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TECH NEWS
cross-disc-carbon-bgwhite.jpgDon't tell Wilier but… Dutch shop sells Wilier cross bikes with Vivax hidden motor
Italian bicycle manufacturer Wilier has been thrust into the headlines this week but for all the wrong reasons: it was a Wilier Carbon Cross Bike that was at the centre of the mechanical doping scandal that unfolded at the 2016 Cyclocross World Championships at the weekend.
- Mechanical doping: Wilier “shocked” and will take legal action against Femke Van Den Driessche
Wilier has been keen to distance itself from the events, and yesterday issued a statement saying that it was “shocked” and is seeking legal action against Femke Van Den Driessche and anyone responsible for “this very serious matter”.
- Mechanical doping: All you need to know about concealed motors
Of course, Wilier don’t sell a cyclocross bike with a hidden motor. But a Dutch bike shop will sell you one. Cycling Math Salden is selling a Wilier Carbon Cross Disc bike with a Vivax Assist motor pre-installed for €4,990. It's ready to ride, just charge the battery and off you go.
The bike can be customised to your requirements and budget, with a range of groupsets, wheels and finishing kit available. The shop offers worldwide shipping.
“This bike will be equiped with invisible Vivax pedalling system which gives you 150 watt extra,” says the bike shop on its website.
The bike will be assembled with the hidden motor, which is concealed in the seat tube and drives the cranks, at the bike shop and sold as a complete bike. The price includes a bike fit and free service after 500km.
If a cyclocross bike isn't your thing, how about this Wilier Izoard with a Vivax Assist motor pre-installed? It costs €4,390 with a Shimano 105 groupset and Deda equipment,but you can upspec it if you want.
Woud you buy one?
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
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14 comments
I think the point is that the technology isn't as exotic as we poor fans think.
Wilier are either about to corner a substantial new market of casual assisted cyclists on the back of a £gaziilion worth of free publicity, or their brand now has as much credibility as a Lance Armstrong urine sample. I'm not sure which, but personally I'm sure glad that I do not own one.
I own one, and I love it. Fantastically light, stiff and comfortable. And given that this shop seems to be making the mods themselves I don't see how it reflects poorly on the brand, it just reinforces the fact that they are good bikes to start with. But if sales drop it makes mine more exclusive, so I'm fine with that too.
And like Gizmo_, I would buy one of these modified bikes. I'm finishing breakfast now, then heading out for 200k. I want a solid long training day, and my girlfriend can't keep up with what I will be doing. That also means she will miss the fantastic sights and a great day out. She's not that weak though (and I'm not that strong), and if she rode hard and had an extra 50 watts or so she would probably keep up with me. With 100 watts and pedalling hard herself she would stretch me and make it a really tough training session for both of us. She wouldn't race it, she doesn't use strava, and this would be light, good looking and would even match my bike. Happily she is a lot shorter than me though so there is no chance we would ever get them mixed up as I hurried off to a race. I can't see any down side.
As long as you're not racing and aren't trying to pass off your Strava files as 'your' effort, I don't see the problem. Cycling is about freedom, the open air, that sort of thing. Yes, there's a sense of satisfaction having got to the top of a hill under your own steam, but if you're not bothered about that, a little 'assistance' could help you go further and faster and see more.
And even if you wouldn't ride it yourself - if the assistance fills the gap between you and a friend or partner enabling you to ride together without them feeling they're holding you up? That's a winner.
70 miles is a bit much but a 20mile each way commute on one of these would be very doable.
I would get one not for leisure or club cycling but for commuting , if the road infrastructure allowed for safe use of cycling on my 70 mile commute. As it does not , I stick to my partial commute on a nonmotorised CX bike. i would even get rid of one of our cars if the infrastructure was right.
If it meant I could keep up with friends/children/cycling club more easily then why not? It's not going to make you go faster than 15mph, which is one of the limits to the assist, so it's not going to make you a rocket on the flat, but will certainly help uphill.
From the Vivax Assist instrustion manual.
"The vivax assist does not have a speed limiter at 25 km/h and is not certified for public streets."
My mates are happy to put me in the hurt bucket every now and again (and I am occasionally happy to return the favour when I am feeling strong) but I wouldn't leave my mates behind. If you need a motor to keep up with your "friends" maybe you should get some new friends.
Yes, 'cos as we all know, friendship relates only to closely matched physical ability. It's odd though, I believe some of the people who've wasted money on these things pretend they are friends with real cyclists who make the effort to ride unassisted. Ridiculous! I can only imagine said athletic try-hards continually do their best to outpace the sluggards, driven ever faster by a feeling of shame and pity.
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My mates are happy to put me in the hurt bucket every now and again (and I am occasionally happy to return the favour when I am feeling strong) but I wouldn't leave my mates behind. If you need a motor to keep up with your "friends" maybe you should get some new friends.
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Comment of the day!
Er, no. What sort of idiot would?
5k for something that sounds like a milk float.
Seems unlikely it would, but i've not heard one - you ?