The Verenti Kilmeston holds the entry level spot in Wiggle’s latest in-house range, and is also their most diverse, boasting substantial fitted mudguards, space for rack mounts and a slightly more relaxed geometry than your normal sportive bike. It’s also got a huge headset stack so there’s plenty of adjustment options, and possibly a quick session with a hacksaw once you’ve made your decision.
Nevertheless, it’s quick – the stiff and light triple butted alloy frame really helps to put the power down off the mark thanks to the oversize tubes and, once up to speed, the SRAM Rival shifters and mechs are crisp and clean in operation, and also quite a rarity at this price point.
Most of the kit is Verenti’s own “Me” brand and includes the saddle, which was the only real standout bad point about the bike really. For a bike that leans toward comfort it’s far too hard and the covering feels cheap. Then again, I’m no expert on these things; it just really stood out as unnecessarily hard.
Otherwise, quality seems good, most notably the wheels. These are hand-built affairs with some surprisingly light 35mm deep rims which responded admirably clad in the provided Vittoria Diamanto Pro tyres. The weight is still apparent, mind you, and is the only real hindrance to otherwise solid acceleration.
During the daily assault on London’s potholed roads the surprisingly slim and flexible in-house carbon fork was initially a shock after the weighty reassurance of your reviewer’s usual steel. However, in combination with the stiff frame, the machine handles well while remaining comfortable. The compact Truvativ chainset performs admirably on climbs and the tactically pre-padded drops keep everything comfy.
The Kilmeston’s a clear year-round bike, trendy enough in white to get the odd envious stare and solid enough to get you through the winter months at speed. Finally, at the £900 price point there’s hard to see how you can get more for your money in an all-rounder.
Verenti Kilmeston £900, sizes XS to XXL
