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Examining the Review of Huez Pro Team Edition: The French Climber's Durable Bike, Engineered for Endurance

Agile bicycle designed for scaling challenging terrains, boasts impressive long-distance capabilities

Examining the Huez Pro Team Edition: The durable French climbing bike engineered for enduring...
Examining the Huez Pro Team Edition: The durable French climbing bike engineered for enduring performance

Examining the Review of Huez Pro Team Edition: The French Climber's Durable Bike, Engineered for Endurance

The Look Huez 785 Huez Pro Team Edition has been turning heads in the cycling world, offering a unique blend of comfort and efficiency that makes it an ideal choice for long-distance rides, especially those involving significant climbing.

Originating from the legendary Alpe d'Huez climb in the French Western Alps, the Huez bike's lineage is steeped in cycling history. Its innovative design, inspired by Jean Beyl, the founder of Look, who dreamt up an innovative ski binding after breaking a leg on the slopes of Huez in 1960, has led to the brand's pioneering clipless pedal design.

The Huez bike performs exceptionally well on longer, more challenging climbs, helping to keep potential back and neck strain in check. Its geometry, typical of a modern climbing bike, provides stable handling on technical terrain, and its higher stack height (18-32mm taller than some rivals) offers a more upright position than pure race bikes, approaching endurance bike comfort.

However, the Huez sits somewhat between a race-bike aggressiveness and endurance comfort. Compared to dedicated endurance bikes, which emphasize comfort with design features that absorb road vibrations and reduce strain on the back and shoulders, the Look Huez offers a strong compromise for riders wanting lightweight climbing capability without sacrificing too much comfort on long rides.

The frame of the Huez model is built using high-modulus fibres and minimalist Nano tubes, which means the tubes are crafted to have exceptionally thin, light walls wherever strength isn't a primary requirement. This design philosophy results in a frame that is both lightweight and optimized for direct output, without compromising ride feel or comfort.

The Huez bike handles well on gently undulating roads, exhibiting sublime handling with no skittishness. It surges forwards eagerly when power is applied to the pedals and feels composed even in mild crosswinds, with optional 50mm wheels fitted.

The latest iteration of the Huez model is promoted by Look as a performance-oriented climber's bike, but it is considered more versatile than that. It is a competitive option when compared to other similarly specified Ultegra-equipped climbing bikes, such as the Specialized Aethos Pro, Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi-MOD 2, Wilier Verticale, Orbea Orca M20ILTD PWR, and Canyon CF SLX 8 Di2, in terms of price.

In summary, the Look Huez 785 Huez Pro Team Edition is a versatile bike that excels on long-distance rides, especially those involving climbing and some technical stability. It is more comfortable than typical race climbers but less tailored for pure endurance than dedicated endurance bikes, striking a versatile middle ground between performance and comfort.

| Feature | Look 785 Huez | Dedicated Endurance Bikes | |--------------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| | Geometry (head tube/reach) | Taller stack height than race climbers (more upright) | Even taller head tube, shorter reach (more relaxed) | | Handling | Stable but still nimble | More stable and steady, especially on rough roads | | Comfort | Good for long climbs and rides; less aggressive than pure climbers | Optimized for reducing fatigue over very long rides with enhanced compliance | | Weight & Responsiveness | Lightweight and responsive for climbing | Often heavier due to compliance features, prioritizing comfort | | Overall Use Case | Climbers who want to endure long mountain rides comfortably | Riders prioritizing maximum comfort and stable handling on long endurance rides |

Upon unboxing in St Malo, the Huez bike attracted admiration from onlookers, and with an estimated weight of around 8 kilograms, it promises a smooth and efficient ride. Although it absorbs bumps and lumps well, extended sections of tar and chip made me wish for wider tyres running at lower pressures. Nevertheless, the Look Huez 785 Huez Pro Team Edition is a bike that is sure to turn heads and provide a comfortable, efficient ride for long-distance cyclists.

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