Alberto Contador is barely able to suppress his tears, but otherwise the emotions just bubble out of the former pro: "Si, si, siii", the Spaniard repeatedly shouts into his smartphone, which he is using to film himself, and clenches his fist in victory. TV footage in the background shows Italian professional cyclist Lorenzo Fortunato mastering the steep climb up Monte Zoncolan the fastest and crossing the finish line in first place. "An indescribable feeling," enthuses Contador looking back. After all, Fortunato wasn't riding just any bike in the 2021 Giro d'Italia, but the Magma that Contador and his former companion Ivan Basso had presented a few months earlier under the company name Aurum. "It was the first major tour for our bike and one of the most important stages of the previous Giro: it overwhelmed us all," Contador recalls in an interview with TOUR.
Eight months later, the multiple Grand Tour winner's passion for his new project is still evident. The 38-year-old talks about Aurum and the first Magma racing bike model without missing a beat. The sporty competition all-rounder is "the bike of our dreams", to which the two ex-professionals (both with a doping past, by the way) contributed their expertise from more than a decade in the peloton.
"From the outside, you might think that as a professional you are involved in the development of your bike. But unfortunately that wasn't the case. I could never understand that," reports Contador, who rode for Giant, Specialized and Trek, among others, during his career, which ended in 2017: "That's why I already had the idea back then to develop a bike entirely to my liking."
After two years of development, four prototypes and around 500,000 test kilometres, the Magma finally rolled out in autumn 2020. Entirely in line with the ideas of Basso and Contador, who even had a say in the positions of the bottle cages. The signature of the former climbing specialists is indeed unmistakable: The most striking characteristic of the competition bike is its low weight; our test bike with SRAM Red AXS and lightweight Zipp wheels weighs just 6.8 kilograms. However, the Magma benefits above all from its lightweight tubular tyre wheels, which other manufacturers hardly ever use on their production models. The 1,394 gram frameset weighs similar to other competition all-rounders from major manufacturers such as Trek, Giant or Canyon. "I was actually already happy with the weight of the first prototype. But the Magma was too unsteady on the downhill, which is why we went up a bit in favour of the balance," reveals Contador.
The TOUR test rides show: The Aurum masters explosive acceleration and fast descents without any problems. The extremely stiff set-up ensures safety at high speeds. The suspension comfort is among the best in this class thanks to the round carbon seatpost and tubular tyres on our test bike.
So only top marks for the self-proclaimed "dream bike"? Not quite. Overall, the bike is undoubtedly a top product. Nevertheless, it has hardly any unique selling points and ultimately stands out less from established competition models than the Contador/Basso duo may have imagined. Like other competition all-rounders (see test in TOUR 12/21), the Magma also has aerodynamic disadvantages: 231 watts of resistance for 45 km/h only mark an average value in the wind tunnel measurement.
In terms of price, the first model is in the upper class. The complete bikes cost between €7,499 and €12,679, with a choice of groupsets from Shimano or SRAM, various wheels and handlebar/stem units. The frame set is available for 4,099 euros. In June, the platform will be expanded to include a slightly cheaper model. A gravel bike is also being planned. But above all else, Contador is focussed on the successful future of the Magma. "It's not a project for three or four years. We are thinking long-term. And the ultimate goal is to win the Tour de France one day," announces the ex-pro full-bodied. By then at the latest, he will probably no longer be able to hold back his tears.
The Aurum Magma in the TOUR test
TOUR measured values
- Price:10,779 Euro
- Weight of complete wheel: 6.8 kilogrammes
- Info: www.aurumbikes.com
- Weight frame/fork/steering positionr* 959/371/64 grammes
- Frame sizes** 50, 52, 54 (test size), 56, 58, 61
- Seat/top tube/head tube 505/550/143 millimetres
- Stack/Reach/STR***546/383 millimetres/1.43
- Wheelbase/caster 980/55 millimetres
Equipment
- Drive/gearbox/brakes:
SRAM Red (48/35, 10-28 t.)/SRAM Red eTap AXS/SRAM Red (160/140 mm) - Wheels/tyres (weights):
Zipp 303 Firecrest/Schwalbe Pro One HT 25 mm (f./h. 1,096/1,328 grams)
+ very light frame set, stable ride, comfortable
- Equipped with old Shimano groupsets, moderate aero performance
All individual notes of the Aurum Magma can be found in the TOUR issue 1/22.
Julian Schultz
Editor
