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Originally, I'd planned to do the test ride of the Seven around Boone, North Carolina. It's a rugged area surrounded by lots of mountains � and was, of course, the place that Lance Armstrong chose as his venue for his return to racing, after recovering from cancer. But as I was driving there, I stumbled across Lake James. Making my way along the road that ran parallel to the lake, something told me this was the perfect place to stop and go for a ride.

Just located south of Boone, Lake James is a spectacular, long body of water, with incredible views. Even though it was late in the day, there was just enough sunlight to head out for a ride. I'd already put the bike together earlier in the week at Uptown Cycles in Charlotte, NC. Gazing upon it for the second time, it struck me the Seven was well named. The moment I unpacked it, I felt the first of of those seven deadly sins take hold... Lust. Seven's reputation for building beautiful quality bikes is known throughout the industry. It's easy to imagine Seven having taken their design cues from a 1950s Jaguar Mk VII, or the understated Moto Guzzi VII motorcycle. The same elegant, flowing lines are found in the V�II's design, especially in the seatstays and chainstays. Both are very close to the rear wheel and gracefully curve towards the rear dropout.

The frame of the bike I tested, described by its makers as �cue ball white with robin-egg blue and electric blueberry accents�, is just one of many choices from the almost infinite colour palette Seven offers.

And the Seven's beauty is more than skin-deep. It's an all-carbon bike, built using the company's proprietary A6 multi-modulus carbon fibre. This allows 100 per cent epoxy strength in the glue gap to maximize bond strength and durability. Seven's experience in carbon bonding gives them the ability to adjust the diameter of the tubing, and the thickness of its walls, in their custom bikes. By doing so, they can produce frames with specific geometries to suit each individual rider. It's the complete opposite of an assembly line, with Seven using just one machinist, one welder, and one finisher to make the bike of your choice to your requirements.

When I receive the build sheet for my bike though, I was worried that it would be a bit small for me. I was particularly concerned about the 51cm centre-to-centre seat-tube measurement. The centre-to-top measurement was 54cm. I was assured the V�II was a compact frame with a 74-degree seat-tube angle, the 59cm top-tube would fit fine.

When the bike arrived, the saddle was a bit low. That problem was swiftly solved by swapping out the seatpost for a longer one to achieve the correct height. I knew that having that extra bit of seatpost sticking out wouldn't distract me from the bike's performance � but all the same, I couldn't help thinking that I could have done with a frame a couple of centimetres longer.

Riding the Seven V�II along the twisting road that ran beside the lake, all my worries melted away. The ride was smooth, and with the sunlight shimmering on the water, the bike had a relaxing quality, I could feel barely any shock from the road, and the steering was so fluid that my mind drifted onto other things as I enjoyed the scenery.

The 440g Seven 5E carbon fork wasn't twitchy, and with a headtube measuring just 15cm, the bike moved gracefully and attentively in any direction I sent it. It was almost like being on auto-pilot, with the bike sensing the subtle shifts in my weight and pressure, responding to tackle whatever was coming towards us with ease. With the rear wheel tucked in close behind the seat-tube, the small frame was quick to turn. I felt in total control.

In some ways, the Seven provided such a smooth ride that it even felt a little deceptive � hiding its high-end performance until I asked. But switching off that mental auto-pilot, I decided to test its mettle.

High-speed cornering was impeccable. Racing into a bend, the bike stood up well to heavy breaking, and with the outside foot down, inside knee out, I could lean the bike way over to carry my speed through the apex. Switching between exciting corners and out-of-the-saddle acceleration was quick. The 1,550g Fulcrum One wheels didn't move with the lateral stress of cornering. With the combined stiffness of wheels and frame, getting back up to high speed was short and sweet.

In particular, the Seven offers plenty of stiffness in the bottom bracket. This is perfect for accelerating and climbing, but something I hadn't entirely expected, given the bike's normal-sized tubing. To enable it to handle the high stresses of climbing and sprinting, the frame has a slight flare on the toptube and downtube where they meet the headtube. I could feel the stiffness this gave the front end as I put pressure on the bars to get up hills. Excellent power transfer meant the small frame stayed straight, directing all my energy into forward motion. I also discovered that my initial reservations about the bike's size proved unfounded. In fact, its small frame turned out to be an asset, enabling me to explode off the line during sprints. Fully equipped, the bike weighs 17.5lb (7.95kg) and can carry a maximum weight of 220lb (100kg). Luckily, I met that requirement, and each time I pulled on the bars for a sprint, the bike leapt into action.

One nice touch on the bike was the protective aluminum chain guard on the drive side of the bottom bracket and part of the chainstay, in case the chain gets thrown off on the inside of the chainring. It's a simple extra layer of protection for your investment.

With so many options to choose from, before you actually hand over any money, you'll need to invest some time in thinking about what you want from a bike, and what type of ride you are looking for. Seven sells only frames, with 95 per cent of those being custom-made. Their attention to detail ensures you get the right fit, performance and comfort. Considering its price � $4,495 for the frame alone, with another $545 for the fork, or $9,000 for the fully-equipped bike � the Seven V�II is quite and indulgence. Sinful, even. Spending money like that certainly won't help fix the gutters on my house, but all the same I'm tempted.

My priorities might be messed up, but Seven's are spot on. Their experience helps them take a client from not knowing what they need, to getting a bike they can take pride in. Where's the sin in that?

Conclusion

With a wide range of options available for every frame, you're spoilt for choice. From paint, tube diameters, extended tubes, materials, and rider-specific demands, it's commitment to customization that makes Seven stand out. The shorter tubes and compact design of their V�II make it a racing machine with excellent handling and plenty of stiffness to meet an aggressive rider's demands. And neither are these demands met by sacrificing comfort. Instead, the V�II delivers a ride that's intoxicatingly smooth, easy and relaxing.

This bike is not a mixture of different ride qualities that sacrifices one benefit for another, but integrates them together into one well-designed solution that offers all-around quality and performance.