Since writing our Rhigos.03 First Look two months ago we have been busy putting the mid-range Verenti through its paces to in order to give a more thorough assessment of Wiggle’s new and promising cyclosportive-specific marque. Tested over a series of commutes, the overall performance of the Rhigos has impressed, offering a great balance between performance and comfort. We see it as a great sportive bike for riders looking to put serious miles down.
Most impressive is the great balance that the Rhigos.03 provides between performance and comfort. Whilst some have found the stem tube too long for their liking, this non-racing reviewer found it put the handlebars the perfect height for a 10-mile daily commute, delivering a great balance between finding a comfortable ride height whilst being able to get low enough to minimise wind drag when presented with one of theose rare opportunities to get up a head of steam on London’s busy streets.
The all-carbon frame, which uses moulded carbon lugs, is reassuringly stiff, ensuring that power is properly transferred to give a very satisfying ride. Despite this stiffness the combination of the carbon frame and gel pads located under the tape really minimises vibration. It shows how much thought has gone into delivering a comfortable ride, so much so that 23c tyre pressures can be kept surprisingly high for bumpy urban streets littered with potholes and patches.
The overall finish and level of equipment on the Rhigos.03 is also impressive. For starters it turned this head with its stylish charcoal livery. SRAM Rival shifters and mechs with Verenti’s ME2 calipers and a SRAM Elita compact chainset equip a machine that rolls on good-looking 2010 Mavic Aksium wheels and Vittoria Diamante Pro rubber, the last being particularly welcome for urban riding. We’ve done something like 300 miles on this with no punctures or running repairs to speak of save for some adjustments to the gears on receipt.
In summary we’ve been really impressed with the Rhigos.03 having put it through some serious miles. The balance between performance and comfort make it a great sportive bike and one that can be ridden without causing the rider significant discomfort over a longer ride. Equally impressive is overall value. Better equipped than many of its rivals in the same price bracket, the Verenti is, as a result, something we would recommend for serious consideration, especially if choosing a cyclosportive bike.
Verenti Rhigos.03 £1400
