Best rim brake bike you've ever ridden

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PrettyA
Posts: 75
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 1:25 pm

by PrettyA

Was wondering what is the best rim brake bike that fellow weightweenies have ridden. I understand that the best bike is always the one that makes you want to ride more. But that aside, what is the best rim brake bike that you guys have ever ridden, I'm not talking about the most aero but purely based on ride quality and build quality. I guess one criteria would be that it's still a "race" bike and not a bike meant for comfort such as the domane or roubaix. Off the top of my head, I know that the BMC SLR01 (2nd gen) is apparently an amazing bike, also the Cannondale supersix HM before all the disc brake redesign.Was wondering what other frames that fellow weightweenies would consider as great!

by Weenie


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tarmackev
Posts: 899
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 9:59 pm

by tarmackev

TCR Advanced SL 2011-2012

Never owned it, rode it on a demo day. Had the opportunity to ride the compostite, adavanvced and adnvanced sl all in the same size, with same wheels, back to back. All felt better than my Cervel S2

Life long cyclist in my late 40's, working in shops and as a rep I must have ridden over 200 carbon bikes.

Honorable mentions
Scott Addict and Foil HMX
Madone 5.9 (Lance era)
Supersix Hi mod Gen 1, that being said I had two and one was terrible, flexed to one side and you could barely squeeze 23mm tyres in.
Time Speeder

Biggest let downs
An actual team Sky Dogma
Tarmac in 2014
Wilier (all of them)
Look 695 (i think, top of the range about 10 years ago). Got demo the full range, it was great day as i also got try the full range of Zipp wheels and these were fantastic.
Last edited by tarmackev on Wed Feb 08, 2023 10:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

naavt
Posts: 529
Joined: Sun Nov 25, 2018 6:58 pm

by naavt

My Yoeleo R11 EPS

vinc
Posts: 165
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2010 5:50 pm

by vinc

Colnago M10

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caballero
Posts: 628
Joined: Fri Jun 16, 2006 11:00 am
Location: Japan / US / Australia

by caballero

Pinatello dogma f. In rim brake with 12s Dura ace and tubulars is an awesome ride.

MichaelK
Posts: 452
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2018 4:50 pm
Location: London, UK

by MichaelK

You stole my 2 top picks. Had a 2011 BMC SLR01, that rode so well. Only thing I didn't like was the stupid seatpost clamp built into the seatpost itself. Currently own a 2016 Supersix Evo HM. Does everything you could ask of it, but lacks that certain joie de vivre at the end of the day.

My third dark horse pick would be a Ritte Bosberg v2. Believe it was a painted FM066 with an ISP. Now I admit it sucked in other areas as the BB felt a bit too stiff, but point it downhill and it was on rails and made up for everything else. So confidence inducing, I almost felt more at home in a supertuck. Maybe I'm an old fart now, but I don't think I'll ever descend at those speeds again.

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nickf
Posts: 1428
Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:34 pm

by nickf

I'm biased but my English road with all oversized steel tubes. Not as light at my old 2016 SSEVO HM but rides smoother and I prefer the handling of the English, not as on edge. Yet with the tubing used it is very snappy and puts down all the watts. Been riding it a couple of years now and there is no other bike out there that even temps me. I don't see how any other bike could outperform what Rob built.

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C36
Posts: 2471
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 3:24 am

by C36

Supersix Evo2 HM and S-works SL6 my 2 favorite with some margin. Both very dynamic and reactive, very pleasant to sprint or attack climbing!

req110
Posts: 867
Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2018 10:23 am

by req110

If i have to build some rim brake bike, i would probably go for:

a) trek madone slr (aerodynamic reasons), or maybe canyon aeroad
b) s-works sl6 (all round reasons)
c) dogma f (butique reasons)

all above with direct mount rim brakes!
SW SL8 RTP 56cm @ 9270 / CLX II / CS OSPW / CEMA BB
S Epic 8 L @ XX T-Type / Berg Ratheberg 30 / Quarq / Fox Transfer SL 100mm / 3p

calleking
Posts: 386
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 3:20 pm

by calleking

The S-Works SL6 I had was absolutely fantastic based on feeling. SL6 felt stiffer than my Aeroad CF SLX but the Aeroad was probably the faster bike.
2022 Wilier Filante SLR Dura-Ace/Ultegra Di2 12sp
2021 Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 2

Retired:
2018 S-Works Tarmac SL6 Sagan Superstar DA 9150
2016 Aeroad CF SLX UDi2
2016 CAAD12 - SRAM Red 22 - Hyper 50mm

Steve Curtis
Posts: 1314
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:20 pm
Location: Hampshire UK, Dublin Ireland and Geneva Switzerland.

by Steve Curtis

2016 Cervelo s3. Still have it, and it has fought off probably 7 other rim brake bikes over that time frame.
I like it so much I picked up another frame set, just in case.

mrlobber
Posts: 1928
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2010 9:36 am
Location: Where the permanent autumn is

by mrlobber

AX Vial Evo Ultra (2017 version).

SS Evo HM Gen 1 (!!) and Sworks SL6 tied for 2nd.
Minimum bike categories required in the stable:
Aero bike | GC bike | GC rim bike | Climbing bike | Climbing rim bike | Classics bike | Gravel bike | TT bike | Indoors bike

sigma
Posts: 695
Joined: Mon Apr 02, 2018 4:12 am

by sigma

Stiffest = Factor One Rim V2. Blazing speed.
Best Climber and best handling = Cannondale Black inc SS Evo (HM) c 2015-2016; the last rim brake iteration and the bike I wish I had never sold.
Best All Around = rim SL6. Legend.
Lots of bikes: currently riding Enve Melee, Krypton Pro, S Works Crux, S Works Epic Evo, SL7.
In build: SW SL8

rwoofer
Posts: 97
Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2019 9:24 pm

by rwoofer

Cannondale SS EVO2 HM and I still have it.

Broady
Posts: 678
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 5:02 pm

by Broady

My Bowman Palace:R is an absolute rocket, handles like it's on rails.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

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