Look 785 Huez Shimano 105 review
Capable, racy climber held down by its wheels and price tag
GBP £2,599.00 RRP | USD $2,500.00 Skip to view dealsPublished:
Made from the same mold as the exclusive 785 D’Huez RS but with less expensive carbon, the Look 785 Huez is a race-ready chassis built with Shimano’s dependable 105 5800 group and RS10 wheels. With lively geometry, a 52/36 crank and an 11-32t cassette, you can have fun going up and down hills. But the bottom line is that it’s overpriced for a 105 bike.
Named for a mountain, made for the mountains
In late 2017, Look rolled out its 785 D’Huez RS, a claimed 730g frame with a 280g fork to match. Dressed in full SRAM Red eTap with Corima Carbon 32mm wheels, the bike weighs a claimed 5.9kg / 13lb.
Aside from lightening the scales, a bike like this, as you would suspect, can also substantially lighten your wallet. So as many brands do, Look created some trickle-down options, using the same mold but with less-expensive carbon and more obtainable parts.
Look offers the 785 Huez in a few builds, but this Shimano 105 package is only available in North America. Built with Shimano RS10 wheels, which add a not-insignificant 1,848g, the bike weighs 8.3kg / 18.3lb. Look claims the 785 Huez frame weighs 990g in size Small, with the fork adding another 350g.

Adding budget wheels to a climbing bike doesn’t do you any favors in the old power-to-weight equation so critical for going uphill, but there are other aspects of the bike that still shine.
For instance, the overall lateral stiffness of the bike is very good; whether out of the saddle of just mashing hard in the saddle over a steep rise, the bike provides a taut platform to leverage against.
Further, the 11-32t cassette can be a boon for steep climbs. While most bikes sold with Shimano 105 feature compact 50/34 cranks, the 785 Huez opts for a 52/36 sub-compact, which racers will appreciate. Having a sub-compact up front and a wide-range cassette in the back is in many ways the best of both worlds: top-end speed and a steep-climb-friendly low gear.

The geometry of the machine is fairly straightforward, with a bent towards competition over casual riding. On my Large test bike, for example, the 582mm stack puts it about a 15mm taller than an all-out race bike, such as a Cannondale SuperSix or a Specialized Tarmac, but well below an endurance bike like the Specialized Roubaix, which sits at 611mm for a comparable size. At 395mm of reach, the 785 Huez has effectively the same length top tube as a race bike.
The alloy seatpost and stem are unremarkable, but the alloy handlebar feels a touch old school with its narrow diameter and thin bar tape. More companies are opting for thicker and/or shaped handlebars these days to disperse pressure at the palms, and Look could gain from making the same change.

Saddles will always be a matter of personal preference, but I found the Selle Italia X3 comfortable, with a neutral shape, a middle level of padding and a small cutout. Along with the yellow housing, the yellow highlights on the saddle tie the bike’s aesthetic together nicely.
All and all, the Look 785 Huez is a good machine, with a sporty frameset, dependable 105 group and a well put together look. The wheels are heavy and inexpensive, but that is fairly standard for a 105-level bike. What isn’t standard is the $2,500 price (sorry, UK and European readers — we just have $ pricing on this one). You can buy a Giant TCR Advanced 2 with 105 for $1,734. Or, for $2,400, you can buy a Specialized Tarmac Elite with Shimano Ultegra.
The Look 785 Huez is a fine bike, but for the asking price, it’s a hard sell.

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Product Specifications
Product
Name | 785 Huez Shimano 105 |
Brand | Look |
Brakes | Shimano 105 5800 |
Stem | LOOK ALLOY LS2 +/- 7° |
Reach (cm) | 39.5 |
Stack (cm) | 58.2 |
Head Tube (cm) | 18.5 |
Frame size tested | L |
Brake Levers | Shimano 105 5800 |
Weight (lb) | 18.25 |
Chainring Size (No of Teeth) | 36 52 |
Year | 2018 |
Wheelset | Shimano RS10 |
Weight (kg) | 8.28 |
Shifters | Shimano 105 5800 |
Cassette | Shimano 105 5800, 11-32t |
Seatpost | LOOK LS2 carbon 27.2mm x 350mm |
Seat Angle | 73 |
Saddle | Selle Italia X 3 |
Rear Tyre | Continental UltraSport 25mm |
Rear Derailleur | Shimano 105 5800 |
Head Angle | 73 |
Handlebar | LOOK LS2 Alloy Compact |
Front Tyre | Continental UltraSport 25mm |
Front Derailleur | Shimano 105 5800 |
Cranks | Shimano 105 5800, 52/36 |
Chain | Shimano 105 5800 |
All measurements for frame size tested | L |