Cooper T100 Monza review

The Cooper name is legendary in motor racing, from Stirling Moss driving a Cooper to the first Grand Prix victory by a rear-engined race car, to the rally successes of the Mini Cooper.

Cooper bikes are the brainchild of Mike Cooper, son of company founder John, and the range embraces that rich racing heritage. So far four bikes have been released, the T100 Sebring and Monza at £595 and two versions of the pricier (£895) T200 drop bar model. We’ve tested the T100 Monza, finished in Cooper blue with subtle Monza decals.

Ride & handling: Quick and agile, with the zing of a quality steel frame

Our 57cm test bike’s 73-degree head and 73.5-degree seat tube angle, combined with a 56.5cm top tube and a 120mm-long, 20-degree drop stem, result in a long, low riding position. (If you’d prefer a more upright position, you can flip the stem.)

As it is, the bike is quick and agile, with the real zing of a quality steel frame. On paper, its weight of 21lb/9.5kg (without pedals) doesn’t do the Monza justice; it rides like a bike that’s easily a few pounds lighter.

As a debut bike from a new brand the T100 is outstanding. Our only niggles are with the loud graphics on the rims, which look out of place, and the cyclo-cross style brake levers – they work well enough but we’d prefer something more substantial.

Frame & equipment: Good-looking Reynolds chassis paired with some decent parts

The frame itself is built from Reynolds 520 butted steel tubing, with a matching straight bladed fork. Specification wise, Cooper have made a good stab at keeping things British with a Brooks Swallow saddle (or a women’s Swift) and a Sturmey Archer branded chainset in fixed-friendly 165mm length.

The seatpost, stem and bar are all Cooper items and are all finished in polished aluminium. The wheels comprise Formula high-flange polished track hubs with Alex R475 rims. We’ve come across these before and they make a hard wearing wheelset.

The flip-flop rear hub comes with a 16-tooth fixed sprocket and 16T freewheel. The Kenda tyres are simple mid-range items but the 25mm size offers a reasonable amount of cushioning and plenty of grip.