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may/jun ‘13 ISSuE 16

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NZNZ $9.90 inc. GST

• EMC Equip 1.1• Avanti Corsa 4.0

CRouCh, touCh, CyCle

How to stay safe on NZ’s roads

the agiNg CuRveHow to maintain your performance as you get older

how to:Fuel up for winter ridingProtect your precious bike from airline gorillasSleep your way to success

iNdooR tRaiNiNg

Transform your riding this winter

Cycling’s All Black connection

CyCliNg’s No.1 issue

tested & Reviewed

WIn 1 OF 12 LImaR GIRO D’ITaLIa HELmETS WORTH $199! SEE PaGE 64

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avaNti COrSa dr4

Take the proven performance of your race bike; add the aero advantage of your world-beating TT bike; then add integration on an unprecedented scale.

In very simple terms, that’s the recipe that iconic Kiwi brand Avanti has used to produce its latest offering, the Avanti Corsa DR4.

And as bike reviewer Adam Clark discovered, the result is a bike that fulfils Avanti’s vision, when it started out some 25 years ago, to one day be up there with the best bike brands in the world.

WORDs By adam CLark PhOTOs By darryL CarEy

30 nzroadc ycl ist .co.nz

31

You could say that Avanti’s Corsa DR4 has been years in the making.

It owes much of its heritage to the intensive work the company’s

design team did in CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and wind

tunnel testing to develop the extreme aero lines of the Avanti Chrono and

then applying those learnings to take a high-performance racing bike to

the next level.Key to that step up has been a commitment to integration

to make full use of the bike’s aerodynamic qualities.

My initial impression of the Corsa was positive. Avanti have gone for a subtle approach in its design with only a touch of colour on the frame, back stays and front forks and a matt grey finish everywhere else. It’s a classy-looking, highly-integrated, supremely aerodynamic road racing bike with some nice touches - aero skewers are integrated into a cut out in the front fork and rear seat stay. On top of this an aero head tube cap can be switched out with other sizes to allow for different steerer lengths. Little features maybe, but they tidy up the bike and give it a distinctly aero look.

My first ride on the Avanti confirmed that positive impression. The Corsa DR4 is unlike any other Avanti I have ever seen - you can tell just by looking at it they have taken things to the next level - and during my first ride I was nothing but impressed. It was smooth, stiff and surprisingly comfortable.

iNtErNaL CaBLiNG ENHaNCES tHE COrSa’S StyLiSH, CLEaN LiNES.

SHimaNO’S NEW dura aCE 9000 COmPONENtry iS tHE FiNiSHiNG tOuCH tO a quaLity BikE.

StiFF aNd rESPONSivE, tHE COrSa rESPONdS tO aLL tHE POWEr yOu CaN GivE it.

a dura aCE C50 WHEELSEt CONFirmS tHiS iS a SEriOuS raCE WEaPON.

32 nzroadc ycl ist .co.nz

specifications – avanti corsa dr4

Over the time i have been reviewing this bike i have clocked up well over 1000km. from short sharp sessions to long 150km-plus rides, the bike has performed remarkably responsively.

and did i mention comfortable? even after a five-hour ride i could swing my leg off and feel like i was in pretty good shape, always a nice feeling!

in racking up those kilometres over a range of different roads, climbs and descents, the corsa DR4 has been a fun bike to ride - responding really nicely to any extra power you want to put through it.

i track all my rides using strava (as some of you may have seen on the nZ Road cyclist facebook page) and i broke a few of my personal best times with no trouble at all.

it can be a little difficult ‘trusting’ a new bike on a descent until you get used to it but descending on the corsa was a breeze and quick too! smashed a personal best and reclaiming a K.o.M on my first attempt.

the bike set-up as i rode it, was covered in top class componentry; highlighted by shimano’s brand new Dura ace 9000 11-speed groupset including the new c50 clincher wheelset and carbon fibre Dura ace pedals. to finish it off was a Zero attack team bar and stem and Zenith saddle.

as Karl Murray wrote in his comprehensive review in the last issue of new Zealand Road cyclist (issue #15), the 11-speed Dura ace 9000 groupset is amazing; a definite set-up from the less-than-perfect 7900.

this reflects shimano’s design acumen at its best. it is well-researched, tested and precisely designed – and i loved riding it.

the 9000’s shifting is light and positive and the hoods are much more comfortable than on the 7900. as for the new c50 wheels, shimano wheels are always of the highest quality and these are no exception; stiff in the corners and under power and comfortable even over rough roads.

the Zero attack team bar was nice too, stiff under power on the drops and nice and comfortable on long rides.

overall avanti have done an incredibly good job with the new corsa DR. the bike is quick, stiff and powerful; responsive to every pedal turn.

this is a race bike that deserves respect in the peloton. it certainly exceeded all my expectations when i rode it and i’ve got to say it looks pretty fantastic.

first the chrono and now the corsa DR…i’m excited to see what else avanti have in store for us in the future.

Frame: aDt cR6 carbon, aero performance road geometry

Fork: aDt cR6 Monocoque carbon

Wheelset: shimano Dura ace c50 clinchers

Tyres: Kenda Kountach

Rear Derailleur: shimano Dura ace 9000

Front Derailleur: shimano Dura ace 9000

Shifters: shimano Dura ace 9000

Brakes: shimano Dura ace 9000

Brake levers: shimano Dura ace

Crankset: shimano Dura ace 9000 53/39t

Bottom Bracket: shimano sM-BB71

Chain: shimano Dura ace 9000

Cassette: shimano Dura ace 11-speed 11-25t

Saddle: Zero Zenith team

Seatpost: aero carbon

Handlebar: Zero attack team

Stem: Zero attack team

RRP: $9,299.99

Distributor: sheppard industries

EvErything about avanti’s suprEmEly aErodynamic corsa dr4 has bEEn takEn to thE nExt lEvEl, with thE rEsult that it is smooth, stiff and surprisingly comfortablE.

34 nzroadc ycl ist .co.nz