BicyclesTest: FRW Hunters Hill
Reactive and sufficiently rigid, well-blended, has an excellent value for money. Perfect on the funds and continuous raises, suffers the fast and disconnections of the street
Introduction
with this test begins a new stage of cooperation of our magazine with Polar. Thanks to Polar CS600 Power instrumentation we can affect analysis on the overall performance of the bicycle. We are, at present, the first and only magazine to adopt a system that we wanted and searched, convinced of the goodness of a survey that indicates a clear and unambiguous goodness of a bicycle as a whole and not a single part. This will allow readers a better comparison between different models tested, even in relation to the purchase price. The Company
Freewheeling was born in Ravenna in 1986 thanks to the passion for cycling of Claudio Brusi and Liliana Raimondi. Since then much has been made, the promotion and development of the phenomenon of BMX and mountain, which means that becomes distributor for Italy of American brands of bicycles Diamondback Marin and shortly after the depreciated Manitou forks and disc brakes Hayes. In 2003, the real turning point, the brand was born FRW (short for Freewheeling) bicycles with a complete line of mountain bikes and road on its own production. Investing in competitions, both wanted to advertise the brand is as a test of new products, from large fruits, including 5 titles Italian victories in World Cup medals for European championships and World Cup and prestigious races such as Paris Roubaix VTT, up to the World Cup 1997. Athletes at the highest level, as Hubert Pallhuber, world champion mountain bike, pedalling on FRW bike along with many other athletes of various amateur team as Team FRW Maggi, Team Nostromo, Team FRW Matteoni, Team Ragusa. The last success the company has obtained at the recent Olympic Games in Beijing, where Marco Aurelio Fontana was classified in fifth place after an exciting race with his mountain bike "Axum" in titanium. The range FRW
The range FRW is fairly complete. A rich collection of road bike, carbon, aluminium and titanium, a full range of Mtb front, always in option frame with carbon fiber, aluminium or titanium and then a Mtb full and a collection of bikes trekking. Missing from crono bike, triathlon, cyclocross and perhaps even a real bike from touring and freeride. But to reality so young enterprise would be impossible demands more than that already done. The range road, all renewed for 2009, has at its height the bike Sonoma, built on a chassis valuable banded with 3K carbon, then we have the Napa Valley, with carbon monocoque frame 3K and then the Hunters Hill of our test, with carbon monocoque frame 6K. The range road continues with models Diamond Heights, monocoque frame with carbon 12K; Charlotte, a bike intended for women; Silverado, with titanium frame idroforming, Nob Hill, with aluminium chassis to Scandium idroforming, so the proposals double-thickness aluminium Potrero Hills and Hunters Point. For all the bikes groups are Shimano or Campagnolo, components Ritchey, saddles Selle Italia, wheels Mavic and tires Vittoria. Not missing a few variations with wheels Campagnolo and components FSA. The Hunters Hill we tried
The bike in test is proposal in two colours, white-red and a white-black. The chassis is a carbon monocoque high modulus to 3K. The fork, also in carbon monocoque, has the straight and sheaths grafts in a dinghy with steering integrated head set of Ritchey. The dinghy has a length which can vary from 110 mm in size XS to 200 millimeters of XXL; measures longest of the standard of other producers of about 10 mm and leading, as we shall see in the lead and raised more comfortable. The tube is of generous dimensions, embracing the box of the movement towards central and steering the craft. The top tube is with only a moderately sloping, meets the vertical pipe with an inside diameter to house the seat post dinghies from 31.6 millimeters. The rear carriage is very compact, 406 mm, sheaths with well-sized, but without exaggeration, run straight and linear joining, at the top, just above the wheel. The stem is the model Ritchey WCS 4 Axis Wet White, while the hand bar, always Ritchey, is the model WCS Wet Road Blk. The seat post is the model Ritchey Pro carbon, carbon monocoque, the saddle is the Selle Italia SLK model. For the group has been entrusted with a Shimano Ultegra adopting the model with full controls, brakes, 34/50 compact crank, sprocket pack with a 10-speed scale 12/25, front and rear derailleur. In our test bike (size L) the crank have a length of 172.5 mm, while the rest of sizes, attack, bends and cranks are in different dimensions depending on size. The wheels are Mavic Ksyrium Elite, while tires are the Vittoria Rubino Pro. The pedals are Look Keo Classic, but has not provided the bottlecage. Only the chassis has a stated weight of 1.150 grams, while the bike, so assembled, a weight of 7.7 kg, also declared. We in the size L found a weight of 8.100 kg with pedals and without bottlecage. The sizes available are XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL. The rest of the range Hunters Hill
With the chassis Hunters Hill, also available in single chassis configuration Kit, consisting of chassis, head set, fork and seat post, we also assemblied Ultegra Standard, with crank and traditional 39/53 Campagnolo Centaur 10-speed. Both models have the same bike components of our test. There is also the Campagnolo Chorus 11-speed, adopting the new group of Vicenza house and differs only in the wheels taken in this case are the Mavic Ksyrium SL, while the rest of the components is the same. In all cases the group is taken with full controls, brakes, gear, derailleur, chain, crank and sprocket pack. Below is the list of assemblies :
The Hunters Hill now seems well made and finished. Does not shout at the marvel to finish above the norm, but there are no weaknesses to report. The painting is good graphics and well prepared. The assembly is nice and functional, with a homogeneous quality of the components used. Overall, the bike is good with a captivating beauty and good quality components. Some finishing above the standard, typical of high-range bike, as brightest painting, most components of honor etc.. But with a favorable value for money the bike is excellent. In saddle assumes a natural and relaxed position. Excellent grip of the handlebars and controls Shimano Ultegra. The handlebars with the anatomical curve allows for a safe and comfortable on both the low and on the high with a proper distance from the hands of commands, so that we can meet the needs of almost all sizes. The improved comfort is also high saddle Selle Italia SLK and the possibilities offered by the seatpost adjust the tilt so millimeters. In general, both for attitude just raised and the quality of components used, the comfort of riding posture is good and capable of meeting all sizes. Excellent as always Look Keo pedals, not rigid, but sufficiently fluent, with a good base of support and a great ease of adjusting the tension of coupling. Immediately after the first cycling we understand the nature of this bike, quite rigid and responsive. The rear wagon responds well to every solicitation imprinted on the pedals, and accomplices good and rigidity fluenty of Mavic wheels and Vittoria Tires is easy to revive the action outsaddle or change pace. In well-asphalted sections can then have a good hand with an effort content and allows for proper ergonomics to stay long at the bottom of improving the aerodynamic handlebars and cruising speed. It's easy to revive the action from outside curves closer or pass a hill of momentum, fully supported by good fluidity and rigidity of the crank and the excellent level of relations adopted, the stronger will find too short (for these last recommend the adoption of traditional crank). Excellent choice of varying the length of crank according to size. The good half of lightness and responsiveness of the wagon back to lead a respectable performance even uphill where you can take a very fast and in which the choice of gear ratios series will be able to afford to tackle the most challenging climbs to less trained. The fork is sufficiently rigid and well able to withstand the action of the brakes. These have proved powerful and modular with only just over an effort to apply to leverage compared to older brother Dura Ace. Even exchange derailleur and supported the most nervous action, all shots and raises, which calls this chassis, with passages ever precise and quiet with a modest effort to operate the levers and a fluidity of action by reference. Just above the average trip lever for the passage of relationship and just slow the action than in recent high-end products. But the reliability and quality of this group remain, despite the passing of time, a point of reference. On fast, rather the behavior of the chassis is less convincing because the shares geometric taken lead to a high sensibility steering commands given, we must keep firmly in the steering, therefore, to have precise trajectories and round with an effort of concentration exceeding that required by other geometries. But the speed of integration in breaking curve is high. On disconnected, then, the lightness of means and above all the rigidity of the rear stays and fork leads to a less effective behavior. One can feel very disconnections, which influence the roundness of the pedal, and fast, leading to a lack of guidance which advises slowing down to keep the situation under control. Incidentally in a downhill very fast if the asphalt is in order you can be very fast, while if the asphalt is in very poor conditions you should brake more about other competitors to stay in an area of control and security. If the descent has very tight curves and asphalt in order to let you pile all rivals thanks to the brake, the rigidity of the fork, speed cornering insertion and response capacity of the chassis that allows you to quickly revive the action out of the curve. There remains, however, always a certain commitment to driving, but the benefits are not lacking. Is a bike that gives the better in driven and very nervous routes, with continual changes of direction and pace, in these conditions is a perfect bike. In the presence of strong wind side is required further work, not so much because of the wheels, as for the geometry very quickly, a physical commitment in maintaining the correct trajectory will then be put into account. If the pace falls contrast, the classical excursion with friends, you return to appreciate the perfect ergonomics pasty and the precision of controls, safety brake responsiveness of the chassis, we have felt a little more disconnections of the land. The benefits observed with the Polar CS 600 Power Explanation of why the test: we decided to use the instrumentation Polar CS 600 Power to analyze the performance of the bike. Other tools may give us the values of a rigid chassis, important information, maps, but they say less of the total goodness bike. It's clear that a bike is not only frame, but also the components that are assembled and determines the overall performance. With the Polar CS 600 Power can see those watts each athlete needs to develop to go at a X speed. The more rigid chassis will be the crank excellent, excellent wheels other parts excellent, much lower will be the power required to reach that X speed. The better the quality of the bike as a whole. By contrast a good chassis, but not at the top components may get a worse frame average range but with good assembled components. The Polar CS 600 Power also is the only instrument that can detect the power developed without replacing crank or rear wheel. The commentary on the instrumental test The rigidity detected and good components adopted led to a value of all respect, comparable to that of most famed chassis, but then penalized by low range tires and wheels. In the case of Hunters Hill, instead choosing quality components to the performance level of the frame allowed a significant result. Conclusions Hunters Hill has put on show a clear behavior, rigid and reactive is a perfect bike for people who have approached competitions, perhaps in nervous citizens circuits.Refined and with good ergonomics and the best of yourself in continuous changes of pace and trajectory. The behavior is less about winning fast, but skilled hands will still bring high levels. Suffers only by the disjointed where other frames are more efficient, but maybe not have the reactivity of Hunters Hill. When the pace drops, however, remains only an annoyance senbility disconnections of the street on which they feel better. The remainder of the behavior of the chassis and components adopted is great, as demonstrated by surveys also instrumental where the bike came out with our heads held high.
The price The price of the bike in test is Euros 2.799, while the chassis kit has a price of Euros 1.399. Considering the quality of components and performance emerged as the price of the bikes assembled is excellent. The kit chassis has, however, a price aligned to competition. Is suitable for Athlete: is ideal for those who approaches the world of racing and can not spend figures high in ideal locations and where people need rigidity and responsiveness. Positive aspects Value for money Negative aspects Precision driving on uneven and fast For further informations: Freewheeling srl |
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