Basso Diamante SV frameset

The Basso Diamante SV might be showing its age a little compared to aero road bikes launched in the last 18 months, but it's still a real head-turner and a fine option for those who want quality Italian craftsmanship and are prepared to pay for it. Paired with the finest Campagnolo groupset and some deep carbon rims, the Diamente SV not only oozes style but, as the name suggests, it's super-fast too.

Launched in 2017, the SV stands for Super Veloce, or 'super fast' in English, and is basically a more aero version of Basso's standard Diamante frame. It has slim lines and plenty of aero-inspired features such as the blade shape to the seat tube, although the top tube maintains a more traditional rounded shape.

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You could say it looks a bit dated compared with aero bikes launched 2019 onwards that support complete cable integration, but Basso is confident of the frame's aerodynamic performance achieved mostly through CFD analysis and a little bit of wind tunnel time to develop it.

Its production facility experts also produce composite structures for the aviation and automotive industries, so we can be confident they know their stuff, although we have to take Basso's word for it without any actual wind tunnel results available to analyse.

The frame is one hundred per cent handmade in Italy using Toray T1000 and T800 carbon fibres, with "only the best carbon selected", according to Basso. This blend of carbon has a very high tensile strength, which has allowed Basso to make a very stiff frame with less material to bring the weight down to 954g.

Geometry

With a 530mm stack and 393mm reach on my 53cm test bike, it's about as aggressive as you're going to get on a road bike; it's longer and lower than both a Cervelo S5 and Specialized Venge. Some of the shapes are a little more rounded than you'd expect on a full-on aero bike around the head tube and fork, but there's still no doubt this is a fast yet balanced frame that is meant to be ridden at speed.

The unusual seatpost design is known as the 3B-Basso system. It allows for a totally smooth and clean clamping mechanism, with the U-shaped seatpost sliding into a wedge in the down tube that all tightens together with three Allen key bolts at the back. It's super-clean, works very well and there's also an elastomer surrounding the post that's supposed to add a bit of vibration damping for a smoother ride.

The middle bolt takes a tiny 2mm Allen key, and it's important not to overtighten because it's a lot more fragile than larger, single bolts you find in front of the seatpost or on a clamp wrapped around it on most other bikes.

The head tube has a 20mm headset spacer integrated into the frame on my test build, which looks neat and tidy; you can even remove it to run the stem flush with the head tube for a super-aggressive position.

The head tube and fork steerer are tapered, and all Diamante SV frames are made with BB386EVO bottom brackets, the wide shell helping to eke out every last watt.

Cable routing

Using Basso's stem, which comes supplied as part of the frameset, there is no option to route cables through this and into the frame. This meant the wires for my EPS control unit were left exposed and routed into the frame through a port on the down tube.

The rear brake cable routes through the side of the top tube, which does look a bit dated compared with the latest wave of pro-level aero road bikes. It's not something that troubled me too much, but if I was spending five figures on a bike that's meant to be as fast as current technology allows, I might be inclined to go for something with more integration.

Colour and build options

My test frame came in the Pastel White colourway, with blue and burgundy details, making it not too showy but stunning all the same. The 2020 colourways listed on Basso's website are Diamond Silver, Phantom Black, Thunder Blue and Mars Red. 

When I got hold of the frame for a long-term test I felt it deserved a suitably luxurious build, so with some begging and borrowing I managed to dress it with the rim brake version of Campagnolo's EPS 12-speed groupset, Campagnolo 60mm Bora WTS wheels paired with Vittoria Corsa Speed tyres and a Deda Superzero carbon bar.

The ride

The Diamante SV is not only fast, but is surprisingly smooth too. I rode it in places I felt like I shouldn't ride a bike this expensive and didn't notice any discernible harshness when riding over rough roads, finding it on the comfortable side compared with other aero bikes I've tested.

Four hours in and I did have to stretch my back out a bit, but most people in the market for this bike likely won't be riding it for that long most of the time; those who are will probably be more flexible than me and far better cyclists.

As you'd expect with a frameset of this quality, handling is lively but not twitchy, and overall I was very impressed with the responsiveness.

Value

Price-wise, even amongst more speciality framesets the Diamante SV is reassuringly expensive: the Look 795 Blade RS comes in at £3,000 and you can pick up a Colnago Concept for £3,499.95. 

It is designed and handmade in Italy, though, and it's by no means the most expensive Italian frameset, with Pinarello's Dogma F12 as used by Team Ineos coming in at £5,000 in its rim brake guise. 

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You can buy a Basso with a slightly less luxurious build, but according to Basso's price lists, a Diamante SV with Super Record EPS, Bora WTO 45mm wheels and Microtech Quantum handlebar will set you back a whopping 11,685 euros – so we can safely assume my test build would cost well into five figures.

Conclusion

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the Basso Diamante SV. Although the cable routing is starting to look a little untidy compared with the latest generation of aero bikes, the overall appearance is stunning, and really quite different to what else is out there.

Verdict

Fast, unique frameset with an excellent ride quality, just a little less refined than the current crop of aero road racers