Volagi Liscio road bike

According to the company, Volagi means something like “the will to go” in Italian and so I willing went and took a ride on the Volagi Liscio road bike. The bike features the Avid BB7 mechanical disk brakes and I couldn’t wait to try them and see the difference they make on road cycling.

About the disk brakes: on one hand I liked them, on the other I didn’t. On the upside, the Avid BB7 disk brakes give the bike much more control, I mean: impressive control when braking. This will probably affect positively some riders by boosting their confidence making them risk a bit more because they know the brakes got them covered.

On the downside, hardcore riders will find the weight difference between disk brakes and rim brakes discouraging and most of them will be thinking that trading weight for more braking control isn’t a good deal.

Road cycling is more worried about speed and acceleration than braking and if a rider is good rim brakes will provide him with all the braking he needs.

About the rest of the bike: very nice. The carbon frame is very elegant and is relatively light. The LongBow Flex seatstays, which Volagi says that increases the smoothness of the ride, didn’t seem be quite up to the words though the ride in general was very nice. The frame is pretty stiff and the bike responds well to any order given to it. A good bike.

Final thoughts: a very good effort by Volagi to introduce disk brakes into road cycling.

As the technology evolves and they become lighter it is only expected that they will end by substituting rim brakes. Until then I will stick to my traditional braking system.