The words “I’ve got bike envy!” were the first thing this tester heard when he stopped for provisions during the 80-mile test ride. Well, it would have been 80, but I was so busy concentrating on the bike and going as fast as I could that I forgot such fripperies as following the large red signs… and so took a couple of lengthy detours.
Never mind – a near-100-mile day in the hills of southwest England, much of it in heavy rain, put this bike well and truly through its paces. It did mean the descents, on unfamiliar greasy, gritty and gravelly roads, were taken more gingerly than usual, saving higher-speed descending for another day. This at least proved that the Shimano 105 brake and Ambrosio rim pairing works in all conditions.
- Highs: Super-stylish looks, good quality kit and decent levels of long-distance comfort
- Lows: The weight is a little heavier than we’d have liked and the wheels are quite modest
- Buy if: You want a bike with panache that stands out from the crowd
You can’t miss this Fondriest, which is just about the brightest red we’ve ever seen. It’s a well-thought-out road bike with an aero look to it, though we should point out that Fondriest makes no aerodynamic claims about its wind-cheating prowess, in spite of a blunt teardrop-shaped seatpost and cutaway for the rear wheel.
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Big is beautiful when it comes to the Fondriest’s tubing
The huge ‘Monolithic’ bottom bracket shell at the base of the squared-off down tube is also slightly misleading, as it houses a standard Shimano Hollowtech cartridge bottom bracket. But there’s no sensation of softness through the TF2’s somewhat aggressive, racy frame. The chainstays, wheelbase and head tube are short, the frame angles are on the steep side, and it comes with the UCI seal of approval.
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