US brand All-City has this week launched the brand new Zig Zag, a steel road bike designed to, in their worlds, mix classic style with modern performance. It’s also the company’s first disc-equipped road bike.
The new Zig Zag is described as an evolution of the company’s Mr. Pink. Where that bike was a retro-themed steel road bike (you can read our review here), the new Zig Zag is thoroughly modern.
That bike was first introduced in 2012 and we reviewed it in 2017. It was a classic looking road bike with a retro feel. You can read that review here.
What do we mean by modern? Well, it has disc brakes for a start, using 12mm thru-axles and flat mount callipers. There’s also a tapered head tube for extra front-end stiffness and three bottle cage bosses.
But then there are classic details like the brazed seat collar, pump peg, custom head badge, external cable routing and signature dropouts.
Tyre clearance is a key talking point with modern road bikes. The Zig Zag has space for up to 32mm without mudguards, 35mm without. That opens the bike up for some light gravel and dirt use with a few good tyres in that size range that will cope with some rough stuffing.
The use of the company’s own A.C.E. steel tubing, TIG welded, is intended to provide a smooth ride for long-distance routes over all sorts of road surfaces. The geometry has been chosen to offer performance-focused handling.
“We built it to be a ripping fast and efficient machine that shields the rider from road chatter and unnecessary fatigue, allowing them to go further, faster, and have more fun. The addition of disc brakes provides confidence in all weather conditions and allows ultimate control on descents,” says the company.
Practical concerns, as a storm rips across the UK at the time of writing, including mounts for full-length mudguards. The frame has also been ED (Electrophoretic Deposition) coated to protect the frame from the elements.
A Zig Zag frame with Whisky carbon fork will cost £1,300 with a choice of sizes from 46 to 61cm and a red/orange fade colour scheme. According to UK importer Ison Distribution, the frames will be available 15th August. More info here.
David has worked on the road.cc tech team since July 2012. 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.