Look has been synonymous with carbon frame technology ever since Greg LeMond won the 1986 Tour de France on its pioneering KG86 frame.
Highs: Heritage, comfort, compliance
Lows: Correct initial sizing is vital
The French company has recently begun offering its frames as fully built bikes, and it’s hard not to be impressed with the Mavic Cosmic SLE 50mm carbon wheels, fully integrated A-Stem with carbon cockpit, and colour-matched Look pedals and Jagwire cables that ours came with. Given the asking price, Ultegra might seem a bit of a compromise, but do consider that Look handbuilds its frames in France and Tunisia.
It’s a fast-looking frame, too, and the 675 soon seduces you via its blend of comfort and aggression.
The integrated stem allows for only minimal adjustment, so it is vital to get your frame and stem sizing right, although as Look doesn’t allow its bikes to be sold unseen, this shouldn’t be an issue. One added benefit of the slightly relaxed geometry is that the 675 Light is an immensely comfortable bike on which to spend extended periods on the drops.
The Mavic Cosmic wheels are a long-time favourite and a great addition, and seem far less prone to getting blown across the road every time you pass a gate than some predecessors. A cheaper option is also available with Mavic Aksium WTS wheels, though.
The Look’s light weight makes climbing in the saddle a cinch, but when the road does kick up – or you want to shift to a higher gear and attack the hill full gas – the transfer of power as you stand on the pedals is as immediate as is perceptible, resulting in no loss of momentum.
The bike is completely trustworthy when the time comes to head back down as well. Long, sweeping descents are pure joy, as the 675 Light is easily guided by leaning into the bends and focusing on your exit point. When things do get steep and narrow, the trusty Ultegra brakes scrub your speed off smoothly and safely.
The rest of the Ultegra groupset provides its usual swift and precise shifting, while the stiff chainset proves the ideal complement to the 675’s all-carbon bottom bracket, ensuring that virtually no power is lost.
The ergonomically styled carbon bar is exceptionally comfortable, particularly on the wide and flat tops. It’s a position where you often find yourself when out logging long miles, and proves this bike is designed for just that purpose.