Product Information
Fondriest TF2 1.0 Chorus
- Outstanding value - compare it with other Italian brands (even Taiwanese)
- Abounding in style and flair
- Very smart carbon frame and matching fork
- Rides like you would expect from a World Champion
- Shimano Choruscomponents abd wheels
- Great bike! Great price!
Fondriest bikes take their name from the former Professional World road Champion Maurizio Fondriest, and the attention to detail required to excell at this highest level is a heritage maintained with his great performing bikes. Although the bike is a stunner and will ceratinly turn heads, hundreds of hours of research and planning went into the development of this frame to ensure its performance is equally as stunning.
Everyone would realise that the selection of high quality materials is key in the construction of a high quality frame, it also requires the correct match of materials to construction techniques. Fondriest have selected 3K 4x4 Twill, a braided material which holds its form more effectively than normal woven fabric during the building of a frame. This leads to a higher structural integrity during the construction process, the result being a stronger, more rigid, and longer lasting frame. While the frame weighs less than 1 kg, it has a very substantial down tube with a squared off profile to better resist any twisting forces. The seat stays are specially shaped, which effectively dampens out road vibrations, reducing the shocks that are normally transferred direct to the rider.
While the integrated cabling, head set and semi integrated seat pillar certainly add to the overall look and feel of quality, they each have a specific function. The internal cabling, often a mechanic's nightmare, is well designed and minimises the effect road grime can have on the shifting efficiency. The cables run through low friction polymer guides, and can be accessed if required through the base of the frame and have gentle curves to keep friction to an absolute minimum. The head set, as with many upper level frames these days is a "differential head set" (the lower bearing being a larger diameter than the upper bearings, creating a front end with less flex under cornering loads. Don't be surprised if you find yourself taking corners at a higher speed than you ever have before, with added confidence. Part of this improved cornering ability is due to the forks, with their unusual angles, opposite to the current standards, which heighten the feeling of stability during high speed cornering.
Integrated seat pillars reduce flex, but they are such a pain, especially if you miscalculate and cut the pillar a little too short, or wish to resell the bike to a taller rider. This standard style seat pillar has the appearance of being integrated but without the drawbacks. It is exceptionally neat looking, and is clamped firmly onto the aero shaped seat tube of the frame.
If you wish to be a bit more competitive, without giving up rider comfort, this could well be the bike for you. It represents great value for money, looks outstanding, and will absolutely stand out at the after ride coffee shop, even if you didn't have the horsepower to make it do so during the ride.
In an editorial review written by Bicycling.Com they said "This bike will make you want to be a better cyclist. The light, comfortable frame easily handles speeds from cruising to aggressive group rides, while the Italian brand's race-winning pedigree will inspire you to tackle any challenge from a gran fondo to a category upgrade--or even a return to lost racing form."
Complimenting this fantastic frame is the top of the range Shimano Dura Ace ensemble, complete with carbon Dura Ace wheels, which results in a brilliant bike, that will be admired by those riding it as much as by those left in its wake.
