Look 927 Mountain Bike Frame Weight and Review
Look 927 Carbon - first ride review
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What Mountain Bicycle / BikeRadar
What Mountain Bicycle / BikeRadar
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What Mountain Bike / BikeRadar
What Mountain Bike / BikeRadar
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In a earth of increasingly like carbon designs, French manufacturer Look has stuck its neck out with its new total suspension race car. And the actual on-trail results are as characterful as the aesthetics.
Frame and equipment: taking advantage of technology
Since information technology turned ski-binding engineering into the commencement 'clipless' route bike pedals, Expect has e'er had an heart out for new functioning advantages. That's included pioneering properly aerodynamic road bikes and integrated stem systems, and information technology's that latter innovation that'due south the nearly obvious aspect here. The square section A-Stem is profiled to dovetail exactly into the hunchbacked top tube and head tube 'notch' for an almost seamless fit that dominates the distinctive aesthetics of the frame's front end.
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The one-piece mainframe is a cunning bit of composite trickery
If yous've already looked at the pictures and been alarmed at the 110mm stem supplied on our wheel, you'll be glad to hear it usually comes with a 100mm model and tin can exist ordered with ninety or 80mm alternatives. After trying and failing to suit to the longer stalk we fitted a normal 90mm model, which made the steering much less lurch decumbent and equally predictable as the frame allowed. While the looks alone volition be plenty to win some riders over, the 927 Carbon isn't a totally sorted speed machine – although it's definitely a wheel fans will enjoy despite its ride shortcomings.
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The stock 110mm stem is long enough to put yous into next calendar week, so apply the 90mm
The claimed 2450g or v.4lb weight of a small-scale-size frame and shock isn't really that low-cal for a shorter travel 650b wheel. The single piece mainframe does characteristic a long metal deflector canvas of 'metal moulded protection' on the underside of the massive down tube, and in that location'southward a plastic skidpan under the belly secured with iii big bolts.
Look also gives the original buyer a five-year constructional warranty, but you'll hopefully get more than one-half a decade out of a frame investment on this calibration. Load it with toll-no-object SRAM XX1, Mavic, Continental and Syntace finishing kit like our sample though and information technology's yet heading towards the magic 10kg mark.
Ride and treatment: a floaty low-cal feel
After the wheel most floated out of the box nosotros got a feel for how lite it was, and with skinny-sidewalled rubber on Mavic's lightest wheels its blistering acceleration was no surprise. The long rear end likewise keeps the wheel glued to the ground, so traction is very good as long as you keep information technology straight. While old-school racers volition appreciate the longer stem choice for apartment-out fire road ripping, our switch to a shorter 90mm tiller added subtle line changing responsiveness and balanced command without ruining the racy experience.
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Stiff cranks just serve to highlight frame twist
What does take some getting used to at any speed is the corporeality of twist and flex you can feel through the frame. The front end and rear ends of the wheel feel distinctly disconnected if you get-go trying to fight across off cambers, ruts, more aggressive cornering moves or plough through rocky and rooty sections. Despite the drainpipe bore down tube and a deep, extended bottom bracket section at that place'south noticeable twist in the forepart cease that comes from the heavily cut away asymmetric seat tube and the top tube.
The long rear end and relatively curt front also put weight and steering balance further back than most bikes, which makes it hard to hit and concur more challenging front end wheel lines. The narrow, showtime main pivot connection with steeply sloped bracing strut between the chainstays means the back end doesn't get much transverse triangulation either. The consequence is obvious wheel flop and a by and large vague rear wheel placement feel that sometimes stumbles or smears sideways without warning, even with a 142x12mm screw-thru axle.
The heavily shaped and snaked chainstays only merely miss the cranks by a hair's breadth when you're really mashing the pedals. The zip necktie cable mounts either side of the top tube are perfectly placed to scuff and gouge knees also, which is a really bones design flaw. Flex from the cantilevered bottom bracket area ways the pedals seem to sway underneath the bike on peak torque climbs too. Like well-nigh bikes that use flex in the seatstays rather than a 'proper' rear pivot there'south a lot of bounce from the back end and shock unless yous leave information technology in the compression damped Pedal setting.
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Even with a lot of sag, the rear finish is reluctant to give up its 120mm of travel
The linkage setup and flexible seatstay effect too get in very difficult to go close to full travel, even with the pressure set low with lots of sag. Unsurprisingly, that means it rarely feels like a 100mm travel bike, let alone a 120mm one, because it generally isn't. It'south worth noting that the Fox Terralogic fork is the complete contrary in character too, with a very linear dive one time the 'automated' inertia valve threshold has been tripped by an impact, so it's certainly not the ideal match to the frame feel.
While strong riders who like a rigid power platform will undoubtedly find the bob and torque twist a dealbreaking disappointment, it's not a totally cut and dried situation on the trail. The more you become used to the sinuous frame feel, the easier it becomes to deliberately warp and weave the Expect through tight trees like a hungry cat weaves betwixt legs.
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The Hungry Cat probably isn't a model name we'll exist seeing anytime soon…
In some situations the compliance and softening of maximum ability commitment can actually help to increment traction by smearing the treads across the trail rather than stuttering over staccato root and rock sections. The same buzz reduction and its natural tendency to swerve effectually rather than smack into obstacles also make information technology a very comfortable cycle for spending an epic cantankerous-country day on.
Then there'due south lots to love, and lots to exist annoyed by hither. With so many bikes looking and so similar, nosotros tin't aid applauding the Look'south distinctive design. The flex and low weight reminded usa of classic twangy race bikes that nosotros've loved when we shouldn't have washed – Scott Endorphin, Expedition STP, Lynskey Ti, Lapierre XR 729…
It's not as low-cal every bit its flex suggests though, and the bouncy nevertheless total travel-balky suspension, obvious ability loss and knee-ripping cable stops really take no place on a full bicycle costing this much, never mind a frame on its ain.
Specs As Tested:
- Peak tube length – 588mm
- Seat tube length – 480mm
- Head angle – 69.v°
- Seat angle – 72.5°
- BB pinnacle – 333mm
- Chainstay length – 455mm
- Wheelbase – 1119mm
- Sizes – XS, South, M (tested), L
- Weight – 10.71kg (23.59lb)
- Frame – Look 927 VHM carbon fibre
- Fork – Fox F120 27.5 Terralogic 15QR, 120mm
- Wheels – Mavic Crossmax SLR 275
- Tyres – Continental X-King Race Sport, 650bx2.2in
- Cranks – SRAM XX1 34T
- Gears – SRAM XX1
- Brakes – Magura MT8
- Stem – Look A-stem
- Bar – Syntace carbon
- Seatpost – Syntace carbon
- Saddle – Fizik Tundra
Source: https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/mountain-bikes/look-927-carbon-first-ride-review/
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