The French manufacturer Look has always been a good address for special requirements. The company from Nevers on the Loire was already building carbon frames when thin-tube steel frames still characterised the image of the racing bike. At the turn of the millennium, when more and more bicycle companies were relocating their production to Asia for cost reasons, Look set up its own factory in Tunisia, where the majority of frames are produced today, a day's journey from the main factory. Among the major European road bike brands, Look is therefore the only one that can still be described as a manufacturer in the literal sense of the word. And technically, Look has always gone its own way. The best example: the top model 695 (TOUR-Test 5/2011 ->) with a one-piece carbon crank, elastomer-damped seatpost and adjustable stem. More system integration is currently hard to find on road bikes.
Upper middle class
Unfortunately, the high development and production costs drove the price of the 695 to astronomical heights. In order to be able to offer an attractive model in the mid-price range, the French company is now presenting the new 675: a racing bike that is explicitly described as a mid-range model, although the categorisation is a little confusing in this country. The frame set of the 675 alone, including stem and seat post, costs € 2,400 more than a typical complete mid-range bike on this side of the Rhine. But racing bikes are like cars or watches: If a product triggers the want-to-have reflex, the price can quickly become secondary. There is no question that the 675 is a desirable bike. The rising top tube, which merges into the stem in a single line, gives the bike a silhouette that is as unusual as it is elegant. The inspiration for this was provided by the 920 mountain bike hardtail presented a year ago, which has the same transition from top tube to stem.
However, this formal integration comes with a small problem: the design only comes into its own when the stem is in line with the top tube. This is the case with the supplied flip-flop stem (plus/minus five degrees); the situation is different with the second available stem, which allows plus/minus 16 degrees of inclination. Nevertheless, both stems, which are each available in lengths of 90 to 130 millimetres, together provide a wide range of handlebar positions. Clever: Each stem can be extended by ten millimetres using an insert and an alternative front plate.
Real sportsman
Contrary to what you might think due to the high top tube, the 675 is not a comfort racer like a Specialized Roubaix. The stack-to-reach factor of 1.49, which describes the ratio of frame height and length regardless of seat and head angle, characterises the geometry as a golden mean between comfortable and race-like - a design that should appeal to most riders. The fact that Look bikes have never received top marks for their riding stability has often been the cause of disagreement between the developers in Nevers and the TOUR editorial team in the past. When handing over this test bike, Head of Marketing Eric Vanhaverbeke therefore expressly pointed out that the 675 should appeal to German tastes. And he was right: with 90 Newton metres per degree, the 675 frame in size L may not be super stiff, but it is certainly stable enough for most conceivable riding conditions. However, a glance at the scales shows that this was achieved at the cost of relatively high material usage: 1,348 grams is heavy for a carbon frame these days. The high weight is somewhat relativised by the extremely light fork, which rotates in a patented steering bearing. The highlight of the design is that the bearing play and stem can be adjusted independently of each other. This can be an advantage when transporting the bike.
In the practical test, the 675 immediately gives a good feeling. On descents, the noticeably high torsional rigidity ensures that the chassis does not become unsettled even at 80 kilometres per hour. There is no loss of power when pedalling out of the saddle and the bike follows steering commands willingly. Compared to extremely well-damped new models such as the Trek Domane and BMC Granfondo (TOUR-Test 7/2012 ->), the 675 is no comfort miracle. However, the overall set-up of the frame, slim carbon seat post and 23-millimetre tyres can be described as pleasantly cushioned. During the test rides, the buzzing brake noise on the black anodised aluminium rims from Mavic with roughened brake track was noticeable. Pad wear was also significant on the first few kilometres. However, we know from intensive practical experience that these problems subside when the rims are braked. The integration of the functionally impressive Ultegra Di2 drivetrain with battery mounted under the down tube is well realised. However, the frame can still be equipped with mechanical shifting systems.
Reference/Info www.lookcycle.com
Frame sizes** XS, S, M, L, XL cm
Seat/steering angle 74°/72,5°
Seat/top tube/head tube 515/555/181 mm
Wheelbase/caster 995/59 mm
Stack/Reach/STR*** 578/387 mm/1.49
EQUIPMENT
Steering bearing Look Headfit, top 1-1/8, bottom 1-1/2 inch
Brakes/gears/bottom bracket Shimano Ultegra Di2 (50/ 34 t, press-fit)
Wheels/tyres Mavic Cosmic Carbone SLR/Mavic Yksion
Handlebar/stem 3T Er gonova/Look A-Stem
Saddle/post Fizik Ardea/Look (27.2 mm)
MEASURED VALUES & INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Weight of complete wheel (without pedals) 7.7 kg
Weight frame/fork/steering bearing**** 1 .348/318/78 g
Standardised weight frame set 1.795 g: 3,0
Steering head stiffness 90 Nm/°: 2.0
Lateral stiffness fork 38 N/mm: 3.7
Bottom bracket stiffness 54 N/mm: 2.0
Comfort frame 223 N/mm: 1.7
Comfort fork 91 N/mm: 4.3
* The frame set accounts for 40 per cent of the overall score and the features for 60 per cent. These two ratings include individual grades, which we have only printed in part for reasons of space. The grades are calculated up to the final grade with all decimal places; however, for the sake of clarity, all grades are given with rounded decimal places.
** Tested frame size greased.
*** Stack/reach: projected vertical/horizontal measurement from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the headset; STR (stack to reach): Values between 1.45 and 1 .55 indicate a sporty riding position, values below are race-like, above are comfortable.
**** Adjusted weight for frame size 57 cm and fork steerer length 225 mm.
