The new range of bikes bearing the name of Sir Chris Hoy, Britain’s most successful Olympian, hit the shop floor today at branches of Evans Cycles.
Three road bikes are included in the range, each named after the Sa Calobra climb in Mallorca, one on which Hoy is said to have trained annually.
We called in to our local branch of Evans on the way to RCUK Towers to take a close look at the Sa Calobra 003, the £1,000 mid-point of three-bike range that also includes the £850, Shimano Tiagra-equipped Sa Calobra 002, and the range-topping, £1300 Sa Calobra 004, equipped with Shimano Ultegra.
Being decent fellows, they allowed us to whisk it off for an inspection, a weigh-in, and an impromptu photo shoot.
The Sa Calobra 003 shares a frame with the upscale 004: a 6066-series, triple butted aluminium frame.
“I prefer unfussy styling with no excessively curved tubes or crazy profiles, with balanced aesthetics and unique detail. I’m proud to say that I think we’ve done that,” Hoy said.
Notable features include an external bottom bracket, flattened chainstays, and an oversized head tube that tapers from a 1.5” lower bearing. The seat stays sweep gently around the seat tube, and the aluminium external cable routings have a far superior appearance to the plastic offerings we sometimes see on more expensive carbon chassis.
Up front, there’s a full carbon fork with a steerer tube that tapers from 1.5” to 1-1/8”, placing the girth at the lower bearing, and saving weight at the top, where such heft is unrequired.
The 003 has Shimano 105 STI levers and mechs, a nickel-plated KMC chain, an FSA Omega chainset, and Tektro 540 brake calipers with cartridge pads.
Finishing kit is aluminium and branded as Hoy. The signature on the stem is a nice touch: a quiet, but authoritative statement, neither flashy or overbearing – a bit like the man himself. We like the seatpost, too: a one-piece, aluminium unit with slate grey rails decorated with the red, blue, and black pinstripes in varying thicknesses to match those on the top tube.
We weighed the Sa Calobra 003 at 9.25kg, sans pedals, and attached a set of Time i-Clics for the short ride to the photo location – not long enough to offer an opinion on the 003’s performance sadly, but we’re hoping to review a Hoy in the weeks ahead. Watch this space.
Thanks to Gareth, Tom, and the team at Evans, St Pauls.
