The C1R has stiffness in spades, and its ride quality certainly isn’t what we’d call comfortable compared to most of the offerings on the whole of the road bike market. But when compared to aero-road bikes, specifically, the C1R showcases a ride quality that offers enough road feedback for racer types mixed with a subtle amount of vertical compliance that one test rider described as ‘a solid, planted feel to the ground, which was very much appreciated.’
Ten grand is a hefty price to pay for any road bike, so it’s nice to know that the C1R comes with Shimano’s oh-so-sweet Dura-Ace Di2 drivetrain for continuous smooth shifting throughout each and every ride.Reynolds’ Aero 58 carbon clinchers continue the bike’s aero ethos and feel quite comfortable for medium-depth rims. Hutchinson’s Fusion tires are great, but we would have liked to have seen a wider, 25c Fusion come stock on the C1R, which brings a larger contact patch to improve both handling and comfort, as well as a leading edge more in line with the Reynolds’ 26.2mm external width that would conceivably improve aerodynamics.