Sharp finish and smooth welds

BIKE OF THE MONTH NOVEMBER '08 GURU PRAEMIO TI
MINI-TEST
This is the first frame through the CycleFit doors from Guru, Canadian art-house custom frame-builder. We will have a whole Guru section on our website soon to fill in their history and vision, so I will skip all that. What we can agree on is that Guru is genetically committed to performance through both ‘fit' and home-grown North American craftsmanship. And as much as I wanted to avoid the ‘S' word through this test, Guru must consciously or possibly unconsciously credit the Godfather of crafted custom as a role-model? Which, I should mention straight away is a very good thing.

I like titanium, it is a material I have a lot of experience with. It has no real disadvantages at all other than flicking on and off trend with fashion and being difficult to machine and weld. Its weight to density ratios sit right in the middle between steel and aluminium – it is lighter than steel but stiffer than aluminium (by volume). So ti may be a bit heavier than aluminium but it is almost twice as strong.
But titanium most wondrous properties are that it never corrodes and exhibits no cyclical stress or fatigue limit – this means that provided the stresses on the frame are below a certain level the titanium will never break or change its feel. Now that is magic.

Enough I am boring myself.
The Praemio came out the box to universal acclaim from the very opinionated CycleFit crew, which is itself unprecedented around these parts as far as any of us can remember. It really is a particularly special looking frame. The Guru built-up extremely well according to Warrick, the workshop build is generally our first test of construction quality, according to how much extra work the mechanic needs to put into finishing and facing bottom bracket and headset surfaces. The engine room went for 2009 Chorus 11sp and Neutron Ultra wheels, embellished with FSA bars and stem and matching ProLogo saddle.
Guru uses a different build philosophy with titanium to ‘S' – the latter preferring their signature ‘Concept Tubing' ; the former using double-butted seamless bi-oval 3al / 2.5 v 5 tubing. 3al / 2,5v denotes alloys of aluminium and vanadium added to the ti mix to improve strength and ductility (workability) of the final metal.
After six years of looking at ‘S' subtly radical tube shapes, the Praemio has a refreshing simplicity to its round tubes – more Seven than Serotta if you will.

The overall finish and effect is extremely well executed and classy. Nobody (not even us) could pick nits in the workmanship and aesthetic.

Taking to the streets made me feel very special. And that to be honest means quite a lot to me. I want the bike to feel special and impart flavour to the occasion – heads turned and fellow bikers rubber-necked out of curiosity. Titanium is a low-frequency filter to carbon's ‘dolby' - where carbon takes out the high-frequency buzz from the tarmac, well made ti will break up the shock-path of bigger bumps.
Slamming the cobbles in a big gear around Neal Street on my return leg fed back exactly the proportion of road-feel and control that I like – yes there was contact but the wheels were not bouncing off the walls in rebellion. Ti works for me because I don't mind the high-frequency zing and spring that is inherent in the material – I even like the micro-lagged pay-back bounce forwards that is elicited by jumping all over the cranks. But I don't like jarring slams up my poorly back and the Praemio took enough of that away to enjoy lean angles over broken roads that could easily grace a Saga action catalogue.
Chorus 11sp? I don't like the look of so much but it felt at least as good as 10sp and possibly a touch lighter. The new lever shape is better than it looks and locks your hands better on the lever. Multiple shifting is still better than Dura Ace - in my opinion.
But of course the best thing of all about all Guru's is that every frame is custom in the fullest sense – i.e conception, design and fabrication. And you can individualise the finish to your own taste.

We get the Crono and Geneo in-store next week.

Guru Praemio - £2500 frame + fork

Links:

Link to Guru Cycles in Canada ..more
Read Jules' Pop-Up Ottrott Test ..more

Read Phil's Pop-Up MeiVici Test ..more
Read Marcel Wust's review of the frame we designed for him ..more