Liscio Ultegra; Volagi
Volagi is a new company founded by experienced bicycle-industry engineers Robert Choi and Barley Forsman. Beyond their shared profession, both Choi and Forsman are fans of ultra-distance racing—double centuries and brevets, including the Furnace Creek 508 and Paris-Brest-Paris. Their creation, the Liscio, is the product of both their engineering know-how and their need for a bike suited to their favorite types of events.
The disc brakes get the most attention, but the frame also features "LongBow" seat stays, which skip right over the seat tube and join the top tube, intending to give riders a smooth, compliant ride. The carbon frame is built with a taller head tube and stable geometry, but designed to be as efficient as a race bike, employing features like a tapered head tube (1-1/8 to 1-3/8 inch) and BB30 bottom bracket shell.
The Brakes
Though Volagi says the disc brakes are just one part of the bike's overall design, they represent a radical departure from the current road bike mold. And, they are certainly attention grabbing. When showing up to group rides, other riders would instantly pepper me with questions. The most common being: "Is that a cyclocross bike?"
Though Volagi says the disc brakes are just one part of the bike's overall design, they represent a radical departure from the current road bike mold. And, they are certainly attention grabbing. When showing up to group rides, other riders would instantly pepper me with questions. The most common being: "Is that a cyclocross bike?"
Volagi uses mountain bike standards to graft the discs to their frame. The rotors mount to the hubs with six bolts; the calipers mount to the frame with the 74mm post-mount standard. Using the existing standards is a safe and easy route for Volagi to follow, however, road discs may eventually adopt proprietary standards. For now, using MTB standards is a practical way to get the discs on a road bike, but future designs that save weight or result in more elegant integration may not be compatible with the Volagi frame.
The road-specific, cable-actuated Avid BB-7 Road brake is specifically tuned to work with road shift/brake levers. It's worth noting, however, that a change to Shimano’s Dura-Ace 7900, Ultegra 6700, and 105 5700 road groups means these brakes are best suited to work with SRAM DoubleTap levers.
My first rides on the Volagi brought me back to the transition from rim to disc brakes on mountain bikes—a moment of gleeful bliss. Finally, my road bike's brakes had the superior control and consistency I've long enjoyed on mountain bikes. The great advantage of disc brakes is not power—though they are plenty powerful—it's control and consistency: Your brakes will work the same, regardless of how hot or cold it is, or how wet or dry.
Improved precision also begets smoother riding, letting me more accurately scrub bits of speed when riding in a pack. However, pack riding also brought out some quirks. Another tester noted that, on a wet group ride, he was able to stop much quicker than the rim brake equipped riders around him. While happy to have the performance of the discs, he mused, "It made me think that the transition period could be eventful—if in a tight pack, like a race, some of us have discs and stop quicker in the rain." Also, in certain conditions, you may annoy your fellow riders, as Avid’s sintered pads are known for squealing in wet conditions. You can switch to quieter, organic pads, but doing so will make the brakes less responsive in wet conditions.
Build Options
The Liscio comes in three build options, which all utilize the same frame and fork. I tested the Shimano Ultegra equipped model ($3,595), which sits between the $4,495 Liscio Dura-Ace and the $2,895 Liscio Rival. All three models are equipped with Avid's BB7 Road disc brakes (160mm front rotor, 140mm rear rotor), compact double cranks, shallow-drop handlebars, and a thickly padded Volagi saddle. The Ultegra and Dura-Ace models get Volagi's Ignite EL wheelset (claimed 1,660 grams with rotors). The Rival gets Ignite XL wheels (1,850g). To build a Volagi to your own spec, buy the fame for $1,795.
The Liscio comes in three build options, which all utilize the same frame and fork. I tested the Shimano Ultegra equipped model ($3,595), which sits between the $4,495 Liscio Dura-Ace and the $2,895 Liscio Rival. All three models are equipped with Avid's BB7 Road disc brakes (160mm front rotor, 140mm rear rotor), compact double cranks, shallow-drop handlebars, and a thickly padded Volagi saddle. The Ultegra and Dura-Ace models get Volagi's Ignite EL wheelset (claimed 1,660 grams with rotors). The Rival gets Ignite XL wheels (1,850g). To build a Volagi to your own spec, buy the fame for $1,795.
Frame
Despite the company’s claims, I didn't find the bike remarkably comfortable. The front end, in particular, sent impacts straight into my hands and arms. The back end is more damped than the front, but, despite the "LongBow" design, it's still a firm-riding bike. A Specialized Roubaix SL3, for example, is much more adept at soaking up bumps, and even some race bikes are better at taking the edge off hits.
Despite the company’s claims, I didn't find the bike remarkably comfortable. The front end, in particular, sent impacts straight into my hands and arms. The back end is more damped than the front, but, despite the "LongBow" design, it's still a firm-riding bike. A Specialized Roubaix SL3, for example, is much more adept at soaking up bumps, and even some race bikes are better at taking the edge off hits.
The wheels may be a source of the rigid ride. Experts I consulted explained that adaptations to the hub, rim and spokes necessary to accommodate disc brakes can result in a wheel that rides stiffer than a rim-brake wheel. However, refinements may eventually lead to more compliant wheels.
Though it’s not a lively bike, the Liscio is very torsionally stiff, so out of the saddle attacks are met with a feeling for forward thrust without windup. It tracks true without noticeable squirming when bombing descents and buffeted by crosswinds. I found the Volagi's handling very similar to a Specialized Roubaix. In fact, my 53cm Liscio's test bike's geometry is almost identical to a 52cm Roubaix SL3. The bike requires little attention to hold a straight line, so it's easy to let your mind drift off and admire the views. It does, however, take more deliberate coaxing to initiate a turn, correct in mid-corner, and stand up out of turns when compared to the light touch and instant reactions of a race bike.
Overall Thoughts
I admire Volagi from starting from nothing and presenting the world with a unique bike. However, I believe the bike is a few refinements away from what the company promises in terms of ride comfort. Still, I eagerly anticipate their future bikes. Disc brakes, on the other hand, are simply a better way to slow a bike than a rim brake. There are tremendous hurtles to overcome before the widespread adoption and acceptance of disc brakes on road bikes: weight, aerodynamics, mounting standards, rotor sizes, wheel design, and integration into component groups. But, I believe the road disc revolution isn't far away. Our bikes, and our rides, will be better for it.
I admire Volagi from starting from nothing and presenting the world with a unique bike. However, I believe the bike is a few refinements away from what the company promises in terms of ride comfort. Still, I eagerly anticipate their future bikes. Disc brakes, on the other hand, are simply a better way to slow a bike than a rim brake. There are tremendous hurtles to overcome before the widespread adoption and acceptance of disc brakes on road bikes: weight, aerodynamics, mounting standards, rotor sizes, wheel design, and integration into component groups. But, I believe the road disc revolution isn't far away. Our bikes, and our rides, will be better for it.
