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Vielo launch R+1 dedicated 1x aero road bike designed for 30mm tyres

New road bike is 1x only and designed around 30mm tyres

Look away no if you’re not a fan of 1x. British company Vielo has followed up its V+1 adventure bike from a year ago with the brand new R+1, a carbon fibre road bike built entirely around a 1x groupset with space for up to 30mm tyres.

- Review: Vielo V+1

Vielo launch R+137.jpg

The British company is clearly a believer in the benefits of 1x. It first demonstrated this with the all-road V+1, and with the R+1 it says it has been able to optimise the frame to provide improved stiffness, aerodynamics and comfort.

“Vielo’s focus is to provide the rider a huge performance gain in frame lateral stiffness around the BB area (30% stiffer than a 2x frame), additional comfort through chain stays and seat stays, plus some detailed aero touches,” explains the company.

Vielo launch R+122.jpg

There’s a lot of interesting tube shaping going on. A defining feature is the stepped dropped seatstay design, intended to keep the stays out of the airflow to reduce drag, and also allow a level of compliance to produce a smoother ride on rough roads.

Vielo launch R+121.jpg

To further improve the aero performance, the seat tube and down tube have a Kamm Tail shaped to reduce drag. There’s also a third bottle cage under the downtube and a fuel box module mount on the top tube.

Vielo launch R+149.jpg

The handlebar and stem has been designed to internally route all cables in a further drag reducing measure. Other neat details include stainless steel scratch guards on the frame and fork.

Vielo launch R+154.jpg

Like the 3T Strada, the new R+1 has been designed around wide tyres, in this case a 30mm tyre. It’s about embracing the comfort benefits of wide tyres but ensuring optimum aerodynamics.

Ramping up frame stiffness is a wide bottom bracket and symmetrical down tube junction. The chainstays have been shaped to provide additional lateral stiffness.

Vielo launch R+141.jpg

It’s obviously disc brakes only flat mount calipers, accommodating 140mm out back and 160/180mm up front. The seat tube will accept a dropper post if you’re planning to get a bit rowdy.

The new R+1 will be available in two versions, the R+1 UD frameset with seastpost costing £2,699, and the higher-end R+1 UDG with stem, handlebar and seatpost and costing £3,999.

Vielo launch R+120.jpg

The difference between the two frames comes down to the carbon fibre layup, which means the UD frame will be a little heavier,  but all the tube shapes are shared across them both. The UDG does get the company’s own handlebar and stem for full internal routing to produce a really clean looking bike. The UD frameset uses a regular handlebar and stem.

Sea Otter is the launch event for the new bike over in that sunny California, and it’s displaying bikes built around SRAM’s brand new Red and Force eTap AXS groupsets.

More info at www.vielo.cc

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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10 comments

Avatar
Ianahughes | 4 years ago
2 likes

Just to confirm also, the price for the Mustard Yellow UD frameset includes, frame, fork, Carbon bar stem combo, Carbon Kam tail seat post, axles and headset.

 

Avatar
Ianahughes | 4 years ago
1 like

Thank you for your comments here.

Just to confirm a couple of points.

This is not an open mould. It’s purely engineered and designed in-house. We know it will not be for everyone.

There is no impending law suit. Never was.

Im very happy to answer any questions.

Our goal was to launch the R+1 here at The Sea Otter Classic and showcase our V+1 to cycling fans here.

The response to both has been amazing. Over 74,000 fans in the California sun have been drawn to see our bikes, plus non stop press attention. 

More news to come soon.

Avatar
AlsoSomniloquism | 4 years ago
1 like

Looking at the history of Vielo, it looks like they were originally formed to provide Storck bikes in the UK, they then split from them for another brand but also then starting to produce their own. 

I suspect the first bike, the V+1 might be the contentious bike quoted above but also you wonder if the original split might not have been on good terms either. The dropped stays might have been their way to avoid any issues. 

Avatar
Welsh boy | 4 years ago
1 like

I think that it is a nice looking bike and what exactly is wrong with an open mould frame design? If I was in the market for this type of bike I would snap one up quickl before they dissapear.  It wont be long before there is some minor design "improvement" made when Storck put pressure on the manufacturers, my guess is that the dropped seat stays become an elevated wishbone design.

Avatar
philhubbard replied to Welsh boy | 4 years ago
1 like

Welsh boy wrote:

I think that it is a nice looking bike and what exactly is wrong with an open mould frame design? If I was in the market for this type of bike I would snap one up quickl before they dissapear.  It wont be long before there is some minor design "improvement" made when Storck put pressure on the manufacturers, my guess is that the dropped seat stays become an elevated wishbone design.

 

The problem with open mould is that these guys are trying to charge £2700 for a frame which they didn't design and you could easily purchase for £3-400 with a different layup. It also annoys people when they go on about how they are a British company but the only thing British is their base they probably have no design staff probably just a purchaser and marketing team

Avatar
StraelGuy | 4 years ago
4 likes

So four grand for a fuck-ugly, open-mould frameset with an impending law suit . I'll take 3 !

Avatar
darrenleroy | 4 years ago
1 like

I really like the shape. Don't like the price though. Four grand for an open mould frameset. 

Avatar
ex_terra | 4 years ago
0 likes

Meh. Not exactly a looker is it?

Avatar
heliuscc | 4 years ago
4 likes

This is the most hideous thing I’ve ever seen. I really hope they did buy it from a Chinese open mould factory and didn’t actually design something like that. I fear the latter though...

Avatar
wicksy5508 | 4 years ago
4 likes

 Goodness, only it’s mother could love that!

I wonder what cheap Chinese open mould frameset that is?! 

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