Ti Warriors—Seven ID8

Road Bike Action

THE STORY

When it comes to bikes and bike design, Seven is very particular and detail-oriented. How so? If you intend to be a custom fitter for Seven, be prepared to study an BOO-page training guide on all the do's and don'ts. For most people, filling out a tax form is an easier process than filling out Seven's 12-page custom application form. It is this sort of attention to detail that has propelled Seven to its place among the best custom builders in America today.

The Frame

Custom bikes are really what Seven has become best known for. In fact, when we first called to ask about getting a bike, they pointed us to their intensive order form to get started. To say that they were disappointed when we insisted on testing a stock bike would be an understatement. "But custom is what we do best," said Seven sales manager Jennifer Miller.

Like most custom builders, Seven does produce a stock version of each of their bikes. However, since this is the tenth anniversary of their ID8 (originally known as the Odonata, which is Latin for dragonfly), the bike that helped launch Seven, we chose the tenth anniversary model with its special celebratory paint scheme (non-anniversary versions are available for $3395).

The ID8 was unveiled at the Interbike trade show in 1997 and, as company founder Robb Vandermark is proud to point out, "It really received a huge amount of attention because it was the first metal frame to use carbon stays strategically designed and used to enhance the ride quality. Though carbon/metal tube frames now seem ubiquitous, there was nothing like it at the time." Nothing like it at the time, but nothing like it still, with its beautifully sculpted titanium lugs which envelop the carbon tubes so perfectly. One look at the Seven ID8 and you'll know that it was built by someone who truly cares about maintaining the highest level of craftsmanship.

As with every welded frame, we pored over the beads to gauge overall cleanliness and accuracy of the build process. The Seven uses what they call a "multi-pass" weld technique, which means they over-weld to smooth each junction in a special sequence to maintain the frame's alignment.

The Numbers

In a day and age where some bike brands are simplifying things by moving to a small, medium or large frame size format, Seven offers frames in 28 different sizes (from 40 to 67cm). With the Signature Fit bike you can order a bike off the rack or choose from a ten-step custom option program.

Starting with the top tube slope, Seven builds bikes with either four, eight, twelve or "other" degree angles. Our 57cm test bike had a six-degree slope. The top tube length was 56.7cm, the chainstays were 40.6cm, the bottom bracket height was 26.7cm and the wheelbase measured in at 39 inches. The head and seat angles were parallel at 73 degrees.

The Parts

The all carbon Reynolds MV32C (C as in clincher) wheels provided good, consistent braking. As the name implies, the clincher rims run a 32mm deep sidewall and there is no bonding to either a carbon or alloy hoop-just one con- tinuous piece of uni-directional carbon fiber. The narrow body hubs are courtesy of DT Swiss with a radial laced 20- spoke pattern up front and a 24 radial/cross-two pattern in the rear.

Name-dropping, designer and logo-loving, bike geeks that we are, we were expecting to see more name brand components on the ID8. Plenty of companies rely on house branded parts and accessories to not only extend their brand, but also save some money on spec'ing parts from other companies. While some house brand parts are impressive, others often fail to match the significance or innovation of the frame they are hung on—the aluminum Seven seat-post and handlebars being perfect examples. For a bike costing almost ten large, we'd rather see a few swoopy—yes, carbon—components.

The Ride

Compared to the Titus, the front end of the Seven was just a little on the harsh side when hitting road irregularities. We weren't sure whether it was the result of the Reynolds wheel or fork, the solid Ti front triangle, or a combination of all three. Luckily, the rear end of the Seven was as smooth as could be desired. Never entirely displacing the rider from the feel of the road, the Seven exhibits an almost softtail-like ride quality that even the raciest among us could appreciate. One of our test riders also complained that the front end felt high, which left him too exposed to the wind. It was only after we heard his complaint that we found out that Seven offers an extended head tube option for higher positioning which was used on our bike. Our less race-inspired test riders thought nothing of the wind and instead commented on how comfortable the positioning was. As always, personal taste is subjective.

We found the Seven to have two distinct cornering habits. On long, fast sweeping turns, the ID8 rode like it was on rails. Just arc along, grab a higher gear if you like, and pedal through as your ground clearance allows. On fast, sharper turns, the Seven was a bit more hesitant. If you tried to maintain an arcing motion, the bike would tend to stall just a bit and require a slight nudge on the bars to add some counter-steer. This latter trait seems to reflect the ID8's design intent—it is not a race bike.

The Verdict

First things first; the level of refinement found on the ID8 gives it a score of ten in build quality. Besides the beautiful bike, the extra cash spent on the 10th Anniversary ID8 gets you a special head badge, saddle, paint job, assorted schwag, and a signed CAD drawing of your frame design. More important than any of that, our experience with every Seven we've seen is that you'll also be getting a bike that is immaculate, not only in its build quality and finish, but in the ride as well.