Originally Posted by
patentcad
The bike is stiff, light, which I expected. The ride is quite comfortable, and that surprised me. Smooth even over rough chip/seal roads. Stiffer than the Six13, I really liked that. Great climber. Not bad in wicked crosswinds either. Climbs/descends great. D.A. 7900? Nice, but not too much different than 7800. I miss the gear indicator bubble that used to tell me whether I had one more cog to go in the back or not. Bike fits great, more of a drop to the bars (I think it's half a centimeter) but I'm sure I'll get use to that. Liked it today, a bit of a reach in the drops, but it was 15º, windy as hell and I was wearing a lotta layers.
The Williams 38c's were the right wheels to get for this bike. With those wheels and Conti GP 4000s the bike only weighs 16 lbs 5 oz. with cages and computer. Hard to tell about the performance (speed, aero) on a day like today when it's cold, windy and you're alone. But I was impressed with the bike ride, handling, fit and feel. I think this was the right choice for me. Just what I was hoping for.
And that's why I can't test ride bikes. I always have a different impression when I get them home. Don't ask me why. I go by general consensus, and if all the owners and magazines tend to love the bike, I put my faith in that. So far that is working.
My Soloist Team came with some 3T ergo bars, as well, and I ended swapping them out for FSA SL-K shallow round bars. It made a huge difference in my comfort on the bike; I hated the "ergo" bars. Being in the drops is now very comfortable and I feel I have my places to put my hands while riding. I have pretty decent flexibility too (hands flat on the ground when bending over and legs straight).
Glad you enjoyed the ride; it is a beautiful bike.