Pro bike: Kristian House's Condor Super Acciaio

The steel renaissance in UK race bikes continues

Sam Dansie/BikeRadar

Published: September 26, 2013 at 7:00 am

The Condor Super Acciaio is billed as a thoroughbred race frame by the London builder, and Kristian House (Rapha-Condor-JLT) was riding one on the Tour of Britain finale stage in London on Sunday.

The revamped, and in this case custom frame (the 33-year-old's bike has a slightly lengthened top tube) is Columbus heat-treated steel, cut and TIG welded in Italy.

Condor says the frame geometry is borrowed from the Leggero – the company's elite performance carbon frameset – and is a reversion to the company's roots, which started out building bikes in steel.

The bike's classic looks are augmented with a mechanical Campagnolo Record 11 groupset and matching Campagnolo Hyperon Two wheels. House foregoes the team's sponsor Speedplay pedals in favour of Shimano Dura-Ace, and the bike weighs a competitive 7.2kg (15.9lb).

Steel race bikes have been making a return in the UK domestic peloton. While House – Rapha-Condor-JLT's most decorated road rider – received the bike just prior to the start of the Tour of Britain, another squad rider, James McCallum, was set to ride one over the course of the 2013 season.

And of course, rival team Madison-Genesis have been riding the Genesis Volare 953 all season long.

Check out the gallery for a closer look at House's bike.

Complete bike specifications

  • Frame: Condor Super Acciaio
  • Fork: Deda Nero Supremacy full carbon
  • Headset: Condor Tapered 1.5"-1-1/8"
  • Stem: Deda Elementi 35 130mm
  • Handlebar: Deda Elementi 35 (o-t-o 440mm)
  • Tape: fi'zi:kSuperlight
  • Brake callipers: Campagnolo Record D Skeleton
  • Front derailleur: Campagnolo Record 11
  • Rear derailleur: Campagnolo Record 11
  • Shifter levers: Campagnolo Ergopower Ultra-Shift Record 11
  • Cassette: Campagnolo Record 11-25
  • Chain: Campagnolo Record 11
  • Cranks: Campagnolo Ultra-Torque Record 11 53-39
  • Bottom bracket: Campagnolo PF30
  • Pedals: Shimano Dura-Ace PD-7900
  • Front wheel: Campagnolo Hyperon Ultra Two
  • Rear wheel: Campagnolo Hyperon Ultra Two
  • Front Tyre: Continental Attack Comp tubular 22mm
  • Rear Tyre: Continental Force Comp tubular 24mm
  • Saddle: fi'zi:k Arione (team colours)
  • Seatpost: Condor Supremacy
  • Complete bicycle weight: 7.3kg (16.1lb)

Critical measurements

  • Rider height: 1.85m/6'1"
  • Rider weight: 73kg/161lb
  • Saddle height from BB (c-t): 780mm
  • Seat-tube length, c-t: 550mm
  • Seat-tube length, c-c: 500mm
  • Nose of saddle to centre of bar: 575mm
  • Head tube length: 165mm
  • Top tube length: 560mm
  • Total bicycle weight: 7.20kg (15.9lb)