BAUM Corretto review or comparison?

[musket]

Many people I know LOVE their Baums, however nearly the same number are underwhelmed.

Almost 100% of these experiences relate to geometry. Those who specified exact geo are happy, while those who 'trusted' or took advice are largely underwhelmed. This mostly comes back to the LOOONG rake and slack HA Baum prefers to avoid toe overlap (which is of course a complete red herring). They end up stable, but slow, ponderous machines.

[rustychain]

I own a 953 stainless steel SR Independent Fabracations frame. Comparable IMO to the Baum. I compare it most favorably (for me) with any carbon frame, aluminum or ti I've tried. At 6.8 its as light as any "race bike" is allowed. I am sure if I had a top end custom carbon frame built I would feel the same way. A well designed, well built and well fitted frame is a joy. These endless arguments fail IMO to respect that we all have different needs. There is no perfect bike, no perfect frame, no perfect building material. They all have trade offs

[ty-ro]

Are you in the U.S.? If you want to know more about the way they ride, I'd call Chad or Woody at Above Category. They have ridden a lot of bikes and are experienced at objectively comparing them. I bet you have ridden some of the same bikes. It gives a basis for comparison.

https://www.abovecategorycycling.com/

[giant man]

Many people I know LOVE their Baums, however nearly the same number are underwhelmed.

Almost 100% of these experiences relate to geometry. Those who specified exact geo are happy, while those who 'trusted' or took advice are largely underwhelmed. This mostly comes back to the LOOONG rake and slack HA Baum prefers to avoid toe overlap (which is of course a complete red herring). They end up stable, but slow, ponderous machines.

How can this be? Titanium is quite a different feel to carbon, one of the reasons I prefer the feel of a good carbon frame, whatever the geometry. Ti doesn't do it for me, no matter how pretty it is.

[musket]

Well, you're not one of those people - that's how. You make a good point, but it has nothing to do with the one I made.

[Cashman]

I'll add my 5 cents worth to the discussion.

Since I've owned my Corretto I've also owned 3 other bikes. My current other bike is a Colnago C59 which I totally love for different reasons.

The Corretto is my preference for Long rides for the comfort value and I've raced on it and it's up the job there also.

I will never sell it as it's a bike you have for ever, just because it's not just a bike.

You never own a Baum you're just looking after it for the next generation.

Buy one, don't buy one, like Ti, don't like Ti. Who gives a S#!t. My Baum isn't a mass produced 'Plastic' bike that was built in China by who couldn't give a rats arse about stiffness/compiance.

My Baum was Hand Made by Darren Baum who is more anal than any bicycle person I've ever met.

[sakic]

I have seen one guy riding the same baum frame for about 10 years now.

I also know a girl who had a track frame and a road bike done and the road bike chainstays were so short she had to run a 21 or something silly tyre in the back, a 23 tyre would not fit at all.

I'm 195cm tall and have had 1 custom bike from a big name european brand, it shook it's head like crazy on any descent at say over 65kmph. Off the shelf bike have been much better so far.

It seems most folks that get a custom baum love it.

[BMurphy]

Are you in the U.S.? If you want to know more about the way they ride, I'd call Chad or Woody at Above Category. They have ridden a lot of bikes and are experienced at objectively comparing them. I bet you have ridden some of the same bikes. It gives a basis for comparison.

https://www.abovecategorycycling.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Above Category have done a Baum Risteretto review (great reading) and a Corretto review is coming soon!

https://www.abovecategorycycling.com/home/news" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tinea Pedis]

I'll have mine (Corretto) soon enough.

Although my opinion is now a little biased.

Worth remembering though I was an owner before an employee.


Oh and happy to help anyone with any questions they might have. Would never like to let the truth get in the way of a good story, given some of the sweeping statements and apples to oranges comparisons that have already gone on here. So PM if you like

[RichTheRoadie]

Am surprised that Rich-Ti hasn't posted here yet....

*waves* (sorry, rarely bother with anything other than the classifieds and intro sections!)

Here's mine:



More pics here

Makes me giggle every time I ride it. Cost me a small fortune, but no other bike (having owned Cervelos, Cannondales, Lynskeys, Looks and 4 other Ti frames amongst those) has ever come close.

My next bike is likely to be a Colnago - that will be an interesting comparison, but until then my Corretto remains the ultimate.

I wrote a couple of reviews here after the first ride and here after 1200km.

[RichTheRoadie]

Carbon frames (the best carbon frames) have a far high stiffness to weight ratio than Ti frames, so in that important sense Tokyo Drifter's statement is defensible.

My Corretto is stiffer than my R3 was. That a good enough comparison for you?

[RichTheRoadie]

Are you in the U.S.? If you want to know more about the way they ride, I'd call Chad or Woody at Above Category. They have ridden a lot of bikes and are experienced at objectively comparing them. I bet you have ridden some of the same bikes.

Chad said this to me about the Corretto, and I quote: "that is one of the best bikes I've ever ridden".

[RichTheRoadie]

Oh, and 6.7kg as pictured above. With an ISP. Not bad, huh?

[Rush]

Many people I know LOVE their Baums, however nearly the same number are underwhelmed.

Almost 100% of these experiences relate to geometry. Those who specified exact geo are happy, while those who 'trusted' or took advice are largely underwhelmed. This mostly comes back to the LOOONG rake and slack HA Baum prefers to avoid toe overlap (which is of course a complete red herring). They end up stable, but slow, ponderous machines.

Interesting. I read an article the other day on Bicycle Geometry which featured comments from Darren Baum. He didn't talk about toe overlap, but there were many comments about rake, head angle and how it affects steering. He did talk a lot about chainstay length. Essentially he said that chainstay were historically short to maximise stiffness, but with modern materials you can get a better ride (while still maintaining enough rear-end stiffness) by using longer chainstays.

The comments at the end of that article are also interesting.

[musket]

I've had a couple of PM's from a Baum advocate here, one suggesting that the Baum's have improved over time as their understanding geometry improved (that was my read of it), so it's possible the newer ones are better.