Time Ulteam RXR
It’s no secret we have been awed by Time bicycles before. Their attention to detail and distinct manufacturing practices (not to mention their amazing ride quality) have always made any Time bike welcome in the RBA offices. We have been trying to get our hands on the new RXR Ulteam since we set our eyes on it at the 2008 Eurobike show last year, and we were pleased when a new, red, RXR Ulteam arrived in our offices. A few days later, a box with a Campagnolo Super Record 11-Speed showed up, and we were able to build the bike from the ground up. With more than a few Time logos on the frame, it is certainly clear who manufactures the bike. Sitting in our offices, ready to be ridden, it garnered plenty of glances and engendered comments like, ‘That is the first bike I’ve seen in a long time that I need to buy.’ That is until the $6000 frame-only price was mentioned. It’s expensive, for sure, but for many of our test riders, (who don’t actually have to shell out the money) it was more than worth it.
THE FRAME
The RXR is stunning to look at. The top tube features a variety of slopes and valleys designed to cheat the wind and make the bike look sleek and quick. The sloping top tube alone gives the RXR design kudos, then when you throw in the tapered and tri-ovalized down tube and seat tube, the RXR finds itself in another league completely. This is not a boring, stamped-out, carbon design. Time decided to take lessons learned from their RXR Chrono and build a race bike that focuses more on strength, stiffness and aerodynamics than on a massively low frame weight (the frame weighs 2.2 pounds or 1100 grams). The frame features the new Safe+2 fork with a multi-diameter steered tube and an oversized lower bearing. The integrated seat tube on the RXR is full aero and features three centimeters of adjustment, but yes, you will have to get the saw out to make it fit. The frame comes with a cutting kit, which makes sawing the $6,000 frame a bit more palatable. Remember to consider the adjustment before you start sawing away or spend some time at your local shop with someone skilled in the art of cutting carbon. The optimized tube designs on the RXR feature HM carbon with Vibraser liquid crystal polyamide and aramid fibers for strength and vibration diffusion. The bottom bracket shell is full carbon, and the headset features an oversized lower bearing. The RXR frame also offers some derailleur height adjustability with two attachment locations, should you move to a compact crankset as your racing days wane.
THE NUMBERS
Our Large RXR Ulteam frame featured 73-degree seat and 73-degree head tube angles, a 57-centimeter (effective) top tube and an 18.6-centimeter head tube. The RXR Ulteam is available in six sizes from XXS (49.5-centimeter top tube) to XL (59-centimeter top tube).
THE PARTS
As if the frame wasn’t enough to talk about, throw on Campagnolo’s new 11-Speed Super Record group and things got really interesting. Our frame featured a 130-millimeter Monolink RXR Ulteam carbon stem (in red, of course) and even came equipped with carbon bottle cage bolts (not our favorite, but a nice touch). It is tough to go on too much about handlebars, as these are a personal choice, but the Time Ergo Force one-piece, monobloc carbon bars with Fizik bar tape are our favorite bar/tape combo to date, and combined with the ergonomically superior design of Super Record 11-Speed, offered multiple hand positions. Climbing, descending, cornering and sprinting were all aided by this great design. Well done.
We also had the chance to test a pair of Time’s Hi-Tense wheels, which feature ‘tension equilibrium,’ a carbon axle and one-piece carbon hub. The wheels offer a 43-tooth freehub ratchet and a three-pawl engagement for better power transfer. The wheels came in around 1530 grams and will run you about $1995.
THE RIDE
The RXR Ulteam had a lot to prove to our test riders, because it looks so fast, that expectations were very high. The bike didn’t disappoint. It is super-stiff, stable, fast and makes sprinting or doing intervals seem like a preferred option. That said, we took the RXR on some long rides and didn’t return home battered. Time’s Ulteam is really meant for racing and going fast in tight, critical situations (but it is sexy enough to hang up in your living room and stare at). The handling was exceptional, confidence-inspiring, and climbing was effective. It’s not super-light at 16 pounds, so these days it wouldn’t be considered a pure climber by any stretch of the imagination, but once the road flattens out or gets tricky, the RXR Ulteam performs among the best we have ever ridden. The wheels feel fast and cushioned the road, but for the price, we would probably consider a more aero-wheelset to match the frame and complete the package.
THE VERDICT
It’s hard not to gush about the Time Ulteam RXR. It’s red. It’s fast, beautiful and well-made, but it is expensive. As most of us are figuring out how to make ends meet, some test riders felt they didn’t want to get too attached to the RXR because it was well out of their price range. That’s not the RXR’s fault. It’s a high-end, handcrafted speed machine built in France with care and dedication and for a select few riders who are lucky enough to throw their legs over it. For the rest of us, it’s a bike we will continue to dream about and, unfortunately, for Time’s competitors, will forever stain our view of all other high-end carbon bikes. It’s that good.
PRICE: $9500 ($5999 frame only)
INFO: www.time-sport.com
WEIGHT: 16 pounds
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