube, chainstays and bb.
We have no tests planned in the US, but we will have a few bikes available for test rides in and around the Palo Alto, Ca area later this year. If there is interest in the WW community we'll do a stint down to LA as well.

[Epic-o]

Hi Andy,

I read somewhere that you were preparing a white paper. Any news on this?

[jooo]

A work of art. I think I'd need to hang it on my wall. The Pagani of bikes...

Wouldn't Koenigsegg be more appropriate?

[bura]

No.
Pagani sounds like Paganini.
Koenigsegg like the balls of the emperor.
Would prefer Italian/Argentinian design to Swedish testicles.

[jooo]

eh? Sounds like you didn't get my post at all?

[bura]

Don't worry. I did.
Just wanted to point out that for a Swedish master build bike frame the link to a Swedish car manufacturer with a silly name is as silly as the brand name Rolo itself.
These guys must have heard something about a chocolate/caramel candy brand which is since 1937 on the market.

[mnmasotto]

Any production updates?

[andy2]

The factory just outside Girona (it's technically in greater Barcelona but closer to Girona) is currently getting up to speed. We are producing a small batch of pre production frames, that are going to be tested to destruction, after christmas. In January the first batch of pre ordered production frames are leaving the factory. The frames will differ somewhat from the previous Swedish made frames. With our new Catalan partners we benefit from big 5axis cnc routers, HexMC presses and a Basler-lacke coating facility as well as highly skilled layup personnel with extensive experience in F1 and aerospace. All sizes will be available from the start. /a

[HammerTime2]

Baddest bike of 2013

Why all the fascination with Rolo here? I don't know much about them can someone explain why you think they're so special?

Rolo custom review

The Rolo dispensed with a number of 20% gradients with an ease that would flatter anyone’s climbing ability.

As I grow older and weaker, i am finding it increasingly difficult to dispense with the steeper and longer gradients. Perhaps I would benefit from a bike which dispensed of them for me.