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Festka One LT Dazzle road bike

Stunning custom super bike from Czech firm Festka

If you’re not familiar with Festka, then this bike, the One LT Dazzle, is sure to grab your attention.

Let’s start with that paintjob first, because it sure is bold. Festka call it the Dazzle (the One LT is the frame itself) and the geometric zebra print has become something of a trademark for the Czech brand.

In fact, Festka aren’t short of ideas when it comes to paintjobs and if you want to go the whole hog when it comes to buying a bike, there’s little they – and their in-house art director – can’t do.

You might be thinking by now that the One LT Dazzle has the making of something very special. And it does – a fully custom carbon frame handmade in the Czech Republic.

Festka was founded by two friends, Michael Moureček and Ondřej Novotný – in fact, the One LT Dazzle pictured here is the personal bike of Moureček, whose nickname is Mauri (hence the toptube graphic).

The Festka range consists of four bikes, made from three materials (and sometimes a combination of two). As well as the carbon fibre One, you’ll find photos of the Doppler, which is a carbon/titanium mix, the all-titanium Asphalt, and steel XCr to oogle over on the Festka website.

RCUK 100 2017 - Festka road bike
RCUK 100 2017 - Festka road bike

But let’s focus on the One LT, because that’s the bike we’ve selected for the RCUK 100. It’s Festka’s super-light carbon frame, which weighs just 710g – this is a pure-bred climbing machine. “Every gram was counted and the composition of the tubes was altered with one single purpose – to reduce the weight of the frame to the minimum, while maintaining all other essential characteristics” say Festka. “Slim as it is, this frame retains all of its stability which means absolute safeness in descents. Light does not have to mean wobbly, no bumps will take a cyclist off guard on this bicycle.

The carbon fibre itself is sourced from Japan and Festka have teamed up with CompoTech, a Czech composites manufacturer, to create the tubing which becomes the One. Festka use a seamless, tube-to-tube construction to build the frame, with an oversized and tapered 44mm headtube, and PressFit bottom bracket (there is also the option of a BSA bottom bracket) both present in the name of stiffness.

Note also the sleek integrated front brake on the THM fork, while the dropouts and rear derailleur hanger are both made from titanium.

RCUK 100 2017 - Festka road bike
RCUK 100 2017 - Festka road bike

Festka One LT Dazzle

Customisation is at the heart of what Festka do and so the One is available as a custom geometry by supplying your bike fit numbers, or getting measures up when you buy. Otherwise, there is also the option of 12 standard geometries, all handbuilt to order. A compact wheelbase of 983mm and short headtube of 150mm on a 55cm model tell you about the racy intentions of the bike.

The range of options extends to the finish, too. You can choose from a range of standard paintjobs, put together a semi-custom design from Festka’s colour palette, work with their graphic designer to put together your dream bike, or go for the Dazzle finish featured here.

The custom process concludes with Festka’s UK importer, Prestige Cycles, dressing the frame up in just about any parts you want. Needless to say, ours came with a combination of Campagnolo Record and Super Record, THM brakes, and Bora Ultra wheels. The weight? Just 6.07kg.

Because if you’re going to go custom then you might as well do it right.

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Selected for The RCUK 100 2017

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