Storck Durnario Comp Shimano 105 review

The Storck Durnario Comp Shimano 105 landed in the office for a ride-it-now-or-never, one-week-only test period. Realising a couple of commutes wouldn't cut it, I ventured out into the Surrey Hills to see how it fared on more open roads and slightly harder climbs.

Storck is a brand better known for high end offerings, and that remains the case with this frameset, but the inclusion of a Shimano 105-equipped is interesting as it marks a shift towards a wider market.

Aiming for newer riders and sportivistes, a 105 build better suits their needs and also leaves scope for upgrades at a later date.

On the whole, I was happy sat atop this bike as it coped well in the wind and climbed with ease. But all the while I was consious that something was missing and it took me a while to put my finger on what it was.

Then it dawned on me: excitement. I just wasn't very moved by this machine. However, that's not such a bad thing.

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Image 5 of 13

This isn't to fault the build, with its 'Directional Depending Stiffness’ frame and the workhorse reliability of the Shimano 105 groupset the bike performed well and I could happily have extended my 100km ride into an all day audax with little concern about the comfort of the bike.

Here is a bike that would be dependable over a long sportive or for a first foray into racing. While fast enough when up to speed to feel like your effort wasn't being wasted, it did lack a bit of zip from a standing start and coming out of corners.

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Image 8 of 13

Then the price comes more sharply into view and you once again wonder: where was the zip, the buzz, the thrill of the ride? The Storck Durnario Comp felt, well, just a bit ordinary.

Ordinary's fine: it will see you through any sportive and even those first few races. But ordinary shouldn't cost quite so much when it comes with a Shimano 105 groupset.

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Image 11 of 13

For a similar price to this Shimano 105-equipped bike you could get a Trek Domane SL 6 or even save yourself a few hundred quid with the BMC Granfondo GF02, both with Shimano Ultegra.

The Storck is racier than both but few people getting into cycling spend enough time competing in only crits while doing little other riding for this to be a huge factor.

The Storck's very minor jump in price from frameset only to Shimano 105-build is so small it looks like a bargain.

However, that's because the frame is already at the pricey end of things.

The frameset alone probably goes a long way to deserve its price tag, but building the bike up with Shimano 105 does feel like the whole package is slightly cheapened.

This is where I should state that I'm a huge fan of the most recent incarnation of the Shimano 105 set-up: it works and looks better than it ever has, and rivals most 'better' groupsets from about five or more years ago.

The Shimano Ultegra build, at nearly £3000, is possibly the best value as a proportion of its rivals.

Storck's self-pitched position at the premium end of the market suits its offerings in that corner well.

The lighter framed, Shimano Dura-Ace equipped Durnario Platinum, which will set you back over eight grand, is a top-end machine and an investment for the serious rider and racer.

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Image 3 of 13

The Storck Durnario Comp Shimano 105 has an advantage over its flashier brother thanks to the fact that it would suit anyone from new rider, to accomplished sportiviste or amateur racer.

The quality of the frame isn't in question, so a groupset and/or wheel upgrade down the line is a viable option, but it's still a hefty initial outlay.

As mentioned at the start, I only got to ride this bike for a week but if I'd been offered it for a full summer I would gladly have stuck with it.

Anyone who buys one is unlikely to be disappointed if they know what they're getting; they should perhaps just look to skip this model and go straight to the Shimano Ultegra build from the off.

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Image 12 of 13

Spec