Breezer Venturi
 

I just received my new '12 Breezer Venturi, which I had built up with Athena Carbon 11 speed, rolling on Ksyrium Equipe Ss. It came out great, in my opinion, although I'm wondering what I was thinking going with white wheels; they're gonna be impossible to keep clean!

I was really taken in by the steel tech in this bike; it's the world's first post-weld heat treated, hydroformed steel road frame (according to Breezer). I wanted a modern bike, and I love steel, so the Venturi was really a perfect combo for me. With only 149 of these 2012, 35th anniversary frames produced, I was really happy to get one, especially since I don't care as much for the paint on the '13s.

This is the Large size, with a 54cm c-c seat tube. Stem is a 100mm +6˚ rise unit. It's set up for me as a 6'er, which I mention because when I was trying to decide which size to get-- the sizing/geometry is a little funky-- I could scarcely find any good info, so maybe this will be of help to someone else who's trying to visualize what the setup will be like.

It hit the scale at 18.5lbs without pedals; I fitted it with Mavic Race SL Ti pedals, which came in at precisely 220gms, so if I did the math right, that's rolling at 19lbs, which ain't bad for a steel frame in my size, and no particularly trick, light, go-fast bits.

It's too snowy out for a ride, so I've got to get my kicks staring at it until the weather breaks. I figured it would be more fun talking some Breezer talk, too, so ergo, this thread. I don't have anything profound to say, but maybe other Venturi owners will chime in with pics and thoughts!

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5446/9...377f724a_b.jpg

That frame has very aggressive geo compared to a typical steel bike. It's not.

cool bike dude :thumb:

Presuming you meant "it's hot," thank you!

Regarding the geometry, yes, I agree it is aggressive, which is part of what I meant I was looking for when I said I wanted modern steel.

frame appears small given the huge amount of seat post and rise of stem...but steel is real ride it hard

Actually I was saying it's not a typical steel bike. But yes, it is hot. I almost got it myself last spring, but I went with the Altamira instead.

Pretty cool. Seems like you could have sized up though.

Aesthetically I'm not a fan of the white stem and spacers, but I love the classic paint on that.

Cool to see some of the old names on road bikes again.

http://ritcheylogic.com/dyn_prodfamily.php?k=600491

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!

Like. My next bike will be steel.

Damn- that brings back memories. I had one of these when they first came out, around '91 or '92, along with a Breezer Lightning mountain bike. Great rides, both of them, and the paint schemes are gorgeous- I got a lot of compliments on those bikes. Glad to hear that Joe is still around- he's a great guy. Congratulations to you on your new ride!

Thanks, hawiken! I had a friend in the early '90s who had a Lightning MTB, which shared this paint scheme, and I thought it was one of the best looking bikes on the trail! I've wanted a Breezer, though, since the aluminum framed American Breezer MTBs hit in the late '80s.

Sounds like your ideal setup is probably a little under square. I prefer a size smaller than my "right" size for a lot of the same reasons.

Here's mine, just got it built up and am totally in love with it!!!
 

2012 Breezer Venturi hydroformed steel road race frame, extra-small (I'm 5'5" with short inseam/long torso)
2013 SRAM Force (ZeroLoss front AND rear), white hoods, white Apex brakes
Yokozuna Reaction cable set in white
Bontrager Race Lite TLR wheels
Bontrager R3 TLR tires (running tubeless)
Ritchey carbon drop bars
ISM Adamo Prologue saddle in white
OEM Oval 700 alloy seatpost and stem

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=313557http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=313558http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=313559http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=313560http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=313561http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=313562

The bidon cage is temporary; will be a few weeks before I finally receive the pair of Bontrager Race X Lite cages in blue that I ordered to come in.

-Ed

Nice Ed!

The black wheels are the way to go on this bike; they really visually anchor the vibrant indigo blue of the frame.

The bag on the stem/TT however...I guess it's practical, but aesthetically, it leaves something to be desired!

How do you like the ride quality?

Thank you; actually, this is the, "ugly," side of the bento box. The opposite side is a clean white panel with a small, blue Timbuk2 swirl logo, and looks much nicer and in harmony with the rest of the bike. I'm thinking to keep the mesh nets on the right side, however, rather than cut them off, since it comes in handy for cue sheets.

The ride, between the wonderful feel of the steel frame plus the tubeless tires, which I'm running at 65 psi front/85 psi rear (based on 15% compression calculation for my weight) is so smooth yet so easy (there is minimal rolling resistance plus the position this frame/fit and setup put me into is particularly aero). I am absolutely in love with this bike and just want to ride it and ride it and ride it all day long. The Apex brakes on this are not quite as powerful as the discs on my Bryant, but with the Yokozuna Reaction cables pulling from the levers, I'm still far from yearning for better braking power. The handling is immediately responsive and it really lets me dive deeply into turns at speed which is a total blast!

-Ed

Well, as my first season with the Venturi winds down, I wanted to post an update with some more informed insights. I put about 1,500 miles on it this summer, and feel like I know it pretty well at this point.

Actually, it's more accurate to say that I LOVE it at this point! I've done all sorts of rides (albeit non-race) on this bike, and it has performed extremely well, delivering speed, confidence, handling and comfort.

At 6'0 225lbs, I'm a big guy, and I ride aggressively, so I can put a bike through a workout. If there's flex to find, I'll find it. The Venturi, however, is rock solid, and it responds crisply. I'm delighted, in fact, to report that the ride quality is excellent whether noodling at 15mph or bombing downhill at 50mph+. It feels lively and responsive. The competence and ability of the bike is never in question.

The Venturi's razor sharp handling suits my aggressive riding style perfectly. It cuts and dives with alacrity, and just feels ready to go, ready to do anything, at any time. It pushes up climbs great, and sprints enthusiastically; it can be pushed hard into turns, and responds to input from the hips. The one peculiarity, perhaps, is the instability of the front wheel when out of the saddle and weighting out over the front. I think it's a combo of the steep head angle and short wheelbase that does it, but while it's noticeable, it requires only a touch of attention to manage, and really rewards a practiced technique.

The Ksyrium Equipe S wheelset has been perfect, and surprisingly, Mavic's Yksion Comp tires have been equally perfect. They roll great, and grip great. The rear is showing some wear and battle scars, but still has life in it. I'm thinking to try some Schwalbe Ultremo DDs next season, but I'll be hard pressed not to just go with another Yksion rear tire. Very good rubber.

The Athena 11spd gruppo has been very good, too, delivering fast, sure, shifting, although I can't seem to quite memorize the amount of finesse the shift lever needs to move the chain up one cog perfectly. I seem to overshift it often, and need to hit the downshift lever to realign it perfectly. The only other little gripe was a clicking between brake and shift lever when engaging brakes, because the little pad on the leading edge of the shift lever didn't align properly to hit the brake lever first when it was depressed. I put a small womens' hair tie on each lever to eliminate the noise. Works fine.

So that's my report; the Venturi is awesome!

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3820/1...90ec98c3_h.jpg

Max tire size?
 

Quick question on the Breezer Venturi - how much clearance is there for larger tires? (like 25mm, some of which measure 28mm inflated). Thanks!

Little... I don't have time to slap on a wheel set with 25s right now-- I can do it later tonight-- but eyeballing it, it's very snug up front, and maybe not possible, while the rear is roomier.

I've got a set of Michelin Pro Optimum 25s on another bike, which I think are pretty chubby as far as 25s go, so I'll give those a whirl later and report back.

chaadster, I was just wondering whether a little more front end wouldn't help with the problem you mention about being out of the saddle. A little more top tube length, maybe one size larger. It looks from your seat post, spacer stack and your personal measurement description that you chose a bike a bit on the small side. No criticism, mind you. Just observing that you may be getting a little too far out in front of the steering for good control when you are standing. I suspect your choice was due to long legs and a short torso/arms. Anyone else want to comment on this? Would a longer top tube, shorter stem be better for out-of-the-saddle control or worse? How about a slacker head tube and resulting shorter top tube, but longer stem? Would either of those adjustments help in this case?

I know you love the bike, and I am not suggesting you make a change. I am only trying to learn a little about competent bike design from your complaint.

Another thought. Are you sure you have your saddle positioned correctly? With a normal set back post, so much post showing, and the saddle cranked more than half way back on the rails, you are really riding far back. Once again, if you didn't need to be that far back behind the bottom bracket, you could have taken a larger frame size and put the length toward the front. That could help with your out-of-the-saddle problem.

RPP,

Perhaps sizing up would mitigate the effect of the 74º head tube angle, but I think the quickness is a result of the geometry, not the front weighting, although you are correct that I'm short torsoed/long legged (and top heavy, i.e. fat, to boot!). Overall the ride is perfect, and sizing up presented not only a too long TT/reach scenario (I'm running a 100mm stem now), but gives a longer wheelbase which was not attractive to me. I like how I'm balanced on this bike in the saddle now, and it handles like a razor.

Actually I was more interested in the academic question of what the effect of the larger frame size would be on out-of-the saddle handling than in sowing seeds of dissatisfaction in your mind. I'm really pleased you are so fond of the Venturi just the way it is. I'm still riding some steel in my mix of bikes and wouldn't trade it, so I know whereof you speak. I was just wondering about the handling issue you brought up is all.

Enjoy for many years to come.

Thanks for the info - if you do get a chance to check more exactly, that will be helpful. I've ordered one of these frames and I'm trying to get the parts together to build it up. I've got a Shimano 105 groupset. I assume the steerer is alloy? And that it comes with a star-fangled nut already. I've tall so have ordered the largest size XXL - 60cm. Most of my road bikes seem to run out of clearance first under the brake stay, then against the seat tube. I think that's because 25mm is not much wider than 23mm, but depending on the tire brand, it can be a lot taller. Then again, 25mm Specialized Armadillos measure 28mm inflated to 100 psi. Is that an SMP Selle saddle?

Yes, that's what I understood you were getting at, so no worries there. As I said though, I don't know that a larger frame would do much, as I think the handling characteristic is derived from the exceptionally aggressive geometry, in particular the very steep HTA-- which is steeper than most, and in fact steeper than any I can think of-- and not resulting from front end weighting.

Regarding steel in general, this is my my fifth steel road bike, and one of two currently in the stable, and my affection for it derives not from the fact it's steel, but for the handling characteristics, which are on a whole different level from any of the other steel road frames I've had. It's stiffer, more responsive, and better balanced than my current Lemond BA or my old Bridgestone RB2, Diamondback Master TG, or Lotuses Challenger or Legend. I guess I had a Schwinn Letour in the there during the mid 80s, too. None of it high-end stuff, really, but nonetheless my frame of reference.

I snapped a couple of pics before I ran out the door, hoping these might help. The shot of the front shows a gap just large enough to slide a 4mm allen key into. The rear is perhaps twice that roomy to the chain stays, and up to the brake bridge as well.

Yes, I believe the fork steerer is alu, but I had a shop build mine, so I haven't looked at it myself. My seat is an SMP Dynamic, yes.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3821/1...60be203b_c.jpg
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3823/1...12870d03_b.jpg

I've a number of steel bikes which is why this frame interested me. I have old Peugeot and Bianchi frames, plus a number of hand-built English frames, one made in South Africa from "Gilco" fluted steel and the odd classic Raleigh. Everything from Reynolds 501, 531, 631, Columbus Cro-Mor, Thron and SL... For current bikes, I've Surly Pacer (4130) and the rare Felt F4130 (Campy 11 spd) and a Lemond Zurich. So I guess I'm a steel man :-)

That does look tight at the fork! I think some 25mm tires would just fit, though. I've ordered 23mms for now though. Thanks - very helpful.

Here are pics of the clearance on mine with Bontrager R3 TLR in 700x23:
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=367199

If you'd like, later this week, I can try mounting my girlfriend's front wheel on my bike. I set her up with Hutchinson Sector 28 on Ultegra tubeless wheels. I think they will fit, but extremely tight.

-Ed

I'd appreciate it if you get the chance. I'm amazed how tight the Breezer fork is. I think I can probably squeeze 25s in there, but I have a Trex Madone 4.5 with "fat" tubeless Hutchinson 25mm tires on it, and I can fit my entire index finger on either side of the fork blades. I'd say the Trek would easily run 28mm tires. The Surly Pacer, OTOH - actually labeled as a "fat tire bike" can't run 32mm Michelin World Tours - they are too tall and scrape the brake stay. Which is frustrating as there is plenty of room everywhere else and the position of the brake stay is relatively unimportant (just use brakes with more drop). Surly apparently changed the geometry recently to fix that issue. Thanks for the pix.

With the Michelin Pro Optimum 25s, there is maybe a business card worth of clearance to the sides, so I guess it works.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7296/1...1eed3585_b.jpg