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TECH NEWS
Vitus introduces 2016 cyclocross range
Vitus Bikes, the straight-to-consumer brand owned by Chain Reaction Cycles, has released its 2016 cyclocross line-up, two of the three models coming with SRAM’s new 1x single chainring drivetrain.
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The top-level bike in the range is the redesigned full-carbon Energie Pro at £1,599.99. This is a full-on cyclocross race bike and Vitus says that the frame has been reduced in weight by 200g compared to the 2015 model. It also has increased mud clearance.
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The Energie Pro is one of the bikes that’s equipped with a SRAM 1x (pronounced ‘one by’) drivetrain – Rival 1. 1x comprises a single chainring matched up with a wide-ranging cassette.
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SRAM says that a 1x system is simpler because there’s no front mech or front shifter, there’s no chance of the chain rubbing on a non-existent front mech, and it’s quieter on rough surfaces. SRAM also says that the interface between the chain and chainring is better because their X-Sync rings have tall, square teeth edges that engage the chain earlier, and the traditional sharp and narrow tooth profile helps manage a deflected chain.
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The second bike in the range is the Vitus Energie (without the Pro) at £929.99. It also comes with a SRAM Rival 1x drivetrain but this time the bike is built around a 6061-T6 aluminium alloy frame with a revised geometry. A longer top tube and shorter stem are designed to improve handling while the narrow 27.2mm diameter seat post is designed to add comfort.
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The fork that plugs in the front is full carbon with a tapered steerer to improve tracking and a 15mm thru axle system rather than a standard quick release.
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The final bike in the cyclocross range is the Energie GR (£774.99). Vitus says, “This all weather, all discipline, all day training and commuting bike is aimed as a true “do it all” bike geared towards those who want to explore and take the roads less travelled.”
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This one is fitted with Shimano’s brand spanking new 2016 Tiagra 10-speed groupset but with TRP’s Spyre mechanical disc brakes, which scored very highly when we reviewed them here on road.cc.
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All three bikes will be available from www.chainreactioncycles.com from the end of this month.
You’ll be able to see the Vitus Bikes on stand H131 at the Cycle Show, September 24th-27th, at NEC Birmingham. You can buy tickets to the show at www.cycleshow.co.uk.
Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.
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14 comments
Look a lot like the Kona Jake range to me!
Not saying that's a bad thing...
Great looking bikes, shite names.
Agree about the "Energie" logo but these do look to be pretty good VFM....
Links to full technical spec's on all three bikes here >>
Energie PRO - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-bikes-energie-pro-cyclo-x-bike-...
Energie GR - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-bikes-energie-gr-city-bike-2016...
Energie - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/vitus-bikes-energie-cyclo-x-bike-2016...
According to the Chain Reaction website the top two is running a 40 tooth chain ring and a 11-32 cassette. The third model isn't listed on the site yet.
38 and 40 teeth seem popular sized single rings. I quite fancy setting up my cross bike as 1x, but I am running Shimano 9 speed and it gets complicated with rear derailleurs and the like.
I have a Shimano 1x9. 11-32 rear, 39 front. Not CX, it's the general runaround (the CX is a very ordinary 2x10, 11-32, 36-46)
Why complicated? Mine's as simple as a Daily Mail reader.
I race mine and I believe that to be reasonably sure of your chain not dropping mid race then you either need a chain guide or a thick thin chainring and clutch mech (like the Vitus)
Use a chain guide for racing, cheap and simple. You won't need the clutch for 11-32, I'm using just a Tiagra short cage derailleur (10 spd part, works fine as 9 spd) which is plenty for the tooth range given there's no change at the front. If I ever upgrade that bike to 10 speed, I'd probably try an 11-34.
I race mine and I believe that to be reasonably sure of your chain not dropping mid race then you either need a chain guide or a thick thin chainring and clutch mech (like the Vitus)
Very attractive bikes. Apart from the Energie logo.
With cross though if you're using one of the lowest gears that you can with the SRAM 1x stuff, it would be quicker to get off and run so it makes more sense to have a tighter cassette with more useful gears.
Also to have the 42t cog cassette you need a different freehub shape/style that might not be all that available yet for road wheels.
The top two look fantastic. I wonder what gear ranges they are running on the 1x set-up?
That looks like a very ordinary 11-32 cassette to me. The X1 may be able to handle a much bigger cassette, but they're expensive.
Yes, but I wonder what size ring they are using up front? I'm trying to finesse my home-made 1x10 set-up for CX