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Personal Review of the 57cm BH G5
04.15.2011
Our friend over at scottsonline.com got himself a BH Bikes G5, and shared his impressions with us here.
Equipped with: Full Shimano Dura-Ace with Di2 and Shimano 1380 wheels/ Michelin Pro-3 tires
On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest mark, this bike is a full 10, there are simply no flaws.
Having a stable of 4 high-end road bikes is a great way to test, each of them with their own separate claims to fame, the G5 surfaces as a mark above, especially once you’ve spent time switching from bike to bike.
Handling = 10
This is the one of the G5’s best attributes!! The bike is superb at high speeds and very precise on corners without being jittery. Aim it where you want to go and it goes there with confidence.
Climbing = 10
No question this bike can climb. It’s stiff and serious about making every ounce of energy go toward your goal at the top. Climbers will love it.
Road compliancy = 10
At first I was amazed that it could be this stiff and compliant too. However the more I ride it, the more I realize I was asking too much for a bike to be as thoroughbred of a racer and expect it to suck up every little bump in the road too. Even on big hits, it does have that absorbent cushion that carbon so often gives you. Hit a pothole you don’t see and it doesn’t feel like you broke the frame in half, it’s stiff but still absorbs exceptionally well.
Stability = 10 (Don’t try this at home…..but you can ride it with no hands downhill at 40mph…confidently, go figure)
Wow. I was so confident coming down a steep grade that I let go of the bars just a bit to see if it would start the dreaded fork wobble….nothing. So, I let go and sat up slowly with no hands. Nothing…straight as an arrow. Amazing!!
Sprinting = 12
Oh yes, like climbing when you want to GO, just say so and it’s all business. No flex, no loss, just pure acceleration.
Finish Quality = 10
The paint scheme is beautiful, mine is red, the carbon shows just enough to make a statement, the detail of attachment points, drop outs, wire routing, battery holder and general flow of the design is gorgeous. It’s not only fun to ride, but it gets a lot of second looks, questions and compliments.
Ride Noise = 10
One of the first things you notice, besides the fact that you’re going fast immediately, without much effort, is the fact that It makes no noise at all. No cables banging each other or the frame, no hub-clicks, no chain or cassette noise, you can't tell if you’re riding anything but air. It’s dead quiet to ride. This gives you more time to hear the wind hit your ears, talk to your girlfriend or jabber non-sense to another rider that you are about to abuse on a hill.
Brakes = 10
Maybe it’s just because they are new, but this bike stops far superior to any of my other 4 Dura Ace bikes. You just dive in corners deeper and deeper and it builds more confidence with each turn that it will slow down in a hurry.
Di2 Shifting = 10
The electronic Shimano shifting is amazingly good, more specifically, perfect. The more you ride it the more you realize how much time they spent on details. Hood position, shifter touch and location, speed of shifting and accuracy is perfect. You just can’t make mistakes, unless you are lame. All the idol talk about the battery life being an issue is just plain hogwash. It seems to go forever and is incredibly easy to remove and charge, when necessary. It has an indicator light giving you literally weeks of notice before you’ll need to charge it.
Shifting trim adjustments = 10
On the fly trim adjustments are very easy, something I thought with electric shift would be difficult. The light readouts make is very simple and it’s hardly ever needed anyway.
Side note of surprise: 2010 version of the Dura Ace Carbon 1380 wheels are superb. Great feel, stiff yet compliant, alum braking surface, easy to mount, easy to true, durable and dependable.
If I had to pick on something just to make this review sound more credible, it hops a little in the back under heavy braking on bumpy roads probably due to the short chain stays (402 on a large). This is really nit-picking though. Hey if it was perfect no one would believe all the praise I’m giving it. Honestly it’s amazing and I’m not easily impressed.
Bikes currently owned (all Dura/Ace/ all 58cm): Scott CR1 team issue with full carbon wheels 15.2 lbs / Trek 5.9 Madone / Specialized SL2 / Specialized Tarmac E5
