The answers

The short answer to all these questions is an emphatic “yes”. Given my two ascents of Alpe d’Huez within the 24 hours spent with the bike, it’s clear that the frame is a climbing gem. Stiffness and responsiveness, as Carron had suggested, are in abundance, while it does a great job of masking the overall weight of the bike, demonstrable as I round each switchback and accelerate away.

We didn’t have any scales to hand to weigh the bike, but through switchback after famous switchback on the ascent of Alpe d’Huez, the frame feeds every pedal stroke into the road, with out of the saddle spurts allowing the bike to come alive as I rock it side to side. The Shimano RS 10 wheels supplied with this model come with a hefty 1,848g claimed weight, leaving an obvious opportunity to upgrade and bring the overall weight down, but the bottom line is the frame has the quality to justify new rolling stock.

In the saddle, and despite the extra weight of this entry-level build, the bike feels extremely stiff and stable. There’s no sense of flex at all through this standard 785 frame, allowing me to dig in while seated and get the most from the 105 drivetrain – pound-for-pound probably still the best value groupset Shimano make despite the recent updates to Ultegra R8000.

Naturally, what goes up must come down and it’s worth noting that, despite the weight of my test machine and its basic rolling stock, handling is sharp and direct, with an overall behaviour that inspires confidence. Tipping into switchbacks brings about a connected feeling to the frame, while the not-always billiard table smooth road is handled reasonably well.

With bikes now usually positioned as being all things to all people – maximum stiffness and compliance in one package – the 785 is focussed on doing what it does well the best: climbing. That means stiffness, rigidity and the ability to power you up an ascent is very impressive indeed.

In truth, during our media briefing, Carron never mentioned the term ‘vertical compliance’ at all, which just goes to show that LOOK (currently, at least) isn’t interested in finding an optimum compromise – it’s interested in giving you a focussed bike frame, perfectly suited for purpose, regardless of your budget.

While a full test on UK will reveal more about the overall behaviour of the 785 Huez – there’s certainly a hint of rawness about the bike when the road gets particularly textured – the signs are promising that even with this, the most basic model, a lively and rewarding ride will be on the cards.

LOOK 785 Huez range and pricing

LOOK 785 Huez RS, SRAM Red eTap – £8,199
LOOK 785 Huez RS, Shimano Dura-Ace – £5,699

LOOK 785 Huez, Shimano Ultegra R8050 Di2 – £4,099
LOOK 785 Huez, Shimano Ultegra R8000 – £3,099

New LOOK Keo 2 Max pedals

While riding the 785 Huez, I also got a first look at the refreshed Keo 2 Max pedals – the carbon version, complete with an enlarged contact area for claims of improved power transfer across all float angles, and a redesigned axle construction with a conical spacer and dual-lip seal that LOOK says improves reliability.

Of course, it’s impossible to tell over the course of a total of four hours of riding whether the change to the seals has improved reliability – a test throughout the nitty and gritty of UK weather will help to define that, but what is noticeable is how ‘flat’ the pedals feel underfoot.