The final test: Ready to push the button

After a damp UK winters worth of testing our final prototype, we wanted a final hit out to appraise our first road frame in more testing environments. Here at Bowman we are strongly of the belief that extended descending on technical roads is the only true way to test the geometry and handling characteristics of a bicycle.
Long descents need big mountains. It’s March - so the famous big mountains are, by and large, covered in the sort of fluffy white precipitation that makes Europe’s wealthy bray with delight as they sup €40 gluhwein and consume mountains of cheese and potatoes between runs in divine powder. Thankfully, Northern Italy is a ten hour drive from Calais has some sinuous tarmac extending above the great lakes that remains (relatively) snow free in early spring.

With the bikes in the car, a road trip to the land of gelato, great food and tagliatelli shaped strada draped over 1500 meters of lake-side mountain terrain began.

We could expand on the delights of specific roads, views, mid ride espresso’s and a plethora of visual and nasal treats but a picture paints a thousand words, so a gallery spread over a couple of rides from the trip will have to suffice.

On our return to the UK, we pressed go, and our first shipment of road frames is on the way. Suffice to say, the bikes ruled the mountain roads.

Ride With Spirit