Racing DNA
Tresca TCA-1 £1600 British-bred aluminium race machine
On the road the TCA-1 feels just like a good bike should: stiff through the pedals, responding well to steering inputs
Tresca is a relatively new brand based in the UK with all the design and development carried out by a small dedicated team (frame manufacturing is in Asia). The TCA-1 frame is good looking and the individual tube profiles show some clever thinking. Tresca tells us that each tube has unique butting profiles and hydro forming. The seat-tube has a nod to aerodynamics with its wheel-hugging profile. The seat stays are multi-shaped and tapering, whilst the boxy chain stays are there for power efficiency. The squarish down-tube is neatly radiused and it, along with the seat-tube, flares out at the bottom bracket junction for maximum stiffness in the BB shell.
Up front, an oversized and tapered head-tube ensures handling accuracy.
Fizik provides its decent R5 Cyrano bar and stem, also providing the R5 level Antares saddle. The alloy DT Swiss P1800 wheels have a great reputation for hardy longevity. The 105 drivetrain is quite brilliant, accurate shifts are the order of the day and the standard rim brakes with soft gummy pads are the perfect companion to the alloy DT rims.
On the road the TCA-1 feels just like a good bike should: stiff through the pedals, responding well to steering inputs. The aggressive ride position gleaned from the low stack of 584mm and mid-long reach of 387mm sets the TCA-1 out as a race bike. The steering is quick yet stable. Compared to our benchmark aluminium race machine, the Cannondale CAAD12, the TCA-1 has more rake on the fork (58mm compared to 45mm) and
more trail (64mm compared to 56mm). That means it’s not quite as snappy and nimble as the CAAD12 (or the new CAAD13, which shares the same geometry) but it’s very similar.
The similarities to Cannondale don’t end there with the back end of the Tresca having dropped stays (like the CAAD13). It has also adopted the minimal 25.4mm seatpost first seen on the last generation Cannondale SuperSix Evo and CAAD12. This combination of slim post and low stays makes the back end of the TCA-1 a smooth riding experience. It’s slightly in contrast with the front end where the combination of stiff alloy bar and a stiff carbon fork offers a much firmer ride. It’s never uncomfortable but it’s a marked difference between the front and back, especially on coarse road surfaces; a carbon bar upgrade wouldn’t go amiss here.