In relation to race bikes, aluminum typically performs second fiddle to carbon, however there’s a devoted following that loves the appear and feel of alloy. An alloy body has one thing basic that attracts me again into the occasions when a highway race bike was untouchable. Standert’s Kreissäge provides me that very same feeling, with a slight tweak on usability and a a lot wider use past the pavement. With its spectacular dealing with and aggressive design, this alloy highway bike pulls in your heartstrings for the times when alloy was king, but additionally reveals it nonetheless has a spot in fashionable biking—providing a quick, race-ready machine that’s not only a worthy various to carbon but additionally a customizable alternative for individuals who need it their means.
What’s it? Standert Kreissäge
The Standert Kreissäge is a high-performance aluminum highway bike designed in Germany, made (fabricated and painted) in Italy. The phrase “Kreissäge” interprets into the “round noticed,” and boy does this body minimize via the BS of what you “want” for a contemporary highway bike and never. It additionally has a really apt illustration of the Standert mascot wielding a stable noticed blade.
Body Design / Particulars
The Kreissäge is for riders looking for a race-ready machine with fashionable options and basic aesthetics. Crafted from Dedacciai Alloy tubing, the body provides any onlooker a glimpse of the heyday of alloy frames ruling the biking world. No dropped seat stays, or sloping toptube, only a barely extra stout highway body. The yin/yang: black/white paint job (they’ve one other body accessible within the reverse colorway) jogs my memory of Mario Cipollini’s 2003 Specialised Allez Comp – shiny end and basic aesthetic. Traditional cool with out the burden of il Re Leone – Cipo.
Standert’s custom-drawn tubes create an all-business look whereas enhancing the bike’s rigidity. The curvy seatstays and subtly sculpted high tube add a pleasant contact of magnificence, proving that aluminum could be extra than simply useful. The Kreissäge makes use of Dedacciai’s aluminum, which they are saying is barely lighter and a contact stiffer than customary aluminum.
Fashionable Traditional
For individuals who admire a delightful aesthetic, the Kreissäge is a well-proportioned machine with a classically fashionable end—although magnificence, in fact, is within the eye of the beholder. The bike is designed to run solely digital groupsets (it’s a bummer, however I get it). Nevertheless, solely operating digital groupsets ensures an ultra-clean look with totally built-in cable routing via the cockpit and into the headset. Paired with a full carbon fork, this frameset is fashionable, very clear, although not a superlight-weight dance companion. However extra on that later.
In case you’re in search of the “Race All Day” frameset, that might be the Kreissäge’s scandium twin, the Kreissäge RS. I like to consider the Kreissäge (OG) because the do-it-all and take some hits whereas within the course of kinda body. It’s strong and might take a beating or a knock with a U-lock. However with that stated, don’t search for tremendous light-weight builds, even with a full SRAM RED AXS groupset.
Standert Kreissäge – Body Specs
Materials: custom-shaped Dedacciai alloy tubing
Fork: Standert full carbon built-in tapered fork (1 1/8″ to 1 1/2″) with flat mount disc brake compatibility.
Backside Bracket: T47 threaded customary for straightforward upkeep and compatibility.
Seatpost Diameter: 27.2mm.
Tire Clearance: Formally helps as much as 700x30mm tires; 700x32mm tires could match however might void the guarantee.
Most Rotor Measurement: 160mm.
Cockpit: Standert’s built-in headset ensures a clear aesthetic and clean cable routing.
Customization: Standert presents a customizable construct, permitting riders to pick elements that finest match their preferences and desires.
Value: 1500€ / $1,700
Weight: 17lbs whole bike as pictured (7.7kg)
Geometry and Match
The geometry and really feel are harking back to my Cannondale CAAD 9 (one in every of my favourite highway machines) and the fashionable Specialised Tarmac SL8. It’s similar to the SL8, with the identical head tube/seat tube angles, stack/attain, and chainstay size for the dimensions 54cm. So, it’s protected to say the Kreissäge will fulfill the fashionable highway palette, however you’ll get a pleasant little bit of flashback when the aluminum hum hits you on the pavement.
Standert crafted the geometry for efficiency, providing sharp dealing with and environment friendly energy switch, accentuated by a bigger down tube and backside bracket shell. I opted for a 54cm body (I’m 5’10”) with a 120mm stem and 40cm bars, and I used to be capable of recreate my highway match properly.
Facet Bar – Standert Challenge Compact: To ensure everybody has an opportunity to suit their bike correctly, Customary developed ‘Challenge Compact’. Making a geometry that’s higher each aerodynamically and biomechanically (and aesthetically too) for these using 52cm and below frames. The steeper angles imply riders sit additional contained in the attain, shifting the middle of gravity in direction of the middle of the bike and making a extra compact place, decreasing frontal drag. This place additionally opens the rider’s hip angle, rising pedalling effectivity and energy switch. Standert feels that the result’s a motorbike that handles higher, is extra snug, extra environment friendly, and appears extra balanced.
Construct: Select My Personal Journey
I went for the build-your-adventure mannequin, ranging from the body, with numerous evaluate and check gear. The Kreissäge was the canvas, and my largest piece to put in was the SRAM RED AXS groupset. I’m a fan of the up to date SRAM RED group. I’ve reviewed (and favored) the most recent XPLR (each Power and RED), and the brand new highway group is that. Plus, I selected it for the zero wires wanted to construct this wi-fi machine.
Construct-wise, the one bits that stick out as uncommon or barely annoying could be the headset and backside bracket. Each are Standert points, and they are often swapped. Standert even features a good BB software with the body, however it’s important to decide what you’re swapping for fastidiously.
The BB wasn’t that massive of a deal. Principally, I used to be agitated as a result of I had a Ceramic Pace one which wasn’t the right spacing in my hand, and I needed to make use of it. The headset is extra of an aesthetic concern than a useful one—the brake hose travels via the highest headset cup, headtube, and bearings, just like many internally routed frames. However on the Kreissäge, the highest headset cup is spherical and doesn’t look nice with a extra fashionable bar/stem combo. I’m certain that an aero spacer or high cup would shortly resolve this concern, however I’ve chosen to stay it out with the OG tools, and it’s not dangerous in any respect.
Packaged to Protect
The body itself arrived expertly packaged and coated from any transport mishaps that might come up, coming from Germany to the USA. Internally, the body was clear, with no scraps of metallic or burs round cable ports and openings – it was a properly completed product.
I used to be happy with the body paint. The paint is basic and has an attractive, deep colour, with a slight pop of pink within the lettering. Thick and resilient is an effective way to explain the paint now that I give it some thought. I’ve had just a few scrapes and dings on the Kreissäge since I’ve began using it (almost each day), and they’re hardly notable.
A body just like the Kreissäge needs to be a canvas that helps to intensify the elements that the rider chooses, none wanting misplaced or protruding. I consider that it does this expertly, all whereas dovetaling fashionable and classical biking vibes. It’s the bike that you simply wish to trip, not simply because it might be aero or quick, however as a result of it appears to be like stunning and enjoyable.
Experience Impressions: Quick, Responsive, and Sharp
The Kreissäge is a blast to trip. From my first roll on the highway, it was good to really feel that alloy hum below me. It jogs my memory of my first occasions on a race bike, this time, nevertheless, with fashionable tools and tires that rounded off the additional harshness (RIP my 22mm Vredestein tires pumped to 130PSI).
Including the one-piece CADEX (and earlier than that, Imaginative and prescient) bar/stem stiffened up the entrance finish properly. It’s additionally matched the bike’s aesthetics (minus the headset transition), so a win/win in my e book. On the open highway, the dealing with is crisp, exact, and assured.
With 32mm tires, the Kreissäge has a barely completely different character than the 28mm I spend most of my time on. I might discover slight gravel (particularly when geared up with the WTB Expanse tires) and never bat a watch. It was a enjoyable trip, and never over its head steering via the forest or too fragile to take a persist with the chainstays.
While you get a motorbike just like the Kreissäge, there’s a robust aesthetic that you simply’re after, and it delivers. Each time I’d look down, see the body or get a glimpse of myself passing a window, I used to be like “man, that’s cool”. It made me wish to trip it increasingly more.
Efficiency Feels Cool
Efficiency-wise, the bike can roll. Sure, it’s barely heavier than a carbon body. But when weight is all you’re as a efficiency metric, this isn’t your bike. For racing crits, nevertheless, the Kreissäge looks like an asset. It may well take all of the watts and, paired with a pleasant set of wheels (just like the URSUS Proxima 40 Group Editions), it holds velocity and appears nice doing it.
When out of the saddle, the bike presents fast reactions, making it simple to get that pop of velocity if you want it. Nevertheless, on rougher tarmac, the stiffness of the alloy body can really feel harsh, however that. It’s not fairly as forgiving as a carbon race bike, so tune your tires accordingly.
Backside Line
The Standert Kreissäge is a powerful bike. Its sharp dealing with and quick response make it a perfect alternative for anybody seeking to race arduous, quick, and stick out within the crowd (in a great way).
There’s no two methods about it, the Kreissäge stands out within the alloy class. Some alloy frames are attempting to look carbon, even Standert’s personal Kreissäge RS is in that boat. The Kreissäge, alternatively, doesn’t cover its alloy make-up; as an alternative, it rocks round tubes. Making it even higher wanting than the matte, alloy, and carbon look-alikes. In case you’re in search of a race-ready bike that’s totally customizable (by way of the Standert website), delivers stable efficiency, and can undoubtedly final quite a lot of seasons, the Standert Kreissäge would possibly simply be the one.
For extra data or to configure your personal Kreissäge, go to the official Standert web page.
