New from LOOK the 785 Huez – is it the ultimate every ride climber’s bike?
Every Climb, Every Time
LOOK is one of the most prestigious brands in road cycling; it has the heritage, the aesthetic and the technical and material knowledge to back that up. It is certainly one of the most desirable brands for the custom build bikes we create here at Mapdec, so anything new from LOOK is greeted with excitement. But this one was extra special as we were in the privileged position of being the first in the UK to build and ride the new LOOK 785 Huez.
A vision of a performance climbing bike
Let’s start with what LOOK set out to create. They have called this bike Huez after one of the most legendry climbs in cycling, it is their “vision of a performance climbing bike” but it meets a broad range of rider’s needs – “providing comfort and efficiency on long climbs and mountain challenges, as well as performance in daily training.”
It is a climbing bike that is also an endurance bike, LOOK say the 785 Huez is intended for amateur competitors, for intensive use in training as well as for mountainous cyclosportives, which means you don’t have to keep this bike for best. The new LOOK 785 Huez accepts tires up to 32mm, offering more versatility, a different tire choice or even wheel choice can carry this bike through rough, wet training surfaces to the sweetest silky-smooth tarmac of a continental climb.
Our first impression is that it is the epitome of the all-rounder. You could call it a de-tuned race bike, it’s not quite as aero, not quite as stiff but also crucially, not quite as expensive. But that all adds up to greater versatility.
The geometry of the new 785 Huez, LOOK says, makes it the ideal choice for climbers, designed for explosive accelerations on steep slopes, as well as for long and repeated efforts. Compact and with precise handling, it provides similar sensations to riding a race bike, but its position is also designed to offer the indispensable comfort required for long days in the high mountains. A tempting bit of marketing spiel – it’s a dream bike that can climb and accelerate like you are racing but still allow you to sit back in the saddle and slog it out in a long distance sportive.
How LOOK designed the new 785 Huez
Our question as always is have they achieved this and how? The reach and stack have been optimized to offer you the best position when riding in the mountains. LOOK says this provides efficiency and comfort whether you climb standing or seated, for 1 minute or 1 hour, well we are looking forward to seeing how true that is.
It has a classic LOOK erm look, that is its sleek and stylish with cables and brake hoses perfectly integrated into the handlebar and stem of the new 785 Huez. The frame design is simplified, the cables and hoses benefit from increased protection, and the headset offers a better seal as well as smoother operation. The integration of cables, axles, bottom bracket and seat post are designed to combine performance, simplicity of maintenance, and durability, without compromising the refined lines of the bike. Watch the video to see how we built up our frame and how these integrated components measure up in the workshop.
The new 785 Huez has a carbon composition specific to each frame size. It is designed to stiffen areas that are subjected to significant power transfer and to give flexibility to certain tube sections which increases comfort and road handling. To save weight, LOOK have used specially developed Nano tubes reducing the thickness of carbon while maintaining the frame's performance and solidity. We like this approach as it provides a more similar ride quality across the full range of frame sizes.
Mapdec Tested – First in the UK
It certainly promises all the French excellence and performance you expect from LOOK Bicycles and the approach of creating a climbing bike with versatility that is comfortable for all-day training and endurance rides suggests that this is a bike that will suit a wide range of riders.
But of course, we can’t leave it there, before we start celebrating the new LOOK 785 Huez we need to get it in the bike stand and out onto the road for the Mapdec test.