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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="485"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" class="title" style="width: 473px;" align="left" valign="top">TECH FEATURES: FONDRIEST TF1
Road Bike Action
August 10, 2009
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</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="copy" style="width: 473px;" align="left" valign="top">Maurizio Fondriest’s racing career (1987 to 1998) spanned the golden era of innovation, which included clipless pedals, index and brake-lever shifting systems, the rise and fall of aluminum and titanium, and the dawn of carbon fiber. Maurizio was known for his dedication to minute technical details regarding the bike and his cycling position. Victories in a wide variety of classic races, including two World Cup overall titles and the 1988 World Championships, lend credibility to Fondriest’s post-retirement decision to design a line of racing bicycles and custom carbon frames, the most famous of which is the TF1.
THE FRAME
The TF1 is Fondriest’s masterpiece. With an oh-so-Italian frame, it features a curved top tube and wildly profiled seat and chain stays. It is topped with 3K woven carbon material for both structural concerns and visual pop. The arching top tube theme continues through to the TF1’s wishbone seat stays. The TF1 carbon fork is molded with aerodynamic fins near the front brake and below the crown. The headset is integrated into the frame, which plays well to the Fondriest’s clean-looking profile. Construction methods are kept secret, but the technique visible through the clear-coated frame indicates the tube-to-tube joining process.
Tube-to-tube frames are built from separate carbon fiber pipes so that each can be high-pressure molded more precisely than a one-piece frame. The frame is glued together and reinforced at each joint with hand-applied layers of carbon material. The frame is then cured to its final strength. Tube-to-tube construction results in very lightweight frames and lends itself well to moderate production runs and custom builders. This is just one more reason the TF1 stands apart.
The TF1’s frame numbers are tour-proven and vary according to frame size. Our 55-centimeter, large model (56-cm level top tube equivalent) had a 56.5-centimeter top tube, 40.7-centimeter chain stays, a 73-degree head angle and a 73.5-degree seat angle. Medium-sized TF1 frames weigh 970 grams—lightweight by anyone’s standards—and the TF1 fork weighs 340 grams. Five frame sizes are available, and Fondriest offers a custom frame option as well.
THE BUILD
Outfitted as a pure racer, the TF1 breaks from the present trend towards addressing the comfort concerns of amateur enthusiasts with taller head tubes, shorter stems and forward-position saddles. Fondriest delivers a true pro-bike setup with a long, 130-millimeter, 3T ARX aluminum stem and full-depth, 3T Ergosum Team carbon fiber handlebar. The seatpost is a set-back-type FSA K-Force Carbon model topped with a Selle Italia Flight Ti-rail saddle. The moment he climbs aboard, the TF1 rider is reminded that speed is the goal of racing.
Bici Fondriest is decidedly Italian, so most customers will have their TF1 dressed in one of three Campagnolo ensembles. But if you prefer, you can order a TF1 with a Shimano Dura-Ace build. We ordered our TF1 with Campagnolo’s new 11-speed Chorus group because we wanted to see how it compared to the Super Record groupset (RBA June 2009). The wheels were Campagnolo Fulcrum Racing-1s mounted to Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX clincher tires. The all-up weight of the large Fondriest was a respectable 15.3 pounds (6.94kg).
THE RIDE
“Long and low” were the first impressions that every Fondriest rider noted. Its 130-millimeter 3T stem has no rise, and its setback FSA seatpost effectively adds 2.5 centimeters to its already roomy office. Riders who usually ride 58-centimeter frames would fit the large Fondriest TF1 best. The fact that it is advertised as a 55-centimeter bike is not a trick—just an honest representation of the seat tube length.
On the road, the TF1 is smooth and versatile—as one would expect from a true ProTour racer. Its Fulcrum Racing-1 wheels are not the lightest racing clinchers, and thus temper the Fondriest’s initial acceleration, but their precise feel in the turns and wind-cheating aero spokes make up for losses (imagined or otherwise) while descending or spinning a big gear on the flats. In a sentence, the TF1’s handling is smooth and predictable. The TF1 reminds us that most enthusiasts choose too large of a frame, while top professionals often ride smaller sizes that afford more fitting options and a lighter bicycle. Those who actually fit the TF1 raved about its climbing and about the fact that it held a razor-straight line while sprinting.
Campagnolo’s Fulcrum wheels and Chorus “skeleton” brakes make for an impressive pair—adding another level of descending performance to the already-impressive Fondriest. Powerful and precise, Campagnolo’s braking encourages the TF1 rider to pump the pedals a few more times before each corner—while the TF1 yells “faster, faster” when accelerating out of each apex. Campagnolo’s separate brake and shift paddles are not perfect for all riders—especially those who ride far back on the drops. On the hoods, the thumb lever is better than electric shifting because it selects a number of gears in one push. In the drops, however, quick shifts with the thumb lever require practice and a degree of technique. That said, our shift-lever gripes are not Fondriest’s problem, but merely an observation about a component option.
RBA’S VERDICT
When a decorated professional develops a racing bicycle, one can expect that he will infuse it with the riding qualities and inspiration that come from a level of cycling even the most devoted enthusiast can only aspire towards. Those of us who are happily pumping out club rides on our Roubaixs or Madones will probably find the Fondriest’s authentic racing ergonomics uncomfortable and its predictable handling too tame. True competitors—those who dictate the pace on the climbs, who force the decisive breaks, and who lie in wait for anyone who dares to make a move—will feel right at home aboard this outstanding Italian beauty.
PRICE: $4700 (frame only)
WEIGHT: 15.3 pounds</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>
Road Bike Action
August 10, 2009
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top">
</td> <td align="left" valign="top" width="473"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="473"> <tbody><tr> <td align="center" valign="top">
THE FRAME
The TF1 is Fondriest’s masterpiece. With an oh-so-Italian frame, it features a curved top tube and wildly profiled seat and chain stays. It is topped with 3K woven carbon material for both structural concerns and visual pop. The arching top tube theme continues through to the TF1’s wishbone seat stays. The TF1 carbon fork is molded with aerodynamic fins near the front brake and below the crown. The headset is integrated into the frame, which plays well to the Fondriest’s clean-looking profile. Construction methods are kept secret, but the technique visible through the clear-coated frame indicates the tube-to-tube joining process.
Tube-to-tube frames are built from separate carbon fiber pipes so that each can be high-pressure molded more precisely than a one-piece frame. The frame is glued together and reinforced at each joint with hand-applied layers of carbon material. The frame is then cured to its final strength. Tube-to-tube construction results in very lightweight frames and lends itself well to moderate production runs and custom builders. This is just one more reason the TF1 stands apart.
The TF1’s frame numbers are tour-proven and vary according to frame size. Our 55-centimeter, large model (56-cm level top tube equivalent) had a 56.5-centimeter top tube, 40.7-centimeter chain stays, a 73-degree head angle and a 73.5-degree seat angle. Medium-sized TF1 frames weigh 970 grams—lightweight by anyone’s standards—and the TF1 fork weighs 340 grams. Five frame sizes are available, and Fondriest offers a custom frame option as well.
THE BUILD
Outfitted as a pure racer, the TF1 breaks from the present trend towards addressing the comfort concerns of amateur enthusiasts with taller head tubes, shorter stems and forward-position saddles. Fondriest delivers a true pro-bike setup with a long, 130-millimeter, 3T ARX aluminum stem and full-depth, 3T Ergosum Team carbon fiber handlebar. The seatpost is a set-back-type FSA K-Force Carbon model topped with a Selle Italia Flight Ti-rail saddle. The moment he climbs aboard, the TF1 rider is reminded that speed is the goal of racing.
Bici Fondriest is decidedly Italian, so most customers will have their TF1 dressed in one of three Campagnolo ensembles. But if you prefer, you can order a TF1 with a Shimano Dura-Ace build. We ordered our TF1 with Campagnolo’s new 11-speed Chorus group because we wanted to see how it compared to the Super Record groupset (RBA June 2009). The wheels were Campagnolo Fulcrum Racing-1s mounted to Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX clincher tires. The all-up weight of the large Fondriest was a respectable 15.3 pounds (6.94kg).
THE RIDE
“Long and low” were the first impressions that every Fondriest rider noted. Its 130-millimeter 3T stem has no rise, and its setback FSA seatpost effectively adds 2.5 centimeters to its already roomy office. Riders who usually ride 58-centimeter frames would fit the large Fondriest TF1 best. The fact that it is advertised as a 55-centimeter bike is not a trick—just an honest representation of the seat tube length.
On the road, the TF1 is smooth and versatile—as one would expect from a true ProTour racer. Its Fulcrum Racing-1 wheels are not the lightest racing clinchers, and thus temper the Fondriest’s initial acceleration, but their precise feel in the turns and wind-cheating aero spokes make up for losses (imagined or otherwise) while descending or spinning a big gear on the flats. In a sentence, the TF1’s handling is smooth and predictable. The TF1 reminds us that most enthusiasts choose too large of a frame, while top professionals often ride smaller sizes that afford more fitting options and a lighter bicycle. Those who actually fit the TF1 raved about its climbing and about the fact that it held a razor-straight line while sprinting.
Campagnolo’s Fulcrum wheels and Chorus “skeleton” brakes make for an impressive pair—adding another level of descending performance to the already-impressive Fondriest. Powerful and precise, Campagnolo’s braking encourages the TF1 rider to pump the pedals a few more times before each corner—while the TF1 yells “faster, faster” when accelerating out of each apex. Campagnolo’s separate brake and shift paddles are not perfect for all riders—especially those who ride far back on the drops. On the hoods, the thumb lever is better than electric shifting because it selects a number of gears in one push. In the drops, however, quick shifts with the thumb lever require practice and a degree of technique. That said, our shift-lever gripes are not Fondriest’s problem, but merely an observation about a component option.
RBA’S VERDICT
When a decorated professional develops a racing bicycle, one can expect that he will infuse it with the riding qualities and inspiration that come from a level of cycling even the most devoted enthusiast can only aspire towards. Those of us who are happily pumping out club rides on our Roubaixs or Madones will probably find the Fondriest’s authentic racing ergonomics uncomfortable and its predictable handling too tame. True competitors—those who dictate the pace on the climbs, who force the decisive breaks, and who lie in wait for anyone who dares to make a move—will feel right at home aboard this outstanding Italian beauty.
PRICE: $4700 (frame only)
WEIGHT: 15.3 pounds</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>
