EPIC TRAINING SYSTEMS
Endure, Excel and Achieve
Product Review BH G4
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| A full ride report on a BH G4. |
| INTRODUCTION I was given the opportunity to ride a BH G4 equipped with the new Shimano Dura-Ace 7900. I rode the bike for two days. On Saturday, I rode a loop with rolling terrain short steep climbs and curvy descents. On Sunday, the ride consisted of long climbs (5 -9 miles) and long descents. I believe the contrast of the two different terrains gave me an adequate representation of the ride characteristics of the BH. I rode over 160 miles and climbed over 18,000 feet on the G4. |
| THE BIKE The first thing you notice about this bike is how small it is. When I was presented the bike I was told it was a 54cm. I didn't believe it I really thought it was a 52cm. The 54cm G4 has a 110cm Head Tube. It is quite low compared to many other 54cm geometries. With a Head Tube that low the bike can easily be adapted for an occasional triathlon. As a result of the lower Head Tube the Top Tube connects lower and slopes down toward the Seat Tube and attaches even lower. The first time I stopped at a traffic signal and went to sit on the Top Tube I felt like someone had pulled a chair out from under me. Yes it is that low. I also found that standard size water bottles were tough to get out of the forward bottle cage. I drank out of the rear bottle mostly. Another thing you notice is how light the bike is. It weighed in at 15.5 lbs. The bike was equipped with a full Shimano Dura-Ace 7900 Gruppo and Dura-Ace wheels. As I was transferring my measurements onto the G4 I noticed one thing that seemed odd. The seat clamp has a bolt that requires a open wrench to adjust it. I used a small adjustable wrench. Typically, when making adjustments on the bike (handlebars, stem, saddle height and saddle fore and aft) all that is required is an Hex wrench set. The G4 also has an integrated seat mast. When I pedal I rub my thighs on the nose of the saddle, unfortunately I found I kept rubbing against the clamp for the integrated seat mast. I had to alter my riding style. I feel you shouldn't have to alter your riding style just to be able to ride a bike. The rear derailleur cable exits the right chainstay very close to the wheel skewer. Maybe it's not a mechanical issue but I thought the loop was a little extreme. |
| THE RIDE The G4 was equipped with Dura-Ace wheels and shod with Vittoria Diamante Pro tires. This was a nice comfortable wheel and tire combination and made the G4 ride very smoothly. I was impressed with its ride quality. However, I felt the bike was unstable particularly when I got out of the saddle. The first time I stood up and pedalled the front end felt really loose and I sat back down in a hurry. Over the next two days I would continue to consciously work on keeping the bike "in control" when I got out of the saddle. The G4 seemed more at home on the second day when the climbs were longer (5 mile and 9 mile) and the optimal position was to be seated on the climbs. However, on the descents the bike was not so confidence inspiring. I felt the front end shudder in tight corners. To its credit it snapped quickly into a new line on each corner but the rear end felt disconnected with the front end of the bike. On several occassions, I felt the back end of the G4 skip out on me. I actually felt I was going in too hot even though I have descended these roads many times before on many different bikes and descended faster. On Saturday, as I was doing a short very steep hill (over 15%) the frame was really stressed to the limit as I sprinted to the top. I could feel the frame flexing underneath me and I could almost feel the power just being drained away from me. The 7900 shifted beautifully. The rear derailleur shifted instantly and precisely. The front derailleur was a little out of adjustment however it still shifted very well. The brakes were powerful and consistent although sometimes they felt a little grabby. The bike was also equipped with an 11-28 cassette. I found this cassette to be very useful for climbing and descending. The Dura- Ace 11-28 cassette should sell very well for Shimano. The new shifter/levers were very comfortable and will be easy to get used if coming from 7800 which has a pronounced dip. I routinely ride sans cycling gloves and noticed a little tenderness on my palms from the shifter/levers. |
| CONCLUSION It's hard for me to give a favorable recommendation on this bike. I feel strongly that you shouldn't have to get used to a bike. You should be able to hop on and ride the bike intuitively-- without much thought -- just ride. The G4 climbed well but didn't allow me to bomb down the descent. I found the front end and the back end of the bike were not connected. I felt the front end was loose. And I found the frame to have too much flex for my liking. I am 5' 9" and weigh 155 lbs at the time of this writing. |
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