Taipei Bike Show: NeilPryde to launch new superlight Bura SL road bike

NeilPryde will launch a new superlight road bike at the top end of their range later in the year. It’s likely that the frame weight of the Bura SL will be sub-750g in a large size.

The design brief for the Bura SL was to engineer a bike that was as low as possible while retaining frame stiffness. NeilPryde reckon that their analysis of lightweight frames from some other manufacturers has revealed that some have sacrificed rigidity while shaving off the grams. One of the key features  designed to ensure that doesn’t happen here is the use of reinforcing ‘ribs’ to increase stiffness at the seat tube/top tube and top tube/head tube/down tube junctions.

Michael Pryde of NeilPryde told us that one of the prototype frames that has been developed weighs just 680g, but material will be added to the real world version to add strength and durability, so it’s likely to end up around 10% heavier.

The frame uses very skinny chainstays to soak up road vibration and the seatpost is held in place using an internal wedge and a recessed bolt. NeilPryde admit this is largely a cosmetic feature. The dropouts are full carbon fibre as are the cable stops, and the headset cups are moulded.

The seat tube is asymmetric to resist pedalling forces and the Bura SL frame will use a PressFit 30 bottom bracket whereas the existing bikes in the range, the Diablo and the Alize, are both BB86. The Bura SL will use higher-end carbon too – maybe a combination of 46-ton and 60-ton rather than T700, although that has yet to be decided.

NeilPryde will make this decision after feedback from the United Healthcare pro team who are on the brand this year. It’s likely that the team will make their debut on the Bura SL at the Tour of California in mid-May. The finished article is due for a September release. The price has yet to be set.