Those who have been regular readers of RCUK will know that we like Scapin bikes, but if you’re new to RCUK (and welcome aboard) you should know that we’re fans of Scapin bikes.

We put a Karbon S8 through the longterm test mill, and it came out with top marks. It handled beautifully, was smooth, precise, delicate, and looked breathtakingly good. So you might imagine we’re keen to see what the company has in store for next year, and luckily the importers, www.velocebikes.com, have just sent us pictures and info about the 2007 range. Here’s the highlights…

Ekle-R

The Ekle-R is the replacement for the RCUK fave Karbon S, and the big change is in the construction. Instead of the previous monocoque approach they’ve now adopted handmade made layering design, which has the bonus of meaning you can now get a custom fit for an extra £100 (with a further choice of three forks for a fully custom bike). Unique for a road bike is the Roto bottom bracket. This is Scapin’s spin on an eccentric bottom bracket, intended to allow a little adjustment of the geometry for fine tuning your ride position. A growing trend on top-end bikes now is the extended seat tube – they’re praised for the weight saving and extra stiffness they provide, and is present on the Ekle-R.

Etika

The Etika, firstly looks stunning. The frame is a monocoque carbon chassis and the designers have attempted to make the frame as aero as possible, with smooth and elongated trailing edges and a wide blade fork. And again, though a variation on the theme, a half-integrated seat tube.

Karbon RX6

The Karbon RX6 is the direct descendent of the Karbon S8, though a few changes have pushed the weight up very slightly, but the price is now £999 for the frame and fork.

Dyesys S8

That’s a lot of carbon, but it mustn’t be forgotten that Scapin made their reputation with often forgotten steel tubing. The Dyesys S8 is the latest incarnation of their Columbus Spirit steel frame, with integrated carbon seat and head tube. While it’s aimed at racers, it’s also adept at turning its hand to longer rides such as Gran Fondo’s.

To ensure the steel lasts a life-time, the tubes are ceramic bead blasted to strengthen the welds and prime the surface for the WPT weather proofing treatment. This involves an electrolosis process to coat the surface with Zinc salts, inside and out, resulting in a frame that will withstand anything the weather can throw at it. The steel is then mated to the carbon seat tube and head tube insert using a highly advanced adhesive. The frame is then painted in Scapin’s own paint shop, with three solid colours available as standard, or three tri-colour colours at extra cost.

Alko S6

The Alko sees a triple butted Scandium front triangle mated to a carbon rear triangle, with aluminium dropouts. Frame and fork start at a bargainous £629, with a range of colours available.

More information, specs and prices at www.velocebikes.com