chaadster

The Ritchey Logic Road was the other contender, but I went with the Breezer because of the tech and the lower price. I do want a Ritchey, though! Maybe the 29er...

Sizing on the Venturi is weird by road bike standards (less so from a MTB perspective, which is, of course, Breeze's perspective as a designer). Seat tube on this one is 540mm C-T, which is very short compared to the top tube length of 570mm, which in traditional geometry, corresponds more to a 59cm frame TT length.

Sizing up a step to Breezer's largest size, pulled in a 585TT, which is really a little too long given my fairly short torso, pulling my center of gravity forward of the BB. I wanted a sporty ride, not a luxo-cruiser, and so the 74˚ HT taken with the very stable, low BB gives the frame steering quickness but also a sure-footed, grounded feel that I think makes up for the stability garnered by a longer wheelbase.

Ultimately, I figured that I didn't need more frame material to get the ride I wanted, and the more compact dimensions not only reduce weight, but aid in stiffness and responsiveness with a light steel tube set. It's a radical and unusual design philosophy, and that's part of what made it so appealing.

Whether or not that philosophy works out on the road is yet to be determined; it's snowy out now, and I haven't ridden it. It's a bit of a gamble since one wasn't available locally to ride pre-purchase, but I'm a "nothing ventured, nothing gained" kind of guy, and having looked at the numbers carefully, thought this made sense.

Certainly the numbers suggest the Breezer a great crit racing bike, and while that's something I don't do currently, I may want to try in the future, and again, I wanted a bike that was agile and playful. Paired with my long (legged) Lemond (590TT), these two bikes should give me a set of tools to tackle most kinds of rides.

Anyway, we'll see; I'll post ride impressions as soon as I have 'em!