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Time ZXRS £7845.94 › Technical writer Robin Wilmott is enjoying the of his life

Cutting-edge carbon frames have long been a passion of mine. My secondever road bike was a 1990 TVT 92 in Z Team colours, an equivalent bike to the one Greg LeMond had just won two Tours de France on. I raced it for seven years and loved every minute, and am currently rebuilding it, just to hang on the wall.

But, directly below it on the stand is its modern day incarnation, with resin lines stretching back through TVT to early 1985 Look carbon frames thanks to designer Jean Marc Gueugneaud, now of Time Sport International. The difference is striking – the TVT’s slim carbon tubes bonded in to alloy lugs alongside the aggressive stance of Time’s angular, oversized monocoque chassis.

The 2014 ZXRS module comprises the Translink integrated seatmast, Monolink Ulteam carbon stem (1), Quickset headset, fork and carbon bottle cage, weighing just 1490g with an uncut steerer. I’ve fitted SRAM’s new Force 22 groupset (2) with a 53/39 conventional road double and 11-28 cassette to deal with our local hills, and have been amazed at how much of an improvement it is. Shifting is much snappier, always unerringly precise, and very close to Red’s performance. Being able to use every gear combination has been more useful than expected, and it seems quieter too.

I was looking for a high-class clincher to complete the build, when some Enve 3.4s with red Chris King hubs (3) landed, and they’re now sporting Challenge Latex tubes and Vittoria Open Corsa CX 23mm tyres. The wheelset is an excellent all-round performer, light, agile and stable in all conditions, with above average braking and clincher convenience.

The build was topped off with a Syntace Racelite CDR carbon bar, with a backswept shape that’s easy on the wrists, wrapped in super grippy, well-cushioned Lizard Skins DSP tape. Prologo’s Scratch Pro CPC saddle is comfortable, but you have to sit down accurately, as the anti-slip CPC patches just won’t let you slide in to position. A red anodised K-Edge Garmin mount completes the setup, and I’m willing to overlook the assorted shades of red to be able to enjoy such a stunning machine.

Every ride or race so far has been a pleasure. From the first mile, it’s clear that the ZXRS isn’t built for cruising, it has the most refined, holistic feel, as if every element is working for the greater good, whether that’s greater speed or composed cornering, and the asymmetric chainstays help it to dance up hills. In fact, whenever I hang it back on the wall, it reminds me of how electrifying my TVT felt in 1990. You could say they’re both very much of their time… www.extrauk.co.uk

Whenever I hang it back on the wall, it reminds me of how electrifying my TVT 92 felt in 1990