BeOne Black Race £1,599.99 www.chainreactioncycles.com Sleek and rewarding carbon bicycle on a budget

Dutch brand BeOne may not be the most well known or high profile bicycle brand, but after having spent some time on the latest offering, now being distributed by online retailer Chain Reaction Cycles, that looks set to change.

We took the opportunity to spend some time on the most reasonably priced of the range, the £1,599.99 Black Race, which offers a full carbon fibre frame and fork packaged with Shimano’s newly blackened 105 groupset.

Think again if your immediate thoughts are of an ‘off the shelf’ frame design. The BeOne is anything but, and actually, upon closer inspection, offers some interesting design features which contribute to the top level ride the bike offers.

Inside the downtube, itself a large oversized affair, sits an internal carbon wall that runs the entire length from head tube to bottom bracket and which is claimed to considerably increase the stiffness, presumably without detracting from the desired low weight too much. BeOne call this process ‘Double Chamber’, and it’s found again in the carbon forks.

It’s clear that the BeOne designers were seeking to produce a stiff frame when you take a look at the bottom bracket junction: it’s massively oversized. From the BB shell stem emerge two huge box section chainstays, which retain their shape as they slim towards the dropouts. Along with the flared top and down tubes into the head tube, and wishbone seat stays, this is a frame that looks purposeful.

The Black Race gets Shimano’s 105 groupset in its new black livery, which along with the black frame makes the Race look, well, more expensive than its price would suggest. Along with the deep-section Pro-Lite wheels, it’s a good looking package.

The Pro-Lite Como wheels did provide some area for criticism. On paper the 30mm deep rims with 20 front and 24 rear stainless aero spokes look the part, but the weight, at over 2kg, does hinder the overall quality of the ride. We swapped out the wheels for some Mavic R-Sys hoops and the difference was immediate. Schwalbe’s Lugano tyres on the other hand, while not as speedy as racier offerings, did prove exceptionally durable.

It’s rare to come across Syntace components but the stem, handlebars and seatpost were light and reliable. Prologo’s Nago Pas saddle was a highlight of the package, being light with titanium rails, and above all extremely comfortable.

How does it ride? Very well, is the answer. The frame’s stiffness is noticeable from the off, with the double chamber downtube and oversized headset and bottom bracket ensuring the frame provides a solid pedalling platform that responds with lightning quick reactions. We weren’t expecting the frame to be as stiff and involving as it turned out to be, but in all situations we put the bike in, it responded with keen enthusiasm.

The ride is more akin to that which you would find on a much more race-focused bicycle, which just shows that BeOne have really worked hard to produce a top quality frame that doesn’t disappoint. All that stiffness doesn’t come at a cost in terms of comfort though, as it happily ate the miles with comfort.

On demanding roads the well-executed frame gave a sharply focused bike that could be pushed hard and never felt limiting at any point. Its only Achilles heel was the wheelset, which is a shame as a lighter set of hoops would transform the ride. For somebody seeking a rewarding and fast race bike, though, the Black Race offers a lot of class for a lot less cash.

Available in five sizes: 50, 53, 56, 59 and 62cm.