Rondo HVRT CF1
In the fork’s high axle position the HVRT’s thrilling handling is akin to that of a race bike
£4699 / OUR 2019 BIKE OF THE YEAR WINNER MAKES A BIG RETURN
Rondo has blazed a trail with its ultra-versatile, dual-geometry bikes that feature a unique flippable Twin-Tip fork. Twist the fork insert and you can transform the Taiwan-built, Poland-assembled HVRT from a fast-as road bike into a more relaxed endurance machine. You can also switch the HVRT’s wheels between 650b and 700c, making it the Swiss Army knife of road bikes, hence the ‘highvelocity-rough-terrain’ name.
The HVRT’s frame features kammtail-profile tubes and aero-sculpted junctions. Its dropped aero-shaped seatstays taper in diameter towards the dropouts and extend beyond the rear axle. In conjunction with the HVRT’s narrow chainstays, this creates a spring-like effect for a ride that’s far more compliant and comfortable than that of most of its aerodynamic rivals.
The difference when you flip the Twin-Tip insert is striking. In the high axle position the HVRT’s thrilling handling is akin to that of a race bike; in the low axle position there’s more stability than sharpness for a ride that relaxes the handling a little and turns it into a confident cruiser. Throw in the dual-wheel trick and you can also transform the HVRT into an extremely capable, fast gravel machine that’ll power you through wooded singletrack and more.
The contact points – Easton’s aero bar and Fabric saddle – are about as good it gets. Throw in a high-quality Hunt wheelset and mechanical Ultegra and the HVRT has a quality kit package to match its ride, with a little excess weight perhaps the bike’s only downside.
The HVRT may be very much a road bike at heart but Rondo has added a do-it-all nature that imbues it with a confident ride over every type of terrain, which simultaneously makes it a genuine aero, endurance, gravel and race machine. If you have space for only one bike in your life, why not make it the one that’s arguably the most versatile around?
THE VERDICT
Super-versatile bike with swappable wheel size and handling