The age of the general purpose road bike is here (again). Maybe we call it the Sportive Bike, the Grand Fondo Bike, or the Club bike. Whatever you call it this category it is clear these bikes are not traditional race bikes, but nor do they cleanly fit in to the Endurance, Climbing or Entry level category.
I take two high quality examples for a ride to discover how broad this spectrum can be and see if we can navigate through it. The LOOK 785 Huez probably sits on the racier end of this spectrum. You can learn more about it here:
The Time Alp D’Huez-X is much further towards the endurance and touring end of things. It’s longer wheelbase, comfortable chassis and wider tyre clearance adds weight, but also adds oodles of confidence and comfort. See what I had to say about the Time ADHX https://youtu.be/kjdZYhTFpqk
To book a test ride on one of these bikes just get in touch here: https://mapdec.com/pages/new-contact-typeform
@TheTimeSport @look_cycle
37 Comments
I just found out that SRAM owns Time. Didn't know that.
I was going to buy a Look 765 gravel version because Time bikes are just helplessly out of my price range. Looks were sold out everywhere and I ended up finding a great deal for a Colnago g3-x. The geo even fits better for my taste. Can't wait to get my hands on it. Have you ridden one?
Amazing video, as always. I did not know about that Time Huez X frame and omg that looks like a perfect bike for me, even geometry looks perfect for my fit. One day, one day I will buy that Time 😉😉.
My rim brake with proper geo 785 is a race…which is why I won’t be buying the new one. Also since when 410mm chain stays a climbing bike?! So basically we now have three types of road bike endurance, detuned, race and in the current market we only have 2 actual race bike Giant tcr and cervelo s5. The description you give of the handling…er yeah welcome to the party look and time have been like that for the last couple of decades. Expensive and detuned…FFS
It’s ok to say English
If I’m on US gravel, I’m not standing up if I can help it. That’s asking for a face-full of rocks – especially when climbing.
Looks like western NC there but I still wanna ride it
Look Were the First, Time were Second.
A Look Employer/ Director left Look and started Time.
Basically, something like a fast endurance bike. I have a custom road bike that I think could be described like that – it's a 2007 bike, so this is before the genesis of the category. It's comfortable, the stack/reach isn't not too aggressive, but the steering geometry is in the typical range for performance road bikes (I believe about 58mm trail with 28mm tires). I take it on fast group rides and on long solo rides. I guess I would view performance to endurance to all-road bike as a spectrum, and in principle a bike anywhere on that spectrum could make sense. A lot of ex-racers would probably be drawn to fast endurance bikes, I have to imagine.
I listened to a podcast by the new owner of Time, it sounded like they had a whole new factory come online this year and they hope to release the first products from that new factory towards the end of the year … Mapdec do you know anything about that yet? Any sneak previews of what they have coming out?
That’s one bugger of a hill, nice review….i like my old Time Izone
Time so smooth they don’t need wider tires?! That’s the biggest load of marketing bs I’ve heard in a long time 😂
Oh Cumbria, a beautiful place to ride unless you crash and go under a bus.. then into a helicopter and off to hospital for a month.
Bike update…here in France managed to find a 765 gravel for a bit more than half price 2k€…it's coming home…
The missing TIME link in your review would be TIME ADH 01 model, suer stiff climbing bike, with light frame.
Yep Time need to catch up and cater for the wider road wheels and tyres. Hopefully adh25??
How would compare the Time ADH-x to the top line Trek Domane?
🚩 Promotional video 🚩
Many riders don't want a low stack bike with a mound of spacers. Lots of the endurance bikes are suited for the vast majority of cyclists. I think Trek nailed this years ago when they had their H2 geometry. H1 was the race version, but the Madone was also offered in a more relaxed H2 geometry. I think the Emonda used an in-between H1.5, but it's now gone. That is why Time needs the Fluidity.
I'm confused, are there two versions of the ADH-x/gravel (not including the ADH version that can accommodate 45mm tyres.)????
Super interesting, but why doesn't Look publish weight specifications for complete bikes on their ws? How much does the new 785 Huez Ultegra Di2 weigh?
still no fender mounts – endurance and gravel bikes really need to have them.
Hi, can we please have more info on the white saddle and white cranks please? 🙏
Very tough review this. Often, a super competent well built bike that can be a companion for life might lack an element that gives excitement. A review might make that sound boring. Tough to do…
Just have to say it but who is General Huez?
Beautiful bikes! One day, when I’m fitter, have three years of solid riding and saving I will be coming to you for one of those beautiful machines.
I got ADHX early this year and replaced my 2021 TCR with it. It felt like a massive upgrade to me. I knew what I want. A stiff racing bike, which can also take 35+ mm tires for lightweight gravel. I.e. a truly one-bike-do-it-all (if such ever exists). When it's very cold or very hot outside, being able to drive on the forest roads seems like a great capability and ADHX truly delivers there. I always thought that marketing ADHX as a gravel bike was a stretch on both ends. Much more racy and not really up to modern gravel standards (the latter make little sense to me, I much prefer XC bike over gravel bike whenever it gets too rough for ~40mm tires). The rebranding as Alpe d'Huez X does a fair job. The geometry changes are minuscule
I was very happy to hear that Time started producing an Alpe d'Huez rim brake frame, but not quite enough to spend the money. Maybe I wouldn't be able to resist so much if there was a ADH-X rim brake
You look like if Ricky gervais was a cyclist
I ride a 2021 Fluidity, which in my size (XXXS) has a geometry more like the Look 785 with somewhat aggressive endurance approach. This model looks too staid for my taste. By the time I need this kind of ride it will be time for an ebike anyway.
Overall, I think Time's new product model naming is needlessly confusing, as it's always been. This is one Time tradition that I wish they would let go.
"not to be confused with the ADHX" ….?? Comparing the geometry charts of the 'older' ADHX and the newly released Alpe D'huez X, there are very minor differences. 1mm drop, 2mm chainstay length and wheelbase, but angles and tyre clearance are all the same, so for all intents and purposes the older ADHX and the 2024 Alpe d'huez X are the almost identical. However your characterisations of the two are quite different….in your video on the original ADHX you said that it WAS inviting you to 'get out the saddle and stamp on the pedals, swing your bike from side to side a little bit, put a little bit more effort in' (direct quote from that video @4:59) when climbing. But the new version does not, as you mention at 3:19 here? I don't see why they would be different? If anything, the minor changes to the new one would bring it ever so slightly closer to the ADH than the original ADHX and bring it closer to a climbing bike….but I doubt it's noticeable. I'd say the only noticeable difference is the fancy new colourshift paintjob.
Not to be confused. I’m confused. Is this Time different from a 2023 ADHX?
When is Time coming out with the new redesigned Fluidity? Have been hearing about that for 2 years, but nothing or is this bike their "new redesigned Time Fluidity"?
Love it that my ‘23 TIME ADHX is still my “one bike (two wheelsets, road & gravel) to rule them all” bike… but very curious to see the new Scylon, particularly interested in what weight a typical build will come in at. Regarding the comment about how smooth these bikes ride, you really do need to hop on one to believe it. It ain’t marketing, they’re kinda freaky-smooth (almost a prosthetic for my 61 year old spine).
i'm riding Conti 30s on my ADH-tight but works(and feels) great!
Was sponsored by Time USA back in the early 90's. Wasn't able to swing a frameset, but I sure got lots of miles outta those Time Equipe shoes which were awwwwwwesommmmmme. TIme bike is on my bucket list…
I don't think I wound by a road bike that could not fit something like a 38mm tire. If Pogacar is riding nearly 32mm tires, I think that suggests non-rscing enthusiasts should be going even wider. I would love to know how the bike industry was making frames with clearance for only 23mm in some cases such a short time ago. How did they get the science so wrong? I say that as the owner of a rim brake bike (2018) (among others), which I retired in favor of my gravel bike with slicks, because it will only take a 25mm tire.