77 / 132
to the big ring compared to the Shimano Tiagra
groupset, not to mention the 11-speed gearing.
PACKING A PUNCH
Right from our first ride, the ONE Sport handlebars
felt too narrow for a medium-sized bike, and we
measured ours at just 40.5cm across. This did lead
to some shoulder discomfort on a longer ride, but
bar width comes down to personal preference so
be aware that you might want a wider bar than the
stock version if you’re broad-shouldered. ONE
sport are an OEM brand (and are also responsible
for the stem, seatpost and hubs on Tifosi’s CK3
range), and the parts are robust and reliable with
no noticeable trade-offs compared to offerings
from better known brands.
Handlebar issues aside, we found the ride to be
pleasantly punchy on flats. Although you get the
obvious weight penalty compared to a carbon
frame, it performed well on our hilly route on
every occasion, with the bottom sprockets
untouched. A 50/34 chainset with 12-28 cassette
provides a fine range of gears for climbing and
flats alike for a reasonably fit rider, though true
beginners might prefer a compact chainset.
The Selle Royale Seta saddle adds to the bike’s
credentials as a comfortable racer. It’s nicely
padded and caused us no discomfort on rides of
up to 60km. The Tektro calipers definitely wouldn’t
be our choice, and we found in the wet they just
didn’t give us the confidence that you’d get with
105 calipers, taking a split second longer to
respond to sharp braking. If you’re going to make
a £50 upgrade we’d suggest this would be the first
place to do so.
The Weinmann Flyer wheels caused us no
problems – we hardly felt any vibration – and we
were pleased with Tifosi’s choice of selecting
25mm tyres to accompany them. Those supplied
on our test bike were the Vittoria G+, which
provided a plush ride and good traction. It’s worth
noting that the stock model of the 1.1 on Tifosi’s
website comes with Schwalbe’s Lugano tyres, a
budget option that have performed badly in
independent rolling resistance tests but are noted
for being tough and puncture resistant. If you’re
planning on racing the bike, we’d recommend
going with the Vittorias or a renowned race tyre
for the summer.
Overall, how does the CK3 Giro 1.1 stack up in
terms of value? With full 105 at the £850 mark it
trounces some of the bigger brands, and you have
to go up to £1,300 before you find a Specialized
Allez specced with a 105 mix as an example. At the
other end, you can pick up a Mango Point R with
full 105 groupset and full internal cable routing for
a pound less at £849, but it has a heavier frame
and Mango take advantage of a direct sales model.
All in all, we’d recommend any bike in Tifosi’s
CK3 Giro range for the entry-level multisporter
who wants a do-it-all bike for anything but truly
heavy use in the winter. The 1.1 version may be the
best value of all four and, if you have a £1,000
budget, you can easily swap out those tyres,
handlebars and brake calipers if required with
money to spare.
FEBRUARY 2017
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WWW.220TRIATHLON.COMI
77
TEST
CENTRE
1
The CK3 has a mix of internal and external cable routing
2
The 50/34 chainset and 12-28 cassette provides a range of gearing for the hills and flats alike
3
The Selle Royale
Seta saddle adds more comfort to the package, with the decent amount of padding providing plenty of comfort over 60km bike legs
TECH
Size tested
M
Overall weight
9.2kg
(without pedals)
FRAME AND FORKS
Sizes
XS, S, M, L, XL
Frame
TFX Ultralite Aluminium
Fork
Tifosi UD Carbon
TRANSMISSION
Chainset
FSA 11
Bottom Bracket
BSA
Cassette
Shimano 105
Chain
KMC
Derailleurs
Shimano 105
Shifters
Shimano 105
WHEELS
Front and rear
Weinmann Flyer
Tyres
Vittoria Rubino G+ 25c
COMPONENTS
Stem
ONE Sport alloy
Bars
ONE sport alloy
Headset
FSA
Saddle
Selle Royal Seta
Seatpost
ONE Sport alloy
Brakes
Shimano 105 levers, Tektro
R312 calipers
DIMENSIONS
1
Head angle
73º
2
Seat angle
73.5º
3
Effective top tube
54.7cm
4
Stack
55.7cm
5
Reach
38.2cm
6
Standover
73cm
7
Chainstay
40.5cm
8
Wheelbase
97.6cm
9
Head tube
15.5cm
1
2
3
81
%
A couple of component let-downs but otherwise a
great value entry-level racer
››
VERDICT
TIFOSI CK3GIRO1.1