The frame – racy and light for the money

Whether you opt for the £950 model or the flagship £2,200 machine, all Emitter bikes are based around the same carbon fibre frame.

• Specification

• Price: £1,600
• Weight: 7.3kg
• Sizes: 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60cm
• Website: Wiggle

While the Emitter doesn’t have any standout features, it’s an up-to-date frame with a uni-directional carbon layup, full internal cable routing, and squared-off tube profiles combined with a bulky bottom bracket shell to give the bike a purposeful look in the flesh, supporting the geometry’s racy intentions.

How much does the frame weigh? A round 1kg for the 56cm frame size tested here. It wasn’t too long ago that a 1kg frame was considered pretty light but things have moved on since then, dropping by more than 25 per cent to sub-750g for the lightest frames. Still, while the Emitter’s chassis isn’t super-light, it’s still more than respectable for a mid-range carbon frame and, along with the rest of the build, makes for a bike which, at 7.3kg, does very little to trouble the scales for the £1,600 price tag.

That being said, the frame does lack a touch of refinement. The best frames are able to give great stiffness and responsiveness, without sacrificing a level of comfort to let you ride on through the 100km mark and beyond in relative comfort. That compliance isn’t present in huge quantities in the Emitter R2, through the front or rear end, and that can be felt on UK roads when the roads are broken up. In fact, I found myself looking out for dodgy patches in the road surface so I could make a point of avoiding them – more so that I usually would on my everyday aluminium bike.

Still, while I found the ride a touch harsh, it was competent and relatively sure-footed in most situations on well-paved roads, including commutes and club rides.

One notable flaw in the bike received from Wiggle, however, was the lack of spare cable at the head of the bike. Normally, I’d argue this as a positive thing, but with the in-line barrel adjusters constantly snagging on the tightly fed wire at low speeds, it only served as a minor annoyance and distraction. Perhaps one for Wiggle’s bike builders to address when putting the machines together for customers. In any case, during testing a cable tie puling together the offending wires papered over the problem – so it’s a simple, if slightly unnecessary, fix.

All things considered, Shimano Ultegra is an excellent groupset, and on a bike of this price it’s top value – full credit to Eastway for speccing the full groupset and not cutting any corners. However, given that Shimano’s 105 and Tiagra groupsets have now borrowed plenty of the tech found on Ultegra, there’s also plenty of value to be found further down the Emitter range, even if there is a slight weight penalty and sacrifice in the rest of the build.

The R2 build here features Mavic’s solid and dependable Aksium aluminium clincher wheels.  Eastway have done away with Mavic’s WTS (Wheel Tyre System) offering, whereby the wheels come with Mavic tyres, instead opting for Continental Ultrasport 25mm tyres. In tandem, the pairing works well; the tyres are hard-wearing and provide good levels of grip and the Mavic Aksiums are reliable year-round wheels for most uses. They’re not the lightest at 1,880g but are responsive enough when pushed hard and the frame will reward a wheel upgrade. The 25mm tyre width is also welcome, especially considering the slight harshness of the general ride, and the fact there’s room to jump up to 28mm means you can conceivably add in a little more comfort with a wider tyre.

Eastway have made no secret of their desire to keep recognisable brands on the bike, and, having opted for a Shimano groupset and Mavic wheels, have also fitted the Emitter R2 with a Fizik Aliante saddle, which is supportive and – for me, at least – probably the most comfortable part of the bike. There’s also a Ritchey Comp finishing kit, with the full complement of seatpost, stem and handlebar. It’s all recognisable, decent quality kit.

That said, the handlebar is rather thin, so for people with big hands (like me) double wrapping or swapping the bar tape for a thicker option will be an attractive, relatively cheap upgrade. That being said, I found the shape and feedback of the handlebar to be excellent on the hoods and in the drops, which helps support the aforementioned confidence to throw it into bends and put the hammer down.

Conclusion

The Eastway Emitter R2 is a fast, responsive bike with a racy geometry. It’s a touch harsh when asked to iron out poor road paving, and there other small niggles here and there, but, with a carbon frame, full Shimano Ultegra groupset and recognisable kit across the rest of the build, the R2 still represents very good value for money as a complete package.

Pros

• Stiff, responsive frame
• Full Shimano Ultegra groupset and top spec throughout
• Excellent value for money

Cons

• Ride quality is a little harsh
• Racy position may not suit everyone
• Handlebar tape is too thin