Eastway Zener D1 Ultegra

The D1 is the top-end model in Eastway's Zener endurance range. It looks great on paper, with a carbon fibre frameset, full Shimano Ultegra groupset, hydraulic disc brakes and Mavic wheels, all for £1800, and that positivity is carried through to the road. The monochrome paintjob doesn't hide a colourful ride.

British brand Eastway may have disappeared off the radar for a bit, but thanks to its acquisition by online retailer Wiggle, it's back for 2016 with a brand new line-up.

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The Zener range contains three models, all of which share the same frame and fork, designed to create a fast ride with plenty of comfort. Most endurance frames have shorter top tubes and a taller head tube to give a slightly more upright, relaxed position. The Zener has this, but not to the extremes we see on some.

On our 54cm test model the sloping top tube has a virtual length (measured as if the tube ran horizontally) of 535mm, paired with a head tube of just 140mm. These, when combined with a seat tube angle of 74 degrees and a head tube angle of 72.5, give a stack and reach (the vertical and horizontal measurements from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube) of 542mm and 380mm respectively: definitely on the racy side.

The ride

What does all this mean once you get it out on the road? Well, the D1 certainly likes to be ridden hard. It responds well to any input and you certainly feel as if you are getting a decent level of return on your effort.

Acceleration is brisk thanks to the oversized tubes and bottom bracket junction offering heaps of stiffness, especially in the lower half off the frame. You can really grab hold of the bar and whack the power through it for a sprint or short, fast climb.

The steep seat tube places you further forward in relation to the bottom bracket, which opens the hip angle, allowing for greater power transfer without compromising breathing. This means once you've got the Eastway up to speed you can keep it there by tucking into the shallow drops of the handlebar. Told you this thing had performance intentions.

To test the climbing and descending, I rode the Zener D1 on the Sheffield round of our team road.cc rideouts, which took in a loop of the Peak District. The D1 certainly left me impressed, especially considering it was a relatively unfamiliar bike on totally unfamiliar roads.

The long, steep climbs of the Peaks highlighted the stiffness running through the square section down tube and chainstays, connected by that wide BB86-compatible bottom bracket shell. While the D1 responds well to seated climbing, it's when you're out of the saddle that it really shows its true colours. Not a hint of flex anywhere, and with the shorter than normal top tube you can really stand up and stretch your back.

Its 8.63kg (19.03lb) weight doesn't feel relevant when climbing, as the majority of it is in the Mavic Aksium wheels; as long as you keep them spinning, the D1 rides as if it's much lighter than it is.

Once it's time to come down, the Zener has a very surefooted feel, and while the handling isn't razor sharp (changing direction in a high speed chicane, for example, can feel a tiny bit delayed), it is tight thanks to the tapered fork steerer, and well within the expected limits for a bike of this style. The line you aim for tends to be the line you follow, and with plenty of feedback you always know what the Zener is up to beneath you.

The 28mm Continental Ultra Sport tyres offer plenty of grip, easily enough to cope with the braking power of the Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, and they roll pretty well too. For comfort levels you can run these at lower pressures than narrower tyres, which you might well need to because the Zener frame is not the most supple, compared with other similar style framesets running the same tyre sizes and pressures.

Although firm, it does offer a smooth ride; it doesn't resonate or buzz over rough surfaces, so it's not tiring. You know you're hitting the bumps but it's not uncomfortable.

Frame and fork

The frame is full carbon fibre, with internal cable and hose routing for the gears and hydraulic brakes. The fact that Eastway offers a five-year warranty is pleasing to see: it's obviously confident in the longevity of the product.

As I've already mentioned, the head tube is tapered, matching a corresponding fork steerer. The larger diameter at the crown means a stiffer fork, which benefits handling and helps resist braking forces. It also means the junction between the head tube and down tube can be larger than if you were using a 1 1/8in lower race.

At the other end of the down tube you have the BB86 bottom bracket. This uses press-fit bearing cups, allowing the BB shell to be 86mm wide instead of a more traditional 68mm. A larger width here means the down tube can carry that oversize profile from top to bottom, stiffening up the frame.

Out of this come the square chunky chainstays, transferring power to the rear wheel. The chainstays are quite short, considering the type of bike and the added 5mm width of the disc hub (heel clearance can be an issue), but it does mean the rear triangle feels very tight and responsive.

Eastway has stuck with traditional 9mm quick release dropouts, and although some manufacturers are moving to thru-axles when disc brakes are involved, I certainly didn't feel that the Zener suffered in any way.

Finishing kit

This is where the Zener D1 scores particularly well. Shimano's latest 11-speed Ultegra groupset is a beautiful piece of kit, and the direct shifting certainly matches the solid feel of the frame.

The gear ratios are what you'd expect for a bike designed for the sportive scene: a 50/34 chainset with an 11-28 cassette. This offers plenty of options for climbing and top speed work.

The braking is taken care of by the excellent Shimano R785 hydraulic callipers paired with R685 STI units. These aren't groupset specific, but with their carbon levers and light shifting they sit well with the Ultegra derailleurs; you even find them on hydraulic-equipped Dura-Ace-specced bikes.

The hydraulic units bring so much modulation to the braking, wet and dry, and while the rear can be a little lively you soon learn you only need to tickle it a bit with two fingers to bring the bike to a complete stop. With the front you can easily grab a handful without losing traction thanks to the 140mm Ice Tech rotor being bang on performance-wise for road use.

The cockpit and seatpost come from Ritchey's Comp range – quality aluminium pieces whose high gloss finish mates well with the Zener's matt one. The Evo Curve handlebar has a shallow drop which means you can get aero enough to duck out of a headwind even if you aren't that flexible. The minimal effect on your centre of gravity compared with a deeper traditional-drop bar means the handling remains unchanged too.

> For more choices, check out our guide to 2016 sportive and endurance bikes here

A colour matched Fizik Aliante saddle sits atop the seatpost, and very comfortable it is as well. Its shape is suited to long hours in the saddle, while being narrow enough to offer thigh clearance if you want to get low and get the power down.

Wheels and tyres

The marketplace for entry-level disc brake-compatible wheelsets is increasing rapidly, but choices are still pretty limited to just a few brands. Eastway's decision to go with the Mavic Aksium Discs ties in with the sensibly priced and high performing branded finishing kit specced on the rest of the Zener. It gives the D1 one a complete look, if you will, like no corners have been cut to hit a budget.

The Aksiums are robust and will stand up to plenty of abuse, so longevity won't be an issue, though the near-2kg weight takes the shine off the Zener's acceleration just a touch. As I mentioned above, though, it isn't a deal breaker because once they're rolling that speed isn't a chore to maintain.

The Continental Ultra Sport tyres did suffer a puncture from a sharp bit of grit, but on the whole they are decent performers, especially for the autumn/winter crossover of the test period.

Conclusion

The Zener D1 is a great all-round bike, with a quality frame at its heart. Its solid and smooth feeling gives you heaps of confidence, and allows you to push a little harder than you might normally. The reward for working hard is paid back in performance, with the tight frame really responding when you get the power down.

Value for money is another big marker for the Eastway. Full Ultegra, hydraulic disc brakes and a full-carbon frameset is impressive for the £1800 price tag, and with the Zener riding as well as it does, it goes to show Wiggle hasn't just tarted it up to disguise a mediocre frame. Everything works well together.

Verdict

Excellent value for money endurance machine with performance intentions, an awesome sportive-cum-club run bike