Sabbath Silk Road Alp review

Sure, it's not the 'slab of rock' response of the best carbon but then on the way down the other side you do get the characteristic plush forgiveness of real metal over imperfect paving. And let's not forget that titanium also has a reputation for longevity. There was absolutely nothing we could criticise in the componentry, with exactly the package of parts that we would have hoped for. Well, for £3,000, we would have hoped for a more apparently ‘aero’ pair of wheels with deeper rims for the authentic racey look, but within this budget they would probably add weight while losing marginal drag, so it’s swings and roundabouts. In our opinion, Sabbath was wise to err on the side of nimbleness and we’re confident your bike shop would fit whatever wheels you preferred if it was a deal-breaker. We like SRAM components, especially this Rival group, perfect for the bike’s sportive aspirations. With the opposing camps of Shimano vs Campagnolo battling out their prejudices, we think the SRAM ‘double tap’ shifters are an ideal compromise between the silky smoothness and perfect ergonomics of Shimano’s STI shifters and Campagnolo’s positive and firm Ergopower levers, but we’ll probably never resolve that particular battle. Especially as there is such a choice of price levels and the three rivals keep refining the details; it’s what keeps trying different bicycles so interesting. £2,999 as shown here, £1,499 frameset only