LIGHT AND STIFF
“The 595 is less yielding than Dick Cheney on Meet the Press,” quipped one tester. It’s true: The naked-carbon tubes might appear a bit thin, but the integrated seat-tube/seatpost system takes out lateral flex under the saddle. And where stiffness counts—at the bottom bracket, in the head tube—the cylinders drastically flare out, providing structural counters to any forces that might sap efficiency. But the 595’s secret ingredient is “carbon nano-tubes.” Since the weakest part of carbon fiber is the spaces between the threads, Look impregnates its resin with microscopic carbon tubes that make the finished product lighter, stronger, and, you guessed it, stiffer. 15.6 lbs, 53 cm; lookcycle-usa.com
Bonus: The E-Post saddle mount has vibration-damping elastomers to help dampen this jittery race frame. Plus, Look is now directly distributing their bikes in the U.S., which means they’ll be easier to find.
Bummer: The Look VO2 Mano handlebars may be sexy, but leaving the tops untaped is a form-over-function decision that we can’t get behind.