Launched late last year with a modest fanfare in Windsor, Estrella Bikes has slowly been accumulating a following, both here in the UK and as far away as Japan. Now the Hampshire based brand is starting to expand its range, as well as supplying its own componentry to complement their compact but growing range of frames and builds.
Back in November I took the top-of-the-range Camino Liso out for a spin with co-founder and driving force behind the marque, Paralympian Darren Kenny. It was decked out with all the fineries you'd expect from a flagship model, including Shimano's Ultegra Di2 and some very nice Cero AR30 lightweight alloy wheels.
I was back near Fordingbridge again last week to have a look at Estrella's mid-range option, the Camino Clasica, once again in the company of Darren who joined me on the disc-braked Novato version. Available as frameset only (£950) or in a range of builds, the Clasica I rode was kitted out with Shimano's 105 groupset and Estrella contact points, Cero AR24 wheels and a Suchi saddle. This build option retails at £1575, while Darren's disc-equipped Novato had Estrella's own chainset, disc brakes and wheels, with Tiagra looking after the chain shifting duties - full build priced at £1250.
To look at, the Clasica is very similar to the Liso but closer examination of the spec sheet reveals a few subtle but important differences. The carbon used in the frame is Toray T800, rather than the Liso's T1000, and the steat stays join to the seat tube higher up, giving the Clasica a slightly larger rear triangle. This gives the Clasica a slightly springier feel compared to the out-and-out stiffness of the Liso - a definite plus in my book, as I'm one of life's salad dodgers and super stiff bikes give my back end a severe kicking.
The fine paint job on my ride is only available on the Clasica, with red detailing set off by naked black UD carbon (it comes in red and yellow, also). Internal cable routing and immaculate paintwork combine for a very impressive finish, and a particularly attractive option for those that don't feel bold enough to sport Estrella's more striking colour schemes.
Up front, the tapered headtube ensures steering is precise without being skittish and I felt no loss of control under cornering or hard braking, despite running on brand new tyres. There were no complaints from the beefy bottom bracket when I got out of the saddle to scalp a local on a mountain bike (they all count, don't they?), and the only noise I could hear under hard effort, apart from my ear drums pounding, was the annoying squeak from my Look pedals, which are in dire need of a strip and service. As with the Liso, the brakes were set up 'continental style' so I chalked F and B on my gloves to remind me (just kidding).
Over a massive portion of butterscotch cake, I asked Darren how things were going. Between glugs of coffee, he told me that business was picking up slower than anticipated but I opined that a lot of prospective customers may still be emerging, bleary-eyed from winter-bike travails and only now turning their thoughts to their next N+1. It also takes time to establish a presence in the Southern Hemisphere and the Far East, although signs from there have been encouraging. He said he was looking into ways to break in to the American market.
One great achievement is the sponsorship of the Boot Out Breast Cancer ladies cycling team (sister team to Dame Sarah Storey's Podium Ambition Sports Tours Pro Cycling), to which Estrella supplies bikes. This will surely raise the profile of both the brand and the charity over the course of the cycling season. What's more, a special limited edition Clasica in the team's colours is set for launch in April, with Estrella donating £50 from each sale to the Boot Out Breast Cancer. You can reserve yours now by contacting Estrella via their website.
Back on the road, the arrival of some well-timed drizzle allowed me to check the Clasica's handling in the wet. But despite my ham-fisted attempts to make it misbehave, it shrugged off the greasy roads and the doom-laden puddle-cum-potholes to deliver me back to HQ a little moist but no less impressed than when I returned some months previously on its higher spec sister.
After towelling down and another restorative espresso, Darren took me to the secret Estrella warehouse nearby to have a closer inspection of the frame, and I got some more insight into just how much R&D has gone into bringing this range of bikes to the market. Right from the outset, Darren, engineer Rob Ellis and the team at Estrella have strived to make the frame the most important part of the bike and the detailing on the Camino Liso and Clasica is second to none.
I was particularly impressed at the cable routing around the bottom bracket, having attempted to rethread the front derailleur on my old carbon frame. A peek through the inspection hole at the bottom of the Clasica reveals a finish to the frames that is just as good on the inside as out. To back this all up, Estrella frames come with a four-year warranty and crash repair cover.
At the moment, this is still quite an exclusive machine - there are less than a couple of dozen Estrellas out there on the roads, but they deserve to be seen and ridden. This correspondent is so impressed, he's placed an order (subject to spouse's approval) for a Clasica frameset to cushion the journey further into middle age.
True, the Liso is probably the bike I 'want', but the Clasica is definitely the bike I 'need' - and when it looks and rides this well, there's no need to compromise.
Camino Clasica from £950 for frameset or £1200 full build at www.estrella-bikes.com
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