The factory halls for the ultra-modern carbon production facility in Campia, Portugal, have been standing for some time. Now, three years after the official inauguration, the factory in a small village south-west of Porto is churning out its first carbon frames. For Simplon, among others. The Austrian bicycle manufacturer has the centrepiece of the new Pavo produced in the Algarve. Due to the production in the South of Europe the race all-rounder is intended to be a counter-design to bikes produced in the Far East and, according to the Vorarlberg-based company, herald "a new era of carbon production at the highest quality level and with short delivery routes". In the TOUR test, we shed light on the differences to racing bikes from Asia, the epicentre of the bicycle industry, and put the Pavo IV to the test in the laboratory, wind tunnel and in practice.
Simplon Pavo IV: enormous manufacturing effort
Thanks to ultra-modern production, the fourth generation of the competition bike should score points above all with its low weight. The autoclave technology in particular sets the Pavo apart from many models from Asia and is similar to the principle of a pressure cooker: the laminate, which is placed in the negative mould of the monocoque frame by hand, is cured under high pressure. In contrast to the hot pressing process used by many manufacturers in Taiwan and China, the autoclave offers the advantage that less material is used for the same rigidity and the frame does not have to be reworked due to the higher manufacturing precision. Simplon uses high-quality carbon fibres from the Japanese specialist Toray, which are also used in Formula 1 racing cars and space shuttles. Compared to simpler qualities such as the T700 or T1000 standards, the so-called M40J fibres are up to 35 percent more tensile.
Simplon Pavo IV: Nimble companion
In this case, the truth is not on the court, but in the TOUR lab. With a somewhat sobering result: both in terms of weight and front stiffness, the Simplon falls somewhat short of the high expectations and is on a par with comparable race all-rounders from Asian production. No more, but also no less. The good news: On the road, the Pavo presents itself as a nimble companion which, thanks to its supple tyres, has very good suspension and masters the various riding situations with flying colours. Due to the relatively upright riding position, which is based on a sporty marathon bike, the bike feels a little slower than the speedometer indicates. Our test rider achieved a 30 km/h average relatively effortlessly on an undulating course with short ramps.
In the wind tunnel, the Pavo needs 217 watts to overcome its own air resistance at racing speed. In view of the discreet aero tuning on the frameset and cockpit, this is an expected result. On the other hand, comparable models such as the Cannondale SuperSix Evo or Specialised S-Works Tarmac SL8 with around ten watts less. Almost 20 watts less than the specialists such as the Pride II from our own stable. The frame set has no tuning potential, even with faster wheels the gap to the best all-rounders in the TOUR test remains. The Simplon is only one watt faster with our reference wheelset (Zipp 404).
The start has been made
Despite its modern production, the Pavo IV does not achieve top marks in any of the test criteria and hardly differs in quality from a model produced on the other side of the world. On a positive note, Simplon and its manufacturing partner Carbon Team in Portugal show that European frame production is competitive and does not have to hide from the Asian superiority. With regard to resource-conserving production in Europe and short transport routes, this sustainable approach should find imitators and potential buyers.
Depending on the equipment variant, however, you have to be prepared to dig deep into your pockets. The cheaper versions of the Pavo in particular are almost twice as expensive as comparable race all-rounders from the Far East.
The top model tested with Shimano's Dura-Ace and additional components (wheels, cockpit, saddle worth €1990) is also very expensive, but compared to the high-end bikes from the Far East, the price is reasonably fair. In addition to plenty of money, prospective customers will also need to be patient: according to the online configurator, the delivery time for all equipment variants is currently three months.
Simplon Pavo IV - Info & test grade
- TOUR grade: 2,0
- Price: 11489 Euro
- Weight of complete wheel: 7.1 kilos
- Frame sizes: 46, 49, 52, 55, 58, 61
Geometry
- Seat/top/head tube: 519/555/169 millimetres
- Stack/Reach/STR: 599/388 millimetres/1.54
- Stack+/Reach+/STR+: 658/575 millimetres/1.14
- Wheelbase/caster: 1,000/55 millimetres
Equipment
- Drive/gear shift: Shimano Dura-Ace (2x12; 50/34, 11-30 t.) | Shimano Dura-Ace (2x12; 50/34, 11-30 t.) Grade: 1.0
- Brakes: Shimano Dura-Ace (160/160 mm) | Shimano Dura-Ace (160/160 mm) Grade: 1.0
- Tyres: Schwalbe Pro One 28 mm (eff.: 28 mm) | Grade: 1.0
- Impellers: DT Swiss ARC 1100
- Impeller weights: 1186/1563 grams (front/rear)
Measured values
- Aerodynamics: 217 watts | Grade: 2.7
- Driving stability: 8.4 N/mm | Grade: 1.7
- Rear comfort: 128 N/mm | Grade: 2.0
- Comfort front: 97 N/mm | Grade: 2.7
- Ride/ bottom bracket stiffness: 58 N/mm | Grade: 1.3
Advantages and disadvantages
- Plus: agile handling, good spring comfort, great workmanship
- Minus: Long delivery time, expensive basic versions
How TOUR tests
Julian Schultz
Editor
