{"id":65642,"date":"2024-06-19T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-19T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/af97b80f-8205-4c80-9481-8f8e357f879b"},"modified":"2024-06-19T12:25:33","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T10:25:33","slug":"bike-of-the-week-this-gold-leaf-festka-spectre-custom-is-the-ideal-showcase-for-new-sram-red-axs","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/bike-of-the-week-this-gold-leaf-festka-spectre-custom-is-the-ideal-showcase-for-new-sram-red-axs\/","title":{"rendered":"Bike of the Week | This gold-leaf Festka Spectre Custom is the ideal showcase for new SRAM Red AXS\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

But it will cost you \u00a315,000\u2026 <\/p>

By Oscar Huckle\n <\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 19 June 2024 at 10:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

A flagship groupset deserves a top-flight frame and this Festka Spectre Custom delivers both \u2013 and then some.\u00a0<\/p>

With real gold-leaf graphics and a top-drawer build, no expense has been spared.\u00a0<\/p>

This Spectre has been built up with the new SRAM Red AXS<\/a> groupset, which the American brand claims is the world\u2019s lightest disc brake electronic groupset<\/a>, saving 154g over the previous generation.\u00a0<\/p>

This groupset test-bed build has been put together by The Bike Tailor for senior technical editor Warren Rossiter<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>

Breaking the mould<\/h2>
The Spectre sure stands out from the crowd. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The Spectre is the \u201cstiffest and most explosive platform\u201d in Festka’s range \u2013 and is the brand’s all-round race bike, if you will.<\/p>
Compared to its predecessor, this Spectre is claimed to be 31 per cent more compliant, achieved primarily by a revised carbon layup and a new, thinner, 27.2mm seat tube.<\/p>
$\"Festka$
The carbon weaves are left exposed. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The Czech brand stands out from the crowd with its construction, using wrapped carbon fibre<\/a> tubes rather than the conventional method of laying prepreg sheets into a mould.<\/p>
This sees a collection of round tubes made from wound carbon filament. The brand has the ability to vary the type and wrap of the carbon, as well as the tube shapes, tailoring the ride quality and fit to the customer.<\/p>
$\"Festka$
Just look at those fork legs. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Festka can even replace specific tubes in frames if they sustain damage, but it reckons there\u2019s less chance of fracturing with this design.<\/p>
A size-medium frame in Festka\u2019s \u2018Core\u2019 design, which leaves the carbon weave exposed, is claimed to weigh 1,035g.<\/p>
$\"Festka$
The Monopoly man graphic on the top tube is an interesting touch. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
This particular frame uses real gold leaf instead of paint, while tastefully leaving the carbon weave to be seen in all its glory.<\/p>
The frame can accept up to 33mm road bike tyres<\/a> (as measured) and is built around a BB86 press-fit bottom bracket standard<\/a>.<\/p>
$\"Festka$
You can run up to a 33mm tyre. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The Spectre relies on an integrated front end, lacking frame ports for cables or hoses.<\/p>
Although you can buy the frame with an integrated seatpost, this build has a conventional 27.2mm seatpost.<\/p>
The lightest electronic disc-brake groupset\u00a0<\/h2>
$\"SRAM$
This Spectre is a test bed for the new SRAM Red AXS. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Bolted onto the Spectre is the new SRAM Red AXS, the American brand\u2019s flagship road bike groupset<\/a>.<\/p>
In addition to the 154g claimed weight savings, the lever ergonomics have been redesigned, with the remodelled shape intended to fit a wider range of hands. The lever hood is much lower in profile compared to its predecessor, thanks largely to the brand reorienting the hydraulic piston from the previous vertical alignment to a new horizontal layout.<\/p>
$\"SRAM$
The lever hoods are radically different. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The new pivot location and hood shape reduces the effort required to actuate the brake, with the brand retaining both independent reach and contact adjustment.\u00a0<\/p>
$\"SRAM$
The new rotors have a lighter carrier and a new profile to the braking surface to match the skeletal brakes. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The brake calipers have been revised too, employing a skeletal design to save weight.<\/p>
The shifting has been improved too, with updated guides developed to simplify the front derailleur setup process, while a new auto-trim function is claimed to result in faster, quieter and more reliable shifting.<\/p>
$\"SRAM$
The new rear derailluer and X-Dome cassette have both lost weight compared to previous generations. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
The rear derailleur\u2019s weight is down by 16g, thanks to an updated hollow outer parallelogram plate and cut-outs in the pulley wheels. Both pulley wheels are now running on ceramic bearings, too, and there\u2019s a larger 14t X-Sync upper pulley (increased from 12t).<\/p>
Warren opted for 46\/33t chainrings and a 10-34t cassette.<\/p>
More top-drawer components<\/h2>
$\"Partington$
The Partington wheels are a lavish spec choice. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
There\u2019s far more eye candy to this bike than the lavish frame and brand spanking new groupset.<\/p>
Warren\u2019s specced a rather Gucci pair of Partington R-Series MKII R39\/44 wheels<\/a>, which weigh 1,218g for the pair, including tubeless valves. As such, the Australian brand claims the wheels are \u201cthe lightest tubeless-compatible clincher [disc brake] wheelset in the world\u201d.<\/p>
$\"Partington$
A closer look at those spokes. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
To acheive this, the wheels have an unusual construction, with the all-carbon hubs forgoing traditional flanges with spoke holes. The hub flanges are instead profiled to lock in the unique V-shaped \u2018In-tension\u2019 proprietary carbon spoke design, which hooks around and locks into the hub.<\/p>
They are then attached to the 39 and 44mm-deep carbon rims using traditional spoke nipples.<\/p>
The carbon rims sport a 21mm internal width and the hubs are equipped with CeramicSpeed bearings, for further marginal gains.<\/p>
The 28mm-wide Pirelli P Zero Race TLR<\/a> tyres are set up tubeless<\/a> on the Partington rims.<\/p>
$\"ENVE$
A front end to ENVE. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
ENVE takes care of the integrated front end with the 44cm-wide Compact Road In-Route handlebar and matching 110mm-long Aero In-Route stem.<\/p>
Although a matching ENVE seatpost now rounds off the build, Warren briefly used the pictured Zipp SL 70 seatpost while he was waiting for it to arrive.<\/p>
$\"Posedla$
There’s a lot going on with this saddle. – Russell Burton \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Finally, Warren opted for a Posedla Joyseat 2.0 custom 3D-printed saddle. Once the saddle\u2019s ordered, Posedla sends you its \u2018Smiling Butt Kit\u2019, which effectively takes an imprint of your sit bones so the brand can tailor-make a bespoke saddle.<\/p>
Now, the price. As you can imagine, none of this kit comes cheap and this custom build will set you back approximately \u00a315,700, which includes a full fitting session.<\/p>
Finally, the weight. The bike comes in at 7.44kg on our Scales of Truth, which includes the Time X10 Pro pedals, Hammerhead out-front mount and two Wolf Tooth titanium bottle cages.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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