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Sabbath September

8
£2,299.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Engaging fun and functional, sweet handling comfortable road machine for the long or short haul
Weight: 
9,610g
Contact: 
www.sabbathbicycles.co.uk

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Sabbath bikes are a British company that's been going for the best part of seven years and have a small range of just six titanium bikes comprising of top end race, full touring and sportive style machines.

The September is designed for, and to quote Sabbath's website, 'Utility and audax riders looking for year round riding.' Like most other titanium frames out there the September is made from 3Al/2.5V titanium tubing, although they've gone for straight gauge walls rather than double or triple butted unlike Kinesis and Genesis have on their respective all-rounders. Our Medium (54cm) test frame has a claimed weight of 1.55kg.

Audax UK have relaxed their rules on compulsory mudguards a little but if you're buying a bike specifically for carrying your brevet card around the countryside you're going to be expecting full mounts and that's what you get with the September at the rear dropouts and chainstay bridge. Large 28mm tyres fit easily even with mudguards attached and if you want to press the Sabbath into commuting service rack mounts are also attached that can carry up to a cliamed 25kg no less.

The geometry is pretty relaxed as you'd expect on a bike of this style. The ability to take full mudguards automatically increases the wheelbase length which should mean stable, surefooted handling. At the front end things are raised slightly with a 155mm headtube and set up with a single 10mm spacer under the stem a really good compromise of comfort and racing position was easily achieved. A 72° angle means the steering is confident and balanced without being twitchy. No tapered headtubes here though, it's a standard 1 1/8' external headset supplied by FSA. A good option on a year round bike as even though mudguards should keep the majority of road grit out if it does get into the races the headset can just be replaced. Things aren't so easy with an integrated version as the races are part of the headtube meaning new frame time.

As is the norm with titanium the frame is left unpainted, the finish is known as Bright Brush which is semi polished while leaving a bit of grain from the material. The logo is sandblasted which looks good and also means no transfers to get damaged. The welds are tidy and non-obtrusive to the eye and this goes for the attachments. The cable guides and bottle cage bosses are all welded rather than riveted complimenting the longevity of the material.

Dedacciai provide the Blackrain fork which has carbon legs and an alloy steerer. As you'd expect the alloy dropouts contain mudguard mounts plus there is plenty of tyre/guard clearance.

There are plenty of build variations available and the frame also comes with the option of custom fit geometry by filling in the form on Sabbath's website. Our test model was built up with a full Shimano 105 groupset but with a swap to non-series deep drop brakes. Shimano provide the finishing kit as well through their Pro brand with an oversize alloy bar, stem and seatpost combo from the LT range. Sensible kit with understated graphics and the matt black finish compliments the titanium frame.

Whells are by Fulcrum, their Racing 5 wheelset which is ideal for everyday use. They're quick enough for fast paced efforts but equally comfortable taking a knock or two from potholes and the like. Wrapped around them are Conti's well regarded 25mm Gatorskins that follow much the same ethos as the Fulcrum's, good rolling resistance coupled with decent reliability.

SKS Chromplastics come as standard and once fitted they always remain in place and rattle free. With the mudflap attached they keep most of the rain of your feet and the rear does a good job of not covering your following ride buddy/wheelsucker in mud.

The first bike you think of in terms of competition to the September is Genesis' Equilibrium Ti, same price (£2299.99 rrp), same finishing kit and a very similar weight – the Sabbath comes in 400g heavier at 9600g but is sporting mudguards which'll account for the extra weight. Once you hit the road though that is where the similarities end. While I found the Genesis a little bit lacking in the fun stakes the September is the complete opposite. It's got a bit of zing about it, feedback, responsiveness, all the things you want from a bike you could be spending a lot of time aboard.

The frame has the comfort/stiffness balance down to a tee as the shock absorbency takes every vibration out of the ride, it literally runs silently on everything but the roughest of surfaces. Push the frame though and that suppleness isn't at the cost of stiffness. Whether you're climbing, accelerating or sprinting the Sabbath remains planted beneath you and responds to changes in pace instantly.

Obviously a bike of this ilk isn't really about all out performance but fear not the September easily maintains speed keeping your average up over the distance. The by-product of that comfort also means you can maintain that speed for a long time before the usual muscle fatigue starts to kick in

The handling is easy to live with, no real surprises whether you're cruising along the main road or fighting your way through traffic. The relaxed head and long wheelbase provides the stable footprint that this style of bike requires and leaves you free to take in the scenery and enjoy the ride.

With a 50/34 chainset and a 12/27 cassette both the downhills and the uphills are taken care of with regards to gearing. Whether in or out of the saddle the September climbs well due to the stiff frame and components getting the power down. On descents the Gatorskins grip with confidence and you can really let go of the leash and allow the bike to gain speed. Things can get a bit twitchy once you're really flying if the road turns a bit technical but considering the Sabbath isn't a race bike that doesn't come as a huge surprise.

The Fulcrum 5's dealt with the freezing wet spring weather we've just come through with no grumbling bearings or trueness issues from the inevitable pothole clout. The shallow box section rims happily shrug off most knocks and bumps and the braking surface bedded in quickly. The Conti tyres also lived up to their reputation with not a single visit from the puncture fairy and the rear especially seems to be wearing well considering the amount of miles covered.

The performance of the entire 105 drivetrain doesn't suffer with a coating of road paste (that beautiful mix of salt, grit and a build up of chain lube) keeping the gear changes going between the weekly clean.

There are a couple of things I'd change though. The brakes lack the bite of the Tektro's found on the Equilibrium Ti and the resulting effort of constant deceleration in built up traffic areas left my hands aching. A change to Swisstop Green pads helped a bit but there is quite a bit of flex in the calipers.

The saddle is another sore point... quite literally. The Selle Italia XO is a budget offering to be fair and Sabbath no doubt expects the rider to change to a favourite perch from the start considering the big mileage intentions of the September. The XO itself though is a bit of a shapeless thing that shows no signs of bedding in at all. I tolerated it for the first 400 miles but then had to switch to something more comfortable.

Once that was done the September definitely became the bike to grab out of the garage even on days when I could have taken the Sunday best race bike. I'd always take the Sabbath due to the fact it was almost as quick from A to B if you haven't got a number on your back and it was supremely comfortable meaning the ride home was hell of a lot easier to get motivated for.

Verdict

Overall the September is engaging giving a fun ride if you fancy a quick blast but also reserved and well mannered enough that you can ride for hours on it without giving it a thought.

With this build the Sabbath September is one of those bikes where all the parts complement each other. The low rotational weight of the Fulcrum 5's means the bike feels much lighter than the scales would have you believe and you could easily hold your own on a spirited club run or sportive course. The feedback is of a solid, sweet handling, comfortable road machine and apart from the small imperfections mentioned above it strikes a beautiful balance of reliability, speed and comfort over your chosen distance.

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Sabbath September

Size tested: 56cm

About the bike

State the frame and fork material and method of construction. List the components used to build up the bike.

Frame- 3Al/2.5V Titanium

Fork- Deda Blackrain (carbon/alloy)

Bars- Pro LT

Stem- Pro LT

Seatpost- Pro LT

Saddle- Selle Italia XO

Brakes- Shimano deep drop

Shifters- Shimano 105

Front mech- Shimano 105

Rear mech - Shimano 105

Chainset - Shimano 105 50x34T

Cassette- Shimano 10spd 12/27T

Wheels- Fulcrum Racing 5

Tyres- Conti Gatorskin 25x700c

Tell us what the bike is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about the bike?

The September is an audax/tourer that can also be used as a winter trainer or year round commuter. It covers all bases and is perfect as an all rounder, a one bike does all.

Frame and fork

Overall rating for frame and fork
 
9/10

Tell us about the build quality and finish of the frame and fork?

The welds are neat and welded bottle bosses and the like all add to the longevity of the frame.

Tell us about the materials used in the frame and fork?

3Al/2.5V titanium tubes are 3% aluminium, 2.5% vanadium and the rest titanium. It's a good balance between strength, machinability and weldabiliity

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

http://www.sabbathbicycles.co.uk/bikes/september

How was the bike in terms of height and reach? How did it compare to other bikes of the same stated size?

A really good fit was achievable. 55cm top tube is pretty standard for a medium and the 155mm headtube was a good balance between comfort and aero.

Riding the bike

Was the bike comfortable to ride? Tell us how you felt about the ride quality.

Yes very. The bars and other components are very stiff which they can get away with due to give in the frame. Its a typical titanium trait but the Sabbath seemed to exploit it better than most.

Did the bike feel stiff in the right places? Did any part of the bike feel too stiff or too flexible?

The whole bike is a perfect balance between stiffness and comfort provided by the titanium.

How did the bike transfer power? Did it feel efficient?

Very well, it responds like a race bike to your inputs

Was there any toe-clip overlap with the front wheel? If so, was it a problem?

Yes, a little but it wasn't an issue

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively, neutral or unresponsive? neutral

Tell us some more about the handling. How did the bike feel overall? Did it do particular things well or badly?

All in all the handling as very good. plenty of feedback gives the rider confidence no matter what the road condition.

The handling could become a little unresponsive at really high speed though.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's comfort? would you recommend any changes?

The saddle = bad, that thing was truly awful.The frame compliments a lot of the stiff components.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's stiffness? would you recommend any changes?

The bar and stem combo keps the front pretty tight and the wheels don't show any sign of flex under effort. The bike wouldn't want to be any stiffer.

Which components had the most effect (good or bad) on the bike's efficiency? would you recommend any changes?

The package works together to be fair with each component complimenting the next.

Rate the bike for efficiency of power transfer:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for acceleration:
 
8/10

.........with regards to it's weight

Rate the bike for sprinting:
 
7/10
Rate the bike for high speed stability:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for cruising speed stability:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for low speed stability:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for flat cornering:
 
8/10
Rate the bike for cornering on descents:
 
7/10
Rate the bike for climbing:
 
8/10

again, when you take its weight into account

The drivetrain

Rate the drivetrain for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the drivetrain for value:
 
8/10

Tell us some more about the drivetrain. Anything you particularly did or didn't like? Any components which didn't work well together?

105 is dependable, good looking groupset that lasts well. It might not be the most refined but its suited to this style of bike.

Wheels and tyres

Rate the wheels and tyres for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels and tyres for value:
 
9/10

Tell us some more about the wheels and tyres.Did they work well in the conditions you encountered? Would you change the wheels or tyres? If so, what for?

The Fulcrum's were better than I expected taking the knocks and bad weather the test miles were subjected to for what is basically a racing wheel. You can get them online for a smidge under 200 quid so they're a worthy upgrade to any bike.

The tyres are among the top winter tyres for durability and rolling resistance and they didn't show anything over this test that would damage their reputation.

Controls

Rate the controls for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the controls for weight:
 
7/10
Rate the controls for comfort:
 
7/10
Rate the controls for value:
 
8/10

Tell us some more about the controls. Any particularly good or bad components? How would the controls work for larger or smaller riders?

Shimano's Pro kit is good value for money especially the LT range. Its basic alloy but it does the job and is comfortable

Your summary

Did you enjoy riding the bike? Yes

Would you consider buying the bike? Yes

Would you recommend the bike to a friend? Yes

Rate the bike overall for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the bike overall for value:
 
8/10

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 34  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: Ribble Winter Trainer for commuting, Genesis Flyer  My best bike is: Sarto Rovigo

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

 

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

Add new comment

4 comments

Avatar
White jazz | 10 years ago
1 like

For comparison:

The brakes lack the bite of the Tektro's found on the Equilibrium Ti and the resulting effort of constant deceleration in built up traffic areas left my hands aching. A change to Swisstop Green pads helped a bit but there is quite a bit of flex in the calipers.

Above review of the Sabbath

A change of brakes would be my first upgrade as they lack any real bite at all. They felt like the rim/pad surface just needed bedding in but it never happened - even with all the grit and paste from wet roads. A change to Swisstop Green pads helped but the calipers just flex a little too much.

Stuart Kerton review of Genesis Equilibrium To 25/11/13 referring to the Tektro brakes.

I have recently been reading reviews on Ti bikes with a view to getting one. Though my budget was less than 2000 I would have preferred a bike with mudguard facility so considered the Genesis Ti but was put off in part by the thought of spending £2300 on a bike with poor brakes. I also looked at what I would consider more comparable to the Genesis, Sabbath's Silk Road at £2400 which is 105 equipped.

In the end I decided I would get the Sabbath Aspire - and save £600 pounds.

My point is that the two reviews contradict each other and influence choices.

Avatar
matthewn5 | 10 years ago
0 likes

Thanks Didonc, I was going to say that about integrated headsets, but you got in first.

Avatar
Didonc | 10 years ago
0 likes

It looks like a bike. some tubes. A good thing.

A minor point, but... on an integrated headset frame, the races aren't part of the headtube. the races are part of the cartridge bearing; usually a top and bottom race with the balls riding between, all in a pop-out and throw-away package. The headtube has a machined seat, into which the bearing statically sits. There's no movement between the two, provided the headset's well adjusted, and grit will have minimal impact.

The benefit of an external headset is interchangeability, and the possible outcome that if you ride on a knocking or maladjusted headset for ages and are heavy handed (or heavy-arsed), you may escape with ovalised headset cups, not an ovalised headtube as with an integrated affair. That would be where the new frame comes in.

Avatar
Agony Guy | 10 years ago
0 likes

Nice. Ti just looks so damn pretty.

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