Look has launched a new generation of its 785 Huez RS climbing bike with an 830g claimed frame weight in size S, a 360g fork and complete bike weights from 6.6kg. There’s clearance for 32mm tyres.
To keep weight down, the new 785 Huez RS has round tube profiles and Look claims its geometry is balanced to ensure ride comfort as well as climbing efficiency.
Although the frame forgoes aero features, the new Huez RS Aero Carbon Combo bar/stem is designed to offer an aerodynamic edge.
According to Look’s bike product manager, Romain Simon, the bike isn’t designed solely for climbing.
“We gave the 785 Huez RS a geometry and a character that makes it a fantastic ride downhill and on the flat section between ascents, making it a weapon of choice for those who want to spend the whole day in the mountains," he says.
We reckon the bike may see action with the Cofidis women's team in tomorrow's stage 7 of the Tour de France Femmes, when the peloton tackles the iconic Mont Ventoux.
The low-weight only focus goes against the tendency of other brands to shape their lightweight bike frames for aerodynamic efficiency. The Specialized Aethos, for example, has morphed from round tubes and external cables in its original version to add aerodynamic tube profiles and front-end integration in its second iteration, launched last year.
Other lightweight climbing bikes, such as the Scott Addict RC and Factor O2 VAM, also sport shallow aero tube profiles.
The 785 Huez RS is Look's second new product launch in as many months, with the 795 Blade RS 3 lightweight/aero road bike unveiled just ahead of the Tour de France, where we checked out sprinter Milan Fretin's bike.
The claimed weight for the 795 Blade RS 3 frame is only 60g more than the 785 Huez RS, at 890g and Look quotes a fork weight that's 20g lower, with complete builds from a claimed 6.9kg.
Look 785 Huez RS specs and prices
Look claims a 6.6kg weight for its top spec, equipped with SRAM Red AXS and Scope Artech 2 wheels, and priced at €11,990.
The lower-priced build, with Shimano Ultegra and Fulcrum Speed 25 or 42 wheels, has a 7.2kg or 7.4kg claimed weight and is priced at €7,490.
There’s a frameset-only option, priced at €3,190.
Look offers a lifetime warranty on its frame and fork, with the bike hand painted and assembled at its factory in Nevers, Burgundy. The Look 785 Huez RS is available immediately.
