2016 Venge Elite

This is everything a RACE bike should be, and nothing a ROAD bike doesn't need to be. It gets up to speed VERY quickly and wants to stay there. Handling in turns and corners is very precise, but it's not overly twitchy when riding in a bunch, or just riding along in training. Climbing is fun on roads with reasonable gradients and good surface conditions, because the power transfer is so good through the bottom bracket and chainstays. Ride quality is great. A lot of people say this bike rides ""harsh,"" and I don't get it. I say everything rides smooth on 28mm tires, which this bike clears, easily and safely. Even with 25s, it rides great. Honestly, 10R carbon rides super nice, I think I might even prefer this frame's ride to my old S-Works SL3 with 11R. There is a lot less buzz, with just ever so slightly less snap under full power. A reasonable tradeoff to make, in almost every case. I am using the same wheels from the SL3, so it's a legit comparison. It doesn't stop like a bike with disc brakes. It also doesn't require a bleed kit and a shop in the garage to 'service' the brakes, so there's that. If you want to go fast on group rides or races that are flat to rolling, and are the type of rider who rides easy/steady up climbs then punches over the top and rallies the descent on the other side, this will be a great bike for you. If you have access to quiet roads and don't need to be on the brakes all the time, this is a good pick. My only slight annoyance with the bike is that the rear brake cable can make a bit of noise inside the top tube, especially if the housing and cable are too long, and enter at to acute of an angle into the port. Minor issue, and can be remedied by either running the housing short, which is what I did, or using a plastic sheath around the cable inside the top tube. Also, some people might find the front of the bike a bit too tall. I had to remove the stock dust cap and go to a slammed -12 stem on a 0-stack dust cap to get the front low enough