TAVELO Arow

The reviewer discusses the Tavelo Arow, a high-end aerodynamic road bike frame he has used for nearly a year. He highlights its development, aerodynamic design, lightweight construction, and versatility, noting it performs well not only on flat terrain but also in climbs and rolling courses. He also mentions the brand Tavelo, the frame's specifications, and his personal build with Chinese-market components.

The reviewer criticizes the TAVELO Arow frame for poor quality control and engineering issues, including an undersized and egg-shaped bottom bracket shell, a poorly designed headset with insufficient preload and lack of weather sealing, a damaged seatpost clamp that scratches the seatpost, a problematic expander bung that is difficult to install and remove, and a low stack height that limits adjustment. Despite good internal molding, the frame is considered overpriced at nearly $2000 USD.

The reviewer provides a six-month update on the TAVELO Arow after 4,500 km of racing. The frame set is praised for no issues with the bottom bracket and seat post, but the lack of aerodynamic validation is a disappointment. The saddle is a Riot 3D printed carbon one from AliExpress, which has been good. Chain rings were changed from Pass Quest (which caused chain drops with 12-speed Shimano) to a Dutch brand, which resolved the issue. The handlebars have no issues. The reviewer switched from an L2 ERX groupset to 12-speed Shimano Ultegra, noting Sprint shifters are excellent. The cassette was changed from a Chinese lightweight one to Shimano for better shifting. Wheels are CWS, with a 50mm rear and 28mm front tire combo preferred over the 65/75 for crosswind stability. Bottle cages are Canon Arow ones, which can drop bottles if not inserted straight. Overall, the bike is good with some component changes.

The reviewer discusses the TAVELO Arow Road Bike Frameset as a modern, aerodynamic frameset with a mix of design influences from various high-end road bikes. They highlight its weight, tire clearance, and stiffness, while noting the lack of publicly available aerodynamic data.

The reviewer praises the TAVELO Arrow as a capable race bike that is stiff, fast, and relatively lightweight at 1,160g for a size 540 (equivalent to size 56). After a year and 5,000 km, the bike has been flawless with no creaks, rattles, or failures. The integrated cockpit is a favorite for its ergonomics and stiffness. The reviewer notes that the Arrow slots between a Tarmac SL8 and a Giant Propel, offering better bottom bracket stiffness than the SL8 and more comfort than the Propel. It is recommended for competitive athletes and enthusiasts, though the geometry is aggressive and resale value may be low.

The reviewer discusses the TAVELO Arow Road Bike Frameset, highlighting its updated layup and paint job. They note significant improvements in ride quality compared to the previous version, describing it as more lively and responsive.