Unveiled last week on RCUK, Whyte’s four-model Fast Urban Series looks at first glance to be a great prospect for anyone wanting a quick road bike with flat handlebars and disc brakes.
Top of the range is the Montpellier, which is equipped with top-end SRAM componentry but which fits the same fundamental pattern as its siblings.
We took in a couple of laps of the Hog Hill circuit on the Montpellier, enough to come to a couple of conclusions. The handling does what is claimed for it, combining quick steering with decent stability; the ride is supple for aluminium, the 23c tyres fitted rolling nicely on the circuit’s reasonably smooth Tarmac; and the rear dropouts are wide.
These are perhaps the most intriguing part of the concept. Borrowed from Whyte mtb ptractice and designed to integrate the rear disc brake mount with the dropout in one forging, they feature a threaded rack boss placed outboard to ensure the rack stays miss the disc caliper and a threaded mudguard stay boss placed further inboard.
By going around the outside of the caliper, they have to be widely spaced and on the test bike, fitted with a SRAM RED road crankset in BB30 bearings, we found that the inside of the heel with a mildly heel-in foot position could clip the dropout. Otherwise – and bear in mind that an mtb crankset would put the feet further outboard – the dropouts look like a great solution to a potential problem.
Other noteworthy details include powerful Hope hydraulic disc brakes and Hope mtb hubs, SRAM XX 10 speed mtb shifters, Fizik saddle and super-fast Vittoria Open Corsa CX tyres. Adding up to a sub-17lb ride weight, it’s a spec that would flatter many road bikes.
Of course, the provision of ‘flat bars does slightly limit performance potential, with aerodynamics forced to take a back seat and an effective out-of-the-saddle action awkward without bar-ends, but in the urban and even touring environment the bike – and its stablemates – will surely shine.
