While we were at Ghost's 2011 mountain bike launch in Scotland we got a sneak peak at one of the German company's road bikes, which will soon be available in the UK for the first time.
The range starts with the Race 4900, which offers a double-butted aluminium frame and carbon-bladed fork, Shimano Tiagra, and basic FSA finishing kit and Easton wheels for £999.99. It peaks with the £5,499.99 full-carbon Lector SL, with Dura-Ace, Ritchey WCS kit and EC90 SLs.
The frames sport on-trend features including press-fit bottom brackets and tapered head tubes. Unlike some other German brands, Ghost have made concessions to comfort rather than pursuing stiffness at all costs. These include road-buzz-damping Active Flex Seat Stays, ovalised chainstays – which are also size-specific – and fairly long head tubes, so the bikes should be suitable for sportive riding as well as racing.
Pictured here is the Race Lector Pro, which has a full Ultegra groupset, Ritchey WCS bits and EA90s for £2,499.99. The bike had been hastily prepared for the launch – it's the only one in the UK – so it lacked a headset and sported a spelling error on the seatstay.
The star of the range looks likely to be the Race Lector Comp, which is £600 cheaper than the Pro (£1,899.99) but sports the same frame and groupset, albeit with FSA Gossamer cranks instead of Ultegra. Costs are cut with the speccing of EA70 wheels and FSA finishing kit.
For more information about Ghost's road bikes, visit www.ghost-bikes.de or contact UK distributors Hotlines.
