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| Friday, 23 September 2011 18:08 |
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Foil—Big Step Ahead of the Rest (VeloNews.com)
For the April issue of (then) VeloNews magazine, we reviewed four aero road bikes: a Cervélo S3, Felt AR1, Ridley Noah, and Blue AC1 SL. Each was put through two scientific tests plus over 30 hours of ride time. The Scott FOIL was not yet available during our test period, and so it was left off the list, but now we’ve put the FOIL through the same rigorous test process.
The FOIL produced 43 percent less deflection at the head tube, 21 percent less rear end deflection, and the second lowest bottom bracket deflection on the same Microbac Laboratories torsional stiffness jig when compared to the stiffest aero bike in each category tested earlier this year. That’s an overall frame deflection sum of just 5.22mm, compared to 6.89mm for the Ridley, 7.20mm for the Blue, 8.43mm for the Cervélo, and 8.80mm for the Felt AR1.
A low number reflects less deflection in a specified area
The FOIL’s stiffness numbers fall close to those of the high end, non-aero race frames tested in the WorldTour bike test found in the September issue of Velo. In fact, the FOIL would have been the second stiffest in that test, despite its aerodynamic tube profiles.
On every other aero road frame I’ve ridden stiffness has been compromised in the name of aerodynamics and ride quality has been a notch below traditionally shaped frames. I was willing to take those sacrifices for improved aerodynamics, which I believe have a greater impact on performance than an ultra-stiff head tube, for example, but I’d certainly prefer an aero bike that didn’t have those problems.
The FOIL doesn’t look like an aero frame. There are no slender tube shapes or wheel cutouts, and no ultra-narrow head tube. In fact, Scott has had to use paint to show just how they’ve made it aerodynamic at all.
The FOIL, to put it simply, rides like a regular race frame, and a great one at that. The truncated aero shapes allow for wider tubes with thinner walls, just like a frame with traditional tube shapes. The ride is almost indistinguishable from an Addict, thanks to both the nearly identical geometry and aforementioned tube construction. It’s light and lively, with a stiff front end (a fact backed up by our lab) and planted rear.
It’s tough to fault the new FOIL. Even ignoring the aero claims, the bike rides as well or better than traditional high-end race frames. Add in the purported free speed, and the FOIL takes a big step ahead of the rest. |