Exclusive first look: Lightweight Urgestalt complete build

This is the Lightweight Urgestalt complete build, an exclusive to Cycling Weekly and a definite bespoke beauty.

Lightweight are a German bike and wheel company creating some of the most bespoke, hand built wheels and components on the market. We caught up with them to get an exclusive first look at their Urgestalt frame in its complete form.

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The frame here has a 54cm top tube, with Lightweight wanting the frame to have a more sportive geometry. Something a little more boxy and less drawn out than a traditional racing bike. Sizes will be available from 48cm to 60cm if you fancy buying one, though.

That's not to say it isn't competitive, and Lightweight claim that the frame only weighs 800g, with the fork weighing an extra 300g. Lightweight say that the complete build comes in at 5.80kg. Obviously, Lightweight were determined to make a bike frame that matched their famed featherweight wheels.

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We managed to get hold of a complete build, but in reality you'll only be able to buy the frame, fork and headset. The trio will set you back a wince-inducing £3,899 – and that's before you've added on the wheels and components.

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Talking of wheels, the version we ogled came with Lightweight's Meilenstein hand crafteded disc specific carbon wheels.

At the heart of the design is an innovative pentagon hub, which Lightweight claim is a lot safer on a disc brake wheel.

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According to Lightweight, a disc brakes can generate heats in excess of 400 degrees or more, especially on long descents, where less confident riders might drag their stoppers.

Such heats can, apparently, cause the bonding in hubs to fail, meaning they'll turn on themselves, leading to a catastrophic breakage.

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Lightweight say that the pentagonal shape stops a hub from being able to turn on itself.

The different shape has other uses, too. For example, it allows spokes to be run as one piece from either side of the rim.

According to Lightweight, this has a dramatic effect on the on the tensile strength of the spokes, and as a result, the wheels.

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Lightweight's wheels are also renowned for their lateral stiffness, which is due to a carbon sandwich. Basically, there's a high density foam that sits in the rim and carbon is then layered on either side of it.

The model we saw came with 15mm thru-axles, but the wheels are compatible with both nine and 10mm standards, too.

Other components included Shimano Dura-Ace Di2, albeit not the latest model. Although Lightweight are hoping to ship the bike with either the Dura-Ace Di2 R9150 or SRAM's Red eTap groupset.

Elsewhere, the bike was adorned with Lightweight's own finishing kit and saddle.