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review

Vielo R+1 Alto SRAM Force e-Tap AXS

9
£6,999.00

VERDICT:

9
10
Stunning frameset for both performance and looks that embraces the very latest components
Beautifully balanced handling
Awesome stiffness
Impressive comfort
Excellent build quality
A bit of seatpost slippage to begin with
Weight: 
7,700g
Contact: 
road.cc Recommends

This product has been selected to feature in road.cc recommends. That means it's not just scored well, but we think it stands out as special. Go to road.cc recommends

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The R+1 Alto from UK brand Vielo is one of the most beautiful bikes I ever had the pleasure of riding. Its comfort levels are quite simply stunning for such a performance-orientated bike, while the handling is impeccably smooth and direct. The biggest shocker for me, though, is just how well the 1x gearing works on the road.

While 2020 was a bit rubbish for a host of reasons, when it comes to the amount of high-quality bikes I've had the chance to ride, it's been an absolute corker (and I, erm, did it all for you). And just before I signed off for the year, I found I'd saved the best for last!

Vielo hasn't just fettled the humble road bike design purely for the sake of it, or just for a bit of quirkiness. They've looked at the latest components available – especially gearing systems – and created a frameset that exploits their performance.

> Buy this online here

Efficient; that's probably the best way to describe the Vielo. The R+1 isn't all about speed, but that doesn't stop it delivering a high-performance ride.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - riding 7.jpg

On paper its 7.7kg overall weight may not sound exceptional, but the way it responds to your commands and power input makes it feel a kilo lighter out on the road. Even when hitting a steep ascent, it feels much lighter than it should, which in fact makes climbing a lot of fun.

This is also down to the stiffness levels. The R+1's lack of an inner chainring means Vielo has been able to make the bottom bracket shell wider without affecting the Q-factor (the distance between the pedal faces). This wider shell allows for much larger tube cross-sections to mate up with it, which brings incredible stiffness.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road.jpg

This was highlighted on one of my recent rides when I was in amongst the traffic on an A-road which had built up behind a tractor.

I was holding my own in the middle of the lane fluctuating between 25-30mph using the car in front as a bit of a windbreak. He'd let the gap between him and the car in front stretch out to about eight car lengths and, when he accelerated to close the gap, I got out of the saddle, dropped a couple of cogs and hammered the pedals.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - bars 2.jpg

The transformation of the R+1 from this smooth machine that was just absorbing the miles into some sort of sprinting animal was unbelievable. I was back in the slipstream in a matter of seconds, and sat there just tapping out the miles again.

Performance is one thing, but if the bike is going to batter you into fatigue you won't benefit much in the long term. Vielo has designed in such high comfort levels with the R+1 that is never really going to be an issue.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - seat tube junction.jpg

The R+1 has a very compliant frame which removes much of the road buzz, and on rides over 100 miles I finished feeling surprisingly fresh. Muscle fatigue from all of the pedalling, yes, but much less so in the wrists, lower back and neck.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - head tube.jpg

Again on paper, the front end of the Vielo looks quite slack with a head angle of just 71.25°, but the geometry as a package creates a bike that's much faster and more direct than you'd expect.

In the bends and on the descents, it reminds me very much of the Mason Definition, a bike that (on paper) shouldn't behave like a race bike in the corners, yet the balance of angles, tube lengths and frameset materials all work together to give huge confidence when the going gets technical. That is exactly how the R+1 behaves.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - fork detail 2.jpg

The handling isn't the fastest I've ever dealt with, but it is wonderfully composed and very smooth. It errs on the side of neutrality, which makes it very easy to ride fast even if you aren't the most confident of descenders.

Feedback levels through the frame and fork are excellent, so you know exactly what the tyres are up to beneath you; if you want to push the bike hard through the corners it gives you all of the information you need. The slightest break of traction is felt instantly, and the well-mannered handling lets you get yourself out of trouble.

1x gearing for the road?

I'll admit, I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. Many gravel and cyclo-cross bikes now come with 1x setups, which is great for the varying terrain off-road, but when I've ridden them on tarmac sections for a significant amount of time, I just find the majority too gappy between the ratios.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - crank.jpg

The bike we have here uses SRAM's Force eTap AXS groupset, although Vielo supply a chainring in a size of your choice (from 38t to 50t) plus a second chainring in a different size to swap to as needed.

This one is fitted with a 48t chainring (which is what SRAM specs as the outer ring on its Force eTap chainset) paired to a 12-spd 10-36t cassette from the Force eTap AXS Wide set up, with corresponding rear mech.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - cassette and rear drop out.jpg

For the routes I covered in testing I found this absolutely fine, only having to get out of the saddle on the steep ones, but I didn't find it any more onerous than a compact double.

It feels a lot more efficient than the overlap of ratios from switching between large and small chainrings, and the fact the larger jumps between the sprockets come at the lower end means that cadence isn't affected on the faster sections.

Gearing choice

Let's talk gear inches! That's the distance the bike covers with one revolution of the pedals in each gear combination. With the 30mm tyres fitted to our test bike, the Vielo covers 128.9in on the 48t x 10t, and 35.7in with 48t x 36t.

A compact 50/34t chainset and 11-28t cassette gives 122.2in and 32.5in in its largest and smallest gears, while a semi-compact 52/36T with the same cassette gives 127in and 34.6in respectively. Not much in it.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - SRAM lever.jpg

If you swapped the Alto's 48t chainring to a 44t, you could achieve the same gear inch for the lowest gear as the 50/34t, 11-28t setup, while having a slightly lower top end at just 118.1in.

If you haven't used eTap AXS before then I'll explain briefly how it works. The whole system is completely wireless, hence why we have the Alto frame that has no entry ports for any wires or cables on the down tube, giving a very clean look indeed.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - fork.jpg

If you go for a wired electronic groupset or a mechanical one, you get the frame with ports.

Using SRAM's app, the rear (and front if you're using one) mech are paired with the shifters, and after that it's as simple pressing the button on the right-hand shifter to drop down the cassette, and the left-hand shifter to go up. The gear changes are fast and very crisp, with no detectable lag even under load.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - rear.jpg

If you're using a 2x system, pressing both together shifts the front mech. It's so simple, and is becoming one of my favourite electronic systems to use.

Vielo's chainring is brilliantly stiff, matching well with the Force carbon crank arms, and uses alternate narrow/wide teeth to keep the chain in place. I rode the R+1 on plenty of rough roads and had no worries about the chain coming off.

Brakes

As you'd no doubt expect, the hydraulic brake calipers and disc rotors are also from the SRAM catalogue. The Paceline rotor is 160mm up front and 140mm on the rear, and that's all the power you'll need on a bike as fast as this.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - front disc brake.jpg

Performance-wise I can't fault the power and modulation of this setup, and when a car cut across my lane from the left midway through a roundabout while I was travelling at over 30mph I called on all of it to avoid what was going to be a very nasty collision.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - rear dsic brake.jpg

I scrubbed off speed very quickly without locking either wheel, and the R+1 remained beautifully under control.

Finishing kit

You can buy the Vielo as a frameset only, or choose from a selection of builds with what I must admit use some well thought-out components, most notably the latest Zipp 303S wheels that so impressed Matt back in May. They are pretty light at 1,550g, and with a rim depth of 45mm you're getting a decent aero advantage as the speed picks up.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - rim and tyre.jpg

The 23mm internal width of the hookless rim (27mm external) also balances up nicely with wider tyres like the 30mm Schwalbe Pro One we have fitted here. It's very grippy in both the wet and dry, and offers very little in the way of rolling resistance.

The seatpost and integrated handlebar and stem are all Vielo items. Starting at the rear, the post is full carbon fibre, and I was surprised at how big the diameter is considering how comfortable the ride is. Many brands go for narrower posts to promote a bit of flex.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - saddle and post.jpg

It's not fully round, having a flat rear section, and to keep the clean theme going on it does away with a seatclamp and uses an expanding wedge design instead. It's internally adjusted by way of a hex bolt under the top tube.

The tolerances are tight, but I still suffered a bit of slippage to start with – although I was riding a sample clamp that has been modified for mass production. A bit of carbon paste rectified it, although I did have to tighten the bolt up a little more forcefully than felt right (I was mid-ride and didn't have a torque wrench on me). Vielo tells us that it is confident that this won't be an issue on the production version. 

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - saddle.jpg

Perched atop the post is a Fabric Scoop Race Shallow saddle with titanium rails. I got on well with the shape and the level of padding is just right for all sorts of surfaces.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - stem top.jpg

I really like Vielo's handlebar/stem combination. The top of the carbon fibre bar (with alloy stem section) is slightly flattened, adding to the comfort, and the slight curve towards you at the hoods is a nice touch.

The drop isn't massive so the less flexible can still use them, and if you like a bit of sprinting action, you'll be impressed with the stiffness levels. The 6° flare also aids control when in the drops, giving you a slightly wider stance.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - stem.jpg

Just like the frame, the bar/stem fully integrate the hydraulic hoses, guiding them from the levers and down into the head tube before they continue their journey through the frame and fork to the calipers.

Frame and Fork

The R+1 comes in a few guises. The lighter Alto version we have here has a claimed frame weight of 880g, while the Strato model tips the scales at 1,100g.

As you can see from the pictures, the R+1 isn't exactly a conventional road bike. I've already mentioned the extra-wide bottom bracket, but removing the front mech allows for some other distinctive design ideas too.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - bottom bracket.jpg

The tube shapes maximise aero efficiency with Kamm tail profiles, and the lack of a mounting point for a front mech means the seat tube can curve closer to the rear wheel, shielding it from the wind.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - bosses 2.jpg

It's the seatstays though that are the most striking. We've seen plenty of brands create a smaller rear triangle for aero benefits, and Vielo claims this shape is very aero. They've also been able to create some flex here too for comfort.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - head tube badge.jpg

The hourglass-shaped tapered head tube brings plenty of stiffness to the front end, and that's matched by the qualities of the fork. On the descents, I corner hard and I'm a very late braker too – two things that are going to highlight any flex in the fork legs. I had no issues whatsoever here.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - bosses 1.jpg

This is a performance road bike, so don't go expecting mudguard mounts or anything, but Vielo has included three mounting points for a bottle cage and the tyre clearance is a 32mm recommended maximum – although Vielo has managed up to 36mm. That's going to depend on your rim/tyre combo, though.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - clearance.jpg

Overall quality of the frame and fork is exceptional. Removing the seatpost and shining a light down into the frame shows impressive levels of finish, and the paint is some of the deepest I've seen.

> road.cc Road Bike of the Year 2019/20

The R+1 is available in five sizes from XS through to XL, of which we have the medium. The numbers are a 555mm effective top tube length and 142.5mm head tube, which give a stack figure of 544mm and a reach of 401mm. The head angle is 71.25° paired to a seat angle of 74.25°.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - seat stays 2.jpg

The 1x system allows Vielo to keep the chainstays quite short at 400mm, which with everything else equates to a wheelbase of 1,011mm. This brings stability, but not so much it takes away the nimbleness and fun ride characteristics.

Value

This R+1 Alto SRAM Force eTap model is £6,999, which – while not exactly cheap – gets you a lot of bike. None of the finishing kit has been scrimped on at all, and these aren't mass-produced framesets either.

The frameset option, which includes the frame, fork, bar/stem, headset, seatpost, SRAM Force crank arm, Vielo chainring and thru-axles comes in at £4,499.

2021 Vielo R+1 Road - riding 4.jpg

An obvious comparison is the 3T Strada, although the original 1x only option seems to be losing out in popularity to the 2x Due model, judging by the online deals you can get.

When we reviewed the 3T Strada a couple of years back, the frameset on its own was £3,700 and it's gone up a touch since. You aren't getting extras like the integrated bar/stem, carbon cranks arms and chainring like you are with the Vielo though. I also think the R+1 is more versatile as a road bike, due to its design and geometry.

Ignoring the 1x thing for a moment and looking at bikes with similar riding styles to the R+1 and comparative builds, the R+1 still stands its ground.

> 15 of the best £2,000 to £3,000 road bikes for 2020

One of the most competitively priced brands out there is Canyon. It makes a huge volume of bikes and sells them direct to the consumer, both of which bring the price down. Back in the spring, I reviewed the Canyon Endurace CF SLX Disc 8.0 eTap. A very nice bike it is too.

It comes with a full Force eTap AXS groupset including power meter, an integrated carbon bar/stem and deep-section carbon wheels. At the time it was £5,099, but has now risen to £5,949! It's still a lot of bike for the money, but while the R+1 is more expensive still, it wins out on overall comfort and stiffness levels.

I was lucky enough to review Specialized's latest S-Works Tarmac SL7 earlier this year too. The Dura Ace build I had was ridiculously light at 6.8kg – nearly a kilo lighter than the R+1 – but that's not really what the Vielo is all about.

Frame wise the S-Works drops 80g over the R+1 Alto, and while the Spesh is very much a race bike, I see a lot of similarities in the way they ride. An S-Works Tarmac SLC frameset will set you back £4,250, not including the chainset or the aero handlebar.

On the whole, it's hard to make direct comparisons with other bikes on the market, as the Vielo is sort of blazing its own path.

Conclusion

If the whole 1x thing is your biggest stumbling block about the R+1, then dismiss it. I certainly have. Thanks to the likes of SRAM with their 12spd groupsets and Campag with their 13-spd Ekar, 1x is now a viable solution on the road, and in a lot of ways a whole lot simpler.

Regardless of how many gears the Vielo has, it's one very stunning bike. The way it rides has created one of the best experiences I've had in lycra, and the build quality is exceptional.

The R+1 is one of those bikes that just feels spot on. Every little detail and design cue just makes sense, and it all comes together to create one hell of an experience.

Verdict

Stunning frameset for both performance and looks that embraces the very latest components

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Vielo R+1 Alto SRAM Force e-Tap AXS

Size tested: 56

About the bike

List the components used to build up the bike.

FRAME: Full Carbon Fibre 880gm (all internal hose routing)

FORK: Full Carbon Fibre (internal hose routing)

COLOUR: Mustard Yellow / Anthracite. Anthracite / Mustard Yellow

HANDLEBAR: Vielo Carbon Bar-Stem unit. Bar width 40cm, 42cm, 44cm

STEM: Vielo Carbon Bar-Stem unit. Stem length 90, 100, 110, 120mm

HEADSET: Vielo by Token

WHEELS: Zipp 303s

TYRES: Schwalbe Pro-One 700x30c tubeless

CRANKSET: SRAM Force crank arm with Vielo CNC machined chain ring

CHAIN: SRAM 12 speed

REAR MECH: SRAM Force e-tap wide for 10-36

CASSETTE: SRAM Force wide 10-36

SHIFTERS: SRAM Force e-tap AXS shifters / levers

ROTORS: SRAM Paceline 140 rear, 160 front

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?

Vielo says: "1x is no fad. It the logical next step. Lose the second chainring and you gain a beautiful symmetry. Nothing is offset, with a perfectly balanced downtube, bottom bracket and chainstay contributing to 30% greater lateral stiffness. Tube shapes are designed to maximise aero efficiency, and with less cabling (especially in the Alto version) streamlining is optimal and clutter minimal."

The R+1 is a fast road bike which, thanks to well balanced geometry, isn't limited purely to those with racing aspirations.

Where does this model sit in the range? Tell us briefly about the cheaper options and the more expensive options

The R+1 Alto range is headed by the SRAM Red eTap option with DT Swiss wheels for £8,999. This model is next and sits above the Campag Ekar build (£5,499), Shimano GRX Di2 (£5,399) and the GRX Mechanical for £3,899.

Frame and fork

Overall rating for frame and fork
 
10/10

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

The level of manufacturing detail is very impressive, and the paintwork has a deep lustre to it. It's just as beautiful to look at as it is to ride.

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

Both the frame and fork are made from carbon fibre.

Tell us about the geometry of the frame and fork?

The geometry of the R+1 is very much performance orientated without being fully race focused. It's a welcome balance that allows anyone to ride it hard and fast, while retaining higher levels of comfort thanks to a slightly more relaxed position. Full geometry charts can be found on Vielo's website.

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

The size medium we have here has a stack height of 543.9mm and a reach of 401.1mm, which I would say is pretty typical for a bike of this size and style.

Riding the bike

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

The frame delivers excellent comfort levels regardless of the road quality.

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

Stiffness is impressive, especially around the bottom bracket when you go to sprint or climb.

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

Due to the stiffness mentioned above, the full amount of your power goes directly to the rear wheel.

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

No.

How would you describe the steering? Was it lively neutral or unresponsive? On the fun side of neutral, and very smooth.

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

The slightly relaxed front end means the handling doesn't become twitchy or fidgety. The whole bike is very balanced and gives excellent levels of feedback, which gives you plenty of confidence to ride hard through the bends.

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

The frameset does such a good job on the comfort front that you could actually get away with some stiff components without sacrificing longterm plushness. The Fabric saddle offers plenty of padding too, and I got on really well with its shape.

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

SRAM's Force crankset is one of the stiffest out there. There isn't much flex from the bar/stem combo either.

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

The Force eTap groupset offers some very well thought out ratios, especially thanks to the 12-spd cassette.

Rate the bike for efficiency of power transfer:
 
10/10
Rate the bike for acceleration:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for sprinting:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for high speed stability:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for cruising speed stability:
 
10/10
Rate the bike for low speed stability:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for flat cornering:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for cornering on descents:
 
9/10
Rate the bike for climbing:
 
9/10

The drivetrain

Rate the drivetrain for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the drivetrain for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the drivetrain for weight:
 
9/10
Rate the drivetrain for value:
 
6/10

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

SRAM's Force eTap groupset is an absolute joy to use, and the wide-range cassette works well with the Vielo 1x chainring.

Wheels and tyres

Rate the wheels for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the wheels for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the wheels for value:
 
7/10

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

A very impressive set of wheels whose design and weight pairs nicely with the performance of the R+1.

Rate the tyres for performance:
 
9/10
Rate the tyres for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the tyres for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the tyres for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the tyres for value:
 
6/10

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

The Schwalbe Pro One tyre is one of the fastest and grippiest out there.

Controls

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

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

The controls work very well indeed. I really like the Vielo integrated bar/stem combo for its shape and comfort.

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

How does the price compare to that of similar bikes in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

There aren't many 1x only bikes out there other than 3T's Strada, and when you take into account all the extras of the Vielo frameset they look pretty similar. The R+1 is competitive against other top end framesets and bikes such as those mentioned in the review.

Rate the bike overall for performance:
 
10/10
Rate the bike overall for value:
 
6/10

Use this box to explain your overall score

Quite literally one of the best bikes I have ever ridden, and I can barely fault it. I suppose it just comes down whether you can get your head around dropping that inner chainring.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 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!

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41 comments

Avatar
cyclisto | 3 years ago
0 likes

This bike is very beautiful because it is has a single color paintjob with not any huge brand advertisements.

Dear bike manufacturers please understand that a bike cannot have a logo area bigger than the one of a truck, nor a color scheme that only cars in Fast and the Furious movies have.

Avatar
allanp82 | 3 years ago
0 likes

I can't believe they've engineered the frame so that the only option if you want completely integrated cables is SRAM wireless.  Plenty of other companies manage to fully integrate all options including mechanical shifting.  If you're going to have full integration, do it properly or don't do it at all.

Avatar
BRyan-DeAth | 3 years ago
0 likes

I switched to the laptop to take a proper look and brought up the Vielo Sports website as well. As a long time rider of a 1x groupset on and off road I feel i have the right to say that the website section "Why 1x" is unmitigated crap. It blatantly pushes the disadvantages as being advantages, suggests you carry a pair of chainrings around with you to change for uphill and the rest and suggests gear ratios that are great for riders who....well I don't ride with any that do. I haven't read such b.s. since Enve tried to sell me some 'tubeless only' wheels. Add to this that the price is quite shocking and the chainrings are plain ugly, no sale this time.

Avatar
BRyan-DeAth | 3 years ago
0 likes

I DO like the look of this bike.
I DO have a Canyon Endurace with carbon everything AND a useable gear ratio spread that cost £3000, all be it 3 years ago.
I am a fool for a bew bike so if they fix the gears on this i would probably buy one. There is no answer to "what for?" when buying bikes and components.

Avatar
Christopher TR1 | 3 years ago
0 likes

1x totally makes sense to me, especially with 1x12 & 1x13 available these days. Having said that, I can get around fine where I live on my 53x17 single speed. If I go to the mountains I'm reaching for my 2x - horses for courses!

3t would be my choice. It just looks faster.

Avatar
TheBillder replied to Christopher TR1 | 3 years ago
0 likes

I would need to live in some sort of Escher* land where everything is downhill or downwind from everywhere else if 53x17 was going to be enough.

*I really don't mean Esher. Really not.

Avatar
ktache | 3 years ago
1 like

Ianahughes, Thank you for taking time out to reply to some of the comments.

I like the little bit of dark paint, I'm assuming harder wearing too, where the wheel and tyre go through the fork and seat stays, and I'm guessing chainstays as well but I couldn't see a picture of it.

Avatar
open_roads | 3 years ago
1 like

I was wavering on getting the vielo v+1 which to me looks like an equally interesting ride. The only thing that put me off was the limited gear range and the use of press fit bb bearings. The gear range options are now better but it's still got a press fit bb unless the shortly to be released gen2 has changed that.

Either way, nice to see vielo carving out a new niche against the wave of similar looking bikes from the big manufacturers.

Avatar
Ianahughes replied to open_roads | 3 years ago
1 like
open_roads wrote:

I was wavering on getting the vielo v+1 which to me looks like an equally interesting ride. The only thing that put me off was the limited gear range and the use of press fit bb bearings. The gear range options are now better but it's still got a press fit bb unless the shortly to be released gen2 has changed that.

Either way, nice to see vielo carving out a new niche against the wave of similar looking bikes from the big manufacturers.

Thank you for your comments and feedback.

Regarding press fit BB. From my years of experience and knowledge of carbon frame manufacture, I know the tolerances of the interface between the  frame and the press fit BB need to be really accurate to avoid any problems. 
When large bicycle manufacturers scale up their production of carbon frames, sometimes, these tolerances are not as accurate as they should be and are rolled out for assembly, then find their way through the supply chain. This is where press fit BB,s tend to get a bit of bad reputation. 
Vielo frames are manufactured by our vendor in small batches with the strictest of QC to firstly ensure all the tolerances are within our guidelines.

Secondly, we select the Token Ninja BB which has a press fit interface between the frame and BB cups. The cups are then screwed together via the internal threaded axle casing to form a solid and accurately fitted BB.

We use this type of BB bearing, Evo size in both the R+1 and new new second generation V+1.
 

 

Avatar
Nick T | 3 years ago
1 like

Can you clarify how they've made the bottom bracket wider thanks to a single ring, presumably the bearings have to be in the exact same place as they would with any other SRAM crankset?

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Ianahughes replied to Nick T | 3 years ago
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Nick T wrote:

Can you clarify how they've made the bottom bracket wider thanks to a single ring, presumably the bearings have to be in the exact same place as they would with any other SRAM crankset?

Hi Nick, The BB on the R+1 is standard road bike width. Using a single chainring means we can engineer the down tube shape completely symmetrical into the BB area which increases the frame stiffness significantly in this area. If you have a double chainring, then there has to be a space for the inner chainring, so the down tube to the BB area is not symmetrical. 

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Nick T replied to Ianahughes | 3 years ago
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Thanks, that doesn't tally up with this from the review

"The R+1's lack of an inner chainring means Vielo has been able to make the bottom bracket shell wider without affecting the Q-factor"

Also I've got a few frames with completely symmetrical seat tubes and braze on mounts, they're just narrower tubes. I'm not sure what symmetry is supposed to change in terms of stiffness?

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Ianahughes replied to Nick T | 3 years ago
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Nick T wrote:

Thanks, that doesn't tally up with this from the review

"The R+1's lack of an inner chainring means Vielo has been able to make the bottom bracket shell wider without affecting the Q-factor"

Also I've got a few frames with completely symmetrical seat tubes and braze on mounts, they're just narrower tubes. I'm not sure what symmetry is supposed to change in terms of stiffness?

Hi Nick, please allow me to try and explain a little bit better with some close up photos of the R+1 BB area.

The first photo shows the junction of the BB shell with downtube, seat tube and chainstays.

 

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Ianahughes replied to Ianahughes | 3 years ago
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Ianahughes wrote:
Nick T wrote:

Thanks, that doesn't tally up with this from the review

"The R+1's lack of an inner chainring means Vielo has been able to make the bottom bracket shell wider without affecting the Q-factor"

Also I've got a few frames with completely symmetrical seat tubes and braze on mounts, they're just narrower tubes. I'm not sure what symmetry is supposed to change in terms of stiffness?

Hi Nick, please allow me to try and explain a little bit better with some close up photos of the R+1 BB area.

The first photo shows the junction of the BB shell with downtube, seat tube and chainstays.

 

The second photo is taken from under the bike. On a normal 2x frame, there has to be space (or cut out) on the drive side of the BB shell to accommodate the second inner chain ring. Removing the inner chain ring (and front mech) gives us lot more opportunity for creative engineering. This means we can keep the orginal road BB bearing width, and we can engineer the downtube (plus seat tube and chainstays) shape (s) completely symetrical into the BB shell.  By doing this, we have increased the BB stiffness by 32% compared to if this frame was a 2x frame.

I hope this helps explain ?

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Nick T replied to Ianahughes | 3 years ago
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Thanks, I follow the design concept. The initial confusion was the review claim of a wider BB shell which obviously isn't the case and should probably be remedied by the website, then there was more confusion from second claim of a symmetrical down tube being more stiff than an asymmetric alternative. A wider tube does make a logical case for potentially increased stiffness provided all other variables are equal, however these variables rarely are equal so I'd be interested to know more about what the 32% increase in stiffness is in comparison to?

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Secret_squirrel | 3 years ago
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The 1x grx di2 option is a bit strange a 10-36 cassette and 44t chainring.   Not sure where that cassette comes from.

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KoenM replied to Secret_squirrel | 3 years ago
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Don't know where you have seen this but on their website it says: 
CASSETTE Shimano 11 speed 11-40 
for the GRX DI2 option

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Miller | 3 years ago
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Stu's done a fair amount of humble-bragging here to let us know how strong he is, and point made, but 48-36 Is not low enough for a regular rider unless they live in the flatlands.

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adamrice | 3 years ago
1 like

Gear-inches is not the distance you cover for every turn of the cranks; it's that number divided by π. It's a throwback to penny-farthings, which were sized by the diameter of their drive wheel, so 68 gear-inches was equivalent to being on a penny-farthing with a 68" wheel.

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bobinski | 3 years ago
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My finger has been poised over the BUY button on the the Strada so many times over Xmas. 1x12 AXS Force though not wide. 3t suggest the 10-36 can run in on the standard rear derailleur. At 58y old and dodgy knee I usually run AB 48/32 and 11-32 in the mountains. I don't much care about speeding down it's the getting up that needs sorting. This review suggests I should find a way to understand what front chain ring would most easily replicate the spread of gears I am used to.

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Joe Totale replied to bobinski | 3 years ago
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bobinski wrote:

My finger has been poised over the BUY button on the the Strada so many times over Xmas. 1x12 AXS Force though not wide. 3t suggest the 10-36 can run in on the standard rear derailleur. At 58y old and dodgy knee I usually run AB 48/32 and 11-32 in the mountains. I don't much care about speeding down it's the getting up that needs sorting. This review suggests I should find a way to understand what front chain ring would most easily replicate the spread of gears I am used to.

SRAM Force can use a 36 tooth chainring which would give you the climbing gear you're used to with an 10-36 cassette. However it's largest gear would be significantly slower than what you currently have. Also not sure if the Strada frame would be compatible with a chainring that small.

Campagnolo Ekar seems to be the only way right now to get a good spread of gears on a 1x system without resorting to a crazy huge mountain bike cassette and Eagle rear mech.

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bobinski replied to Joe Totale | 3 years ago
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Joe Totale wrote:
bobinski wrote:

My finger has been poised over the BUY button on the the Strada so many times over Xmas. 1x12 AXS Force though not wide. 3t suggest the 10-36 can run in on the standard rear derailleur. At 58y old and dodgy knee I usually run AB 48/32 and 11-32 in the mountains. I don't much care about speeding down it's the getting up that needs sorting. This review suggests I should find a way to understand what front chain ring would most easily replicate the spread of gears I am used to.

SRAM Force can use a 36 tooth chainring which would give you the climbing gear you're used to with an 10-36 cassette. However it's largest gear would be significantly slower than what you currently have. Also not sure if the Strada frame would be compatible with a chainring that small. Campagnolo Ekar seems to be the only way right now to get a good spread of gears on a 1x system without resorting to a crazy huge mountain bike cassette and Eagle rear mech.

 

I wish I could recall how often I rode 48/11 and 13 when in the mountains. I suspect not that often. So, a speed of gears emulating 48/15 though to the equivalent of 34/32 rather than 32/32 would probably be fine. 

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BRyan-DeAth replied to Joe Totale | 3 years ago
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What's wrong with a crazy huge etc if it gives you a useable bike?
My dirt gravel cross whatever is great on the climbs for a 57 year old buggered knees me. I would like a 10T on the back but rarely use the 11 as it is.

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Pot00000000 | 3 years ago
2 likes

I've been riding 1x on road for over 7 years now, even before it was a "thing"

it's like this bike was designed for me but it's just not pulling at the heart strings.

could be the colour but I think the strada is a nicer looking bike. Shame the seatposts are utter pants. 

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wtjs | 3 years ago
3 likes

I wouldn't get one, even if I wanted to spend that amount on a bike, but I also recall that I thought indexed shifting was unnecessary even when it was only little clicks on an ordinary lever on a down tube shifter. I had corrected my error by the time SIS dual shifters came out, but my record on innovations is not good: I thought auto-focussing lenses were unnecessary as well

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Joe Totale | 3 years ago
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Given the volume of 2x road bikes now sold with 32 or 34 tooth cassettes, I'd say the gearing range on a 1x SRAM equipped bike is still lacking for many people especially when it comes to hills.

However, the solution could well be Campagnolo Ekar. Sure you lose the electronic gears but you gain an additional gear as well as a larger gear range for example pairing a 42t chainring with the 9-42 cassette. Also in my opinion it looks nicer.

However, as this bike only uses Electronic gearing we have to wait until SRAM finally release a 12 speed, 10-42 cassette. It's madness that it doesn't already exist seeing as so many of their 1x 11 speed groupsets use a 11-42 or 10-42 cassette.

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Ianahughes replied to Joe Totale | 3 years ago
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Joe Totale wrote:

Given the volume of 2x road bikes now sold with 32 or 34 tooth cassettes, I'd say the gearing range on a 1x SRAM equipped bike is still lacking for many people especially when it comes to hills. However, the solution could well be Campagnolo Ekar. Sure you lose the electronic gears but you gain an additional gear as well as a larger gear range for example pairing a 42t chainring with the 9-42 cassette. Also in my opinion it looks nicer. However, as this bike only uses Electronic gearing we have to wait until SRAM finally release a 12 speed, 10-42 cassette. It's madness that it doesn't already exist seeing as so many of their 1x 11 speed groupsets use a 11-42 or 10-42 cassette.

Hey Joe,

Thank you for you comments. We also offer a frame (Strato version) that accommodates regular non-wireless groupsets including Ekar that is listed on our website vielo.cc. 

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BRyan-DeAth replied to Ianahughes | 3 years ago
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I am firmly in Joe's camp here. I have a 42 x 42-12 that's about 5 years old and was using mtn bike cassettes on my road bike in the mountains years before that. I was looking at the planet x site a few days back and this groupset was touted for all day epic riding. Not where i ride it wouldn't.

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Nick T | 3 years ago
1 like

As luck would have it ,I've been looking for a precisely a frame upon which I can rest a pint on the seat stays

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muhasib replied to Nick T | 3 years ago
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Perhaps the seat stays are for hanging tiny panniers on?

Interesting comments on David Arthur's YouTube channel as well.

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