CONDOR ITALIA
£1965.99 › Classic looks (and brakes) combined with a competitive edge
Condor’s Italia is one for the purists. A classic-looking aluminium frame that uses rim brakes instead of discs and routes all its cables externally. It’s designed as an all-weather training bike that’s also ideal for commuting. It has mounts for a rear rack and ours came with 28mm-wide Mavic tyres along with impressive Portland Design Works (PDW) mudguards, which add £79.99 to this build’s £1886 price (it’s £749.99 for the frameset).
The weight for the frame in this 55cm size is claimed to be 1600g, to which you need to add 580g for the carbon fork with its alloy steerer tube. Of course, the beauty of buying a Condor is the freedom to select your components, so you have control over its ride feel and ultimate weight. We opted for a trusty Shimano 105 groupset, with a 50/34 chainset and 11-30 cassette, a Fizik saddle, tubeless Mavic Ksyriums with 28mm Yksion Pro tyres and those PDW mudguards.
It’s hard to describe just how good the PDWs are. For anyone sick of getting a sodden backside and filthy face, these aluminium fenders are the solution. They’re held in place by one-piece tubular aluminium stays that are sturdy enough to eliminate vibrations and have bolt-on flaps that get large reflective panels and reach to within 10cm of the ground. Forget about getting spray on your feet, or dousing the riders behind you, these mudguards serve as a near impregnable barrier to any moisture thrown up by the road.
A taller front end differentiates the Italia from more race-derived road bikes, but still allows for a low cockpit with the appropriately angled stem and deep-drop bars. The Deda bar and stem are comfortable and stiff, and the 27.2mm carbon seatpost filters out road buzz before it reaches you.
Condor’s Italia is a bit of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, hiding plentiful speed behind a refined exterior
The Italia generates speed with ease. It’s more than capable of competing for signpost sprints
With its parallel 73.5° head and seat tubes, the Italia has quick handling and a livelier front end than most of the bikes here. The frame responds well to pedal inputs, which are willingly transformed into forward surges. Reasonably light tyres help it pick up speed and the generously wide, tubeless tyres mean you can run lower inflation pressures to improve comfort and grip, while reducing rolling resistance and the likelihood of puncturing.
The Italia generates speed with ease. It’s more than capable of competing with your mates in signpost sprints, and an easy companion for lengthy winter rides. It has the feel of a more expensive bike, but the practicality of an allseason hack. Maintaining speed on flat or rolling terrain is bread and butter for the Italia, and it descends with assuredness.
Among a raft of disc-braked bikes, Condor’s own-brand Pioggia rim brake callipers give away quite a lot in terms of braking effectiveness. They do the job, certainly, but stopping expectations need to be recalibrated accordingly. But if you’re a disc disciple, there is an Italia Disc on its way soon.
With provision for a rear rack, the Italia works well as a fast commute bike, as well as the obvious winter trainer. It wouldn’t be disgraced in a race either, with a few tweaks. It’s not exceptionally light or cheap, but for classy looks with a ride to match, the Italia is worth a look.