The Liteville 4-ONE MK1 combines raw aluminium, German engineering and mountain bike inspired geometry to create what is intended to be the perfect gravel all-rounder. Read on to find out how the underdog in our gravel test performs.
Click here for an overview of the best gravel bike 2020 group test.
For their very first gravel all-rounder, Liteville went their own way. Looking at the spec sheet, you might raise an eyebrow at the geometry of the size L aluminium frame due to its long 435 mm reach, large 1,097.66 mm wheelbase and 70° head angle. Our test bike, supplied in the “01 Factory” spec comes equipped with a short 75 mm Syntace Liteforce aluminium stem, a 480 mm Syntace Racelite carbon bar, an in-house Syntace W25i aluminium wheelset with 25 mm internal rim width and Shimano’s new 2×11 GRX800 gravel drivetrain. The unconventional concept is finished off with a 100 mm travel EightPins dropper post. The bike weighs 9.16 kg in size L and costs € 4,480. To offer the same ride and handling to different sized riders, Liteville’s “Scaled Sizing” concept sees chainstay lengths matched to the frame size in addition to the usual changes in head, top and down tubes. Other clever features include the tool integrated in the rear axle as well as the new direct mount derailleur hanger. For the latter, the connecting bolt, rather than the hanger itself snaps on impact, with a spare bolt located by the bottom bracket allowing you to get back on the road quickly. The in-house development of the Syntace X-12 axle along with the silent internal cable routing are representative of the attention to detail throughout the bike. The 34.9 mm seat post is compatible with a standard seatpost as well as the EightPin integrated dropper post, which can be adjusted quickly and easily thanks to a tool integrated into the frame.
The Liteville 4-ONE MK1 in detail
Drivetrain Shimano GRX 800
Gearing 48/31 t and 11-34 t, 2×11
Brakes Shimano GRX 800, 160/160 mm
Handlebar Syntace Racelite Carbon, 480 mm
Stem Syntace Liteforce Alu, 75 mm
Seatpost EightPins, 100 mm Drop, 25 mm offset
Wheels Syntace W25i
Tires Schwalbe G-One All-Round TLE 700 x 40C
The ergonomics of the Syntace bar and the Shimano GRX shifters allow you to keep your hands on the hoods and stay in control even on technical terrain.
The saddle height (max. 340 mm) can be adjusted with the dropper lever on the bars. The dropper first has to be unlocked with a small pin that is threaded into the seat tube.
The Syntace X-12 rear axle stows a 4mm allen key and T25 torx.
Even after a few hairy line choices and some rock-to-rim impacts, the Syntace W25i wheels are as good as new.
| Size | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 441 mm | 465 mm | 489 mm | 513 mm |
| Top tube | 557 mm | 585 mm | 614 mm | 642 mm |
| Head tube | 110 mm | 585 mm | 614 mm | 200 mm |
| Head angle | 70.0° | 70.0° | 70.0° | 70.0° |
| Seat angle | 73.0° | 73.0° | 73.0° | 73.0° |
| Chainstays | 415 mm | 420 mm | 425 mm | 430 mm |
| Wheelbase | 1,027 mm | 1,062 mm | 1,098 mm | 1,133 mm |
| BB Drop | 70 mm | 70 mm | 70 mm | 70 mm |
| Reach | 395 mm | 415 mm | 435 mm | 455 mm |
| Stack | 529 mm | 557 mm | 585 mm | 614 mm |
The Liteville 4-ONE MK1 in review
The Liteville reveals an agile and willing character whether it’s accelerating or riding at high speeds, benefitting from the stiff and robust W25i wheelset. The rear wheel is designed around an offset hub to equalise spoke angle and create a more durable and stiffer wheel. The Liteville shines at all speeds thanks to its composure and balanced handling in every situation. Steering inputs are translated predictably to the bike and the centre of gravity is comparatively far forwards, resulting in lots of grip from the front wheel. In technical terrain the 4-ONE offers a rewarding ride, doing exactly what you want of it – it’s just never ending fun!
If you can make do without a dropper post, spec the Syntace P6 carbon seatpost for a boost in comfort.
The 4-ONE isn’t just a road bike with wide tires slapped on. Someone put a lot of thought into producing a unique and individual concept.
The ergonomics of the bars and the Shimano GRX shifter allow you to keep your hands on the hoods in steep sections while the dropper post provides additional freedom of movement for more secure descending. However, if you don’t need a dropper, you can also spec a Syntace P6 seatpost, which is renowned for its compliance, to generate a bit more comfort. Given the comparatively stiff rear end of the bike, we’d probably recommend this. But, despite the slightly stiffer ride, there was no other bike in the test that provided such a consistently fun time!
Conclusion
The Liteville 4-ONE MK1 isn’t only the best thought-through bike and concept in our group test, it’s also the best all-rounder. The progressive geometry and innovative features make it capable of turning its hand to anything, providing agile fun on the road and good-natured euphoria on gravel and technical terrain. Despite the slightly limited comfort on offer, the Liteville can’t be beaten in terms of riding fun which ultimately meant it had to be awarded Best in Test!
Tops
- maximum riding fun with perfect handling
- composed and confidence inspiring ride
- clever features and innovative details
- engineering and finish
Flops
- limited comfort
Riding Characteristics
4Agility
- cumbersome
- playful
Stability
- nervous
- confident
Handling
- demanding
- balanced
Fun factor
- boring
- lively
Value for money
- terrible
- very good
For more info: liteville.com
Click here for an overview of the best gravel bike 2020 group test.
All bikes in test: Argon 18 Dark Matter | Cannondale Topstone Carbon Ultegra RX | Canyon Grail AL 7.0 | Cervélo Áspero | Giant Revolt Advanced Pro Force | Kona Libre AL | Liteville 4-ONE MK1 | OPEN WI.DE. | Pivot Vault Team Force | ROSE BACKROAD GRX RX810 Di2 | Santa Cruz Stigmata CC | Specialized Turbo Creo SL Expert EVO | Standert Pfadfinder | Trek Domane SLR 9 eTap
No, it’s not about perfect race tracks, it’s about efficiency. Fast, fleet-footed and efficient – those who want to speed along high-speed passages need a defined and spritely bike that accelerates with ease and efficiency. Nevertheless, reliable components are important too. We interpret “Smooth tarmac” bikes as follows: Hard efforts at high speeds with a maximum efficient bike on a consistently well-paved road. Effort-joy ratio: 80:30 (not everything has to be 100%!)↩
… also known as bike riding. Broken-up roads in the hinterland, deadlocked gravel roads, loose surfaces – sometimes muddy, sometimes bone-dry. For this, it takes bikes with super all-round, handling and wearing qualities uphill and downhill. Effort-joy ratio: 50:50↩
If you want to use your bike almost every day, you usually do not need an extremely tuned racing machine. Solid components, which are able to cope with the rigours of continuous usage in any kind of weather, are part of the basic equipment. At the same time, the bike should have practicable details: integrated fenders/assembly options, luggage racks/attachment points and a light system or at least the option of installing bike lights. The position on the bike should be rather relaxed, the overall comfort high, so that the Afterwork Ride becomes a cure and not a curse. Effort-joy ratio: 30:70↩
You can find more info about our rating system in this article: Click here! ↩
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Words: Photos: GRAN FONDO-Team
