Legend Il Re Frameset Review - CyclingTips

While the corporate doesn’t have an extended historical past, Bertoletti does: his framebuilding experience goes back almost 40 years and consists of quite a lot of esteemed manufacturers in addition to quite a few skilled riders. In this review, Australian tech editor Matt Wikstrom spends a while aboard Il Re, considered one of Legend’s premium titanium offerings.


Marco Bertoletti began constructing bespoke frames in 1989. It’s a pursuit that appears quintessentially Italian, and in Marco’s case, the stereotype holds true. He spent 20 years working with a variety of European brands and "ghost-building" for varied skilled riders earlier than deciding to hold out his own shingle in 2009.


There isn't any such factor as a stock frame in Legend’s workshop. Every frame is built for a reason, built to satisfy the precise wants of each customer. To this finish, Marco works with every frame materials - steel, aluminium, carbon and titanium - acknowledging that one materials can't serve the wants of each rider.


Marco’s factory is situated in Presezzo, lower than 10km west of Bergamo in the Lombardy region of Italy. He's proud to say that every Legend body is made in Italy, though that has come to imply different things in recent years. Legend has an open-manufacturing facility coverage so potential clients can witness the work, have a fitting, and discuss their needs with Marco.


Bertoletti’s approach to bike-fitting is simple and intuitive, formed by years of observe. He can inform quite a bit from watching a person on their bike. Will make adjustments on the fly until he's pleased with their form. For these clients that can’t travel to Presezzo, he can carry out the same course of with video footage.


Legend’s present catalogue contains over a dozen frames: there are four titanium models, seven carbon, 4 steel, and one aluminium. As mentioned above, all are made to measure, and there are a wide range of options and finishes for each.


Il Re is considered one of Bertoletti’s premium titanium frames. It’s an all-titanium affair (Legend provides a number of carbon tubes to its other excessive-end Ti bikes) that takes its identify from the Italian for "the king". In line with Legend, Il Re is thought for its "outstanding handling, with excellent stability and rigidity" and is function-built for long rides. For this review, I recently spent a few weeks riding Il Re due to Legend and one in every of its Australian retailers, Cycling Projects.


Before the trip


Legend uses Grade 9 titanium tubing to construct Il Re, a standard selection for framebuilders that comprises 3.0% aluminium and 2.5% vanadium. By distinction, Grade 5 titanium (6% aluminium and titanium wire 4% vanadium), which is tougher and stronger however tougher to weld, is employed for the bottom bracket shell and the dropouts.


I’ve detailed some of the particular issues for titanium frame building previously. There is often a much smaller margin for error when making ready the tubes for welding. Oxygen contamination can also be a serious concern since titanium oxides are extremely brittle and can weaken any welded joint.


To this finish, Legend employs a particular chamber - a plastic bubble envelops the workbench - that is stuffed with excessive-grade argon gasoline for welding the frames. The welder works at a distance utilizing gloves that are sealed in the bubble, but it surely produces a weld that is powerful sufficient to be "smooth finished".


The graceful-completed welds are a particular contact, and the ultimate product appears very like a fillet-brazed steel body. There aren't any beads to admire like other brands: one tube flows effortlessly into the following with impossibly easy and consistent transitions, as if the bike was poured from molten steel.


Il Re is built round a tapered headtube (1.125-inch higher bearing, 1.5-inch lower bearing), BSA threaded backside bracket, and Legend’s LG dropouts with carbon fibre inserts. The body is supplied with internal cable routing that is suitable with each digital and mechanic groupsets.


Il Re is a totally custom bike so Legend doesn't provide any stock frame sizes to select from. Instead, consumers work closely with their local dealer and/or Marco to finalise the geometry of the body. Legend can also be joyful to make use of the recommendations of an independent bike-fitter.


Deciding on the ultimate match of the bike is a vital part of the ordering course of. As mentioned above, some patrons choose to journey to Legend’s factory to have their fit assessed by Marco straight. Felice Santoro at Cycling Projects in Sydney, Australia believes Marco’s enter is invaluable, so sends movies of his customers and leaves the final CAD design in Marco’s palms.


Customers are free to elect their most well-liked bottom bracket peak, chainstay length, stem length and steering trail whereas Legend decides on the tubing and butting profiles in response to the customer’s needs. There are additionally numerous elective extras associated to selections for the headtube (standard or machined), forks (3T, Deda), backside bracket (BSA, BB30, or BSA TUN), and dropouts (LG or LG2).


The Il Re frameset supplied for assessment featured an ordinary headtube, 3T Funda forks, LG dropouts, and Legend’s TUN backside bracket. The latter is BSA threaded, however is formed like a wine barrel to supply additional room for internally routed cables or wires.


Customisation of Il Re extends to the finish, the place there is a alternative of various colours for the laser-etched logos on the body and paint for the fork. The range of options can be explored by registering to use Legend’s on-line configurator.


Another choice for the bike is Legend’s ending kit that contains a choice of titanium parts from Control tech (stem, handlebars, seatpost clamp, and high cap for the stem) and PMP (seatpost). The kit is designed to complement the uncooked finish of the frame and the ultimate effect is beautiful; a raw and industrial effect that can also be exotic and opulent.


The Il Re frame weighs around 1,500g, depending on size. The frameset sent for review (54cm equal) was assembled with Campagnolo’s Super Record RS groupset, Astute saddle and Fulcrum Racing Carbon Quattro wheels for a remaining weight of 7.75kg with one cage but no pedals (or 7.01kg with Bora Ultra 35 wheels).


Pricing for the Il Re frameset starts at €4,664/AU$8,000 where the final amount is dependent upon the choices which can be selected (e.g. the titanium ending package provides €750/AU$1,300). Il Re is equipped with a 10-12 months guarantee and Legend goals to fulfil each order inside eight weeks. For more info, go to Legend or get in contact with Cycling Projects or any considered one of Legend’s retailers.


After the experience


From the outset, I should acknowledge that there is a measure of futility to reviewing a bespoke frameset when the entire bike’s attributes, together with the geometry, are customised to swimsuit the owner. On this occasion, nonetheless, there was no prolonged dialogue and i didn’t overview the final geometry. I merely provided my preferred high tube and stem size (545 and 120mm, respectively), and left the remainder of the choices up to Legend.


In retrospect, the potential for a mismatch was appreciable. Indeed, it’s a degree that unnerves many patrons. There is no alternative for a take a look at-trip to supply some reassurance, so any purchase requires a leap of religion. If you have any questions pertaining to the place and how to use titanium wire blog, you can contact us at our own web site. That’s a deal-breaker for some but there may be one very satisfying flipside: a bike that has been purpose-fitted and titanium rod -constructed to fit your every desire. As such, there’s no value in a bespoke frameset in the event you don’t know what you want.


With all of that in thoughts, I used to be quite stunned by how well the frameset fit me. I needed to swap out the titanium publish for a longer carbon mannequin to achieve my desired saddle peak while a slim spacer was all that was wanted to set my preferred handlebar height.


The first thing that struck me about the bike was the highly refined journey high quality. Il Re was immediately clean and compliant, but I didn’t should surrender my sense of the road. Some riders would relatively block it out altogether but I imagine the feedback is vital, maybe even essential, for controlling the bike. If nothing else, it’s a pleasure to feel the terrain, like feeling the sand between one’s toes on the seashore.


I by no means suffered from highway buzz or any sharp hits while riding Il Re. Indeed, I started going out of my manner to seek out rough terrain, first to test the efficiency of the bike, after which to marvel at how properly it worked. I could really feel the terrain, trace it exactly with my progress - like a pen across a seismic chart - however I was never in danger of being knocked from my path. It was a paradox that I used to be still marvelling at just a few weeks later.


Legend’s choice of titanium for Il Re goes an extended to explaining the paradoxical nature of the bike. I’ve but to search out an ample rationalization for a way the material manages this trick, however there may be more to it than simply the behaviour of the fabric. For instance, the Vamoots CR that I reviewed final 12 months offered a firmer ride, and whereas it provided a few of the identical smoothness, it transferred more road buzz on rougher roads than Legend’s Il Re.


I found that Il Re had extra tricks up its sleeve when i headed into the hills. Rising out of the saddle, the bike was immediately agile, recalling the qualities of lightweight carbon bikes like BH’s Ultralight EVO and Canyon’s Ultimate CF SLX. However, whereas the Il Re managed to match these bikes by way of its nimbleness, the bike didn’t provide the identical form of responsiveness. For me, it was the first demonstration that agility and responsiveness are indirectly linked.


On this case, I think that a number of the agility of Il Re may be attributed to the compact body design, which made the wheels seem somewhat smaller. Climbers will take pleasure in Il Re because of this, as will road racers. The bike doesn’t demand to be raced although: it is really at home on the open road, and as promised above, really well suited to long rides.


After spending almost a month on Il Re, I was not left wanting in any regard. The steering and dealing with was positive and precise whereas the geometry was nearly perfectly suited to my fit. I could alter the mood of the bike by swapping the wheels - Campagnolo’s Bora Ultra 35 wheelset actually revved the bike up - but the bike never demanded it. Indeed, there was not less than one moment on every ride the place I felt like praising the performance of the bike.


Final thoughts and summary


Marco Bertoletti has created in Legend a one-cease store for any bike rider searching for a bespoke frameset. The range of options is immense and subsequently finest suited to patrons that have a clearly defined hit-checklist of wants. While some models will attraction to excessive-finish shoppers with opulent tastes, Legend’s ultimate purpose is to satisfy every buyer with a bike that perfectly meets their needs.


Engaging a framebuilder is a extremely personal experience, but on this occasion my interplay with Legend (and Marco) was far too limited for me to remark upon. Nevertheless, any bespoke undertaking is an indulgence and i anticipate most will enjoy the additional attention to detail and a strong sense of collaboration (with a grasp Italian craftsman, no much less!). Judging by how properly the pattern Il Re performed, I’m assured that Legend can be in a position to meet (or even exceed) the expectations of any purchaser.