220Triathlon Edição 334

ontrary to their Italian name, road bike

specialists Tifosi are very much a British

operation, and a proprietary brand of

cycle distributor Chicken Cycles. Though

comparatively small next to some of the major

players they’re starting to make waves in the road

market with their Spirit Tifosi racing squad,

emerging as one of the most successful elite

amateur road racing teams in 2016.

Tifosi describe themselves as synonymous with

the term ‘winter bike’, but the CK3 Giro range is

aimed at entry-level racing or sportive riding. At

9.2kg for our sized medium build, it might not be

super-light, but this is a fairly good weight for a

sub-£1k aluminium bike.

The top tube and down tube boast the Tifosi

branding, and are complemented by a simple

black and red paintjob to give a modern look to

live up to the Italian-sounding name. The top tube

also has some aero profiling and looks racey, and

paired with quite a chunky down tube, the frame is

a well-rounded effort that isn’t ultra-aggressive

but is certainly a suitable geometry for an

entry-level race bike.

SIMPLE SAVINGS

Interestingly the cabling is part-internal, exposed

on the top and internal on the down tube. We’re

told this was simply a cost-saving exercise, and

considering the bike has gone down from £999

last year to £850 for 2017 this can be excused.

Expecting a further catch, we were told there

genuinely isn’t one and that the price drop was

simply to pass savings onto the retailer and

consumer. Looking at the build we’d largely concur,

with the only downgrade being the Tektro brake

calipers instead of Shimano 105.

The CK3 Giro range has four models in its line,

with the 1.1 version being the highest-specced

Shimano-equipped bike. You get Shimano 105

shifters, derailleurs, cassette and brake levers,

which is very good value for a bike comfortably

under the £1k mark. We find 105 gives more

definitive shifting and a slightly smoother upshift

The aero profiling and

subtle design give the

CK3 a modern look

The 9.2kg weight is satisfactory

for a sub-£1k aluminium bike

WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM

FEBRUARY 2017

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