SLR Race Custom Frameset

The interface between the fork and the headtube is responsible for transmitting all of your steering inputs into your wheels, so is a key component in giving you confidence in your bike's handling.

We use an oversized 1-1/2" lower headset bearing to allow a smoother flow of fibres from the fork crown into the steerer tube, increasing both stiffness and durability of the fork. This translates into better steering feel and control, whether carving down an alpine descent or sprinting to the line at the front of the peleton.

It's not difficult to build a super stiff frame out of carbon fibre - just add plenty of material into each of the tubes to make sure there is no unwanted flex. Using this approach however, ends up with a frame that you could also use as an anchor for a small boat.

Using Finite Element Analysis, we modelled the stress that goes through the frame as you pedal and hit imperfections in the road. This let us increase the amount of material in areas of high stress, and remove it from low stress areas. By doing this we have built a frame that is not only incredibly stiff, but also incredibly light at 798g for a medium frame. 

The SLR in SLR Race stands for Super Light Weight, which was the key philosophy we used in designing this platform. We used the highest quality of carbon fibre in the most efficient way to cut weight to the minimum without compromising stiffness. This is a true climber's bike - at under 800g for the frame, and under 370g for the fork, you won't be carrying any excess grams up the hills and mountains.

The SLR Race lives up to its name when it comes to geometry. The top tube is long, and the head tube is short to give an unapologetically aggressive position; perfect to keep you out of the wind when riding hard. This position also gives excellent steering response, allowing you to adjust your line in a fraction of a second whilst keeping full control of the bike. Whether sprinting, climbing or descending, the SLR Race will give you the confidence to push on and ride as fast as you can.

The chain stays are a key part of the frame, having to resist and transmit your pedalling force though to the rear wheel. To ensure the SLR Endurance transmits all of your power to the road, we use a wide box section, as this is the best shape to resist the torsional forces produced by pedalling.

This gives the SLR Race a lively, direct feel, accelerating quickly on the flat and helping you to dance up the hills.

The PF30 bottom bracket comprises of bearings in a plastic housing pressed directly into the frame. This means that the bottom bracket shell can be wider compared to a threaded bottom bracket as the bearings sit inside the frame, not outside. We've taken full advantage of this additional width to provide a solid and stiff junction between the BB and the chain stays to ensure your power is going into the road as efficiently as possible.

Whilst our AIR range is our primary aerodynamic platform, that doesn't mean we've neglected aerodynamics on the SLR Race. Internal routing keeps cables out of the air flow and saves weight compared to running them between external cable stops.

Not only does this make you faster, it also means your shifting and braking stays smoother for longer because the cables are kept out of the way of grit and grime from the road.