According to LOOK, the 795 BLADE RS Disc is the fastest and most versatile bike the French company has ever made. Does more than 30 years of experience in building carbon frames pay off? And can the LOOK pull ahead of all the others?
For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best road bike of 2020 – 13 high-carat road bikes in review
With the LOOK 795 BLADE RS DISC, the French carbon specialist enters the disc version of its newest aero bike into our group test. The carbon frameset has clearances for up to 30 mm tires and features many details to help improve comfort. The seat stays eschew a seat stay bridge with a construction designed for efficient power transmission, maximum vibration damping and good traction at the rear wheel.
The LOOK 795 BLADE RS DISC in detail
The LOOK AEROPOST 2 seatpost can be flipped around, allowing you to choose between 0 or 25 mm offset. The BB386 press fit bottom bracket is compatible with both 24 and 30 mm crank axles. Here, the aluminium inserts promise tight tolerances and easy maintenance. Just like the rim brake model, cables are routed internally through the frame. The in-house LOOK ADS stem and headset combination aims to combine integration with easy serviceability. Our test bike is a custom build with a SRAM RED eTap AXS 2×12 groupset, Corima WS Black wheels and 700 x 25C Pirelli P Zero Velo tires. In this configuration, the LOOK weighs 7.95 kg in size L and costs € 9,500. It’s the only bike in our test that comes with large 50/37 t chainrings, comparable to Shimano’s 53/39 t configuration, instead of the compact 46/33 t on the other SRAM bikes in our test. Full speed ahead!
The LOOK AEROPOST 2 seatpost lets you choose between 0 or 25 mm offset. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer much compliance or damping.
The 50/37 t SRAM chainrings offer similar gearing to a Shimano 53/39 t chainset. Out on the road, that means you’ll be able to pedal above 60 km/h
The cockpit is very functional, but there are some significantly more visually appealing solutions available
LOOK 795 BLADE RS DISC
€ 9,500
Specifications
Seatpost LOOK AEROPOST 2 Carbon 0-25 mm
Brakes SRAM RED HRD 160/140 mm
Drivetrain SRAM RED eTap AXS
Stem LOOK ADS 120 mm
Handlebar LOOK ADH 2.1 Carbon 420 mm
Wheelset Corima WS Black
Tires Pirelli P Zero Velo 700 x 25C
Gearing 50/37 T und 10–33 T 2x12
Technical Data
Size XS S M L XL
Weight 7.95 kg
The Pirelli P Zero Velo tires previously convinced us in our tire group test with their high level of damping. On the LOOK, they’re the only real concession to comfort.
The geometry of the LOOK
| Size | XS | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube | 445 mm | 470 mm | 494 mm | 519 mm | 544 mm |
| Top tube | 494 mm | 510 mm | 526 mm | 545 mm | 558 mm |
| Head tube | 112 mm | 137 mm | 156 mm | 181 mm | 206 mm |
| Head angle | 71,8° | 71,8° | 73,0° | 73,0° | 73,0° |
| Seat angle | 75,8° | 75,8° | 75,8° | 75,8° | 75,8° |
| Chainstays | 405 mm | 405 mm | 405 mm | 405 mm | 405 mm |
| BB Drop | 65 mm | 65 mm | 65 mm | 65 mm | 65 mm |
| Reach | 367 mm | 377 mm | 386 mm | 396 mm | 406 mm |
| Stack | 505 mm | 529 mm | 553 mm | 578 mm | 601 mm |
The 795 BLADE RS is polarising! Both it’s look and handling promise high-end race performance.
The LOOK 795 BLADE RS DISC in review
Pedalling from a standstill, the LOOK is comparatively sluggish, but it is able to generate a lot of speed when accelerating out of corners or in a slipstream. It’s noticeably easy to move the bike underneath you when pedalling out of the saddle and the frame scores highly with its stiff bottom bracket and head tube. While climbing steep inclines requires a lot of power and isn’t the LOOK’s strong suit, on the flats and in headwinds, it fully plays to its strengths. Here, the bike feels planted on the road, has great straight-line stability, though despite feeling very steady and secure, it lacks some comfort. While the Pirelli tires offer damping and hence a certain level of comfort, the compliance of the frameset and seatpost is too low to allow an aerodynamic riding position to be held comfortably for any length of time. The flippable seatpost means you can achieve a compact and sporty riding position but in either configuration, you’ll feel more like you’re perched on top of the bike rather than integrated between the wheels. At the same time, the top tube is relatively high, making standover height an issue for smaller riders. The bike is a little slow to react to quick direction changes, but that makes it good natured when riding hard. This bike feels safe and secure, letting you ride right at your limit.
Tuning tips: The Corima WS Black is a great wheelset and fits nicely into the overall concept of the LOOK!
Riding Characteristics
4Agility
- cumbersome
- playful
Stability
- nervous
- confident
Handling
- demanding
- balanced
Fun factor
- boring
- lively
Comfort
- firm
- comfortable
Value for money
- terrible
- very good
Conclusion
The LOOK 795 BLADE RS is a true race machine. For racers with time-trialling ambitions, this is a speed machine for race tracks with perfect surfaces. Leisure and everyday riders will appreciate the straight line stability as well as the good-natured handling when riding at the limit. However, the lack of comfort and the partly unfinished look of several different aspects mean the LOOK can’t take any of the top spots in our group test.
Tops
- good stability
- dedicated concept for racing
- good-natured handling at the limit
Flops
- low level of comfort
- cockpit is not aesthetically pleasing
For more info head to lookcycle.com
The test field
For an overview of the test fleet head to the group test: The best road bike of 2020 – 13 high-carat road bikes in review
All bikes in test: Argon 18 Krypton Pro (Click for review) | Bianchi Infinito CV Disc (Click for review) | BMC Roadmachine 01 ONE (Click for review) | Cannondale SuperSix EVO Hi-MOD Disc Dura Ace (Click for review) | Cicli Bonanno Futomaki Disc (Click for review) | FOCUS IZALCO MAX DISC 9.9 (Click for review) | LOOK 795 BLADE RS DISC | OPEN U.P.P.E.R. (Click for review) | Pinarello Dogma F12 Team INEOS Edition (Click for review) | ROSE REVEAL SIX Dura Ace Di2 Custom (Click for review) | Specialized S-Works Roubaix (Click for review) | Trek Domane SLR 9 eTap (Click for review) | VOTEC VRC PRO (Click for review)
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: Valentin Rühl
