We got the chance to look at Look’s top flight 595 in much detail last year. With it’s full carbon frame – including bottom bracket and dropouts – and an all-the-rage integrated seatpost, it’s certainly a head-turner. But at £2499 just for the frame (yes that’s not a typo), it’s clearly out of the range of a lot of people.
We were given the chance by Fisher Outdoor Leisure to take a closer look at the whole Look range this week, and we’ve settled on the 585 as the ‘bike for us’ (well it’s the one that I want anyway) at the slightly cheaper price of £1999. It’s the same frame as used by the Credit Agricole squad, and was ridden to Green Jersey victory by Thor Hushovd in the 2005 Tour de France (he’s now aboard a 595).
|
|
Anyway, the frame is made using a Carbon Lug approach, as opposed to the increasingly popular monocoque approach. The lugs are moulded using Very High Pressure Carbon (VHPC), with Progressive Sloping Geometry – smaller frames get a steeper slope. The rear wishbone is shaped and curved, the headset is integrated and the price includes a pair of HSC5 SL carbon forks, with carbon dropouts.
The 595
|
It doesn’t get any more pimp than the range-topping 595. Look are keen to promote their history in carbon fibre bikes and the 595 is the culmination of design and development over many, many frames and years of experience in manufacturing with the black stuff.
The frame was ridden by Thor Hushovd and Peitro Caucchioli in last year’s Tour de France. Resin enriched carbon nanotubes allow for a better cohesion between layers (the nanotubes fill in any gaps in the resin, meaning more carbon in the mix), and the frame is claimed to be one of the stiffest available. Luckily we got a close look at one last year at the Look factory. Check out the story here.
Look are imported into the UK by Fisher Outdoor Leisure.
