Disc Jockey Has A Spin
Blending a stiff, lightweight aero chassis with precise stopping power, BH’s new G7 Disc is a superb all-rounder.
TO DISC OR NOT TO DISC
While the UCI doesn’t seem too eager to integrate disc brakes into the ProTour, manufacturers are putting their engineering prowess behind the technology, with every major brand introducing at least one disc- equipped model into their line- up. BH have followed suit by unveiling the G7 Disc, calling it an evolution of their mechanical- brakeset- equipped G6 Pro aero road frame.
HANDLES BEAUTIFULLY
The G7 Disc’s geometry and sloping frame design largely mirror those of the G6 Pro – which is a good thing, as the G7 inherits all of the G6’s speed, stiffness and confidence. It’s a pleasure to ride, and handles beautifully through the turns. The major frame changes come in the form of a revised rear end and front fork, which have both been tweaked to accommodate disc brakes.
Gear cables and brake housing are neatly routed through the frame, while provision is made for Di2 wiring if you’re planning an upgrade.
GETTING A GRIP
rode the Ultegra model, which pairs a mechanical 11-speed Shimano Ultegra transmission and compact 50/ 34T FSA crankset with a Shimano RS505 hydraulic flatmount brakeset that stops on 140mm rotors.
Despite the RS505 STIs being rather large and long (compared to Shimano’s R685 STIs), we found their bulky appearance to be deceptive. Although grip and reach differed slightly, comfort was on a par with non- hydraulic levers, while braking performance outshone the equivalent Shimano 105 mechanical brakeset.
Interestingly, when chatting to amateur riders during the review period, most said they feel STIs are too small for their hands, compromising their grip. Given the opportunity to handle the RS505 STIs, they agreed that the relative bulkiness was a good thing –