{"id":55478,"date":"2023-10-18T17:00:40","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T15:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=750347"},"modified":"2023-10-18T17:35:49","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T15:35:49","slug":"laufs-first-road-bike-stands-out-from-the-crowd-with-slack-geometry","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/laufs-first-road-bike-stands-out-from-the-crowd-with-slack-geometry\/","title":{"rendered":"Lauf\u2019s first road bike stands out from the crowd with slack geometry"},"content":{"rendered":"

New Lauf \u00dathald straddles race and endurance bike genres <\/p>

By Ashley Quinlan\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 18 October 2023 at 15:00 PM<\/p>

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Lauf has launched the \u00dathald, its first road bike, aiming to challenge established handling norms for the genre.<\/p>\n

The \u00dathald, which means \u2018endurance\u2019 in Icelandic, follows the brand\u2019s guiding principle that comfort equals a faster ride.<\/div>\n

The bike has a geometry said to promote stable handling.<\/p>\n

And although the \u00dathald frameset is said to offer a race-bike style fit and aerodynamic optimisations, it features a standard, non-integrated bar-stem setup for easier front-end adjustments.<\/p>\n

There are two builds of the \u00dathald \u2013 named \u2018Weekend Warrior Wireless\u2019 and \u2018Race Wireless\u2019 \u2013 available for pre-order now, shipping in January 2024.<\/p>\n

Prices start from $3,490 for the SRAM Rival eTap AXS<\/a>-equipped \u2018Weekend Warrior Wireless\u2019 build and rise to $4,690 for the SRAM Force AXS<\/a> \u2018Race Wireless\u2019 build.<\/p>\n

An \u2018Ultimate\u2019 specification is set to follow in 2024.<\/p>\n

Ashley Quinlan has ridden the new Lauf \u00dathald Race Wireless and you can read his first-ride review here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Stability leads to speed<\/h2>\n
\"Lauf\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
A slack head angle dominates the layout.<\/span><\/figcaption> Ashley Quinlan \/ Our Media<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The Lauf \u00dathald is claimed to upset the apple cart, chiefly challenging the idea that faster handling translates to a faster road bike<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As such, it features a relatively slack 71.5-degree head angle across the size range, whereas typical race bikes are in the region of 72.5 degrees or steeper.<\/p>\n

Lauf says it built a \u2018variable head angle prototype\u2019 bike, on which its test riders rode in various configurations until it arrived at the chosen angle, deemed to deliver the optimum handling characteristics.<\/p>\n

The fork rake is 48mm \u2013 only slightly more compact than a 2024 Giant Defy<\/a> (a relatively racy endurance road bike<\/a>) at 50mm. Combined with the \u00dathald\u2019s slack head angle, though, the trail is much longer at 64mm in every size (the Defy\u2019s trail sits at 58.6mm in all but the smallest size).<\/p>\n

In general, a longer trail makes for a slower steering response and more stable handling<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/colgroup> \n
\ufeffFrame size<\/th>XS<\/th>S<\/th>M<\/th>L<\/th>XL<\/th><\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Rider height<\/b> (cm)<\/td>156-165<\/td>166-174<\/td>175-182<\/td>183-190<\/td>191-200<\/td> <\/tr>
Frame reach<\/b> (mm)<\/td>373<\/td>378<\/td>389<\/td>400<\/td>411<\/td> <\/tr>
Frame stack<\/b> (mm)<\/td>514<\/td>537<\/td>564<\/td>593<\/td>623<\/td> <\/tr>
Head angle<\/b> (degrees)<\/td>71.5<\/td>71.5<\/td>71.5<\/td>71.5<\/td>71.5<\/td> <\/tr>
Stem length<\/b> (mm)<\/td>70<\/td>80<\/td>90<\/td>100<\/td>110<\/td> <\/tr>
Reach to handlebar<\/b> (mm)<\/td>426<\/td>440<\/td>461<\/td>482<\/td>503<\/td> <\/tr>
Stack to handlebar<\/b> (mm)<\/td>555-599<\/td>581-627<\/td>610-658<\/td>641-692<\/td>673-726<\/td> <\/tr>
BB to saddle top<\/b> (mm)<\/td>572-695<\/td>609-747<\/td>636-814<\/td>665-883<\/td>691-909<\/td> <\/tr>
Seat tube angle<\/b> (degrees)<\/td>73<\/td>72.8<\/td>72.6<\/td>72.5<\/td>72.4<\/td> <\/tr>
Seat tube length<\/b> (mm)<\/td>492<\/td>529<\/td>556<\/td>585<\/td>611<\/td> <\/tr>
Chainstay length<\/b> (mm)<\/td>405<\/td>405<\/td>405<\/td>405<\/td>405<\/td> <\/tr>
BB drop<\/b> (mm)<\/td>73<\/td>73<\/td>73<\/td>73<\/td>73<\/td> <\/tr>
Head tube length<\/b> (mm)<\/td>105<\/td>130<\/td>158<\/td>189<\/td>220<\/td> <\/tr>
Wheelbase<\/b> (mm)<\/td>970<\/td>983<\/td>1003<\/td>1023<\/td>1044<\/td> <\/tr>
Front Center (horizontal)<\/b> (mm)<\/td>572<\/td>585<\/td>605<\/td>625<\/td>646<\/td> <\/tr>
Axle to crown<\/b> (mm)<\/td>377.4<\/td>377.4<\/td>377.4<\/td>377.4<\/td>377.4<\/td> <\/tr>
Fork rake<\/b> (mm)<\/td>48<\/td>48<\/td>48<\/td>48<\/td>48<\/td> <\/tr>
Trail<\/b> (mm)<\/td>64<\/td>64<\/td>64<\/td>64<\/td>64<\/td> <\/tr>
Standover height<\/b> (mm)<\/td>720<\/td>753<\/td>779<\/td>808<\/td>835<\/td> <\/tr> <\/tbody> <\/table>